Cack Fall Down And Go Boom

If you're wondering why one would have an outdoor cooking blog and not have a single upload for Memorial Day. Well, first thing Saturday morning I had a bit of an accident. I went to the restroom and had a slight "fall". Dawn came running in the restroom once she heard the crash. I explained to her how I just got up too fast and was dizzy but I'm fine. I've since told her that I only remember the first few seconds of that conversation, because I was OUT. I got around her and was heading back to the bed when the lights went completely out. I went down and face first into the solid wooden bed frame.

She immediately called 911, and we spent the next numerous hours having every type of heart and brain scan you can think of. The good news in, they're saying the blackout was due to "vageling". Which from everything that I got. I jumped out of bed too quickly and the blood didn't get to my brain quick enough and that caused me to get off balanced. That's when I was able to catch myself, but didn't completely recover before I decided I was fine and could move along.

Day 3 the swelling and coloring really started kicking in. The pain wasn't that bad, because the swelling was really keeping it back. The swelling was uncomfortable, but nothing really MAJOR.

Day 5 I was able to get my stitches out, and set a surgery date. As you can see the color is REALLY showing it's "face" now.

Surgery is set for Tuesday June 5th. They're expecting multiple pins and plates, and possibly a few stints. They're also talking about maybe (which I'm REALLY hoping not) wiring my mouth shut, so everything will be as stationary as possible.

So tonight went straight down the crapper. I've learned that the Dr had Tuesday open for surgery, but between the 3 possible hospitals. They couldn't find a single room until NEXT Monday the 11th. Surgery is set for Monday at 12:30. Looks like I'll be spending the night in the hospital.

Also, while eating dinner (soup) I realized 2 of my teeth on the upper left side felt funny. I went to investigate and they were chipped ... Hello gutter, I'm hanging out in you.

Day 10 ... So I've since found out that the Dr has in his notes that he may have to wire my mouth for surgery, but he expects to be able to cut those wires by time that I go home. I'm honestly OK with the idea of spending the first night in the Hospital. With so much going on with my air ways. I feel more comfortable with machines monitoring me to make sure I'm actually breathing.

The weekend went pretty well. We went and saw MIB 3 (which is possibly the best of the series), and picked up a few items for my game room.

My final scab came off on my nose, and it doesn't look AS BAD as I was expecting. We've already began putting some scare fixer upper medicine on it, so hopefully in time it'll "go away."

Yesterday I went to my dentist and he did xrays for his own curiosity, and mentioned that everything looks normal so that's good news. He also was able to grind down my chipped teeth, so that makes me feel a LOT better now. He told me he could grind down the other side, or I could get braces to pull these teeth down a hair so everything is even (length wise). I told him that I could careless about them being even at this point. I was just ready to be fixed.

5 DAYS TILL SURGERY.

Memphis In May 2012

Memphis is known for a few things: Graceland (duh), Sun Studios and Blues Music, Beale St, their First 48 homicides, BBQ and Memphis In May World BBQ Championship.

Memphis In May's BBQ Championship is the 2nd weekend of the month annually. It consist of teams from America, Canada, and even across the seas. It's a 3 day event ... I mean PARTY. That starts on Thursday and ends on Saturday including cooking, parties, talent (or lack their of) shows, parties, concerts, parties, vendors, parties, and ... parties.

Everyone says you have BBQ competitions, and then you have Memphis In May. I personally have never been to any other competition so I can't agree or disagree, but I can say ... it'd be VERY tough to get anywhere near the atmosphere of MIM.

The trip wasn't completely for the festival however. We made stops at Graceland, the mall, the Memphis Zoo, and many of the famous local restaurants. Discovery and Travel Channels have both spent numerous episodes visiting the streets of Memphis.

The first place we went to was Dyer's Restaurant on Beale St. Dyer's has been a part of Memphis since 1912, and is known for their Hamburgers. It's not so much of the flavor or seasoning they use, but the method they use. Dyer's FRIES their burgers before they throw them on a bun and into your tummy. One of their T shirts says "Have you had your Vitamin G today?" The G of course standing for GREASE. I must say, this was a DELICIOUS burger. It's not going to get me to change my way of cooking, but definitely worth the stop if you ever get a chance.

Our last full day in Memphis was packed with amazing food. First we went to Arcade Restaurant. Which is Memphis' oldest. Arcade has been visited by all of Memphis' greats and even has an Elvis booth. That the King sat in every time he visited. They're signature dish that was made famous by Adam Richmond and Man vs. Food. Is the Eggs Redneck ... OF COURSE I had to get it. The eggs and hash browns were good, but the gravy and sausage biscuits were AMAZING. By far the best I've ever eaten, and I can promise you, I've had my fair share.

For lunch we stopped by Interstate BBQ. When I say lunch, I mean at 3 when we finally left the zoo. It really didn't matter what time it was ... the place was packed. Dawn got the sliced beef sandwich ... AMAZING. Her mom got the pulled pork sandwich ... AMAZING. I got ... the ribs ... AMAZING!!!!!

For dinner we went to Rendezvous. For those that's never been to Memphis. It can get REALLY bad, REAL quick. You can be walking in a nice neighborhood and cross the road and be in a place you do not want to be. I asked a cop where Rendezvous was, because we were on 2nd St and I couldn't find it. Her reply "down the alley beside Hampton Inn". Immediately I regretted this decision.

Like Interstate, it didn't matter what time it was. We got there around 8-8:30 and it was SLAMMED with a wait. We had 3 and waited around 20 minutes. That was ok, because they had their local Ghost River brew on tap (which is delicious).

This time Dawn went with the smoked chicken which was off the chain and her mom got the pulled pork sandwich and it was KILLER AWESOME. For a moment I was jealous I didn't order it. Then, my ribs came out and I was no longer jealous. As you can immediately tell, Rendezvous leaves their ribs dry. The big Memphis debate is whether Interstate's wet ribs are better than Rendezvous' dry ribs.

The flavor of these ribs were beyond anything I'd ever eaten before in my life ... HOWEVER, I don't like dry. I used my spicy and sweet mix of sauce after a few bones of dry. The bad part though, I forgot I was pouring spicy on and covered the ribs. Those things were BLAZING hot, but delicious. Dawn bet me that I couldn't eat them all since they were so hot ... she lost.

In the great debate, I had to give the nudge to Interstate for the best ribs (my preference), but Rendezvous won with pulled pork.

All in all it was a great trip, and it definitely made me get bit by the BBQ Competition bug. Here's my facebook album with the rest of my pictures from the Memphis In May BBQ Festival.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/media/set/?set=a.10151733601595048.847097.771015047&type=3

It's Official

After spending 30 minutes at Memphis in May ... I've decided that I WILL have a BBQ competition team. My good friend (and coworker) Dustin Carter will be my first team member. We don't have a team name yet, but its coming ...

Mammoth

Everyone was joking with the subject of my TD about having to eat a mammoth, so I cooked one ...

Man vs. Food Hot Wings

One of the perks for winning a TD is that you get to name the next TD. I chose to use one of my favorite shows as a guide ... MAN VS. FOOD.

I have a few friends that swear they can eat anything hot, so I put it to the test. I started the wings off with some good ol' Habanero Death Dust.

The Challenge ... finish 7 Hot Legs in 10 minutes or less.

I then got the sauce all mixed together.

After they came off the grill. I covered the legs with our hot sauce.

May the challenge begin ...

After the 10 minute limit was over ... there was a few bones remaining.

I was told that it wasn't fair for me to torture them and not have a bite myself ... here goes nothing ...

On this episode of Man vs. Food ... Food Won

3,000 Views

I want to thank everyone that keeps up with my blog. I wasn't really sure how this whole thing would go when I first started, but I'm having a blast doing it. If anything, winning the Burger Throwdown has boosted my enjoyment of cooking. Either that's good or bad news to you. That means this experiment is going to keep going, and more pictures will be posted to make you hungry while checking it out.

My new grill has a rotisserie add on available, so that's a new possibly I may give a shot as well. Then once another purchase has been made. A new (bigger) smoker will join the family, and then we'll really be cooking (pun intended).

Thanks again for taking a second or two out of your day to check out my site, and pictures. As this continues to grow there could be a chance, in the future, that more of you will get to taste my food instead of just looking at it.

NOW BECOME A FOLLOWER BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SITTING ON 18 FOREEEEVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR!!!!!

The Award Winning "The EVERYTHING American Burger"

My New Baby

The grill Dawn's mom gave us unfortunately died out on me while cooking the award winning The EVERYTHING American Burger. One side had been having ignition problems and some how rusted out, but the "good" side stopped spitting gas.

I'd been casually looking at grills for a little while, so I had an idea of what I wanted. I wasn't settling for anything less than a 4 burner, and I wanted something with a little shine (why buy something if it's not going to look good). I present to you, the newest member of the ONE NINE 3 family (name to come shortly)

Char-Broil Commercial Series 4 Burner

500 square inches of cooking surface with an extra 180 square inches of cooling surface.

For the first cook, nothing else would do but steaks. 2 New York Strips, and one of the best parts of Summer, Sam Adams Summer Ale.

B.E.A.U.TIFUL grill marks after just 3(ish) minutes on each rotation.

A quick, and not very good, picture of the dang near perfect Medium cook