
I’m a big foodie and avid cook as many of you blog followers know, and of all foods I have to say BBQ is my absolute favorite. There’s just something relaxing and surreal about enjoying the outdoors while meat and vegetables slowly cook over a crackling fire. Reminds me of YMCA camp when I was a kid, or the time I stayed at a “dude ranch” in Wyoming.
To get the outdoorsy vibe here in Los Angeles, I love to barbeque with friends and family on a regular basis. I started off by watching BBQ competitions on the Travel Channel and Food Channel, then combined my knowledge of cooking with hours of internet research. I progressed to the point where I can now whip up awesome BBQ in my dinky pit. But, this just isn’t enough for me.
Today I had a breakfast meeting with a friend/client, and while walking back to my car I noticed the distinct smell of hickory. What oh what could it be? After doing some exploration and walking around the corner, I stumbled upon a Big Green Egg that was tooting away. I just had to see who was brewing up this masterpiece.
I walked into Barbeques Galore at 11021 Pico Blvd. in West LA and absolutely fell in love. Smokers and BBQ rubs and utensils oh my! I immediately felt an attachment to the place and if I had my sleeping bag I probably would have stayed the night. I have lived down the street for 5 years, have made multiple outings in search of apple wood and hickory chips, but had not heard of Barbeques Galore. I have been thinking about buying a Big Green Egg for smoking briskets, chicken and ribs for about 2 years now, but had never seen one in person until today. And the best part is, I was able to not only see one in person, but see and smell one in action.
After Mike Mankin at Barbeques Galore helped me with all of my questions, and offered me a taste of the ribs that were smoking on the Big Green Egg, I knew this would be my one-stop-shop for BBQ supplies. I’m one to always research products before I buy them and I like to see that I’m buying something (whatever it may be) from a reputable and knowledgeable source. When I was rebuilding my Mustang Cobra engine I made sure to take the car to a shop that actually races Mustangs and spends hours at the race track. When buying BBQ equipment, I want to make sure I buy my smoker (Big Green Egg) from a company that is knowledgeable on the product AND puts it to use. Firsthand experience is always best. This, simply said, is why I decided to go with Barbeques Galore.
Please find a photo from my old school Weber grill below, which is being replaced by a Big Green Egg. The photo is of chicken quarters covered with a dry rub and basted with homemade BBQ sauce. They were smoked and basted for around 5-6 hours. I also had some scraps of steak on the grill for my friend’s dog, Nanook. I wish I had my DSLR camera, but my iPhone took a halfway decent photo.
I hope this information has been helpful for all of you BBQ fanatics out there and happy grilling!
Sincerely,
Aaron Schoenberger
The Brainchild Group