Boss Hog BBQ

Dan - Host: 0:10

Welcome to another episode of the meat & Greet BBQ podcast. We're lucky today to have with us rob from Boss Hog BBQ on Instagram. And he also has a business that he is starting up very shortly, which we'll talk about in depth on the show. Now not only does he have a wealth of experience on cooking on lots of different types of barbecues, but so much so that he's starting up his own business, and has been sourcing lots of different barbecues for us to go and buy in Milton Keynes. without much further ado, here's Rob. Hello, Rob, thank you so much for joining us on the meat & Greet BBQ podcast. How are you?

Rob Boss Hog: 0:46

Very well. Thank you glad to be on.

Unknown: 0:49

Yeah, very I'm very good after a week's holiday to relax and everything. So I apologise for last week and what you guys had to endure. I'm sure the sizzle show were quite good. I apologise whatever. Oh, instead, how are you doing?

Owen - Host: 1:01

Yeah, I'm still recovering from it to be honest. No, it was, it was good crack, actually to talk to Jameson and caught barbecue. So yeah, it was good, fun. And obviously Glad to have you back then. You know, I almost missed you.

Dan - Host: 1:16

Yeah, I almost missed you too. But I'm so excited to have you on Rob. Because when I originally started really following barbecue on Instagram, about sort of a year ago, yours is one of the first pages actually started following. And when we actually originally launched this podcast, you were one of the people I want to make sure that reached out to, for anyone who doesn't know, could you talk us through your Instagram and what you're about and what you've been doing?

Rob Boss Hog: 1:46

Yeah, so like most people really, I started the barbecue Instagram about a year ago, during the lockdown everything. always had a love for food, a weird obsession with America. So barbecue and food kind of went together. Yes, nightside Instagram, just as a little project really just kept me saying through lockdown. And it grew from there really started working with a couple of companies get more and more likes more traction on it all started growing more of a passion for it. And then we are where we are now.

Dan - Host: 2:25

So what is the name of your Instagram for anyone?

Rob Boss Hog: 2:28

Boss, hawks barbecue.

Dan - Host: 2:30

And what I love is the versatility of what you're doing on there. So for anyone who hasn't yet been on there and go go, in fact, pause this and go straight on there and have a quick look before we keep going. But you have a number of different barbecues, and you cook all different types of cuisine. For example, recently, you've gone from doing burgers on lives with well from Will's grill shack. But then also, before that you did an Asian pork steak, which I loved. So you talk about your obsession with American food, but you do everything on the barbecue. How does that all work?

Rob Boss Hog: 3:08

It kind of well, it will span from the American side of things. And a lot of it comes from looking at other people's Instagrams and scrolling through everyday like everyone else does. And you just see things are neat. I want to try that. And I just instead of doing the same old thing, the American barbecue, the ribs, the burgers, all that sort of stuff it was I now want to start trying to do other things and pork chops and things like that quite underrated I think. So, the Chinese pork chops and all that sort of stuff.

Unknown: 3:38

I also think that classic British barbecue, people fall into the trap of thinking if I'm gonna barbecue and used to be the same sort of things, but also not experimenting with those different things not just with flavours but how they cook them as well, which is something that you do in very different ways depending on what you're using as your cooking equipment. Yeah, exactly.

Owen - Host: 3:59

So I also saw recently that you on an Instagram Live that you were doing with with Wills Grill shack. You weren't actually cooking meat at all you were you're doing a bit of baking, it seems.

Rob Boss Hog: 4:14

Yeah. Again, it's showing the versatility of barbecues. Just you can do anything in them. And again, that was another inspiration from Instagram had ago peach cobbler, Troy cherry cobbler and it's so easy. They want them assumes that barbecue is difficult and it's a lot to learn but that was that was an appellate grill. Same as setting the oven. Leave it forget it. Enjoy afterwards.

Owen - Host: 4:48

What what Pellet Grill have you I mean we're going to go into your actual setups and stuff in a minute but which which brand Pellet Grill Have you got?

Rob Boss Hog: 4:56

That was on the broking regal 500 got quite a quite a nice big Pellet Grill.

Unknown: 5:04

We've heard a lot of things about the royal kings. And a pellet grill is something that Oh, and I've talked about before on the show, because there's a lot that you can do with a pellet grill, for example, you talked about kind of fear of being a bit like an oven, but you still get all of the great smokiness. And depending on the different ones, you've got all the Wi Fi bits and pieces that you can do with it. But also the different choices and the ease of a pellet grill compared to some of the other items opens doors for you as well.

Rob Boss Hog: 5:33

Yeah, exactly. I mean, I, I really feel a longer mindset charcoal on I think. But then actually using a pellet grill, especially around family like a three year old. So having that ability to still do big cuts like briskets, beef ribs, that sort of stuff, but not have to worry about temperature control and all that sort of thing. But they're brilliant, it's very helpful. And if you've got a busy lifestyle, then they're perfect.

Owen - Host: 6:01

And if you found any differences, you know, between, say, doing a brisket or some, you know, short ribs, the actual textures or taste that you get from a pellet grill in comparison to if you were putting on an offset smoker or water smoker or anything like that.

Rob Boss Hog: 6:19

I think you'll always have that charcoal taste from charcoal, you're not gonna be able to replicate that on a on a different grill like a pellet grill. And things like bark or slightly crispy or on charcoal and that sort of thing, depending on how you cook it really. But there's definitely a difference. Neither of them are a worse in any way that they're just, they're good in their own ways.

Unknown: 6:47

And using a pellet grill, or I imagine, is it. I don't use the word easier, but more achievable to get the really moist briskets as well, because you talked about the bark not being as crispy, do you find that if you're using the pellet grill because you've got extra temperature control? It's easier to keep the moisture and things like brisket and longer cooks.

Rob Boss Hog: 7:07

And yeah, I think so I think the method between cooking on charcoal and cooking with the pellet with the actual brisket itself is is the same. So as long as you apply that to the pellet grill, you then not worry about temperature control, you keep that consistent temperature that keeps make some tender and all that sort of stuff.

Owen - Host: 7:29

So obviously, we've kind of gone straight into talking about your grills. So you want to talk one thing we like to find out. Really just how jealous you can make us about what what your setups are. So what is your dog realspace?

Rob Boss Hog: 7:44

Well, so currently, at my house I've got I've got two ugly drum smokers. I've got a 45 barrel. I've got the webmaster touch. I've got a little Barbie Cook, and portable barbecue and I've got the Regal pellet 500 broguing but then I've also got a couple of cheaper units that like yeah, your home base jobs that I've got one at work I've got a couple of parents. I've got a few spread around as well.

Unknown: 8:18

That's a good tip for Owens so oh in is slowly collecting barbecue collection. I've still only got the one barbecue, but I'm hoping that my second arrives ended this week, which will be a monolithic tomato and I cannot wait for it to arrive. But oh in has been running out of space with his grill collection. So have you thought about keeping them elsewhere? Other people's houses?

Owen - Host: 8:41

No, but I think is a good idea. Rob And how far do you kind of how far do you go around your family and friends network? Do you just gonna start putting one in every single one of your family and friends just in case?

Rob Boss Hog: 8:52

I mean, it started off as people asking to borrow them. And then they've just ended up staying there. And I think I mean yeah, if I could get one at everyone's house then it's a good excuse. Keeps under the radar when I get new ones. Yeah, yeah, that's

Owen - Host: 9:08

it. I was gonna say with with what you've got a home you must be kind of get into capacity around being able to actually move manoeuvre around or your barbecues.

Rob Boss Hog: 9:18

And yeah, it's quite you kind of walk into the shack and you're, you've got the centre position, and that's it independent, you stand where? Whatever girl you're using. But we are in the process of moving house as well. So hopefully that means bigger garden.

Owen - Host: 9:33

Fingers crossed. Yeah, exactly. I'm at that stage now where I've got a little corner, and I'm finding that I'm having to move stuff depending on which one I'm using. And I think again, what I saw from you and will Yes, you're on Instagram Live he was cooking on a keg broken keg. I also have the same keg and they are very heavy. But it's you At least you know, something like a moths touch or something. They're on wheels, you can just get it out of the way.

Unknown: 10:04

But yeah, it's

Owen - Host: 10:06

so frustrating. I'm having to try and lift like 50 kilo barbecues just so I can move into something else. So yeah, Philippe, no I do.

Unknown: 10:16

The other thing that I love about your account, as well as not just the setup, you've got the amount of different accessories that you use. And you also talk through why people should have them how much it makes them easier. For example, I remember a while ago conference, it was alive. Or if it was a video that you'd put up as Instagram TV, where I think you just got, if you hadn't just got one of the drums, you just got one of the planches for the top of it that someone had done for you custom. And you started talking about the digital thermometer, you had the laser thermometer, and the fact that you'd actually realise that with the plancher and you could use the drums in more ways than one. And so you did two or three cooks on that drum using that thermometer to show the differences of what you could achieve using the same bit of equipment to cook different things. So what are the must have accessories you think people should have?

Rob Boss Hog: 11:08

Definitely a temperature probe, a thermal pen or similar that sort of thing. And then I think, to be honest, you can use anything, I don't think there's anything that's a necessity, as long as you've got fire in something to click on the one to do it. You can you can use what's around you. But a lot of people now using just live fire cooking and stuff. You don't necessarily need the accessories to do all of that.

Dan - Host: 11:37

But it's fun.

Owen - Host: 11:38

They were a stickler for gadgets, we love gadgets,

Unknown: 11:45

we really do. I mean, I almost went out and got one of the laser thermometer so you can check much more easily kind of like the temperature the actual grill is and it's easier to check whether you're actually getting an accurate readout from the thermometer on the top of your kettle, particularly as mine isn't not the strongest brand kettle and leaks heat all the time. Like is that actually as hot as it says because I have no idea. But hopefully the kamado will stop that issue. But it's simple things like that, which I think can elevate a normal barbecue to the next level. So we got we have a lot of different types of listeners, people who are obsessed with barbecue, but also people who are new coming into it. What advice would you give someone who wants to take their barbecue from introduction to the next level?

Rob Boss Hog: 12:37

And I think I think the main thing is experiment, don't be afraid. So i i I hadn't done a brisket for a very long time I started the barbecue and the brisket was like the pinnacle. And that that was almost that the kind of puts you off doing it. You want to make sure it's right with such a expensive cutting meat. But I think the best thing is just to experiment, just experiment, enjoy it. You can do research, but you don't need to do a lot looking for Instagram and things like that. There's so much advice and things out there. But yeah, just just enjoy it. Don't cook the time. Works out.

Unknown: 13:23

We've said it a few times. But that is definitely the biggest tip that I've learned. I think you should be if anyone buys a barbecue for the first time. And it's suggested that you use it a lot. So like a proper barbecue, is it we're not like a five pound disposable one. It should almost come on the front of the instructions cook to temperature. Yeah. Just just ignore the times. Exactly. Rob, I'm

Owen - Host: 13:50

really excited that obviously you've said that you started your account, like a lot of people have lost too, you know, around a year or so just over ago. But you're now turning this what is now a passion into a career right? You've got some exciting news to be shouting about.

Rob Boss Hog: 14:07

Yeah, so myself and Dan, who is MK barbecue on Instagram. We've both been doing barbecue for the same amount of time really. And we spent enough time talking about it talk to family about it. And if anyone ever wanted to know anything about barbecue or where to buy when they've come to us so yeah, we decided that we'd open up around shop but we've tried to make it instead of somewhere where you just go and buy barbecue want to make it a venue. So we want to give it we want to give it an authentic Texas fill so very rustic and back to roots of barbecue. Not so much like a garden centre. Nothing against those they serve a purpose. But yeah, we want to give a slightly different touch on the barbecue shopping experience and create a venue really do classes, live events, different, different events really

Owen - Host: 15:07

fantastic. And how, how is that going? Are you? When are you hoping to? So I've seen again, I've seen you, you've got an account for that. And I've seen you posted some videos or your progress. When are you hoping to you know, unveil the unveil your your your set up?

Rob Boss Hog: 15:23

We're hoping to open at the end of July. Unfortunately, I can't give exact dates yet because we're waiting on stock. I think across the whole review catwalk across everywhere, really. Everyone knows their stock issues with everything. So that at the minute is our biggest hold up. But yeah, we're aiming for the end of July, last week of July for the big unveiling.

Owen - Host: 15:47

And what were you thinking to do around launch? Are you kind of doing a big event, we're gonna do more of a soft launch and then build up or

Rob Boss Hog: 15:53

so we're hoping to do a big open day. So we'll, we'll get comfortable. Got a couple of burning units, like demo barbecues, so open to get those fired up, get some food on invite load people down? Just people come in, have a look. See the experience? And hopefully bison bar because

Owen - Host: 16:13

yeah, that'll be the that'll be the main aim when and what are you? Because I think a lot of the garden centres like you said, I mean, I've shopped plenty of times at garden centres for barbecues, and accessories and charcoal for that matter. And like you said, they do serve a purpose. I think, the bar, the barbecue garden centres that I've gone to tend to first and foremost stock whereby a lot of them are kind of you know, Weber world type places and you know, some even got grill academies etc. On to them. And Trager seems to be a you know, another popular choice around that and some of the more pizza ovens which becoming obviously more popular. Are you kind of sticking to those types of brands within your shop? Where you kind of expanding into into other brands that perhaps not as well known? You know, here in the UK? Yeah.

Rob Boss Hog: 17:05

So initially when when we started looking at what to what to stock, those days, they are the first point of touch. So the trailers in that, like, where does it said, but we've actually, we're going to be working with proCO. Okay, yeah, we're gonna be working with commodity kings. There are a ceramic company. Yeah, also working with pitboss, who do a wide range of different barbecues, they do combo grills, they do pellets, they do gas, and they've got a load of new items they're gonna bring out at the end of this year, hopefully, we are also working with some local charcoal suppliers by Baltic. And tension in the pipeline of looking at making our own stuff.

Owen - Host: 17:53

Wow. Wow. Okay. So you're quite the engineer? Or have you got someone else to look at that?

Rob Boss Hog: 18:00

Not so much me. But But Dan, Dan's good on is good on SketchUp and things like that. Yeah. So we're like we're toying with a few ideas at the minute.

Unknown: 18:09

I'm so jealous, because it must be exciting to sit there and go, What would my dream of barbecue shop be? How can I create that for people and I love the fact that you're thinking about like the ambience of the place in the field. So it's more of an experience just then walking round because a lot of the barbecue shopping that I've done has had to be online for me to find different things and do more research that I could because I'm not looking hard enough locally, potentially, but particularly when I first started out walking around garden centres and things like that I felt like I had limited choices and I was also only hearing about one or two brands and so one of the best things ever and they could be but without actually being able to look and research and feel and touch different things it's hard to actually know if that's the right decision. So it must be so fun looking out there and thinking well one of those one of those one of those one of those and setting it up what do I have to do to swap places with you?

Rob Boss Hog: 19:10

Well, the minute you can come and paint the shop because the minute is five o'clock starts in the morning to go and paint everything Wow. And I

Owen - Host: 19:18

definitely I'm definitely a turnip after that stuff.

Unknown: 19:22

So is this going to be your main venture then once it's up and running? Is this gonna be your main port of call? Are you doing other things as well?

Rob Boss Hog: 19:28

And so funnily enough, my my actual day job the boss is Dan, who I'm okay. And the shack itself is next door to where he owns his business. Right So to begin with, I'll be doing both but yeah, if all things go well and how we plan to then that will be my my main venture.

Unknown: 19:53

So what I'm hearing is oh in you need to set up something where we are And then I can look after that.

Owen - Host: 20:04

I suppose technically, I am your boss in our day job. So it almost be a mirror situation. So you've you've obviously mentioned events as well. So, with that you mean kind of catering events? Or do you mean more like cookery school type classes or a bit of both, or you're not allowed to say,

Rob Boss Hog: 20:25

no, a bit of both, really, I mean, I've recently been doing a few catering events by myself. And it'd be nice to get it to a point where we have staff to go and do that sort of thing. So we can cater for people, but also barbecue schools and more towards beginners, because obviously, it'd be myself doing it sort of thing. But I did the Texas event at the London barbecue school. And I thought that sort of thing was brilliant. But there's nothing local. I'm from Milton Keynes. And there's nothing around this area, apart from going into London that offers that is part of the reason we set up the shop really, is that the closest shop to me is about 40 minute drive. And like like Laxman said, I prefer to go somewhere and see it and make sure it's the right thing. Yeah.

Unknown: 21:22

Yeah. And, I mean, I know that there's a shop that's recently opened in Ipswich that I need to go to, it's opened very recently in sort of last month or so. But otherwise, it's just garden centres around here. And I mean, for you, oh, in so I live in Ipswich? No, and lives in Colchester. in Essex, we're not that far away from each other, but it's 25 minutes or so. Would you say like Alton's is maybe the closest proper barbecue place to you? Yeah. And that's for drivers. So I definitely think you're doing the right thing. And there will be plenty of people who are interested in looking at something more local, I think it's a big mistake to think, well, you know, on Instagram, there is a barbecue community in the UK, compared to like the whole of the UK population, it doesn't feel like that many people. But you know, as soon as something opens, people will flock there and look for something different. And it will get more people into the community as well, which can only be a great thing. Yeah, exactly. Have you thought about putting things like music on there as well? Are you thinking about doing those sorts of events?

Rob Boss Hog: 22:26

Yeah. I mean, the minute with this being the first shot, we're kind of, we're limited on what we can do with space and outdoor space and that sort of thing. But the plan is to eventually have well, the more things kick off, have something purpose built that we have we have as a venue and get people in cooking, do live events, music, festivals, barbecue competitions, the lot really?

Owen - Host: 22:53

Well, I'm just putting out there, we'd love to come to your first event. Your first your first cookery class, or if you want to have us down more than Well, yeah, we'd love to come down. Again, some of those some of those barbecues you were talking about. It's not, you know, stuff that I'm familiar with. I mean, you know, I know pro Q and but yeah, it would be great to see some some other barbecues. So we've spoken about it. But you've mentioned you're in Milton Keynes, but what's the business going to be called? So so our listeners can actually know where to find you.

Rob Boss Hog: 23:27

So the business will be called the shop. The website will be under by a barbecue.com. So nice and simple. How was

Owen - Host: 23:35

that not taken already? I know that domain name is like perfect. As soon

Rob Boss Hog: 23:41

as we saw it, it was it was purchased. And not for a lot of money either. I was very surprised by that. And on Instagram, it's the shack.mk Great, I'm just gonna follow.

Dan - Host: 23:57

Yeah, I can't believe that's another classic one. What you've done there is clever because being cute classically, there's is like diy.com or something? Yeah. How has that not been taken? That's just part of me likes to think that you guys were just joking about having a business then you googled that the name? Right? We have to now if that's available and thought about it, it has to be done.

Rob Boss Hog: 24:19

We did kind of stumble across it to Van we were searching around and Dan and Dan typed in as a joke just to see what it would cost. And it was they're not used for very little money. And yeah, we jumped at the chance to kind of seal the deal.

Owen - Host: 24:38

If if all else fails, you could probably sell that for a fortune in the garden. Is that for a while? Yeah, exactly. So it's really exciting. And I think the fact that you can turn a passion into a career is is the dream for a lot of us and I think you know myself and Dan included so big People are done for actually, actually to make a reality. We can't wait to come down. And so one of the things that we like to do after we started to talk about the business side of your barbecue journey, your grill space, but what about your ultimate cook? You know, you've mentioned American food, but what would be your ultimate barbecue meal? Would you say?

Rob Boss Hog: 25:23

Um, I think for me a lot of it is the experience so I love Texas barbecue, so I think it would have to be a big a big risk risk it like a snake river farm brisket. Some ribs just a proper Texas platter, but cooked on an offset. And offset barbecue a big like mill scale offset barbecue is the dream for me. And I think that that would be the armour plate. Proper Texas barbecue slaw, the law.

Owen - Host: 26:00

I don't think a lot of people would argue with

Dan - Host: 26:04

you. So other than slow what other sides would you do?

Rob Boss Hog: 26:09

Pit beans, corn bread. More meat? Sodomy?

Dan - Host: 26:16

Yeah. brisket with the side of shorties. While we're on the topic of brisket, and I mean, you're someone who knows enough about barbecues that you're opening your own shop selling them? What tips would you give people when cooking a brisket? You've already talked about the fact that it's quite daunting. What are the three most important things when cooking a brisket that people should consider?

Rob Boss Hog: 26:45

Number one, again, is don't cook for time. Don't plan it for a meal. Because even if it's the next day ain't gonna work. I think the best thing is just to go with it. Go by how you want the bar to look rather than going to temperature lightly reaching 165 internal then wrapping it and all that sort of stuff go by look, then wrap and then by Phil. And yeah, I mean braces can be done in but they are they are quite forgiving. And a lot of people say you can overdo it, but I, the ones I've done have been quite forgiving. I think firstly, look at bark, and then my feel as long as it's tender. And all that sort of thing.

Dan - Host: 27:32

I think what people are most scared of personally, is sometimes you can feel a brisket. And you can think right that doesn't feel tender. But how do I know if that means I've gone too far or not far enough. Eat what tricks have you got for that?

Owen - Host: 27:50

meat probe? Yeah. Yeah,

Rob Boss Hog: 27:53

it may be pro it. I think if you if you put to pick it up in in the in the rap, you would know you've gone too far. It needs to have a jig or not not just fall to one side sort of thing.

Owen - Host: 28:10

Are you a you butchers paper or foil

Rob Boss Hog: 28:13

or butcher paper? I've never used that just because what I've done I've never I've not tried it before? I'm not saying it's better or worse, but I've just never tried it before. Yeah,

Owen - Host: 28:23

I mean, one of the things Dan, one of the things I think to to add on to those three points you've made Rob is with brisky. Because it could potentially be you know, minimum sometimes 10 to 12 hours sometimes go any you know even longer than that. You have to enjoy the process. Otherwise, it's a chore. So if you if you're prepared to enjoy that, that time that you're cooking, and then the kind of TLC that you do need to give it across those potentially up to 1824 hours. I don't think I don't think you'll probably do brisket ever again.

Rob Boss Hog: 28:58

No, no, exactly. I mean, I kind of went when my first brisket cook I kind of went all in. I didn't overnight cook. I thought this was going to be a long curve. So I'll do an overnight Cook is a good excuse to stay up and drink. So yeah, I did. I did it as an overnight cook. And they enjoyed the experience. Really, that's that was the main thing like you say, you have to enjoy the experience.

Owen - Host: 29:21

That's it. Well, I'm actually cooking brisket for Dan this weekend. And I'm already planning kind of we're actually recording again on Friday night. You're coming round on Saturday. So I'm pretty much looking doing a stain up overnight. And like you said, just have a couple of beers on my own sitting outside in the garden, cooking at midnight, two o'clock in the morning, wherever it's going to be

Dan - Host: 29:41

and then I'll alternate 12 hours later and scrape him off the off the garden wall ways passed out from having too many drinks and something served.

Owen - Host: 29:53

I think that's how you measure it. That's how you measure it's done, isn't it the amount of big drinking Yeah, I've seen It means that that going around,

Dan - Host: 30:02

I really want to take my brisket to the next level. And I think I've had probably three or four that I've been really happy with one that was much better than the others and one that I wasn't happy with. But weirdly, the rest of the people with me preferred than some of my others, I felt it was too dry. But what I need, what I think to take me to next level is, I think I've been using to small cuts of brisket. I think a certain size helps a lot with retaining the moisture and things and because there's only myself, my wife and my daughter, and we've had the current situation with a pandemic that everyone's had to deal with. I've not wanted to do a huge brisket. So they've always been quite small. So I think a larger cut of meat, but also, once you actually do proper research, it's very easy to look at certain online butchers and go right I'd get a brisket from them. But if you look at someone like Tom Hixton, for example, they'll give you literally different types of briskets whether they're like USD, whether they're Australian while whether there will go and also like the different things to look at. Do you have a certain type of meat that you'd like to buy from somewhere? Do you look for certain things when buying brisket meat?

Rob Boss Hog: 31:10

I'm not really I mean, the two most recent ones have been the from John Davis and the UI, the Uruguay ones.

Dan - Host: 31:18

See, I haven't been near them. I haven't been near them at all. I've only tried village butchers and Stilton butchers, and I haven't really had a bad cook. Like I said, the one I was most disappointed with actually got the best reception from people who'd also had the other briskets. Okay, which it must be down to personal preference, but I've never been able to achieve what you sometimes see online, I think one of them was yours where you can let you in rapid give it a slight poker and the whole thing jiggles like jelly. How do you tend to rest yours? For this thing, I don't have anything like a Yeti or anything. So I tend to take it off, check it and then I'll keep it in the toilet in and then I'll wrap it with two or three tea towels. And then I'll put it in like I've got one of the like testicles or as like freezer bags that you can buy. So I stick it in there to try and keep it as calm as possible and without losing too much of the heat. But I don't know if that's right. That's me experiment. And effectively.

Rob Boss Hog: 32:19

I think the main thing is to experiment, something I learned off of art is actually I certainly do out in Texas. So I use butcher paper. And then you take it off, you let it rest in, in the kitchen or on the side. And I think you drop so working in Fahrenheit, drop it down to I think it's about 160 degrees internal and then wrap it in clingfilm. So it's like a nice sealed package, and then put it in the oven. Wow. Okay, put it in the oven on the lowest setting you can so it's about I think about 50 degrees C on most ovens. But rest it in the oven until you're ready to cook and then take out a slice. So hold temperature, it stays moist. It's probably doing Texas so most Texas plates Texas joints have warming cabinets. Why are we using Robin as a warming cabinet?

Dan - Host: 33:15

That's a great tip. The other thing is how long to rest it because you read some stuff and American some Americans will say you rest it as long as you cook it. So it's like 12 1314 hours longer. I think I tend to rest it for at least three hours but again I that's more because I'm then hungry and I cannot wait any longer. I don't know if that's right or wrong. I kind of know that I need to leave as long as possible but I struggle any more than three hours.

Rob Boss Hog: 33:45

I don't personally notice any difference. I mean the last one I did I rested for six hours in the oven and I've rested some for like you say three hours and they've all come out well.

Owen - Host: 34:02

I've rested some for just two hours and they were fine. Yeah, they're down good to me. So on the 20th to the 22nd of August the UK is largest barbecue festival be hitting Colchester for three days of all things grilling, music and family fun. And if that wasn't enough, the British barbecue open Championships will be held there by teams will compete in numerous rounds of barbecue classics. For the panel of judges to crown the best British barbecue team

Dan - Host: 34:29

to find out more and get your tickets visit smoke and fire festival.com/tickets We can't wait to see you there. Kind of moving on from brisket.

Owen - Host: 34:38

I wanted to one of the things that we really hold dear on the podcast is to actually celebrate fails. So the things that don't make the social media accounts some of the things that you don't necessarily tell your friends but actually are an important part of the barbecue process. So please enlighten us Rob what what's your Bob? Perhaps your latest one unless you Got a whole reel of them but what was your what's your barbecue fails you want to share with us?

Rob Boss Hog: 35:05

The worst one I think for me was probably undercooked chicken. When I was first really starting to get into it, my my missus she's very particular about chicken as well. So if anything, it's got a slight redness to it in chicken. If it was to smoke ring or anything like that she's very nervous by it. And yeah, I undercooked chicken, even though I was adamant that I cooked it correctly and all this sort of stuff. I just I don't know how I did it. I just didn't tend to check it properly. And it came out that it shouldn't like it shouldn't have been like that. Yeah.

Owen - Host: 35:45

Did anyone even? Did anyone even humour you and try it? Or did you notice and just say do not go anywhere near that? Yeah,

Rob Boss Hog: 35:51

it was sliced into it. And I immediately No, it shouldn't be like that. And it was this order something.

Dan - Host: 36:02

It's, it's funny what you say about your other half and smoke chickens and things like smoke rings, the amount of conversations that I've had with my wife, because she's she's the same. Like, if you cut into it, you can see where the smoke ring is, there's no way that outside is going to be wrong. It's fine. And again, working to like 75 Stay alive is what I always do. But um, my wife prefers like the chicken cooked. Like much further than that, because I've heard her say before this is this is too moist. That should be a compliment for some cooking. I feel your pain there. And that's the other thing I've learned about Barbecuing is there are certain right things that you do. For example, we talked about the jiggling of briskets, or making sure that chickens are cooked properly. But everyone's tastes are different. And it's so hard to cater for everyone. But I've had a similar sort of feel with that which I've talked about before on here where you probe it, you feel like it's right, it's showing up and there must be some sort of heat leakage onto the thermometers, or when you actually cut it, it's not there, and then you hear about it for the rest of your life and people. Yeah, I've had that. And I always share my own barbecue fails. And one more recently which Owens enjoyed. And it's not your normal type of barbecue fail. So around sort of March time, when we were coming to the end of the first series, I knew I want you to come out here and I knew that I wanted to buy a new barbecue, because I've just had a kettle for so long. And now it's got 43 Different barbecues, and it's been making me jealous. So I did loads and loads of research, like three weeks of constantly online looking at different things. I decided to go for monolith. And I purchased it through a store, which I won't say on here. I've said it on other ones, but I don't want them to be upset. I was told oh yeah, it'd be with you, sort of 21st of April. And then two weeks later, I got Toby the 21st of May. We're having some issues as I completely understand what you're saying. Now the seventh of July. I've received part of the order but not the barbecue itself. So the one thing you need to rest longer is that of risk. It's a barbecue. But you know, there's a lot going on in the world. So I've decided to be calm about it and just just accept it because certain things you can't you have no control over. But you will get this

Owen - Host: 38:38

at the shack. No, no, I

Dan - Host: 38:41

wouldn't get this at the show. If that boat on that canal had got stuck. Rob would have gone down there and praised it out to where it got stuck.

Rob Boss Hog: 38:51

Yeah. That's the central travel in my eyes.

Owen - Host: 38:56

Should we should we do a bit about keeping go?

Dan - Host: 38:59

That sounds right. Sounds right.

Owen - Host: 39:01

Great. So my favourite part of the show. To be fair, I Okay, so I'm going to share my screen and we'll have the wheel that's got lots of ingredients. So we'll give that a spin Rob and wherever it lands on if you could do a lovely cook for us. Tag us in on on our Instagram accounts. Use the hashtag BBQ bingo. And then we will we will then repost that for you. One of the things we do have on here as a choice is your signature dish. Okay. So, I mean, we've talked a lot about brisket. Does that mean brisket would be your signature dish or is there another dish that you would say as a signature for you?

Rob Boss Hog: 39:46

I think one of the things I do the most is probably a tomahawk surf Hunter.

Dan - Host: 39:50

Nice right there you go straight away.

Owen - Host: 39:53

There we are. Okay, so is there anything that you can see on here that you think's or definitely not familiar? or, um,

Dan - Host: 40:03

we've had a previous guest who has been allergic to peanuts and we put peanut butter on there. So if there's something

Rob Boss Hog: 40:11

it all looks good, there's more, I'm swaying towards certain things, but

Owen - Host: 40:15

okay, right, well, let's give it a spin and see what you get. Alright that's the first time your signature dish has actually come up in all caps and weeks and weeks that we've added on there. Alright, so sorry, remind us what it was.

Rob Boss Hog: 40:36

So I normally do a tomahawk Serpentine, but any, any type of stuff in tariff is probably the thing I get asked to do the most.

Owen - Host: 40:45

Well, plastic

Dan - Host: 40:46

something that we're doing in this episode as well is we've partnered up for season two of the meat & Greet BBQ podcast with the smoker fire festival. in Colchester, which is in August, please do visit their website, give them a Google give them a social Instagram. It's an amazing event. The UK is biggest barbecue festival effectively. But we actually have some tickets to giveaway. They've been kind enough to give us a few Oh, he knows the ins and outs and I'm sure he'll do like a mini rundown of the small print if he wants.

Owen - Host: 41:21

Yeah, so basically, we've got a set of four tickets to give away for a day of the day of your choosing. So it's Friday the 20th Saturday the 21st or Sunday the 22nd. So what we what we'd like to do is obviously Robert just had his barbecue, bingo challenge. So what we'd like everyone to do. And we'll post about this on our social media as well is for you guys to have your own barbecue bingo challenge. Ideally, perhaps using even what Rob's ingredients are. So a surf and turf post using the barbecue bingo challenge. Hashtag and Rob is actually going to be a judge for us. So when will give a week after the launch of this episode on the 21st of July. So by the end of that week, Robert is going to very kindly pick the winner for us, and you'll win yourself some tickets to the smoking fire festival.

Dan - Host: 42:18

So the normal hashtag we use is hashtag barbecue. Bingo. That's hashtag barbecue bingo. And you can do a Rob's done. Or if you want to listen to the back catalogue of episodes, we won't be upset, if anything, we'll enjoy that. And pick one of the barbecue bingos and have a crack at it. And we'd love to see what you do. And the best one, Rob's gonna pick. So Happy cooking everyone.

Owen - Host: 42:44

Do you feel about Yeah, doing a little judging session for Rob.

Rob Boss Hog: 42:48

I'm looking forward to it. I look forward to what people come up with.

Dan - Host: 42:52

I think some of the favourites that we've had so far. I'm really interested to see what you do. And I love the fact that your signature dish when we've spoken to a few other people, they've gone brisket, smash burgers, but yours is quite different. And I like that. But we've had marmalead As we were barbecue bingos, that was that was great. We had haggis, as another which I think Juergen did from culinary demons, if I'm not mistaken. We also had to 516 a chocolate cake as well. So there has been some different things. If people look back and decide to pick one of them. Rob's gonna pick his favourite boy to it.

Owen - Host: 43:32

Great stuff. We've We've spent a lot of time asking you questions, Rob. We regularly get asked kind of what about our journey, our setup and things like that. But is there anything else that perhaps you wanted to bring up? That's worth kind of either a that's happening in the community or anything specific for me and Danny wanted to chat about or anything that you're looking forward to? That's upcoming in the barbecue scene. Yeah, sorry about that.

Dan - Host: 44:08

He says he put you on the spot rather than have something.

Rob Boss Hog: 44:14

No, I think I think it's good that all these festivals are starting to come up like say the smoke and fire one. I've never personally been to that. So it's nice to see that the festivals are starting to open up. And hopefully there'll be some of the shacks soon. What is it you guys looking forward to coming with things like you're not now a barbecue and everything can meeting people again.

Owen - Host: 44:40

So I'll go first. So for me, you're right. The festivals for sure. I think obviously, this community has grown a lot over the last 1415 months but a lot of us have never met each other. So it's going to be a great opportunity to meet a lot of people that you regularly you know have contact with or You know, like their content, etc, or vice versa. So that for me is going to be great. And you know, there are obviously the smoking fire festival in Colchester. We're also going to be attending the sizzle fest with the sizzle show guys, who's obviously a lot of laughs guests. So that's going to be really exciting. And I think in going into 2021, there's going to be so much more events happening, which is going to be great for us, just actually being able to perhaps do some podcast recording in person. Again, you know, the wonders of technology that we can do this anywhere in the world. But again, actually, I think sometimes just getting people in a room and being able to do that. So that's going to be quite good. So that yes, they're the main things. And not just the festivals, but like you said, if more people get into the barbecue scene, more shacks open up more barbecue shops,

Dan - Host: 45:54

not in Milton Keynes, no more.

Owen - Host: 46:00

But also things like, you know, there's been quite a lot of small business, like seasoning companies that have started up is well over the last 12 months, I think just more kind of, yeah, enterprise happening around UK barbecue is what's really exciting for me, I think

Dan - Host: 46:19

mine's a lot more selfish. So I'm looking forward to Well, that's who I am. I'm looking forward to be able to cook for more people and do larger cooks. As I've said it, it can be quite difficult to think right, I'm going to do a huge Jacob's ladder for myself, and my wife and my four year olds, knowing that my four year old is probably not going to touch it at all. And my wife's going to have two slices to be like I'm done. And then I'm left with like three or four kilos. And like, right, here we go, guys. Impressive timing. So I'm looking forward to that. But it does fall into kind of the festivals open back up. But I'm really excited to go out and taste more people's food. And being able to watch in the flesh, other people cooking and being able to see different techniques and the way that different people achieve different flavours tastes, smells, with different equipment to actually in person, because there's only so much you can get from a video. I mean, obviously, you can get everything you need from a podcast, otherwise, why would you be here, but but, for example, a smoke and fire festival, they have competitions going on there. And they also have live almost couldn't cook alongs. But you watch and you learn as people do it and be able to see that in the flesh and be able to see it properly and smell it. And I think that's going to help take my cooking game up to the next level. And I'm really looking forward to be able to do that, and have a beer with other people while doing it.

Owen - Host: 47:42

Yeah. What about you, Rob, and it's an hour outside of obviously your own business that you're launching in the festivals.

Rob Boss Hog: 47:49

Now I think I think it's the same really like, like I say we've we've spent most of the year or over a year now talking to people on on Instagram as a platform is now going to be good to actually meet up with those people and trade ideas and different techniques and stuff like that and try this different food that you've seen online and all these pop ups as well that are now opening up and everything.

Owen - Host: 48:13

Definitely. Well, it's been an absolute pleasure having you on. We wish you the best of luck with the shack, and we can't wait for that to open. You're actually not that far from us. I think it's about an hour and a half. So

Dan - Host: 48:25

we'll definitely be there. We'll definitely come

Rob Boss Hog: 48:27

back with more down yet.

Owen - Host: 48:29

So just I suppose one final time give yourself a plug. Tell people where they can find you and your business. Yeah, so

Rob Boss Hog: 48:36

the my Instagram is Pawsox BBQ and the business one is the shack.mk on Instagram, there will be YouTube channel and a few other different outlets as well. And we basically milkings

Dan - Host: 48:52

as easy as that GOOGLE IT guys go there.

Owen - Host: 48:57

Great. Thanks very much Rob. Yeah, thanks so much. Thank you so that's it for another episode of the meat & Greet BBQ podcast. It was an absolute pleasure to have Rob on the show. Really looking forward to going down and seeing the shack in Milton Keynes and seeing all these new barbecues, some of which I've not heard of before. So looking forward to that. As we said this week, and this episode, we are running a competition with our partners and smoking fire festival. So the barbecue bingo challenge please check it on Instagram using the hashtag barbecue bingo. Please make a cook yourself from either what Rob got, or any of our previous barbecue bingo challenges from any of the other episodes, and Rob will be choosing the winner. And you can win yourself tickets to the smoking fire festival. Colchester, the 20th to the 22nd of August. And as usual, if you are watching this on YouTube, please like and subscribe and hit the notification bell. If you're following us on your favourite podcast app, please like and subscribe. And if you're on our website you can leave a review. But as always, we want to hear from you. We want to know what you want us to talk about in the podcast what's important for you in barbecue so please do get in contact with us either through the website meat & Greet BBQ podcast.com or through our Instagram channels. You can direct message us Facebook, Twitter, either way any of the channels we want to hear from you. So check out smoking fire festival who are season two partners, Boss Hog barbecue, and until next week, keep on grilling