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

What the HELL is going on with MEAT ME?

I am sure a lot of you have been wondering, bitching, complaining; all completely justified, where the HELL is the new content. You saw episode 3 of The American Royal and then nothing... Well I would like to take a moment to tell you (even though statistically you hate content that has nothing to do with actual MEAT).

MEAT ME is literally just ME, aka Sean Rice. I am a one man show and I do the best I can to bring you the latest and greatest MEAT content. I do the shooting, the editing, the writing, the interviews, the photos and managing the social media.

After I got back from "fooding" in New Orleans I needed to end an unhealthy relationship that I was living in for 4 years, each day I was suffering from multiple anxiety attacks a day and need to end this abusive relationship.

I was called upon by my parents 3 months ago and asked to move in and take care of my 83 year old grandma. The move took a huge weight off my back but slowly I become unhappy again. Being a caretaker did not involved taking care of me. I am still trying to build on my own freelance graphic business, but was still in need of unemployment, which comes to an end in January.

I currently owe a devastating $310,000 to the IRS from a failed business in 200. Hopefully come Monday, I'll have started filing for Chapter 7. Since the IRS audit in 2008, the same day I got out of a 96 hour jail sentence from a DUI (my second), I have been a slave to IRS lawyers and now my Bankruptcy attorney. Don't worry it gets better.

The stress keeps mounting and the anxiety keeps getting worse. The end result is no appetite. None. I go to these BBQ events and I take a few bites and can't eat a thing. The only positive thing I have going for me is; being that there is nothing to do in the San Fernando Valley I found myself at the gym everyday doing Zumba and Body Pump classes at the 24hr Fitness in Santa Clarita. Since September 5th I have gone from 238 pounds to 193 pounds. That is a total of 44 pounds in exactly 3 months, I'm in the best shape in my life.

I should be feeling pretty great about myself, right? No, I sleep on a couch in my office and usually only get out of the house for the gym, my group anxiety workshop on Fridays, and the occasional bowling night with a buddy. I hate being alone. I am extremely codependent and I have no one to center my life around to be my source of security, happiness, and self worth.

So when I returned from The American Royal in Kansas City, being the obsessive codependent that I am, I fell in love with a beautiful Latin women I got to know really well over Facebook. We hit the ground running for a full 2 weeks. I was in heaven, not to mention she was beautiful, a huge MEAT ME fan, and loved the exact same things I do. It was one of those "To good to be true". I gave up everything tying to protect this feeling. Then, SURPRISE! She disappeared. Ultimately my emotional insecurity, need, and dependency scared her away and left me destroyed.

I spent so much time worrying if she really liked me, if she felt the same way, what did every word, text, and look mean. My biggest fear was losing her and being alone. The very thing I was trying to control happened and it was my own fault.

I got sick with strep throat and was laid out for the last 2 weeks, it forced me to realize that my life needed to change. I was a wreck at my last anxiety work shop and I needed to figure out how to get myself back. I needed to focus on me. While listening to Love Line on KROQ with Dr. Drew Pinsky one night on my way home from the gym, I heard someone call in with the same issue I had "relationship retardation" they recommended the book Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself.

I got it. It made me realize that I spend about 90% of my brain worrying about things I can't control and letting others control me by trying to fix them. People are who they are, you either accept them or move on. This is what I am asking you to do with me. It is not easy for me be vulnerable and share this with you but I have realized we are often not along and there is someone going through the exact same thing. Being vulnerable is your greatest strength it can only help.

I apologize for depriving you of being current, leaving you hungry and entertaining content. Next Wednesday the 14th I will have episode 4 of the American Royal up for you to enjoy.

That will be followed by:
3 More episodes of the American Royal Featuring El Fuego Fiasco

3 Cooking Episodes with Ari Elle Johanna from "Things I Make In My Kitchen"

1 Episode of Christie's Butterfly Walk and Slater's 50/50

1 Santa Anita BBQ Competition

1 Episode featuring "The Great Meat Cookbook"

I appreciate your time and listening to me. This is my therapy and you guys have always been the greatest part about MEAT ME. I appreciate all of your love and support. Now I hope to be my best you.

Thank You,

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

"The American Royal" featuring El Fuego Fiasco - Day 1

This is Day 1 of my journey following El Fuego Fiasco on their trip to compete in The America Royal BBQ Competition in Kansas City, MO. Mike Weiss, Mike Sanchez and I make it all the way to Oklahoma on Tuesday night October 2nd 2012.

Until Tomorrow,
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

The American Royal: A Daily Documentary on El Fuego Fiasco

Starting October 1st I will be leaving with the El Fuego Fiasco BBQ team as they take on their life long dream of competing at The American Royal in Kansas City, MO. I will be traveling with them, living with them and video tapping every moment of their journey. I start the second they pack up and leave  to the actual cook at the competition finishing to the day they return.

The American Royal BBQ Competition is the largest in the US with just over 500 teams it is often considered the Olympics of BBQ. Teams travel from all over the US and the world to be crowned champion of this awesome event.

On this trip you will get a chance to meet several different teams, see what everyone is cooking, as well as what El Fuego Fiasco will go thru as they try and get their name into the BBQ Hall of Fame.

I will be filming almost every moment so you will get a chance to see the good the bad, and the ugly moments during this great competition. If you haven't see El Fuego Fiasco in action you're in for quiet a treat.

If you are competing at this event and would like to be apart of this special short or would just like to say hello please feel free to hit me up on twitter @meatemblog or by email meatmeblog(at)gmail.com. I look forward to bringing you this amazing event as well as an in depth look into what it's like to be El Fuego Fiasco.

For more information about El Fuego please check them out on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/elfuegofiasco for more information on The American Royal please go to: http://www.americanroyal.com/events.aspx?f=1&sf=all&view=ListView&c=15

You can get my LIVE up to date info on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/MeatMeBlog or you can hit me up directly on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/meatmeblog or @meatmeblog works for instagram as well.

For T-Shirts feel free to email me @ meatmeblog(at)gmail.com there is a list and I am about 3 weeks out, so look out for the fresh new designs on Facebook.

Join the Fiasco!
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME

Harry Soo's Barbecue 101 Class: An Overview

If you have come to this blog post in hopes of learning all of Harry Soo's secrets... You are going to be disappointed. You still have to take his class. I'm just giving you an in depth look into what I enjoyed and a summary of all of the information that Harry covers. 

I love to BBQ, I am no professional by any means but I do like to consider myself an avid novice. One day I make amazing ribs that I would compare to some of the top 10 I have tasted at competitions; and some days it's bland undercooked mishmash. I have seen and been told some of the best ways to BBQ by the best teams in the US and I still can't get it right. I try to BBQ when I can but like many of you, I still struggle with consistency in my final product. 

I think of it like bowling; it looks like you're just rolling a ball down a lane. How hard can it be, right? You won't know until you try it. This is one of the aspects that I enjoyed about Harry Soo's class. It's very hands on. Your not just watching him do it, you get to try it yourself with real time feed back. 

The class cost $349 per student for each class, so Harry squeezes in tons of information. You meet at 7:45 am at his home and are there till about 3 to 5 pm. You can't put a time on BBQ, it's done when it's done. Here is a list of what Harry covers in his class:

How to light a fire
How to make your own rubs and sauces
How to prepare chicken, ribs, pork, brisket, and tri-tip
How to prepare injections and marinades
Detailed instructions on cooking methods
Equipment and Accessories
Overview of BBQ contests and judging
Cooking long-haul Brisket and Pork Butts
Cooking spareribs, St. Louis Ribs, and Baby Back Ribs
Cooking Tri-Tip Santa Maria Style
Cooking Half Chickens and Chicken Thighs
Cooking Sausages and Links
Answering your grilling and BBQ problems and questions
Certificates and Conclusion

What's special thing about Harry is no matter where he is, he is always experimenting. Today Harry smoked a red wattle pig raised at Cooks Pig Ranch - one of the pig producers featured right here on MEAT ME. Raised locally and supplied to nearby restaurants and cooks like Harry Soo.

This particular class, we had the opportunity to be joined by Harry's fiancé, Donna, from the Professional BBQ Team "Butcher's Daughter". Along with Harry's expertise, we got to hear Donna's technique on the same process. Here Donna talks about temperature and what type of bark color to look for.

Harry goes over the details of what to look for when smoking a whole hog on a Daniel Boone Deluxe Pellet Smoker. He is giving away this particular model on his site. I would look for it on his giveaways page.

After discussing different types of smokers Harry goes over the specifics of barbecue safety and food handeling. Harry gets right into it with how to make the perfect rub to use on your meats.

After a quick taste test, we're off to sampling different sauces that Harry uses with his barbecuing and how each effects the final flavor.

Without missing a beat we are mixing the injection we will be using on both the brisket and pork butt. Since the brisket takes longer to smoke than the class allows we check in on one that was started the night before to get an understanding of where your bark is at and what to look for when it's finished.

Before injecting the meats, Harry discusses the different ways to trim the 2 meats; one that he would recommend for backyard smoking and one that he uses in competition.

Once the injections are mixed and sampled we each take turns injecting each piece of meat so we know exactly what to look for when we are do it on our own. Harry has a list of recommended products to use on his website which help with the learning curve.

After injections, it is time to start applying the rub to the meat. Harry covers the various ways in which to apply the rub as well as what to avoid. We all take turns using Harry's technique.

Donna is working on a special lamb recipe that she is using for a competition where you aren't allowed to use any modern day products. I don't mind the extra meat. I'll take whatever I can get. It was delicious.

You can't barbecue without a fire. Harry covers that too. From the type of coals and wood to keeping the fire burning for a whole 16 - 18 hours.

Once the meat is prepped it is ready to go on the the Weber Smokey Mountain where he talks about various ways of keeping the fire up to temperature.

The brisket is ready to be wrapped so everyone takes turns using Harry's technique. Sauce the meat, then wrap it. You have to make sure to keep the air out.

Trimming spare ribs is done in a very specific manner. Each person gets a chance to cut as well as remove the membrane.

Tri-Tip not to be confused with Bi-Tip (just kidding - there's no such thing) is then smoked differently with a piece of wood on the grill as opposed to a traditional smoker.

Harry and Donna have different styles of trimming chicken and they both show you the right way. There is no wrong way - each is unique to the cook.

After everyone gets a chance to cut chicken, it's time to season and prepare it to go in the smoker.

The epic pig is done and delicious. Stuffed from head to toe - it really is a delicious treat.

Harry also sears up some sashimi grade tuna, that is also seasoned with the rub we created at the beginning of the day. After preparing all that food it is finally time to eat.

Delicious and perfectly cooked try-tip side by side with some pork butt. Harry makes sure everyone taste the "Money Muscle"!

Brisket, done! I always look for the jiggle test. Shake the table and if the top of the brisket moves in the opposite direction of the bottom, 9 times out of 10 it's perfect.

The chicken is done and ready to be sauced, along with the ribs.

Finally after all that information we stuff our faces and talk shop about what we just learned compared to what we thought we knew.

It's official: my Certificate Of Completion. I did it! Now lets see if I can put it to good use. That will come next month.

As you can see, everyone in the class is pretty happy with their barbecue experience. Harry covers so much information it's impossible to write it all down. He does supply you with a note book that contains all the information that he covers in the class. When ever there is subjective material, he does expect you to write down what your prefer.

All in all, it was a pretty awesome class and when I was finished I was pretty overwhelmed with all the information I had just taken in. If I had any criticism it would be that Harry covers too much information in a barbecue 101 class, but then again I am sure if he covered less people would complain that were wasn't enough.

People come from all over to take his class so he has to make it worth it. One man rode out from Maryland on a motorcycle so you know his class is to be taken seriously.

You can find out more about Harry Soo's class at: http://www.slapyodaddybbq.com/classes-2/

DON'T MISS OUT! The first week of October is the American Royal and I will be doing a traveling documentary with El Fuego Fiasco as they embark on thier first trip out to Kansas City, MS. I will be launching videos and photos daily with exciting updates.

Look out - for what I believe - to be one of the most exciting adventures to hit MEAT ME!

Barbecue is No Joke!
Sean Rice
aka MEAT ME