What the hell is sanjuanandeggs?  Valid question.

It's the moniker of a buddy of mine.  That's his Instagram "handle" or whatever you call that.  He's a fly fisherman, like myself, albeit a much more popular one..  Better?  That's up for debate.

His name is Tanner Smith, and he's been a friend over the past several years.  We've worked together, drank beer together--sometimes in the morning...fished a little, and stayed in touch after our parting of ways in the fly fishing industry. 

Unfortunately, last month I discovered that sanjuanandeggs had been diagnosed with cancer.  Stage 4 gastric cancer.  Tanner's 35. I can't imagine.  We always gave San-Jay shit that he was going to get skin cancer from being out on the river without sunscreen all the time.  The universe had a darker joke.

The universe can eat shit.

We are calling In the troops.  All hands on deck.  Gastric cancer can go to hell because we are raising cash-money for this young man in any way we know possible.  The fly fishing community is coming together to do what we can--what we know, to help raise funds for Tanner's bills.  Guides, fly tyers, industry professionals, and angling companies big and small are coming to help. And since I still consider myself part of this community, good bad or indifferent, ETB is setting up shop at Rep Your Water on April 29th to raise some dough for our boy.  The what/where/who/when is below:  Hope you can make it.

What: Community Fundraiser for Tanner Smith aka sanjuanandeggs. Sweet deals on Rep Your Water gear and swell BBQ. . It's a BYOB shindig, so open beers and coolers are allowed and encouraged. 

Where: Rep Your Water, 2546 S. Main St. Unit B, Erie CO 80516.  RYW's showroom/offices are located in an old airplane hangar.  They will have their overhead doors open for rad shopping deals to benefit Tanner.  ETB will be in the parking lot smoking up tasty eats.  Parking should be clearly marked, NO ENTRY FEE or ticket of any sort.  Open to the public.

Who: Corrine and Garrison Doctor of Rep Your Water are hosting, Matt and Rick Todd and maybe Hank (all Earl Todd's) will be cooking.  All BBQ proceeds go to Tanner's gofundme.

When: Saturday, April 29th.  4pm to 7pm-ish

Menu: Thunder Pig Sammich (Pulled Pork, Crumbled Peppered Bacon, Provolone, Hot/Sweet Pickles, ETB Action Sauce, and Pickled Red Onions on a toasted Brioche Bun. $8), St. Louis Style Ribs ($3/bone, $33/rack), Neighborhood Beans ($6/bowl), and probably cole slaw.

This event isn't just for fly fisherpeople, it's for EVERYONE.  I image there will probably be a few fly rods laying though, in case anyone would like an impromptu lesson.

Hope to see you there.  Thanks, gang.

-Earl

It's another driveway BBQ coming up this weekend, Saturday, October 8.  And here's what we're celebrating: Fall.  The Cardinals in the playoffs (sorry, Rockies and Royals...). Football season.  Meat.  

What: Cooking some rib slabs, along with a couple monster sammiches: The Thunder Pig and Diablo & Doc.  Thunder Pig is a pulled pork sammich with peppered bacon crumbles, provolone, sweet-hot pickles, pickled red onions, and ETB Action Sauce on a grilled brioche bun.  The Diablo & Doc is another pulled pork beaut, but with sliced ETB Action Sausage (garlic, jalapenos, cheddar), provolone, smothered in homemade smoked pork green chili.  Comes with a Dr. Pepper.

When: This Saturday, October 8.  3pm-ish.  To-go boxes are on hand, or pull up a chair and have a beer.  Don't cost nothin.

Where: Driveway, man.

How much:  $30ish donation for a slab o ribs w/ sauce on the side.  $12ish for a sammich.  Green chili ala carte....hmmm, let's say $6ish.  Single ribs?  Sausage? I don't know...whatever you think is fair.  Beer is free.  Dr. Pepper comes with purchase of a Diablo & Doc..

I've got a few shirts for sale, too.  Rando sizes and colors, $12/ea.  Pick one up and be the damn envy of your neighborhood.

Hope to see you there.

​-Earl

Summer is when barbecues are supposed to happen, right?  Well, sorry about that.  My family travel schedule has been quite full lately.

Not to fret, though.  In five days, "Ruby's Ribfest" is happening.  Ruby is my daughter and she turns 8yrs old on July 19. And like a good daughter she's requested ribs and a party.  So two days before that, we're having a driveway shindig that should be a lot of fun.  Smoker space is already accounted for, but I'll have some extra goodies for those that haven't reached out.

Here's the deets:

When:  Sunday, July 17. Food ready between 4-5pm, but smoker will be going all day.  Feel free to hang out if I like you.

Where: Driveway.  

Eats: Ribs, duh.  There'll also be a giant cauldron of Neighborhood Beans, pulled pork, and I'll have the flat top out making random sammiches with buns and pickles & shit.

How much?  Doing donations, if you're so inclined.  "Crap man, how much do I donate?"  Well, the recommended donation would be $30/full slab of ribs and sauce on the side.  But you can donate $10 or $100, it's cool.  Sammiches?  Beans?  $5, $10, $20--whatever you feel is fair.  That's how I'm doing it.  Pork prices have skyrocketed, so anything is much appreciated.  Or I might consider trading for a delicious bottle of whisk(e)y, old rare comic books, a chainsaw, or other things that I think are cool.  All I can say is no...and then ask you to leave.

Extras:  I'll have a cooler of beer.  Have a brew, don't cost nuthin.  If I like you and you plan on hanging out, bring a chair and don't bother me too much.

Should be a fun day.  If you show up early, don't get me too drunk or I'll screw everything up.  Seriously.  I suck at drunk BBQing, oddly enough.  Questions?  Just reach out.  I'm easy.

See y'uns there.
​-earl

Well, after a few weeks of ridiculously cold weather, it's starting to look a little like Spring again (with the exception of the Winter Storm Warning tonight, of course....)  The time has changed (finally), the flowers in my front yard are starting to pop up through the dirt, and baseball is back after a lockout that lasted two months longer than Tom Brady's retirement.

That said, let's plan a few neighborhood barbecues!

First up, opening weekend of baseball!  The Rox open the season at home against the Dodgers, the Cardinals at home against the Pirates, and the Royals at home versus the Guardians from Cleveland..  Three home openers from the only three teams that matter.  So we've got Colorado, StL, and KC........let's get creative.

Colorado means green chili.  And for the first time ever in life, I'm putting ETB's take on green chili on the menu.  I've cooked and tweaked and cooked and tweaked and am finally satisfied....no proud, of my recipe.

A quick description: a combo of Hatch green chilis, chipotles & adobo, a house-blend of spices, and chunks of slow-smoked pork.  Eats more like a stew than a sauce, and is moderately spicy and smokey. Goes great with eggs, tortillas, tortilla chips, hashbrowns, chili dogs, chili burgers, over fried taters, over mashed taters, with a bloody mary, with a margarita, served with sour cream, onions, shredded cheese, and warm flour tortillas, or in a bowl, plain.  I dig it the most.

St. Louis would typically mean StL-style ribs.--their dang namesake.  I do them lots.  Lots.  But this time we're mixing it up a bit.  Instead of ribs, which I absolutely love cooking, we're representing StL with one of its most weirdly popular foods....Provel Cheese.

That ain't barbecue, ya dingus.  True, but wait....

Kansas City Is one helluva barbecue city.  I used to live there, I know this shit.  So in representation of BBQ City USA, we're making the Z-MAN SAMMICH made famous by Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que (OG's still call it Oklahoma Joe's and only go to the gas-station location).  

Quick Description: Thin sliced smoked brisket piled on a brioche bun and covered with two onion rings, melted PROVEL (not provolone---see what I did there?), and sauce ON THE SAMMICH...which I'd never do...but it's the Z-man, so I have to, and it's fantastic.

We'll have it all ready to pick-up curbside at the barbecue driveway, Saturday, April 9 between 11am and 1pm.  Get those preorders in!

So there we go.  Here's the menu in menu-like form:

BASEBALL OPENING WEEKEND BBQ MENU:
Colorado-Inspired Smoked Pork Green Chili- $7*/pint
Kansas City-Inspired Z-Man Sandwich w/ St. Louis-Inspired Provel cheese - $12*

When?
Pick-up between !1am-1pm, Saturday, April 9

Where?
My barbecue driveway, curbside

So, go Rockies! Go Cards! And Go Royals!  But especially Cards.  Every other team, "Booooooo!"
*all prices are suggested, friendly, neighborhood donations


Secondly, Cinco de Mayo.

I'm gonna do tacos.  

Colorado has just ridiculous Mexican food...it's so good.  But here's an alternative: Barbecue Tacos!

Traditional pulled pork...pulled Carnitas....chicken of some sort...maybe beef of some sort.  Haven't nailed down an exact menu just yet, but the wife and I have been throwing around some fun menu ideas. We gots lots a time to figure it out.  Driveway margaritas might be something.

At any rate, throw these dates on your calendar and get your pre-orders in for April 9!  If you want brisket a la carte, I'll see what I can do--just contact me.

Thanks gang!  See you soon!

​-Ear.l

Well, the Chiefs lost in overtime....and the Broncos aren't any good.  The Rams were taken from St. Louis by an awful, awful man who unfortunately owns the Avalanche as well.  And Tom Brady lost and thus retired. So it looks like we're rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals, which is fine, because one: One of my best friends resides there...and two: Doctor Johnny Fever of WKRP in Cincinnati freaking died during the game.  So, this one's for you, Doc!

In 12 days the big game will be on our televisions.  A day in which gluttony is encouraged.  Big game, big parties, lots of drinks, lots of food.  I can help you out with that last one...

ETB will be slinging meats before the game for your Super Bowl soirees.  Pick up between 2pm-3pm...game is at 4;30pm, so you'll be back home in time to watch the billion dollar commercials for tortilla chips, Dodges, and light beer.  The menu is as follows:

* Slider Station: 1lb fall-apart pulled pork, 1lb ETB Action Sausage (housemade pork/beef sausage with garlic, jalapeno, and sharp cheddar), coleslaw, pickles, onions, sauce on the side, and 24 Kings Hawaiian slider rolls.  $50

* Pig Out Pack: 2 slabs of StL-style pork ribs, 1lb pulled pork, 1lb ETB Action Sausage, coleslaw, Neighborhood Beans, pickles, onions, sauce on the side, and Wonder Bread: $120

  A la cart:

* St. Louis-Style Pork Ribs: $25/slab (12 bones, sauce on the side)
* Neighborhood Beans: Smokey, Sweet, & Spicy, $6/pint
* Sweet & Tangy Slaw: $6/pint
* ETB Action Sausage: $6/link
* Smoky Marinated Chicken Breast: Garlic, Sesame, Ginger marinade, smoked w/ Colorado Apple Wood: $6/ea

Happy to customize orders, too.  Orders have already started rolling in, so please reach out soon to reserve your spot on the smokers as space is limited.  Again, curbside pickup is between 2pm-3pm Sunday, Feb. 13.

And please keep in mind, all prices are considered generous donations to keep this friendly, neighborhood driveway barbecue guy cooking.

I appreciate each one of you reading this.  We'll see you soon!

​-earl  

Sorry, folks.  Barbecue's closed.  (for the holidays)
Yes, we've taken the holidays off this year.  Several different reasons...main one being time with family.  As much as I love cooking for folks, Thanksgiving and Christmas need to be spent with family.  So even after ETB gets enormously famous, I'll probably continue foregoing turkeys and hams for the holidays.  And I'm kind of proud of that.  But man, I absolutely appreciate all the inquiries!  You guys continue to humble me.

There has been plenty of family travel, lately too.  In fact, we'll be in Hawaii over Christmas this year.  So keep an eye out for some driveway cooks after we get back.  There's going to be Smoked Pork Green Chili, Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos with Slaw, Grownup Beanie-Weenies made with the combo platter of ETB Action Sausage and Neighborhood Beans, maybe some Brisket, and of course Ribs.

And definitely be thinking about Super Bowl--I'll be doing racks of ribs, and maybe some other things.  Haven't decided yet.

2022 plans are currently in the works.  It's going to be a transition year, as my youngest is going to be in Kindergarten, freeing up some more time for barbecue.  So we're definitely working out how and when we'll be set up, as well as a more established menu.  I've been digging into the possibility of shipping product, too.  Maybe a beef jerky option, as well.  Stay tuned.  This is fun.

And one last thing--if you'd like a t-shirt, I've still got several sizes and colors of the Elvis (see website) and just a few sizes and colors of the OG shirt.  They make the best damn stocking stuffers ever.  Ever.

Once again, thank you all so much for your ongoing support!  Wasn't planning on a pandemic when I set out to start this gig up--not that it changed a ton, just pushed pause for a couple years.  But you all bought some food (some drove a damn long way, too!), hung out by the smoker, drank some beers, given me a high-five while you're at the ol' curbside pickup, told your friends about us, and just enjoyed part of your day with me.  And hey, that's what barbecue's all about, man.  I appreciate you!

​Sincerely, 
Earl.

Hey there, friends.  Hope you're all healthy and swell.  Those dang Covid numbers are creeping back up there, so play it safe out there.  Speaking of, doesn't look like ETB will be going back to public events this year, with the spike in cases.  Just doesn't make any sense.

Instead, we'll keep on truckin' with our driveway cooks and curbside pickup.  Even though that wasn't the business plan for late summer, 2021, I'm still very grateful that I get to cook for so many excellent people.

That said, "Lotta Pig Sunday" is right around the corner on August 22..  Racks of StL-style ribs and pulled pork sliders are on the smoker, and we're almost full!  Right now, I've got two more spots on the cooker for ribs--and at a friendly donation of $20 a rack, that ain't a bad deal.  If you'd like some sliders, I'm humbly asking for donations of $3 per slider or $8 for three.  You get onions and pickles on that pulled pork if you want, and they're on Kings Hawaiian rolls. Mmmmm, boy.  I might make slaw, haven't decided yet.  Curbside pickup is roughly between 3pm and 4pm.  I'll buy the beer.

Thanks again folks!  You are top notch!

​-Earl

Once again, my apologies for my lack of updating on this blog...for anybody actually reading it.

This Sunday, July 11, there will be Grown-Up Beanie Weenies in the driveway between 12p-3p.  ETB Action Sausage with garlic, jalapeno, and cheddar cheese inside, along with the newly renamed Neighborhood Beans with smoke, spice, and chunks of meat.  You may have them old school beanie weenie style, which is sliced up weenie in the beanies...or any variation of the two dishes you wish.  There will be barbecue sauce, pickles, onions, and Wonder Bread on hand.  Maybe a cooler of beer, too.  Why not?  It's a barbecue, right?

Feel free to private message me for a pre-order, or walk-ups are fine, too.  Hope to see a few of you Sunday!

Sorry, been pretty poor about updating this blog.  

To get everyone up to speed...  Sunday, March 14, has a brisket cook planned with 'shrooms, beans, and slaw.  When I booked it, it was supposed to be 63 degrees out.  Now 3 feet of snow, potentially.

With that somewhat dreadful news, we are playing it by ear for Sunday.  I don't mind cooking in the snow, but this amount will hinder pick-ups and me dragging my smoker outdoors.  A lot can change, obviously, between now and then, so hopefully we can get this cook off the ground and everyone can pick up their orders safely.  I'll make the call probably Friday, and let everyone know via the three aforementioned platforms.

If we have to cancel, I'll obviously refund anyone who has already pre-donated.  As far as a reschedule--maybe two weekends from Sunday.  Going crappie fishing in Missouri that following weekend, so you know...

Thanks an immense amount--you guys are fantastic...through snow, through Covid, through me crappie fishing.

See you soon.

First off, thanks to everyone who reached out this year inquiring about Thanksgiving barbecue.  I had a ton of turkey requests, some ribs, and even some chicken.  Unfortunately, I will not be smoking this Thanksgiving.  With rapid spikes in Covid-19, I've been reluctant to cook for everyone lately. That, along with the fact that I ditched my old fridge and haven't picked out a new one yet (turkeys take up a TON of fridge space for thawing and brining) and also the fam and I thought this would be a good year to take off and just enjoy the holiday before (hopefully) things really pick up next year.  Hope you all understand.

Additional update....(drumroll)...a new menu item!

I'm pretty jazzed to add Magic Shells to my menu.  I've been messing around with a mac & cheese recipe for years now--fancy cheeses, non-fancy cheeses, "cheeses", macaroni, penne', rigatoni, pulled pork, brisket, sausage...you name it.  Finally, I decided on a recipe that I've been using for years and never considered offering to the masses.  It's essentially my version of Hamburger Helper.  Sounds great, huh?  Yeah, the little animated white glove dude has nothing to do with this recipe, although he did inspire me to create my own version back in my single, one bedroom apartment days.

I bought a box of Hamburger Helper and dug it.  I dug it so much so that I started buying different flavors.  Then the guilt set in.  "I can't eat this."  So I started making my own with different spices and noodles, then I'd make a bechamel and turn it into a cheese sauce.  Pour that gold all over the noodles and meat--dang.

So, the version I'm offering is shells (duh), a flavorful ground beef mixture in a modest amount, and a cheddar cheese sauce (not in a modest amount) mixed in.  The noodles cook in the meat mixture along with onions, garlic, and spices for a full flavor, then drenched with sauce and more shredded cheese to top it.  This dish is not smoked, as my wife and I decided that we prefer some of our side dishes non-smoked to give your pallet a breather in between bites of ribs & brisket.  So even if you're not in the mood to taste hickory smoke and meat, grab a pint of Magic Shells and indulge.  I have sporks.

Additional, additional update...
 
Both styles of Earl Todd Barbecue t-shirts are still available, and they make magnificent stocking stuffers!  The Elvis (all sizes and colors available) and the Regular (limited sizes and colors) are $20 and $15 respectively ($5 shipping).

I dearly appreciate your continued support, and look forward to actually becoming a little bit more of a "BBQ Joint" in some sort of capacity next year.  Happy Turkey Day, friends.