I did a test to determine whether Mojobricks had a longer burn time than wood. Check out the video and then leave a comment to let me know what you think!
Enjoy!
Bigmista
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I did a test to determine whether Mojobricks had a longer burn time than wood. Check out the video and then leave a comment to let me know what you think!
Enjoy!
Bigmista
Tags: Barbecue, BBQ, Mojobricks, video, wood
Posted in Barbecue, Question | No Comments »
I know most of you know that Bigmista has been the Grillmaster Spokesperson for Fresh & Easy for the last three years. What you may find surprising is that I had never stepped foot into a Fresh & Easy until the middle of this year. And that was only because Neil was out of town and we needed something for a catering gig. DIGRESSION – I hardly ever go to the grocery store (another story). I pick up stuff here and there because I have to for work stuff and that’s about it.
Anyway, time passed and maybe a few months ago, Neil brought home some pineapple from Fresh & Easy. I’m sorry Dole but this stuff made my taste buds tingle and sing at the same time. Neil had another one in the fridge for him but what’s his is mine and what’s mine is mine. ;> I snagged it and me and Morgan hit the road to pick up my mom for church. I made the mistake of letting my mom try some. And she tried some more, then again. Woman, don’t make me pull this car over. I snatched (gently took) my pineapple away from my mom and went on to church.
So anyway, after asking Neil to bring some home a couple of times I decided he wasn’t going to Fresh & Easy often enough to satisfy my new found addiction. I had to take matters into my own hands. The Fresh & Easy on Atlantic is not too far out of my way after dropping Morgan off at school so I took my raggedy tail on over there. I hadn’t paid attention on my first trip (different store though) but I was instantly struck by the orderliness of it all. Then wait, what is that heavenly smell of something baking slapping me in the face. I really don’t care what it is just give me some. Then a woman passed me with something that had fruit, granola and what I later found out was yogurt. So I put it on the ‘to try’ list but right now I’m on the hunt for pineapple.
I walked down the first aisle, which was the one I needed. There it was (angels sing – halo effect) my delicious pineapple. But wait; look right there, there’s that yogurt stuff. Smiling from ear to ear, I venture on around the corner. Oh my damn! Is that Waldorf salad I see? I love Waldorf salad – haven’t had it in years. DIGRESSION – I hardly ever cook (another story). I MUST HAVE IT. So I took it and went to see more. Walked right passed the freezer section because it would require some form of cooking. My pineapple, Mixed Berry Yogurt and Waldorf salad cradled in my arms, I turn down the next aisle. MORE ANGELS – BIGGER HALO A discounted refrigerated section that held all the items I now held in my arms but it was CHEAPER!!! Now I gotta go get a daggone on basket. Don’t let anyone take my stuff. I happily filled my basket and decided, “Let me get on this damn store before they take all my money.”
Now I’m at Fresh & Easy 3-4 times a week (no I don’t stock up) every morning buying my salad, fruit and yogurt. It gives me my fruit and vegetables for the day. DIGRESSION – I don’t like most vegetables (no story needed). I get two servings of dairy and hot damn (I’ve used the word damn a lot today, huh?) a meatless Monday is a doable thing for me; heck, meatless any day.
Fresh & Easy has truly made it easy for me to eat a little healthier throughout the day as well as a healthy snack of apples, grapes or strawberries for Morgan. Now that I’m TRYING to eat healthier, don’t be surprised if a sista get a little slimmer on ya’ll.
Tags: Barbecue, BBQ, Bigmista, digress, easy, Food, fresh, Fresh & Easy, grillmaster, pineapple, Salad, shopping, yogurt
Posted in Fresh & Easy, Salad, Side Dishes | 2 Comments »
After a very long wait, Bigmista’s Barbecue will be coming to a Farmers Market in Long Beach where we live! Finally a market close to home!
We will be setting up shop at the Old McDonald’s Farmers Market on the corner of Spring and Clark. The market runs from 8:30am-2:30pm year round, rain or shine. There is ample parking, lots of produce vendors, arts and crafts, music and things for kids to do like face painting and pony rides. We are looking forward to seeing all of our friends at this new market and serving up some REAL. GOOD. MEAT.
Also, Mrs. Mista is now writing a newsletter detailing our upcoming events and specials, news from the BBQ world and fun stuff in general. She would love it if you read her newsletter so put a smile on her face and click this link to subscribe.
Finally, we just started a business page on Google+ for Bigmista’s Barbecue. Please add us to your circles and recommend us to your friends!
Enjoy!
Bigmista
Tags: Barbecue, BBQ, Bigmista, Farmers Market, Google+, Long Beach, newsletter
Posted in Announcement, Barbecue, Events | 3 Comments »
On December 11th, I will be in Galveston, TX to help cook and serve at a Charity Fundraiser BBQ at St. Augustine of Hippo Church. This is the church I grew up in as a kid so I going back to give my time and experience to help out. They have worked so hard to repair the damage done after Hurricane Ike and now they are starting a community garden.
I have enlisted some great cooks to come and help me out. Ernest Ramirez of the World Champion BBQ team Drillin & Grillin, Donnie Thomas of Pop Daddy’s BBQ, Patrick Mullins of the Galveston Police Dept. and Photographer and BBQ enthusiast Paul Sedillo along with several members of BBQ-Brethren.com will be lending their talents to this function. We will be serving brisket and chicken dinners and you can also pre-order whole briskets.
You can find all of the info you need on this flyer.
Please share this with all of your friends and I hope that if yo are in the area, you can make it down for some great BBQ and to support a great cause!
Enjoy!
Bigmista
Tags: Barbecue, BBQ, Bigmista, Brisket, Chicken, Drillin and Grillin, Fundraiser, Galveston, St. Augustine, Texas
Posted in Barbecue, Events | 1 Comment »
My good friend Chad of Whiskey Bent BBQ sent me a bag of Kebroak lump charcoal to try out so being the friend I am, I gave it a whirl.
As soon as I opened the bag, I was impressed with the uniformity of the pieces, there were no large chunks or several pounds of dust in the bag. You could tell that care was taken by the manufacturer to sort the pieces unlike some other manufacturers (yes Best of the West, I’m talking about you.) I loaded up the medium Spicewine and discovered the one thing I didn’t like about this charcoal. It sparks like crazy! Now I light my charcoal with a propane torch and it’s very possible that other lighting methods might produce less sparks but I was ducking sparks like I was in the Matrix.
Once they were lit, the smoker settled in at about 275. I cooked a 12 racks of ribs, 12 lbs. of tri-tip, 10 lbs of chicken and 2 turkey breasts all with one bag. The heat was consistent with no temperature spikes. This was an error free cook.
When I finished cooking, I discovered there was very minimal ash. I could have loaded another bag and cooked again before having to dump the ash tray.
I was impressed with Kebroak lump charcoal and if it was available on the West Coast, I would use it again in spite of the sparking issue. I’ll just get bigger gloves and a long sleeve shirt.
Enjoy!
Bigmista
Tags: Barbecue, BBQ, Charcoal, Kebroak
Posted in Barbecue, Product review | No Comments »

Bigmista about to put some links in the smoker
For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, we were the cover story for the L. A. Times Food section on July 1, 2010. It was written by Miles Clements and edited by Russ Parsons.
I cannot begin to convey how impressed we were by the article. It covered our history, our business and our BBQ in great detail and you can tell it was crafted by someone who really got who we are and what we do.
Because of this story our business has gone crazy! Our lines were longer than they have ever been with people anxious to try our food. The best advice I can give is PRE-ORDER! Call us. Email us. Hit us on Facebook or Twitter. But if you want to insure that you get your order of fantastic BBQ before we run out, PRE-ORDER!
Thanks to everyone who came out and I hope to see you again soon!
Here is the link to the article
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-bigmista-20100701,0,3557293.story
Enjoy!
Bigmista
Tags: Barbecue, BBQ, Bigmista, L. A. Times
Posted in Announcement, Barbecue | No Comments »
The Vendy Awards recognize the best street food vendors in Los Angeles. We have been nominated and will compete for the Top Honors on May 15th.
Check out the video of all of the finalists here:
I think we are the fourth ones in at about 3:34.
Thank you to all who voted for us and I hope to see you at The Vendys!
Click here for more info: http://streetvendor.org/vendys/la/
Enjoy!
Bigmista
Tags: Barbecue, BBQ, Bigmista's Barbecue catering, Vendy Awards, Vendys
Posted in Announcement, Events | No Comments »
Tomorrow we will be cooking at the Second Annual Faded 420 BBQ & Show at the Rhythm Lounge in Long Beach. It promises to be a great party and I hope all of our friends come out to join us there. We will be serving MOINK Balls, Pig Candy, Perfect Pulled Pork Sandwiches and lots of other goodies. There will be some great live music and lots of merchandise vendors selling their wares.
Come on out for some great Barbecue. We’ll be the ones with the legal smoke…
See you there!
Bigmista
Tags: Bacon, Barbecue, BBQ, Bigmista, Bigmista's Barbecue catering, MOINK, party, Pig Candy
Posted in Announcement, Barbecue, Events | No Comments »
L. A. Weekly’s Jonathan Gold, a Pulitzer Prize winning food critic, just put out his “99 Things to Eat in L.A. Before You Die” and we made the list!!
Here’s what he had to say:
Bigmista’s Pig Candy
If pigs had their way, pig candy would be made out of chocolate — better yet, out of chocolate positioned in a trough right in front of them. But for better or worse, pig candy is the vernacular name for a snack made out of smoky, thick-cut bacon baked with lots and lots of brown sugar until it transforms itself into demonically fragrant slabs that bear more than a passing resemblance to pork-belly terrine. You want some of this stuff. Really you do. And if you should happen to be in Atwater on a Sunday morning, you should probably swing by the barbecue concession ’round the back, because Bigmista and Mrs. Mista will set you up with the best.
Bigmista, Sun. at Atwater farmers market; Tues. & Sat. at Torrance farmers market; Thurs. at El Segundo farmers market. Menus, hours and preordering info at bigmista.com.
You can read the entire article here:
http://www.laweekly.com/2010-02-26/e…efore-you-die/
Tags: Barbecue, BBQ, Jonathan Gold, Pig Candy
Posted in Announcement, Barbecue, Quick Dishes | No Comments »
Valentine’s Day at the Atwater Village Farmers Market turned out to be a Special Day. You might ask, “Was it romantic?”
Nah. But we did have just about everything barbecue special since we opened our stand all on the same day. That’s a whole lot of cooking!
We had MOINK Balls with Blueberry-Chipotle Sauce, Pig Candy, Mac & Cheese, Dirty Rice and Brisket Chili in addition to all of our regular BBQ goodies. It was a great day with all of our regular friends and some new ones. @TheTastePlace aka @ColeenGreen and @jtgorish, some of our twitter peeps came out to pick up a “Valentine’s Day” Special. Coleen said the spicy brisket chili was her favorite.
So now I am in recuperation mode for another hour or two then I have to hit the streets to shop for the Torrance Farmers Market tomorrow. No catering this week so it should be pretty chill.
Type to ya soon!
Enjoy!
Bigmista
Tags: Atwater Village, Barbecue, BBQ, MOINK
Posted in Barbecue, Main Dishes | No Comments »

