http://www.meatwave.com Adventures in BBQ and Grilling in NYC (c) 2012 Joshua Bousel, All Rights Reserved en-us http://www.meatwave.com/blog/grilled-chinese-eggplant-with-sweet-ginger-miso-paste-recipe Joshua Bousel

For a meatmaster, I've been thinking a whole lot about vegetables lately. No need to worry, there's zero chance I'm contemplating going vegetarian, but I've been thrown for a loop with the first category of my first competition being "vegetable." This has my mind running with questions galore. What's considered a vegetable? Do potatoes count? What about peppers, technically a fruit? What type of vegetable can please an array of judges? Does it have to appeal to their sweet tooth? While I'm working all of these out, I've also been trolling my archive of recipes to find inspiration and remind myself what's worked and what hasn't in my more limited skills a vegetable griller. Picking out some highlights, I remembered these Chinese eggplants finished with a sweet ginger-miso paste—not right for competition, but definitely mighty tasty.

More and recipe after the jump >>]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:40:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Recipes Grilling Vegetables Sides http://www.meatwave.com/blog/grilled-chinese-eggplant-with-sweet-ginger-miso-paste-recipe http://www.meatwave.com/blog/kansas-city-style-barbecue-ribs-recipe Joshua Bousel

Life in a sea of ribs. That's how I've been living recently as I try to come up with my final competition recipe before the first comp in the end of March. While I'll still probably live and die by Mike Mill's ribs for my personal taste, those may not score well with the current trend of sweet toothed judges. So there have been many stops along the way to find the right amount of sweet, while staying true to myself with a balance of spices and heat as well. These Kansas City-style baby backs were instrumental in finding my way to a well rounded, yet sweet, rib.

More and recipe after the jump >>]]> Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:40:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Ribs Barbecue Pork Recipes http://www.meatwave.com/blog/kansas-city-style-barbecue-ribs-recipe http://www.meatwave.com/blog/pork-barrel-bbq-sweet-sauce-review Joshua Bousel

Meatwave Rating: 8 out of 10

A heavy hand of molasses mixed with a wide array of course spices define this sauce, whose uniqueness made it exciting to keep going back for more.

Read the full review after the jump >>]]> Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:10:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Sauced Reviews Sauce http://www.meatwave.com/blog/pork-barrel-bbq-sweet-sauce-review http://www.meatwave.com/blog/kansas-city-style-barbecue-sauce-recipe Joshua Bousel

As I prepare to start my career as a competition barbecuer, I've been hard at work at honing my sauces to be as delicious and unique as possible, in hopes they'll give me an edge in the fierce battles that lay ahead. While I'm taking the barbecue cop-out and deeming my most recent sauces "secret," I traveled a long road of experimentation with different styles of sauce to get me to where I am today, and those recipes I'm more than happy to share. One the first, and most regular, sauces I made was of the thick and sweet variety, akin to what you'd find in Kansas City.

More and recipe after the jump >>]]> Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:20:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Sauce Barbecue Recipes http://www.meatwave.com/blog/kansas-city-style-barbecue-sauce-recipe http://www.meatwave.com/blog/the-meatwave-bbq-team-has-reached-its-goal Joshua Bousel

Thanks to all of my supportive family, friends, and fans, The Meatwave Competition BBQ Team has reached its goal and will hit the BBQ trail this summer. Applications to compete in the Hudson Valley Ribfest and The Battle of the BBQ Brethren are already in the mail and I'm working on putting everything together we need to participate.

The outpouring of support to get to this goal has meant the world to me, and I'm currently hard at work on the buttons, totes, sauces, and more that funders will receive in return for their generous donations.

Of course, The Meatwave is always thinking big and looking above and beyond what I set out to do.

The amount raised was the bare minimum to get us to two competitions, but I'm already planning to try to enter one more contest. Response to my barbecue sauce has also been so overwhelming that research has started to see what it would take to get it bottled and sold in stores. Finally, an idea is brewing to hold a public charitable barbecue event that would mix my love for smoked meats and dedication to non-profits together as one.

As you can see, even though the initial goal was reached, every additional dollar will be a big step to help realizing what will hopefully be a bigger and meatier future for The Meatwave.

I can only do these things with your help, and there's still time to join The Meatwave Team to make it happen.

Join the Meatwave BBQ Team Now >>

]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:07:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Team Barbecue http://www.meatwave.com/blog/the-meatwave-bbq-team-has-reached-its-goal http://www.meatwave.com/blog/salt-and-pepper-smoked-short-ribs-barbecue-recipe Joshua Bousel

Usually the Superbowl for me is nothing more than an excuse to make as much food to fatten up me and my guests—football is just a side note to the event. Something different happened this year though. Through the post-season, I've entertained and cooked for most of the games and I've found myself more into football than usual, especially with the special surprise the Giants pulled off. So with bigger interest comes loftier goals for food. I was thinking of trading in a batch of wings for pork ribs, but then I thought, why stop there? So I went upward, looking to a bone of meat that can mae a baby back quiver in fear—beef short ribs.

More and recipe after the jump >>]]> Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Barbecue Beef Recipes http://www.meatwave.com/blog/salt-and-pepper-smoked-short-ribs-barbecue-recipe http://www.meatwave.com/blog/the-salt-lick-original-recipe-bar-b-que-sauce-review Joshua Bousel

Meatwave Rating: 8 out of 10

The Salt Lick Original Recipe Bar-B-Que Sauce has an incredible balance of flavors between mustard, vinegar, sugar, and a little spice out of the jar--the best mustard sauce I've tried so far. Just beware that all that greatness can get lost when used as a baste over the high heat of the grill.

Read the full review after the jump >>]]> Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:15:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Sauced Reviews Sauce http://www.meatwave.com/blog/the-salt-lick-original-recipe-bar-b-que-sauce-review http://www.meatwave.com/blog/an-ode-to-city-market-in-luling-texas Joshua Bousel

I decided early on that I wouldn't do restaurant reviews on this blog, keeping the focus on cooking, where my true heart lies. Still, there's some barbecue experiences that are just worth sharing, like my recent trip to City Market in Luling, Texas. So think of this as more of an ode to one of the truly great meat markets that dot the Lone Star state.

More after the jump >>]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:50:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Restaurant Barbecue Texas http://www.meatwave.com/blog/an-ode-to-city-market-in-luling-texas http://www.meatwave.com/blog/grilled-leeks-with-romesco-sauce-recipe Joshua Bousel

Over at Serious Eats, I've been on the sauce trail for nearly a year now. This has me concocted sauces nearly as much as I've been grilling, which now dictates a life constantly on the search for new condiments to try out at home, and pair with grilling as often as possible. Romesco—a roasted red pepper and almond spread originating in the Catalonia area of Spain—is one stellar example of this. As soon as I tried it for the first time at local favorite Il Bambino, I was quickly in the kitchen making my own, then enjoying it with excellent grilled leeks.

More and recipe after the jump >>]]> Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:40:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Vegetables Sauce Appetizers Sides Grilling Recipes http://www.meatwave.com/blog/grilled-leeks-with-romesco-sauce-recipe http://www.meatwave.com/blog/happy-meatday-to-me Joshua Bousel

I'm not one to shy away from my birthday. Each year I plan myself a large blowout party, make an odd invitation, then mail them out to everyone I've ever been friends with. This has been the tradition for over 12 years, but this year I found myself about ready to take off for the holidays without a card produced—thanks mainly to my focused efforts on the barbecue team front—then came back from Texas pretty sick and in no mood to party. So I thought this was the year the parties of Josh would come to a close, but then I found myself with a nearly 16 pound brisket that changed it all.

More after the jump >>]]> Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:50:00 EST barbecue bbq grilling foodblogs foodblog nyc new york city meatwave Meatwave http://www.meatwave.com/blog/happy-meatday-to-me