05-19-2024 Harford Magazine - Flipbook - Page 42
Pulled chicken sandwich, left, and ribs with green beans and baked beans at First Sergeant’s BBQ.
Eventually, he branched out to other
barbecue classics like brisket and smoked
turkey. Early efforts involved lots of trial
and error.
“When I first started doing brisket, the
very first one I nailed,” Jones recalls. “Then
the next two failed.”
That’s why he encourages aspiring
pitmasters to remember that practice
makes perfect: “You’ve got to keep at it
and keep trying different things.”
Jones and Mitchell use a stick burner
smoker to cook their meat. They don’t
use marinades or lighter fluid. Instead,
they allow time and heat to bring out the
flavor and tenderness of the meat.
Old Line Grill’s beef is smoked for four
to six hours at temperatures of 175 to 200
degrees, Jones said. Brisket takes even
more time to cook: 15 hours.
That’s why Jones would add another
two qualities to the list of what makes for
good barbecue: patience and a passion
for cooking.
“Barbecue takes time,” he said.
Tuffy Stone
When Stone first started experimenting
with a barbecue pit, he brought some of his
42
| Summer 2024 | harfordmagazine.com
fine dining techniques with him.
“I had this idea that white truffle salt
would be good on brisket, and I was right,”
he said of one of his early efforts, “but I
realized that’s not what people are looking
for when they’re eating barbecue.”
“Barbecue humbled me,” he said.
Stone has since coined a phrase —
”stereotypical expected flavors of barbecue”
— to describe what makes for a successful
piece of smoked meat.
A fundamental rule is not to skimp on
quality.
“I try to get the best quality meat that
I can afford or find,” he said. He looks for
cuts that are well-marbled, providing for
a “juicier bite.” Fresh seasonings make a
difference, too.
Stone recommends shaking your rub
or seasoning well before applying it evenly
to the meat.
When it comes to cooking, Stone favors
a clean smoker and charcoal briquettes.
“Some people will leave the residual
smoker and juices from a previous cook on
a grill or smoker and say that’s seasoning,
but I don’t subscribe to that.”
The chef, who teaches barbecue classes
in addition to traveling the competitive
circuit, says cooking with the right
amount of smoke is as fundamental as
the seasoning or rub when it comes to
cultivating flavor.
To avoid over-smoking a brisket or pork
butt, he recommends a technique called
the “Texas crutch,” in which you wrap a
hunk of meat in aluminum foil to allow
it to continue cooking without getting
overly smoky. When the meat is finally
done cooking, it’s also important to let it
rest for a while before serving.
Though he’s ditched many of his French
techniques when using the smoker, Stone
still recommends the “mise en place,” or
advance preparation. If you’re cooking for
family and friends on the weekend, you
can make your rub, buy and trim meat,
and make sure the grill is cleaned days
in advance.
“Being organized can be really helpful,”
he said.
But once he gets to the smoker or the
grill, Stone likes to live in the moment.
“Most people I know have so many
responsibilities,” he said. “What I like about
lighting a fire is, all of a sudden, it’s like you
hit pause for a second. There’s something
therapeutic about it.”
