MEAT, INC Wildomar BBQ Competition: Episode 6

Aaron Black finds himself down a rack of ribs. Chicken and ribs finish getting prepped. Cory is irresponsible when it comes to managing the turn in boxes. Aaron's wife and kids stop by while he gets teased at the cooks meeting. Stay tuned to find out if MEAT, Inc. can make it through the night.

Total Shenanigans,
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

MEAT, INC. Wildomar BBQ Competition: Episode 5

They start out the day loading up the truck with all the gear. They arrive at the Wildomar BBQ Competition and make sure they let everyone know. Cory slacks off, while Aaron starts prepping the MEAT's for competition. He explains how they cut their pork butt and St. Louis style ribs. Dan leads them to believe he knows how to remove the membrane off a rack of ribs. Stay tuned for more episodes next week.

Live, Love, MEAT!!!
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

MEAT, INC. - Wildomar BBQ Competition - Teaser

Here is a little taste of what happened on Day 1 and Day 2. I hope you enjoy! I am starting this year's barbecue season off with a bang. Based on the success of El Fuego Fiasco I have decided to feature the team MEAT. Inc. at Wildomar The Ultimate BBQ Showdown, East vs West. Aaron Black and his team are ready to take this years competition by storm. I will be following them from the second they buy their meat all the way to the awards ceremony. You don't want to miss a beat. I hope to see you all at the competition.

You can get LIVE Updates from me at:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/meatmeblog
Twitter @meatmeblog

You can get LIVE Updates from MEAT, INC. at:
Blog - http://meatinc.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @meatinc
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/meatinc 

Wildomar BBQ East vs West featuring MEAT, Inc.

I am starting this year's barbecue season off with a BANG. Based on the success of my documentary on "El Fuego Fiasco" I have decided to feature the team MEAT. INC. at Wildomar The Ultimate BBQ Showdown, East vs West. Aaron Black and his team are ready to take this years competition by storm. I will be following them from the second they buy their meat all the way to the awards ceremony. You don't want to miss a beat. I hope to see you all at the competition.

You can get LIVE Updates from me at:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/meatmeblog
Twitter @meatmeblog

You can get LIVE Updates from MEAT, INC. at:
Blog - http://meatinc.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @meatinc
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/meatinc

The American Royal featuring El Fuego Fiasco - Day 6

And so here it is... The very final and last episode of The American Royal featuring the California BBQ Team El Fuego Fiasco. I am truly sad that it is over. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my entire life. Like all of us who struggled last year they were one of the ones who didn't quit, no matter what.

They came all this way with monstrous obstacles coming at them left and right, and not for a single moment did they say, "forget it". Aside from the challenge of competing in the biggest barbecue competition in the United States they were faced with; a trailer hitch that was too low, the trailer almost got stuck in the airport parking lot, the hotel told them to park in a garage that didn't allow trailers risking a tow, being on time to pick up Josh and Chris, they had no storage containers, they had never cooked in 30º weather, someone was parked in their spot, they didn't order a port-a-potty, they had no way of washing dishes, one of the turn in boxes was built upside down, the chicken wasn't completely thawed when they needed to start cook it, the fire went out 20 mins before turn in's, the briskest and pork shoulders were an hour behind schedule, and they used a fucking inflatable mattress blower to finish the chicken in time so they could come in 35th in the Nation. 

In 5 years I won't remember who the fuck won The American Royal in 2012, I'll remember who came together as a team and made sure that not one man would let the other one down.

I don't know about any of you, but I know if I had the chance to do this all over again but had to choose between Big Poppa Smokers or El Fuego Fiasco, with out a doubt I would have gone "El Fuego"!!!

There is no WRONG in team,

Sean Rice

aka MEAT ME

The American Royal featuring El Fuego Fiasco - Day 5

What better way to start off the New Year than with the 5th episode of The American Royal featuring barbecue team El Fuego Fiasco. This episode they battle with chicken, ribs, pulled pork and brisket as they struggle to get them in on time to avoid disqualification. How would you have done things differently?

As we all get ready to launch our resolutions for the new year I plan on being more consistent in providing you with new content. It's a fresh start and I look forward to bringing you another year of crazy intense MEAT on MEAT action.

Party On!!!
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

The American Royal featuring El Fuego Fiasco - Day 4

Yes, the long awaited episode 4 is finally here. Day 4 with the BBQ Team El Fuego Fiasco as they set up at The American Royal, prep their meat, enjoy a little party time with the thousands of people, and actually come to realize that their dream of competing in The American Royal invitational is finally coming true This is a short documentary that gives you and in site into what it's like to be a BBQ team competing on the largest BBQ stage in the US. Come join me as we embark on this amazing adventure.

I would like to THANK YOU all for your continued support. Things are looking up and getting better.

Stay tuned,
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

The American Royal featuring El Fuego Fiasco - Day 3

Day 3 with the BBQ Team El Fuego Fiasco as they get set to drop of their trailer at The American Royal, do some last minute prep and enjoy a last meal of sorts. This is a short documentary that gives you and in site into what it's like to be a BBQ team competing on the largest BBQ stage in the US. Come join me as we embark on this amazing adventure.

IMPORTANT NEWS!

Please keep Mike Weiss of El Fuego Fiasco in your prayers. He just had his right testicle removed last Thursday. The doctor just called and it did turn out to be cancer. Fortunately it's the best form. It was Semonoma in the very earliest stages and was isolated to the inside of the testicle. Moving forward he'll be going to specialist for further x-rays to be concrete that it didn't spread. The likelihood that it spread he said is infantile and that he will not need kemo at this time. They will simply monitor for the years to come. Not the best news but we're all very happy it wasn't worse.

He thanks everyone for keeping him in your prayers and most of all thanks for all the great new nicknames he now has.

I would like to take a moment and thank Mike for everything he has done for me and MEAT ME and wish him the best in recovery and the loss of his testicle.

GOD BLESS BUDDY!
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

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"The American Royal" featuring El Fuego Fiasco - Day 2

After a long needed good nights sleep we could finally see the end of the finish line in Kansas City, MO. In this episode we scarf down some of the best fried chicken the midwest has to offer as we find our selves in another pickle with the trailer but as least we have the other team mates, Josh and Chris to help us out.

Stay tuned as we face the freezing cold in preparation for the start of the American Royal in Kansas City.

Party On!
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

Baka's Apple Strudel - A Family Original

Now that I am single my Mother saw it as the perfect opertunity for me to move in with my Grandmother and help care for her. I figure with the amount of money that I spend on MEAT ME this probably isn’t such a bad idea especially if I want bring you guys more exciting places from around the United States and the world. 

I thought it over and moved in last week, hence the reason there was no post. Between moving and being between pay periods from my freelance work my camera decided to break on me. So without any money to fix it I am lacking fresh content to share with you. So with a little creativity and luck I found an old session I did with my Grandma, or as we call her in Croatian, Baka on how to make apple strudel. 

This isn’t just any apple strudel, she has been making this delightful treat since she lived in Zagreb, Croatia back before World War II. My mother Gordana and her sister Mary together all left Belgium a few years after the war to start a new life in San Francisco. She opened her own dental implant company and soon became known to all of us as the women behind the magnificent Apple Strudel.

Every family gathering that involved food always concluded with her Apple Strudel, I mean after everyone’s reaction you would think it was the reason we were all there. So as it brought all of us together I hope that I does the same for you and your family. 

Here is Apple Strudel exactly as Baka instructed. You will need the following:

Apple Strudel

4 lbs Tart Granny Smith Apples
1 lb of Phyllo Dough - 18 sheets
1 stick of unsalted butter
½ Cup to 1 cup Canola oil (totally up to you)
½ Cup Cinnamon
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Bread crumbs

Large Cookie Tray
Cooking Spray

Vanilla sugar
Powdered Sugar
(each in their own sifter)

You are going to combine the Canola Oil and Butter in to a small pot and heat it up until the butter is fully melted and frothy foam appears on top. Stir to make sure there are no lumps of butter, if so turn it off and let it sit.

5 Large Granny Smith Apples usually amount to about 4 lbs. Take each apple and peel it. Then in a large bowl you are going to shred each apple down to its core.

Once complete you are going to take a large handful of the shredded apple and squeeze out the extra juice. Once you are down to a drip place it in a small bowl. You are going to do this until you have 6 equal amounts of apples. Set the juice aside you will no longer need it.

You are going to take 2 towels that are slightly wider than the box of phyllo dough and wet them with hot water, then ring them out till they are nice and moist but not wet. This is to help slightly steam the phyllo dough so you can roll it later without it falling apart on you. You one to work on and one to lay over the phyllo dough once you open the box.

When you buy the phyllo Dough it will come frozen. Make sure you take it out and place in the fridge to defrost at least 24 hours before unrolling it. It is very delicate and hard to work with. If you force defrost it will just fall apart.

Once your towels are laid out take the phyllo dough out unroll it very gently and place on the towel that is out of the way. You are going to take one sheet of phyllo dough, grab it by the top 2 corners, pull it up and away from the stack and then place it gently on the towel.

You will then take a spoon and drizzle the butter and canola oil over the phyllo dough, left to right until 40%-50% of the surface area is covered. Then you will take the sugar and lightly sprinkle it on top followed by breadcrumbs, doing it the exact same way.

You will then grab your cinnamon and lightly sprinkle as well. (Please note the cinnamon will only be applied to the 1st and 3rd sheet.)

Once complete grab another sheet of phyllo dough and place directly over the top of the previous one. If the sheet cracks or rips it’s ok just do your best.  Then repeat exactly what you did with the first sheet but without the cinnamon.

After that place your 3rd and final sheet of phyllo dough and drizzle the butter and canola mixture over the sheet sprinkle the sugar, breadcrumbs and cinnamon for the last time.

Then you will grab one of your bowls of shredded apples and spoon them out across the bottom of the sheet roughly one inch from the bottom. Spread out nice and evenly until you have a filled an area of 3 inches across.

You will then add a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar across the top of your apples. Then using the towel you are working on, pull up the bottom at both end and begin to roll the dough just like you would a sushi roll. Gently tuck the top the dough underneath the apples and continue rolling until the top edge is resting under the roll.

Make sure to tuck in any loose shredded apple. Pull out your cookie try and spray with cooking spray and start preheating your oven at 350º F

Cut the roll into 6 pieces starting at the middle. You will then place the pieces you cut at the middle at the edges of the cookie tray, and the pieces you cut at the end will go in the middle of the cookie tray. This is so the ends don’t get burnt or cook faster than the others.

Repeat this 5 more times for a total of 6 rolls or 36 pieces. You will then place them in the oven for approximately 20-30 minutes. You can tell when they are done by tapping the top of one of the pieces in the middle. If it is soft it still needs to cook, but if it cracks then it is done.

Once you pull them out, let them cool for 10 minutes. Then grab your vanilla sugar and powdered sugar sifters and sift a generous amount over the tops of the apple strudel.

Last but not least try and prevent yourself from eating all of them at once.  I hope you really enjoy one of my family treats; their is no better way to celebrate such a wonderful woman and her food than by sharing with you the recipe. No only does she still cook for me but I have a feeling there will be plenty more of these to come.

Written and Photographed by Sean Rice, Edited by Aaron Black (Meat Inc.)

Honor thy Baka,
MEAT ME
aka Sean Rice

"OC BBQ & Music Festival 2012" Part 1 of 2

As a man of MEAT I take a lot of pride in everything I do. I believe in having a balanced life that includes staying healthy combined with equal amounts of work and pleasure. If one of these areas in my life starts to suffer, it throws the whole life balance out of whack. So in an effort to stay balanced… I am single Bitches! Let’s get this party started!!!

With OC BBQ & Music Festival my original intent was to cover the event in through the eyes of the children with terminal illnesses that Kristie’s Foundation is supporting. What I did not realize is that these kids suffer a great deal of discomfort from what ever illness they are suffering from and just making it through the day is very difficult. Not to mention how hard it is on the parents and how sensitive they are to each child’s condition. In an effort to not stress these wonderful children and parents I decided to focus on the BBQ teams and what it is like for a team to go through 3 days of a BBQ competition. Being newly single, I decided to take the opportunity to be there for all 3 days.

At the OC BBQ & Music Festival each team is competing for best chicken, pork, brisket, and ribs with the option of doing potato salad. All of this has to be done and submitted on Saturday. On Sunday each team had the opportunity to compete in a burger competition. The winner gets their hamburger featured at all 3 Slater’s 50/50 locations. How cool is that? The entire time the teams are competing they are also selling food to the crowd attending the event in an effort to win the People’s Choice award.

I arrived at the OC County Fairgrounds on Friday afternoon to find out how the whole process works. My good friends at MEAT Inc. were kind enough to let me stay with them the entire time and I couldn’t be more grateful for their hospitality.

Once I unloaded all my gear on Friday afternoon, I met up with Krisite’s organizer to find out what I could do to help. A lot of it was finding spots for all 70 BBQ teams and then getting them all the food and ice they need. At most competitions each team is responsible for bringing their on food for the People’s Choice portion of the event. At this competition all of the People’s Choice food was donated by Farmer John’s , Reser’s Potato Salad and a few other vendors.

Once everyone was settled in it was time to start campaigning for the Mr. BBQ Competition which required me running around to all the teams with my Hot Dog suit on. On Friday evening I was invited to Reser’s VIP party to entertain all of the local venders that sell their products. Reser’s is one of MEAT Inc. BBQ Team’s sponsors so it was up to the team to provide, BBQ and serve the food for this special occasion. There was a shit ton of food Aaron Black of MEAT Inc. had to prepare for this event on top of all the competition and People’s Choice meat that was waiting for special treatment.

I did my best to entertain and once the guests were able to engage with me they realized I was more than just a hot dog. After tons of photos and hours of laugher it was time to get my drink on and get back to campaigning for Mr. BBQ.

I ran around to as many teams as possible but being my first year I really had no idea what I was in for. These teams are up almost all night smoking barbecue in order to have it ready for their turn in times of 11:00 am for Chicken, Ribs at 11:30 am, Pork at 12:00pm and Brisket at 12:30. That is a tight time schedule so they have to start cooking the night before.  If any team misses the window of 5 minutes before to 5 minutes after the designated turn in time, they are disqualified from that category.

When I was done making my campaign rounds it was about 2 am and time for me to get to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day and with all those drinks I was gonna need all the sleep I could get. Some people slept in RV’s, the back if their trucks, and even in cots and sleeping bags so they can hear temperature alarms in case the BBQ Pit temps get too high or too low during the night.

I woke up the next day not feeling so good. It was rough for someone who only drinks about once a month so I was probably operating at 45%. Almost every team I visited with Friday night / Saturday early morning was kind enough to offer me a drink and I couldn’t say no to such wonderful hospitality. Lesson learned for next time - don’t fall in to the alcohol trap that the BBQ Teams often suck you into.

The gates opened to the public at 10am on Saturday morning and crowds of people started to pile in. I ran around to as many teams as I could to try and get shots of their competition food before it was submitted for judging. As chaos ensues, you can see people from various BBQ Teams running full speed across the fair grounds trying to get their entry in before they miss the turn in window.

At this point it’s about 1pm and its time to make one last go around for support as I take on the Mr. BBQ Pageant. My nerves are a little frayed at this point but I am pretty sure I got this. The Mr. BBQ crown will be mine! As we approach the 2 pm mark, Kelliegh, the event organizer, gathers all the Mr. BBQ Pageant competitors up and gives us a ride on her golf cart through the crowd and up to the main stage.

We are all back stage standing in line about ready to go on and I am informed that each contestant will be asked questions by a Lucy Ball look alike and more questions from the host for the Pageant. All I kept thinking is that all that XBOX Connect Dance training better pay off when the music starts.

Everyone takes their turn on stage and last but not least was last year’s winner… Big Country. Last year he took the stage in cut off overalls throwing out ribs to the crowd.  This year he was dressed in a Raiders Apron and Black Gym Shorts hidden under a very fuzzy bathrobe. The second he took that robe off and revealed what he was wearing, I knew it was no contest. I figured if that’s what I had to do to win then that guy can have it. There’s no way I ‘m wearing black gym shorts. I did win the Best Chicken Legs category and since I was dressed in a hot dog suit - I’ll take it. Congratulations to Big Country - the winner of the 2012 Mr. BBQ Pageant. He earned it! I just felt bad that he would have to wear the Purple sash and fuzzy royal crown for the rest of the day.

On Saturday evening it was time for the awards ceremony and for all the BBQ teams to find out how they did. The Grand Champion went to Left Coast Q and the Reserve went to Big Poppa Smokers. You can find out the full results at KCBS.us website. This time I wanted to interview the teams after the results just to find out how everyone felt about their scores.

I got a chance to meet with the 3rd place team Ridge Route Boys BBQ:

MEAT ME: So where are you guys from?

Ridge Route Boys BBQ: Bakersfield

MEAT ME: So what is your history with BBQ?

Ridge Route Boys BBQ: We started last year. We probably did 5 events last year and we are hitting it pretty hard this year. This is our 5th competition this year.

MEAT ME: How many are you guys planning on doing this year?

Ridge Route Boys BBQ: At least 15.

MEAT ME: How did you guys do at this event?

Ridge Route Boys BBQ: We did really good. 2nd in chicken, 3rd in pork and 3rd overall.

MEAT ME: Wow that’s great. Cause it is really tough out here. A lot of people did not do as well as they thought they were going to.

Ridge Route Boys BBQ: Yeah, it really is great. We did not expect to do as well as we thought we did. Got Lucky!

MEAT ME: What would you guys consider to be your specialty?

Ridge Route Boys BBQ:: It appears to be chicken right now. At Brentwood we got 1st Place in chicken two weeks ago. So it seems to be chicken right now. You would think because of our pit the big meats would be better, but we seem to be doing really well with chicken.

MEAT ME: So how did you get into BBQ?

Ridge Route Boys BBQ: Well we saw it, liked it and wanted to do it. I have never had any cooking lessons or schooling or anything. We just jumped right into it. A lot of reading and talking to a lot of people.

MEAT ME: Do you have a lot of family history with BBQ?

Ridge Route Boys BBQ: Yeah been doing it all my life.

MEAT ME: So what is your favorite MEAT?

Ridge Route Boys BBQ: Brisket. I really worked hard on perfecting brisket, if you can perfect brisket. We seem to do really well with it most of the time.

You can check out their website at: http://ridgerouteboysbarbecue.webs.com/

The Pit Crew BBQ was holding up a stop sign so that’s exactly what I did:

MEAT ME: So where are you guys from?

The Pit Crew BBQ: Anaheim Hills

MEAT ME: So How long have you guys been doing BBQ Competitions?

The Pit Crew BBQ: 1 year and 1 contest.

MEAT ME: So this is contest number? How many are you guys doing this year?

The Pit Crew BBQ:  Overall this is contest #16. I believe this is #8 so far this year.

MEAT ME: How did you guys get into competition BBQ?

The Pit Crew BBQ: I was watching BBQ Pit Masters and I called up my buddy and I said, “Hey we can do that, it doesn’t look very hard.” (Voice in the back ground) Yea we leaned the hard way, we are not better than they are. (We laugh)

MEAT ME: So how have you guys been doing?


The Pit Crew BBQ: Pretty good. Probably after this contest we will be first in the chicken for this state. We are in the middle of the pack with everything else, but we are having a blast. The camaraderie of the people is why we come out here. The competition is fun but the people are great.

MEAT ME: How did you guys do in the competition?

The Pit Crew BBQ: We got 7th in chicken and we did 6th in the Reser’s Potato Salad. We over cooked our ribs and under cook our butts, but we’re good.

MEAT ME: What would your advice be to someone that is thinking about getting into BBQ Competitions?

The Pit Crew BBQ: Come on out. It is a blast! The people are very willing to help the rookies to get better. I have become good enough to where the other more experienced teams have stopped giving me advice. Yea literally!

Matt over at Left Coast Q posted on Facebook; give me 2 tokens and I’ll give you one minute of advice and let you sprits the ribs. 5 tokens I’ll let you sprits the ribs, pull the pork and 5 minutes of advice and for 10 tokens you get to work with us for an hour. (Laughing our asses off!)

He said “Everybody but you Steve Wilson - I can’t give you advice because you’re getting too good”. He’s a blast.

That’s the thing the camaraderie of the people is just so much fun.

MEAT ME: If you are not entirely sick of seeing all of this food what is your favorite?

The Pit Crew BBQ: I always thought that beef tri-tip was the best thing barbecue could ever create until I started doing this. But now it is by far brisket. It is so good. We are doing pretty well in brisket we are 4th overall in California. It’s unbelievably tender and because it cooks so long it absorbs so much flavor and smoke. We use Wagyu and it melts in your mouth it is unbelievable how good it is. Everybody loves our ribs but brisket is my favorite.

You can find on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/thepitcrewbbq.oc?ref=ts

I sat down with Left Coast Q to get a feel for what it’s like to be a Grand Champion:

MEAT ME: So where are you guys from?

Left Coast Q: Banning, California.

MEAT ME: How many of you are there?

Left Coast Q: There are 4 of us. There is my main team member Moe Lyons, my son Matthew Dalton, and James Miranda.

MEAT ME: How long have you guys been doing barbecue?

Left Coast Q: We started May 2010.

MEAT ME: How did you guys get into Barbecue?

Left Coast Q: I had been cooking for about 15 years doing back yard BBQ. I saw the Pit Masters Show and thought - hey that looks like something cool. So we went to Myron Mixon’s BBQ class and 3 weeks later we picked up a pit out there in Georgia and brought it back to California. It was kind of a spur of the moment kind of thing, but it all comes back to the passion for me. Of course it was a collaborative effort. Once we came back we practiced 8 weeks in a row before we ever went to our first competition. Taking that class took our backyard level to the competition level. Lots of people will have their friends tell them, “Hey this is the best BBQ I have ever had!” That might just be average to a seasoned judge. That’s how we got into it. We walked reserve grand our first competition. We took rookie team of the year in 2010 at Bakersfield. At the time that competition was a state record with 54 teams. All of the heavy hitters were there except for Slay Yo’ Daddy. From that point on we were hooked. You see the big trophy. We just kept going forward from there.

MEAT ME: So how many Grand Champions do you guys have?

Left Coast Q: We have 2 now, Wildomar and here, but before that we actually had 7 reserve champions and we were really close. Santa Anita as a matter of fact was less than 1 point separating Grand and Reserve Champion.  Yesterday we won by 15 points which is huge.

MEAT ME: Wow that is pretty big. So what did you guys do best in?

Left Coast Q: We walked 2nd pork, 2nd ribs, 5th brisket, and 10th chicken. So we took 4 walks. There were a few teams that took 2 walks. No one took 3 and we were the only team that had 4. (walks meaning, walked up to the podium to collect a trophy)
When we got 2nd in pork I pretty much know we had it at that point.

MEAT ME: Do you think you guys are doing things very different than you were in 2010?


Left Coast Q: Oh yeah! Absolutely! Our game has come full circle just from changing rubs from here to there. Techniques we have changed adding things, taking things away: you know always-forward thinking. Not being closed minded. You know, a lot of teams stick to one game plan and never deviate from it. I’m not changing everything every competition. Take for instance I changed one thing with my injection on my pork. I switched to another rub for my chicken. It’s those little things that make a difference. You also have to make sure that every piece of meat that you put in that box is tender and excellent. You know the judges are going to taste it. You may put a piece of meat in there just to look good and if it doesn’t taste great, that good looking piece is going to kill ya. It’s the little tiny details that are gonna kill ya, or set you over the top.

It’s the attention to detail and working like a well oiled machine. These guys, they get up in the morning, they build a fire. Our cook is the same every time. Even though it was an hour earlier turn in for this comp, we just adjusted back an hour.

MEAT ME: What advise would you have for someone that is trying to get into barbecue competitions?

Left Coast Q: I would say as far as cooking… Not so much smoke, limit your smoke. Foil when your color and bark is right. Make sure your flavors pop. It is one bite barbecue; it has to wow them with one bite. As far as getting into it; it’s an expensive game. You have to have passion if you don’t have that your gonna get tired of this really quickly, especially if you don’t do well. It is fun, the camaraderie is great and we have met tons of people across the country. There is so much information out there and there are lots of people willing to help new teams jump in feet first.

MEAT ME: How many competitions do you guys do a year?

Left Coast Q: Last year we did about 13 or 14. This year we are gonna push the 20 mark.

MEAT ME: Are you guys going to do the Royal in Kansas City?

Left Coast Q: Well we don’t know if we are going to do the Royal yet. We’re also shooting for the Jack. We now have 2 Jack draws or chances to be invited.  You get one draw for each GC.  That comes down to the end of the year in September when they draw one winner from each state unless you win 7 GC’s – then you are automatically in.

We are trying to make a push into the KCBS top 20 in points with Who’s Smokin’ Now.  They’re next to us and they just won the last 2 Sam’s events. We are trying to elevate Barbecue to that National level in California to say, “Hey we’ve earned respect here, we are not a joke, we are serious!” When you have more California teams in the Top 20 then maybe we’ll get the respect we deserve. It really is that way.

I was looking at points last night and we should be in the top 10 in the nation. This event may end up being our only shot at bonus points. So we made an even bigger gain on 2nd place in California right now we have 2 Grand’s, 2 Reserves, and a 4th for our top 5 over all and that’s all they take. If we win a couple more we’ll have it for sure. It is still early in the year with about 10 more events here in California.

It’s that passion man, I tell ya!


MEAT ME: Well good luck and congratulations on winning Grand Champion here at the OC BBQ & Music Festival.

You can check them out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Leftcoast-Q/125103440847709


Next week you can look for:
El Fuego Fiasco
Mr. BBQ Pageant Winner "Big Country"
The results of the Slaters 50/50 Burger Challenge

To be continued…

The newly single,
MEAT ME
Aka Sean Rice

Photography and Writing by Sean Rice; Edited by: Aaron Black (MEAT Inc.)

On a side note I would like to congratulate the Los Angeles Kings on winning the Stanley Cup. I have been a huge fan since I was 5 years old and it has been a very long road but well worth the wait. I am looking forward to going to the Parade this Thursday at the Staples Center to see Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Quest for the Best! Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, New Orleans

People keep asking me what New Orleans is like. It really is like no other city in America. At first glance I might think of a flat San Francisco. Trolley cars running in the middle of streets, Victorian style homes with double vaulted ceilings, front door gas lamps, and elegant porches that wrap around homes like a ballerina’s tutu.

The nightlife is always happening some bars are open 24/7 complete with washers and dryers just incase you needed an extra reason to have a drink. Life is laid back, filled with great food, and wonderful company. Some of the old homes just off St. Charles have been broken into apartments. So often you’ll find your next-door neighbor becomes your best friend.

The weather was perfect no signs of thunderstorms, heat, or humidity. New Orleans always loves to celebrate so if you come to visit don’t be surprised if you find yourself in the middle of some type of festival.  If you head out to the French Quarter you are likely to find yourself in a never-ending party. This place is always going off so don’t ever expect it to stop.

Now that I have had all of the best barbecue, it was time to indulge in the Seafood; some of the richest seafood is brought in right from the local swamplands. Oyster and shrimp are all caught fresh daily. Felix’s Oyster Bar has been serving some of New Orleans best since 1885. Its controversial history has been associated with mob bosses like Carlos “The Little Man” Marcello and former employees involved in the assassination of President John F. Kenney.

If you’re lookin’ for a taste of history this place has it all. Felix’s embraces your quintessential Cajun style seafood mixed with fresh giant oysters shucked right in front of you all night long. I got to meet with GM, Chef Adrian Zado to find out how much history is in these classic New Orleans dishes.

MEAT ME: And you are Adrian…

Adrian Zado: Adrian Zado I am the General Manager.

MEAT ME: How long has Felix’s Oyster Bar been around?

Adrian Zado: About 110 years. The place was opened by a guy from Italy named Felix Randoulf. He came to New Orleans in 1885 and he opened the place a little time before. We don’t know exactly when. He was a good friend with the mobster Carlos “The Little Man” Marcello. He was also a partner with the uncle of Lee Harvey Oswald; he used to own one of the buildings that Felix’s was in. Lee Harvey Oswald also worked as a bus boy here.

MEAT ME: Wow! Really.

Adrian Zado: Yea. Not very many people know about that.

MEAT ME: So how long have you worked here at Felix’s?

Adrian Zado: I have worked here for over 2 and half years. I have been a chef for 22 years. I lived in Italy for 16 years and that is where I learned Italian dishes.

MEAT ME: How long have you been in New Orleans?

Adrian Zado: About 5 and half years.

MEAT ME: So what drew you to New Orleans?

Adrian Zado: I wanted to help out, hang around, and wonder. It’s a hell of a city with amazing energy. I like that.

MEAT ME: So what’s in this dish? (Dish with the clams)

Adrian Zado: This is a dish that I learned in Italy. It is called (muscoli arrabiatti) Muscles in a spicy marinara sauce and I added a hint of licorice-flavored liquor. Most of my recipe is marinara sauce, crushed red pepper, red onions, crushed garlic, and tomato sauce.

MEAT ME: What would you say is the specialty here at Felix’s?

Adrian Zado: The specialty is Gumbo. It’s a recipe that is about 150 years old from the chef who had been hired by the original owner. He was one of those Mason cooks: they don’t have the recipe written down, they just share with family. I don’t have the recipe. It’s just plane seafood gumbo no chicken, no sausage, just oysters, crab, and shrimp.

There is the original truck. Right there over on the wall. Yea it belonged to Felix, the original owner. He started delivering oysters and groceries and then delivered them all over the place. That was his first job.

MEAT ME: So how many oysters would you say you guys go through in a day?

Adrian Zado: On a busy day we would probably do about $2,000 to $3,000 dollars. We go through about 13,000 to 14,000 pounds a week.

MEAT ME: Wow! About how many people come through here on a Saturday night?

Adrian Zado: Usually about 1,000 or more.

Muscles in a Spicy Marinara Sauce

MEAT ME: Yea, cause the 2 times I have been here there was always a line out the door. So you guys are obviously doing something right. What is your favorite dish?

Adrian Zado: I like the Linguini with a white wine sauce, garlic, and a plain white pasta. With a glass of wine on the side.

MEAT ME: So what is this dish exactly?


Adrian Zado: You know I had to come up with a good barbecue shrimp recipe. I had some friends of mine give me a basic BBQ shrimp recipe I added some Italian seasoning with some white onions. I can’t really reveal the rest to you, but everybody likes it. I never thought I would become famous for making BBQ shrimp but they love it.

So when you take the pictures you’ll see it will all come out right. I start on a low heat with all the ingredients, let them mingle together. Then I am going to add beer and worcestershire sauce and then it all comes together.

MEAT ME: I see you don’t hold back on the butter…

Adrian Zado: Yea it has a lot of butter, creole seasoning, garlic, parsley, white onions, liquid smoke, and Louisiana shrimp.

Barbecue Shrimp

MEAT ME: So tell me a little more about this, your favorite dish?

Adrain Zado: It’s a linguini with a light white wine, olive oil, garlic, parsley and I put some fresh pepper. It’s good for your heart with a glass of wine on the side.

For me Felix’s really captured the essence of what New Orleans was all about: history. It really made me realize where we come from, where we are now and that there is no point in worrying about the future.

While I sat at the bar the night I arrived, a homeless man wandered in off the street and stood right next to me. He looked around for a few seconds and then looked me right in the face and he said, “Where ya from?” I said, “Los Angeles.” He then got close to me and said, “So what do you think?” I said “I love it here.” He then looked around and then looked me dead straight in the eyes and said, “Be careful son she’ll show you a good time, but she’ll also chew you up and spit you out!”

The rest of my stay I kept that in the back of my head. I had no idea what he meant. The New Orleans culture has a history in VooDoo. Did it have to do with that? I don’t know, but I do know that New Orleans has a lot to offer. There are many goodtimes to be had here, but if you’re the type of person who lacks self-control and loves to engage in careless shenanigans I can see this place swallowing you up whole.

Adrian's Favorite Dish

To find out more about Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar go to: http://felixs.com/
You can find Felix’s on Yelp at: http://www.yelp.com/biz/felixs-restaurant-and-oyster-bar-new-orleans

Let the good times roll,
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

Edited by Kathryn Emery

Written & Photographed by Sean Rice