I’m a picky eater. Always have been. My diet as a kid growing up consisted of Ellio’s frozen pizza and Steak-Umms. When it came to meat, my mother would basically put everything through the deflavorizing machine before serving it. Steak (the cheapest cuts possible) was cooked well done. Chicken was served without seasoning.
So was I born a picky eater, or was I made one? Failing some special 23-And-Me genetic test, I guess we’ll never know.
One thing that changed was living on my own and realizing there was a whole world of food out there I hadn’t been introduced to or perhaps resisted because the picky-eater mentality is, “I don’t like that. I’ve never tried it, but just from looking at it, I know I don’t like it.”
Living by myself, I could make new things incrementally – it was cheaper than blowing a lot of money at a restaurant for something I would end up not liking. Also, I could take things I liked, and prepare them in different ways – I know I liked chicken, so add this or that, or try a different way of cooking it.
Dating introduced me to new cuisines because if you want to impress a girl, crossing your arms and sticking your nose up at a new food doesn’t really cut it.
As I became more adventurous in what I cooked and ate, the more I wanted to know what else was out there that I was missing. What were other ways to prepare food that I could try?
I got cookbooks, went to cooking websites for new recipes, and tried even more new dishes. I tended to repeat what I knew I liked, but that’s the picky eater’s way – stick to what you know you’ll enjoy. But I was definitely more interested in trying new things.
The process of cooking, however, wasn’t really enthralling to me. I liked new dishes but making them wasn’t the most fulfilling endeavor. More annoying and time-consuming
Then my girlfriend (now fiancée) got me a propane smoker. It was great. I liked barbecue food, and this gave me the opportunity to make things like brisket and pulled pork – things I enjoyed while out to eat, but never thought it would be worth making at home.
I smoked meat maybe about once a month. I enjoyed the food, but again, the process wasn’t filling me with the holy spirit in a culinary sense. Then the smoker crapped out on me. I couldn’t get it to light, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it. So I got another propane smoker. Same thing happened to that one.
I knew I still wanted to smoke meat, but also knew that propane might not be the way to go the third time around. So I did my research and felt the best option – one for which I knew there were no parts that could break or stop working – was charcoal.
I purchased a Weber Smokey Mountain, and my world changed.
There was something satisfyingly primal about it. To start with fire, maintain temperature, and experiment with different cuts of meat made me fall in love with cooking in a way I didn’t think I ever could. It made me feel some kind of connection with people through the ages who had to master fire and the entire process to ensure a quality result.
Now when I cook, I think about the meat I choose, where it comes from, the wood that will impart the best flavors, the temperature (Do I want a crispy skin or bark? What’s the desired tenderness? Etc.), and whether what I’m making and how I’m making it will be enjoyed by my family.
And that’s another important part of my newfound love of barbecue cuisine – the bond it can create with family and friends. I now delight in providing food that brings real enjoyment – not only to the taste buds, but to the soul – and gives an alternative to something quick, easy, and bland. I like to think that when people come to my house, they know they’re going to get something truly delicious because it was made with love.
Nowadays, I barbecue every weekend instead of once every month – weather permitting, that is. I actually get angry if I read the weather report and see it’s going to rain, or there’s a blizzard in the forecast. It’s a genuine anticipation to go through the process again, and it’s provided something that brings a lot of joy.
And it’s why I love the barbecue community to which I’ve been recently introduced.
Cheers!