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Trip report: BBQ class @ Slap yo' daddy
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BigGreenDon
Posts: 167
Last Friday morning, I flew into Ontario, CA. and drove to Hollywood to do the tourist thing. OK, I've checked that off -- it's not something that I would seek to do more than once. Madame Tussand's wax museum was kind of cool though...
Saturday morning, myself and 14 others met at Harry's house. I had traveled the furthest. There was a guy there from Colorado, but everybody else were Californians. The morning started at 7:45AM with coffee and doughnuts as we received our coveted "Slap Yo' Daddy" aprons and Harry talked about the mechanics of how the class would work. He handed out notes, and discussed the confidentiality of the same. The course application that we signed had some non-disclosure language on it. Harry told us that basically we could share information with family and friends, but he didn't want to see his notes published or posted on the internet.
The class had enough tips, secrets, and technical items to keep those with experience interested, but also assumed that you knew nothing from the start. Really, if one goes to this class the weekend after buying a shiny new Egg, it would be one hell of a jump-start. First topic is lighting the fire...
Harry cooks on WSM, kettle-grills, gas grills, and does "R&D" on a natural gas powered smoker. He stressed from the very start that good BBQ was all about the pitmaster, and not the equipment. "You all should be able to cook excellent BBQ out of a hole-in-the-ground after this class."
The "less is more" concept was stressed throughout the class. New-bees do too much: too much smoke, too much rub, too much sauce... I found that Harry's bark was superior to anything I had ever done, but he employed less than half the amount of rub I usually use!
Class format was a bit like a TV cook show in that he had started some long haul cooks the night before. Unlike a TV cook show, he made sure that everybody participated. We all wore the gloves, wielded the poultry scissors, and got our aprons dirty. We did the front-end work preparing a brisket and a butt, got them on a smoker -- then shortly after that, the ones he had started previously were ready to come off and get foiled. The whole cook process was covered with the "wait" time edited out for us. Shorter cooks (chicken, tri-tip) were done in real-time.
Personally, I got a lot out of this class just learning about some of the knife-work. His brisket work made a lot of sense, and he has broken me of my practice of leaving the rib tips on the spares during cooking (the rib tips, which do not get turned in during comps, are actually his favorite part, but Harry says that they cook sooner than the main ribs so should be cooked separately).
Lunch started at a few minutes after noon and really didn't stop till near the end of the class at 3PM. Harry warned us to pace ourselves, but he also relented that nobody ever listens... We started with his signature seared Ahi tuna appetizer (it is on his website and you MUST try it), then on to Brisket, sliced Pork BB, Ribs (spare, baby-back, and rib tips), Chicken, Tri-Tip, Sausages, Beans, Coleslaw, and about the moistest cornbread I have ever eaten. The cornbread was not part of the class, but just sort of "appeared". Somewhere in there he threw some pig candy on the smoker too.
I didn't do dinner that night. I thought I might not eat for a few days!
Harry stressed that everything that he had shown us were methods and techniques that had worked for him, and that we were benefiting from years of meticulous trial and error. These methods were not necessarily to be construed as the absolute correct and one-and-only way of doing things though, and others win competitions by doing things quite differently. He encouraged us to experiment and go to other classes. He himself has been to Myron's class, for example and enjoyed it very much.
I enrolled in the SYD class "just for fun", and I am glad my SO didn't mind me going on this solo expedition. It was a lot of fun and I learned more than I expected from the experience too. I would recommend this class to anyone interested in BBQ that can get to the LA/Ontario area for the weekend.
Don
Saturday morning, myself and 14 others met at Harry's house. I had traveled the furthest. There was a guy there from Colorado, but everybody else were Californians. The morning started at 7:45AM with coffee and doughnuts as we received our coveted "Slap Yo' Daddy" aprons and Harry talked about the mechanics of how the class would work. He handed out notes, and discussed the confidentiality of the same. The course application that we signed had some non-disclosure language on it. Harry told us that basically we could share information with family and friends, but he didn't want to see his notes published or posted on the internet.
The class had enough tips, secrets, and technical items to keep those with experience interested, but also assumed that you knew nothing from the start. Really, if one goes to this class the weekend after buying a shiny new Egg, it would be one hell of a jump-start. First topic is lighting the fire...
Harry cooks on WSM, kettle-grills, gas grills, and does "R&D" on a natural gas powered smoker. He stressed from the very start that good BBQ was all about the pitmaster, and not the equipment. "You all should be able to cook excellent BBQ out of a hole-in-the-ground after this class."
The "less is more" concept was stressed throughout the class. New-bees do too much: too much smoke, too much rub, too much sauce... I found that Harry's bark was superior to anything I had ever done, but he employed less than half the amount of rub I usually use!
Class format was a bit like a TV cook show in that he had started some long haul cooks the night before. Unlike a TV cook show, he made sure that everybody participated. We all wore the gloves, wielded the poultry scissors, and got our aprons dirty. We did the front-end work preparing a brisket and a butt, got them on a smoker -- then shortly after that, the ones he had started previously were ready to come off and get foiled. The whole cook process was covered with the "wait" time edited out for us. Shorter cooks (chicken, tri-tip) were done in real-time.
Personally, I got a lot out of this class just learning about some of the knife-work. His brisket work made a lot of sense, and he has broken me of my practice of leaving the rib tips on the spares during cooking (the rib tips, which do not get turned in during comps, are actually his favorite part, but Harry says that they cook sooner than the main ribs so should be cooked separately).
Lunch started at a few minutes after noon and really didn't stop till near the end of the class at 3PM. Harry warned us to pace ourselves, but he also relented that nobody ever listens... We started with his signature seared Ahi tuna appetizer (it is on his website and you MUST try it), then on to Brisket, sliced Pork BB, Ribs (spare, baby-back, and rib tips), Chicken, Tri-Tip, Sausages, Beans, Coleslaw, and about the moistest cornbread I have ever eaten. The cornbread was not part of the class, but just sort of "appeared". Somewhere in there he threw some pig candy on the smoker too.
I didn't do dinner that night. I thought I might not eat for a few days!
Harry stressed that everything that he had shown us were methods and techniques that had worked for him, and that we were benefiting from years of meticulous trial and error. These methods were not necessarily to be construed as the absolute correct and one-and-only way of doing things though, and others win competitions by doing things quite differently. He encouraged us to experiment and go to other classes. He himself has been to Myron's class, for example and enjoyed it very much.
I enrolled in the SYD class "just for fun", and I am glad my SO didn't mind me going on this solo expedition. It was a lot of fun and I learned more than I expected from the experience too. I would recommend this class to anyone interested in BBQ that can get to the LA/Ontario area for the weekend.
Don
Comments
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Great review, sounds like a nice event to attend...
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Thanks for posting your report.
Sounds like something beneficial to attend. -
That's really cool. Are there other classes like that around the US that folks know of? Maybe something on the opposite coast?
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yes there are...but I'm not sure if there's any one place you can go to that would list them so to speak....Myron's class is on this side..
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Wess, do you have any info on Myron's class?
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Thanks for taking the time to type the report. Sounds like a great time was had.
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Check out their website...I know "Reelgem" just recently attended the class..
http://www.jacksoldsouth.com/ -
Thanks for sharing BGD. Sounds as if you had a wonderful time and learned quite a bit.
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I would like to attend Myron's class, but its pricey. I looked up Harry's awhile back and it was more cost effective, but a shorter class than Myron's. My wife loves Harry, and the "Slap Yo Daddy" team on pitmasters. I prefer Woodchicks, and only partially because of the eggs
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The aim of the two classes is quite different.
Harry's class concentrates on technique and the BBQ product itself, while Myron's class is held under actual contest conditions.
It really just depends on what you are after. I have not done Myron's class, but I think that it would have value and be fun in it's own right.
Since Myron's class is real-time, more time is involved (more instructor time = more money), so the cost is naturally higher. That being said, I can see Myron charging more just because he is Myron. Go to the online shopping part of his website, and you'll see that he asks $300 for a trash can once he puts the "Jack's Old South" logo on it!
I don't think Lee Ann does a class...
Don -
That sounds like it was worth the trip. I have enjoyed each BBQ class I have gone to. I always learn a new trick each time. Sometimes you get more from watching and listening. Some things just aren't written on paper.
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BigGreenDon, Thanks for taking the time to post your findings. I found it was very interesting to read.
I believe Chef JJ holds cooking classes on the BGE in Indianapolis, Indiana. Don't go by me check out his web-site. Tim
http://www.chefjjs.com/ -
Very, very cool! I'm glad you got to do something like this, and thank you for posting your experience. I'd love to attend something like this - I think it would be an absolute blast.
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Very, very cool! I'm glad you got to do something like this, and thank you for posting your experience. I'd love to attend something like this - I think it would be an absolute blast.
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Very, very cool! I'm glad you got to do something like this, and thank you for posting your experience. I'd love to attend something like this - I think it would be an absolute blast.
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