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JM’s Reviews
Startin’ the Fire - Overall Rating: 8.0

    Startin' the Fire is a book authored by George Hensler. I like "How To" books over recipe books - and this one delivered. The book is a guide to everything you need to know about starting a competition BBQ team ... except the recipes. This book delivered the goods.


I love to grill & BBQ, and I don't have a desire to start a BBQ team right now. If I did, I know the first place I'd look for advice on the subject. I heard several years ago that experience is only the best teacher if it's not your experience. If it's your experience, you lose both time and money. What George has done is made all the melancholy personalities happy with a "step-by-step" checklist-style guide to not blowing it. A theme throughout the book was an emphasis on having a good time & enjoying the experience. And isn't that a big part of BBQ - maybe only second the food?


I enjoyed seeing the logos of the different BBQ teams within the chapters. It added a lot of personality to the content. We all know that BBQ teams have a lot of personality if nothing else. Much of what what was written in the book was what I like to call "common sense reminders." these are things that we all may know, but have forgotten about. It's genius because when I read a line that fit the afore mentioned description, part of me said, "Well, duh!" while the other less critical & less prideful part of me said, "He's absolutely right. Why didn't I think of that?" The fact is we don't think of some of the things George wrote about and that could make for a looooooong competition weekend.


Who is this book for?


The people who should buy (not borrow) this book are those people who like grilling, BBQing, or any other style of outdoor cooking who have ever been to a BBQ competition. This book is not just for those who want to start a BBQ team. It will give you a deeper understanding and appreciation for what it takes behind the scenes to put out good BBQ. And if you read the book, I can almost guarantee that at the next contest you attend as a spectator (or competitor), you'll see something that'll make you go, "Oh yeah, I read about that in Startin' the Fire!"


Favorite Quotes


  1. Bullet “Read any thing you can get your hands on about BBQ. - pg. 9

  2. Bullet “While doing your research it is a good idea to start a notebook.” - pg. 9

  3. Bullet “If you are lucky enough to get on a team in a contest, don’t show up empty-handed.” - pg. 11

  4. Bullet “Don’t be nosy.” - pg. 11

  5. Bullet “Above, all, don’t blab about what you’ve seen.” - pg.11

  6. Bullet On getting a new pit: “Ease of transportation is also a factor you should need to take into account.” - pg. 16

  7. Bullet “I would also suggest taking the classes to become a certified judge.” - pg. 31

  8. Bullet “Establish a baseline for your cooking procedure.” - pg. 32

  9. Bullet “Taste your product along the way, before you sauce it, and again before it goes into the box.” - pg. 32

  10. Bullet “..., pay attention to the source of the meats you are cooking ... make notes and look at the meat you are buying.” - pg. 33

  11. Bullet “Make your lists and check them twice.” - pg. 36

  12. Bullet “Make provisions for comfort.” - pg. 36

  13. Bullet “Buy paper towels by the gross - you are going to need them.” - pg. 37

  14. Bullet “Take good notes.” - pg. 47

  15. Bullet “If you are using canopies, it is a good idea to anchor the corners down in case of strong winds.” - pg. 53

  16. Bullet “Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher in your site and everyone knows where it is.” - pg. 53

  17. Bullet “Note to self: when cooking in a contest of many teams, do not wait until arriving in the town where the contest is to be held before buying your garnish.” - pg. 70

  18. Bullet “Use paper towels instead of cloth.” - pg. 73

  19. Bullet “Bag and remove the trash from your site often, especially after food prep.” - pg. 73

  20. Bullet “Go over you notes from the contest cook.” - pg. 75

  21. Bullet “Review the cook with your teammates.” - pg. 75

  22. Bullet “Review your supply list.” - pg. 75

  23. Bullet “..., review your equipment list.” - pg. 75

  24. Bullet “Go over your score sheet.” - pg. 75



Overall Rating: 8


  1. Bullet I would’ve liked to see ANY pictures of some of the examples he mentioned in the book. There were none.

  2. Bullet If you’re gonna start a BBQ team ... this is your text book.


4/7/11

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