Well sonofagun, the Chiefs won!  What a fun game--makes me miss living in KC..

We had a pretty good-sized party at our place, complete with bouncy castle, whisky, and of course barbecue.  Bouncy castle was for the kids--whisky for us.  Barbecue was for all.  We sauced up some St. Louis style spare ribs and also a little pulled pork.  Friends brought delicious potato salad, grilled stuffed peppers, Action Dip, healthy veggies & hummus, and spicy coleslaw.  It was a fine bounty.  The YETI was chock full of cold beer and hickory & apple wood smoke filled the air.  Didn't hurt that it was 70 degrees outside.  But the game....the GAME!  Amazing.  Of course it was a come-from-behind victory...wouldn't expect anything less.

Well, that's probably the last big off-season event for ETB for little while.  I sincerely appreciate everyone's orders over the past two games--it was clearly good luck.

We'll be out of town for V-Day (sorry if you'd planned on getting your gal a slab of ribs to say 'I love you'), as well as St. Patty's weekend, so let's regroup for spring training.  In the meantime, if you have any personal events that would be better with smoked meats, give me a holler.  Oh yeah, Easter hams are right around the corner, too! 

​And keep in mind, you'll be able to find us all summer long at the Erie, Colorado Farmer's Market (most) every Thursday afternoon and at the Louisville, Colorado Farmer's Market (most) every Saturday morning!  I'll have more info on dates and menu the closer we get to awesome weather.

Thanks again, everyone!

Chiefs won because of ribs.  So did the 49ers, but who cares.

You've got a couple days left to place full slab rib orders for only $25.  Babyback or StL Spare--your choice.  Both will come sauced--just like I'll be after KC wins on Sunday.

In addition, I hear ETB t-shirts are good luck as well.  $18 for a Super Bowl-lucky t-shirt in either black or red.  Sizes and quantities are somewhat limited, just an FYI.

 So, in conclusion...KC style saucy ribs plus an ETB Regular T-shirt for $25 and $18, respectively, equals a Super Bowl win.  For your favorite tackle football team.

​

Super Bowl's coming up in a couple. weeks.  I typically wouldn't be all that jazzed, except 1: I'm in the barbecue biz, so I'd better be jazzed... and 2: Because the team from Kansas City is doing quite well.  You see that game last Sunday?  Dang, man.

I grew up a couple-three hours from KC, and lived there for a couple years, too.  The latter is when I really started getting into barbecue.  Arthur Bryant's, Woodyard, Jack Stack, Gates, Oklahoma Joe's.  That's when I started appreciating the craft and the payoff so much more...so much more than a chopped meat sandwich smothered in weird, ketchup-y sauce and crammed in between two cheap buns--that's what I grew up with.  But I'm talking ribs and pulled pork on a different level than what I had ever had.  Food that nudged me to explore more joints, more regions, more crafts and payoffs.

Kansas City has some damn good barbecue.  And with that said, I'd like to pay homage to the cut that represents the city, the Chiefs, and my admiration and appreciation to KC the most--the almighty pork rib.

ETB is offering $25 full slabs of either St. Louis style pork ribs or babyback ribs, both slow smoked with hickory and applewood, and glazed with a sweet, tangy Kansas City style BBQ sauce.  12 bones of tender, fall-off-the-bone St. Louie's or meaty, bite-through babybacks.  People tend to be very opinionated about their ribs, so I'm offering my two favorites. So it's your choice.  Or get both.

I'm smoking early Sunday morning, Jan. 19th (championship playoffs) as well as Feb. 2nd (Super Bowl) so they'll be done and ready to pick up before party time. 

And If the Chiefs lose this weekend, I'll take full responsibility.

I gots myself a small meat smoking operation here, that's no doubt.  As of now, my bandwidth is miniscule, my smokers are modest, my operation is ragtag.  And clearly, with the freezing temps and piles of snow we've already gotten here in Colorado, I am ridiculously seasonal.

But, man, you guys are buying my goods.  When there can't be farmer's markets or pop-ups or fun summertime events....you cats limit me out on Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas hams.  You keep ordering racks of baby backs for sportsball contests and pulled pork just because.

I am dearly thankful.  You guys keep me truckin' and inspire me to cruise onto whatever the next episode is. 

Meat.  It brings us all together.  And with a little love, seasoning, smoke, and time, it will someday create world peace.  

Brisket for President, 2020.

Much appreciated, friends.

etb.

Christmas is the most amazing time of the year.  And for some, it sucks.  

Regardless, any day--even Christmas--is better with ham.  ETB is smoking a limited number of Christmas hams the weekend before...seasoned, smoked, glazed, smoked again, spiral cut, fairly delicious.  Hell, buy two.  They're only $35.

Did I mention that glaze has a little brown sugar and whiskey to make it fun?  Well, I did now.

Thanksgiving is the best holiday there is.  Cooking, drinking, napping, football, eating, drinking, napping.  A giant plate full of brown food...seconds, thirds.  Leftovers, maybe.  

This year will be a little different around my house, though.  That big 'ol turkey that's front & center on the dining room table will be surrounded by plump, juicy, glistening baby back pork ribs.  Go ahead, fork yourself a slice of buttery, peppery turkey...and grab a couple ribs, too.  Might as well.

When the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, yes, they had turkey and corn and whatnot.  But it's my hope, my belief, that delicious pigs frequented this area and the Pilgrims and Indians (Native Americans--this ain't India, man) smoked them with hickory and apple wood until the sweet & spicy pork melted in your mouth like meat candy.  What a complement to your turkey, your dressing, taters, corn, green beans, and all that jazz.  How can adding ribs to your Thanksgiving dinner be a bad thing?

It can't.

Order a brined, seasoned, smoked, buttered turkey for $35 from me.  Also order several racks of succulent, tender, sweet & spicy baby back ribs for $25/rack to show your family that you're not messing around this Thanksgiving.

Do it.

I get up really early on cook days.  Like, 2am early.  It kind of sucks, but it's kind of cool at the same time.  The solitude is nice, the coffee is necessary, and the music is mine to choose.

Lately I've been been ping-ponging from old jazz to new country.  That's broad, so let me specify.  Old jazz typically equals Ray Brown Trio, Reinhardt & Grappelli, or Oscar Peterson,  New country probably isn't the correct term, as one's mind immediately goes to Top 40 radio country, which is right out.  New country for me, and for staring at fires for hours with coffee in hand, is Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, or Colter Wall.

Old jazz usually gets the call while prepping in the kitchen, while new country is for fire staring.  Something about a cool night (morning) sky, beverage in hand, and flickering fire--whether it be on a riverbank, campsite, or firebox of a smoker.  That's why the country is suitable for staying up late or getting up early, just so long as there's fire involved.

This is from his first album, but still my go-to song, whether it's night or morning;

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of providing barbecue to hungry fly fisherman at Rep Your Water's annual Bash, benefitting conservation efforts to help Boulder Creek.  If you're not entirely familiar with who I am, I have been fly fishing since I was a wee lad, and was a guide on Boulder Creek for several years.  So of course I was proud to represent this event.

Attendees enjoyed pulled pork, portobello mushrooms, and ETB Action Sausages with fixins piled high.  As the line wrapped around the parking lot refused to subside, I summoned for help from volunteers of Boulder Fly Casters to sling slaw & pickles.  They were very fast learners, and for their help, I am appreciative.  

I saw a lot of friends, old & new, met a ton of folks, enjoyed complementary whiskey, cold beer, competitive ping-pong (I sat on the sidelines), and listened to some nice bluegrass.

Big thanks to the gang at RYW.  Let's do it again soon.

​

Hey, we'll be at Jax Outdoor Gear, Farm & Ranch in Broomfield on Sunday for lunch. from 11 to 3 (or until we run out).  I haven't decided yet what I'm cooking, but I think sausage (ETB Action Sausage!) will be on the menu.  Remember, the ETB Action Sausage is chocked full of garlic, jalapenos, and sharp cheddar cheese.  I'm thinking ribs, too.  We'll see.

Looks like we'll be in the southwest part of the parking lot, near the big sign facing 120th Ave.  Just look for the big red tent and smoke billowing out of the stack.  And good news--looks like there's a shade tree that I'll be able to park by.  Bring a camp chair and hang out.