BLOGS

I still have a headache from the first one!   We had such a positive response from the first time-lapse video we did on the brisket trim (https://youtu.be/80yYtdsDyGU), we thought we would step it up a notch. Using the highest of tech equipment (iPhone, kitchen......

One minute things are going great and then shit goes sideways.   I was sitting here today trying to come up with some sort of spark of an idea for a blog when a realized that a spark was exactly what I had. There was......

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.   A long time has passed since I have done a video review and since I had a few minutes to sit down at my computer, I figured I would bless you with this 22-second......

This recipe will make one ¾ full disposable half pan of macaroni and cheese. Triple the recipe for a full pan with enough extra for a bonus pan for later. If you like your mac and cheese on the hot side just increase the amount......

Third time is a charm.   I was right in the middle of a blog on our first attempt at judging a competition (that will have to wait a few days) When I was reminded for the 3rd time in a week why I stopped......

You win some, you lose some.   I live and die at each competition by the success or failure of my cook. My job on the team is to cook the brisket. My transition over time has gone from try not screw it up, to......

RFB returns to the Winner’s Circle   We crammed two competitions together back to back with hopes of getting our team out of our sophomore slump. The reality is we really didn’t slump, we just did not take that next step forward early in the......

I do! I like them, Sam-I-am!   Thursday, March 23, 2017 – I (Scott) am up at 3:40am, jump through the shower and head down stairs to pack my car and fill my Yeti with coffee. I believe Mike is on  a similar schedule. The......

If I had a hammer…   So we finally got the new (to us) trailer back to Rad Fondo BBQ headquarters. Figured we better get started getting this thing road ready. Before we even picked it up we pulled off the tires and had them......

Thank God for Lithium Batteries.   The new Humphrey’s Qube’d Battle Box arrived at our warehouse several weeks ago but due to some speed bumps in the road of life, I was unable to do more than inspect it for damages. Since I pick up......

Welcome to our three hour tour.   Last year when we entered the Guinea Pig 3 we had no idea what we were in for. It was our second competition ever and we were so overwhelmed with everything that a competition entails that we didn’t......

As I am sure many of you have heard the horror stories of cooking brisket and that is is the hard meat to cook. This is a review of the whole packer trim....

I posted on Facebook the other night “The smoke has cleared and the 2017 Newport Beach BBQ Competition is over”....

To split or not to split (the Brisket)   There is a video titled “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek that has always resonated with me. I have added a link to it at the bottom of the page. After reading this blog you may......

Yes, you read that correctly. It is possible to make fried chicken on a Weber Kettle....

So I texted Scott late Friday night and let him know that I had to go into work for a few hours on Saturday morning and wanted to see if he could come up and go over a few things we have been working on with the website. ...

Last night I received an email from Shuji saying the Sam’s Club National BBQ Tour opened for registration. The Sam’s Tour is big league competition BBQ. ...

Who doesn’t like some good old fashioned potato skins for an appetizer? Think they are best from your favorite restaurant or hot out of the oven? Well think twice because Rad Fondo is going to break off the digits for their twice baked potatoes in today’s recipe....

Rad Fondo BBQ joins Team Hunsaker   Many of you are familiar with my brisket journey and some even know the path I have taken over the last 16-months on my choice of smoker. This blog is really how a simple twist of fate can......

Slap Yo Daddy about sums it all up.   Everyone is a newbie at some point. Scott was at one point and you have been following along as he has forged his way down the brisket trail. Just before I joined forces with Scott, I......

We know it’s only a matter of time.   Back in October we competed in our home contest The Dana Point State BBQ Championships along with 77 other teams. I am going to leave the comp review to Scott to do in a future report......

Ask Rad Fondo   It’s time for another video review. Last time we brought you a box building tutorial from Redneck Scientific. Today we are going a little bit deeper and are giving you a look at how to trim a competition pork butt.  ......

Yes I was the Pablo Escobar of brisket   My journey as part of Rad Fondo BBQ has been interesting to say the least. I started as Mike’s assistant cleaning and shuttling turn in boxes at an Ontario backyard competition in September (2015). Fast forward......

Finally great party wings that are simple to prep, cook and clean up. Here we go!...

For years I have had a love for chicken wings (Buffalo style). I even started a blog on wing places, created a directory for buffalo wings BuffaloWingDirectory.com and also compete in a annual chicken wing cook off call the Wing Ding. ...

RFB BBQ Poll   We all have at least one competition meat we love eat post turn in, complete our BBQ Poll and let us know your favorite?  By the way if you have not ever tried competition BBQ you can still vote, so let......

Yet another in a series of bacon wrapped treats is the infamous Moink Balls. There are a bunch of different varieties out there and you can stuff them with just about any filling you want....

Really? You wrote a blog about an event finder?   I was trolling around on the Internet this morning and came across this great little event finder search engine from CDMI. Super simple and actually very handy. Just input your zip code and desired range......

Let there be light or would I rather cook in the dark?   On April 16th, we entered the The Ultimate BBQ Showdown East Vs West VII 2016 in Wildomar, California. As you may have figured out by now, RFB’s mantra is “process and consistency”......

AKA Atomic Buffalo Turds (ABT)   If you look around on the BBQ boards you will come across the acronym ABT quite often. Typically an ABT is a jalapeño pepper sliced in half that is stuffed with cream cheese and a little smokie sausage then wrapped in......

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Rad Fondo BBQ. While I am out back smoking a ham I thought I would share with you this little Christmas Special from our friends over at www.homestarrunner.com. You can kill an awful lot of time over there so......

Let’s see if we all are all on the same page.   Did you ever wonder how we decide what gets posted in our blog section? For now it’s just me and Scott doing all the heavy lifting so it’s usually just something that is......

The waiting is the hardest part.   So the announcement for The Smithfield Guinea Pig just popped up on the KCBS Site this morning. For those that don’t know, it’s the brainchild of Sterling Ball of Big Poppa Smokers fame. My apologies in advance if......

Ready to enter your first backyarder or possibly even your first full comp? Good for you. I am sure you have been practicing your cooks, dialed in your rubs and sauces and now it’s time to see how you stack up against others....

Depending on how things go leading up to the moment you get in the truck and head for the comp you may end up cooking a ton of food and finding yourself hungry....

Say it isn’t so Batman.   Sometimes a headline can be misleading but this one is accurate. This Spring I will be retiring my Humphrey’s Battle Box from competition. After 19 months of hard use the big red rib machine will be put out to......

Here is my really simple recipe for making tasty Chile Verde. ...

Riots and looting ensue   On Friday, December 2nd, Scott and I piled into his Prius and made the 7-hour run out to Scottsdale, AZ. We were there to attend the Loot N’ Booty’s BBQ class on Saturday. Luckily Scott had some good friends in......

I am the guy you shake your fist at on your commute to work.   As I rode my bicycle to work this morning many questions ran through my head. Why are you riding to work in the dark? Why is it so cold? Why......

Nothing puts life in perspective like a fist fight.   So we all have our favorite places to purchase our comp meats and supplies. Here in So Cal we have Costco, Sam’s Club, the chain grocery stores and Restaurant Depot. For those that have never......

I mean it kicked so much ass there is a stack of ass piled up next to it.   Ever notice that most of my posts begin with a question? Not exactly sure why but I just plan to run with it until I find......

I wonder if Shakespeare ever smoked a Hamlet?   Recently Thom Emery posted a quick question on his Facebook page asking who was planning to compete in Quartzite or Newport Beach as both BBQ competitions were on the same day. http://bit.ly/2hhqe20 that quick question generated 60 comments.......

You can try not to break the bank or rob a bank. Your choice.   Ever wonder what it costs to compete in a KCBS event? I see the question come up a lot on the interwebs and figured I would try to take a......

I keep trying to think but nothing’s happening.   So a common question we get asked at Rad Fondo BBQ is what is Rad Fondo? Typically the next question is who is Rad Fondo? It just goes on from there. In the interest of not......

Sometimes it’s fishing, sometimes it catching.   People often ask me what I do for fun when I’m not cooking BBQ. One thing I enjoy when I have the time is off shore fishing here in So-Cal. Typically when I can swing the time off......

Waist not, want not. I think that’s a proverb.   So I often get asked what I do with all my leftovers from practice cooks. There typically isn’t much chicken left as I make small batches, ribs I still enjoy but pork shoulder, man, that’s......

The BBQ Learning Curve After we finished the Ontario Backyard BBQ event we decided to take a leap, joining the big boys at the Indio State BBQ Championships in November (2015). Our goal was to finish in the top 50%, we really did not know if this was attainable, but......

My BBQ Journey Begins For those that know me I have a tendency to jump all in when I set my mind to something, I think to most they just think I have issues. I probably do, but at least these are usually productive passions. Soccer, BodyBoarding,......