We are thrilled to announce the release of the newest member to our line of temperature control devices – The CyberQ Wi-Fi. Since Shotgun Fred first invented the Mechanical Pitminder in 2003, our engineers have prided themselves in putting out better and more technologically advance products year after year. The CyberQ Wi-Fi is the next logical step in the Guru evolution. As the name suggest, the CyberQ Wi-Fi regulates the temperature of charcoal grills and smokers with incredible accuracy AND the added ability to be controlled directly from any Wi-Fi enabled device or through any internet browser via a home router. Now you can control the temperature of your cooker from your smart phone! Want to lower it from 350 to 225 after an hour and need to go on a beer run? No problem!

We understand that for many of you this has been a highly anticipated release, so we won’t waste any more time in telling you the features of the new control. In addition to coming with a built-in Wi-Fi web server, the new CyberQ offer email alert capabilities. The full-time adaptive control algorithm learns the cooker to control with better stability and accuracy. The CyberQ Wi-Fi controls in the temperature range of 32°F to 475°F and displays cooking temperature on a digital read-out in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius. The open lid detection system senses when the pit’s lid is open to minimize the temperature disturbance and recover quickly.  The CyberQ Wi-Fi fits most standard charcoal grill/smoker types and is currently on sale on the company’s website for $295.00 plus fan and grill adaptor.

Other features of The CyberQ Wi-Fi include:

-       Calibrated, programmed, and ready to use immediately

-       Monitors up to three food temperatures

-       Exclusive low and slow ramp down feature ramps the pit down on rising food temperatures, so the food never overcooks

-       Cook and Hold feature (with countdown timer)

-       Scrolling display shows all of the temperatures, time, and status

-       Rugged, armored high-temperature pit and food probes

-       Real time blower status indication and output % to measure fuel use

-       16 Character by two line backlit LCD display

-       Runs on 100-240VAC (for worldwide use) or 12VDC for automotive supply use

-       Audible alarm sounds with adjustable deviation

This summer, whether you are cooking in a competition or firing up some ribs for your annual Fourth of July bash, impress your friends and family by controlling your grill with the click of a mouse or the touch of a smart phone. As always, you’ll be able to relax and know that the Guru is getting the job done.

Written by BBQ Guru Senior Account Executive Lisa Jo Goetter

Working at BBQ Guru, customers are often surprised to hear a woman answer the phone (and even more surprised at my wealth of knowledge about barbecue). This is something I’ve gotten used to. The fact is that while the number of women who barbecue recreationally or compete on the competitive barbecue circuit are increasing, the BBQ community still remains a predominantly male world. A large percentage of the women who call the Guru headquarters are inquiring about products for their boyfriends or husbands. A large percentage of those women make up the group known as BBQ Widows.

BBQ Widows are women (and in some cases men) whose spouses spend more time barbecuing then they do with their wife or husband. Between researching new recipes, trips to find the perfect cut of meat, and weekends spent at competitions barbecuing begins to seem less like a hobby and more like a wedge in your relationship! However, of all the complaints I hear from BBQ Widows, it’s the hovering over the grill that bothers them the most. The obsessing over grill temperature and adjusting dampers over the course of a 6-hour cook-time is the BBQ Widow’s biggest, and most fixable pet peeve.

The fact that BBQ Guru has found a solution for this relationship-wrecker has made us the BBQ Widow’s best friend. Guru products have made grill-hovering a problem of the past. Our line of temperature control devices keep the cook-temp consistent so that husbands can step away from the grill and spend more time with their wives. Last spring, we released another product that has saved many women from becoming BBQ Widows – the Onyx Oven. The Onyx Oven is the first cooker to come with a built-in temperature control device.

So this Valentine’s Day, get your husband a PartyQ or DigiQ and make sure that you don’t become a BBQ Widow yourself. While it may not seem like the most romantic gift, it will allow you and your BBQ loving man to spend more time together.

Finally, if you still are unsure about what a BBQ Widow is, I’ll leave you with a list. You know you’re a BBQ Widow when…

-       Every weekend there is another excuse to barbecue. “I have to cook this weekend – it’s Arbor Day!”

-       Your jealousy of your husband’s smoker is no longer masked

-       The smell of smoke on your bed sheets no longer bothers you

-       You’ve given up trying to find the pepper-shaker amongst the barbecue rubs in your spice drawer

-       You actually know what part of a pig the pork butt comes from

-       Your husband buys you bacon scented perfume for Valentines Day

While Super Bowl XLVI is sure to be an exciting game and is certainly an intriguing rematch of the memorable Giants-Patriots Super Bowl a few years back, it is going to be hard for this Eagles fan to root for either team. Seeing the division rival Giants win two Super Bowls in a short time is too much to bear. Yet the memories of the Patriots victory over the Eagles at Super Bowl XXXIXX are still too fresh to cheer for them either. So while I can’t root for either team, I’ll hope for a good game and an even better Super Bowl Party.

As I advised in Part One of our Super Bowl blog, you should never let the cold weather deter you from throwing a memorable Super Bowl party with sweet barbecue. You’ve waited all season for this game. Sure your team may not be in it, but the game deserves your attention and your guests deserve the best football food there is. I’ve prepared two original BBQ recipes I hope you and your friends will enjoy this Sunday: a grilled pastrami sandwich for New York and smoked turkey legs for New England. The recipes are listed below and will appear in our recipes section on Monday.

Finally, what’s a Super Bowl blog without a prediction? Patriots – 28 Giants – 21. Tom Brady gets his revenge on Eli, winning MVP honors and adding another chapter to his Hall of Fame career. Why all the love for Brady? It was recently revealed that he loves BBQ! (Read carefully, its in there)

RECIPES

Smoked Turkey Legs

Brine

1 c. tender quick salt

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 gal. water (or amount to cover pieces)

3 tbs. of Slabs Birds and Bone BBQ Rub

Dissolve all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Pour contents into a 5 gallon bucket and pout ice water into bucket as well. Place a dozen or so turkey legs into the bucket and top with more water. Place bucket into a refrigerator or a cold area less than 40°F

Pre-heat smoker to 225°F and use apple wood for smoke.  Smoke for several hours until the internal temperature reaches 160°F

Let rest for 5 minutes and serve

Grilled Pastrami Sandwich

Ingredients

I like to start with a whole pastrami. (I cook for a lot of people)

Set your smoker to 300° F and roast the pastrami for about 1 hour.

Let rest for 10 minutes and slice thin.

To make the sandwiches:

• 4 – Tablespoons butter, softened
• 8 – freshly baked hearth rolls
• 4 – slices provolone cheese

• 8 – ounces pastrami, thinly sliced
  Spicy brown mustard
• A dash of Dizzy Pig Cowlick Rub

Preheat Grill to 350°

Directions

1. Butter the rolls
2. Spread the mustard on both sides of roll
3. Layer the pastrami and cheese to build the sandwich
4. Sprinkle with a dash of Dizzy Pig Cowlick Rub
5. Grill for a minute or two on both sides  (until the cheese melts)and serve!

Barbecue is one of the best all-time tailgating foods. The run-of-the-mill tailgate fare will feature hot dogs, hamburgers, and a bag of chips. A well-organized and orchestrated tailgate will feature an impressive spread of delicious barbecue – ribs, chicken, and some brisket. For the serious tailgater, anything else would be uncivilized. Why should your guests expect anything less at your Super Bowl party?

For some reason, the cold weather at this time makes a lot of people think it’s out of the question to serve BBQ at a Super Bowl party or tailgate. In the past, this line of thought was understandable. Even the most avid football / BBQ fans don’t necessarily want to spend the day leading up to the big game outdoors in Lambeau-esque conditions.

The days of constantly braving the elements to check on the temperature of your cooker are long gone. Our line of temperature control devices will ensure that your food is being low-and-slow cooked at the necessary temperature. This will allow you to stay inside your warm home watching the pregame coverage and enjoying the weekend.

As veterans on the competitive barbecue circuit, we’ve seen our fair share of cold and nasty weather. Here are a few insider tips for keeping warm while cooking:

1) Get yourself an ATC! (Automatic temperature control) The BBQ Guru temperature controls allow you to stay warm while your grill/smoker runs at the perfect temperature.

2) Place your smoker on a side of the house that blocks with wind. If this is not possible, use a canopy with sides. This will keep the cold off of you and your smoker!

3) Use the warmth of your smoker to your advantage! Most insulated smokers get warm on the outside but not hot. Stay close to your cooker but be careful not to burn yourself.

Be sure to look out for our blog next week, when we’ll provide New York and New England inspired recipes that will make your Super Bowl party a hit.

Houston, TX and Warminster, PA (January 5, 2012) – Sam Houston State University has received a $25 million pledge from Pennsylvania-based Therm-Omega-Tech, Inc. to support the university’s engineering technology components within the current industrial technology program and to establish a new engineering technology program.

The founder of Therm-Omega-Tech, Inc., is alumnus Frederick Pirkle, who graduated from SHSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial arts in 1970 and a master’s degree in industrial technology in 1974.

The pledge is the largest gift in the university’s history.

“Sam Houston State University students who are getting a technical education are learning skills for life,” Pirkle said. “Those technical skills are critically important for America in today’s world. Americans are hard workers, and we’re smart workers. I want the students who are touched by this gift to be inspired to contribute to the success of this country and be leaders in the world.”

“We are truly honored and deeply grateful for Mr. Pirkle’s generosity to and vision for his alma mater,” said SHSU President Dana Gibson. “This remarkable and unprecedented gift is an investment in the future of Sam Houston State University and will enhance the university’s ability to provide opportunities for students to gain invaluable knowledge and experience in industrial technology.”

“Fred Pirkle is a remarkable man who is providing extraordinary leadership in philanthropy at Sam Houston State University,” said Vice President for University Advancement Frank Holmes. “His contribution through his firm will provide a lasting and transformational legacy for the creation of critical programs to serve the citizens of our state and nation.

“It is an extension of an inventive mind that sees problems as exciting opportunities to create new methods and techniques to make our lives better. Others are certain to follow the example that Fred is setting for charitable giving,” Holmes said.

The gift will provide funding for three areas. A portion will be applied toward the construction of a state-of-the-art academic facility and associated laboratories, including advanced equipment and technology, to house engineering technology and related academic programs. The building will be named The Fred Pirkle Technology Center.

In addition, the gift will support a permanent endowment fund, known as The Frederick L. Pirkle Scholarship Fund, to provide financial assistance for SHSU students enrolled in the engineering technology program.

The donation will also be used to establish The Frederick L. Pirkle Enrichment Fund to provide resources for an academic chair or professorship in the engineering technology program and to support internships for students majoring in engineering technology at SHSU.

“Mr. Pirkle visited the campus a couple of years ago when he came for the ‘Centennial Celebration of Agricultural and Industrial Sciences at Sam Houston State University,’” said SHSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jaimie Hebert.

“He was so pleased to see that the program from which he had graduated was continuing to change with society and the economy to produce workers who could immediately impact the Texas work force,” Hebert said.

“Mr. Pirkle credits Sam Houston State University with helping prepare him to be successful with his work, and when he came back and saw what a magnificent job his institution was doing to prepare today’s young men and women for careers in industry, it made the connection for him,” Hebert said.

“He let us know at that point, he would do something significant some day to help us with our mission,” he said.

Pirkle grew up in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio. Following high school graduation, he worked several years as a mechanic before enrolling in Sam Houston State University.

After earning his master’s degree at SHSU, he moved to Houston and taught in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. He left teaching to work as a sales engineer for Commercial Industries Division and later Eggelhof, Inc. While employed by Eggelhof, Inc., he was assigned to Ogontz Controls in Philadelphia, Penn.

Pirkle left Ogontz Controls and founded Therm-Omega-Tech, Inc., in 1982, to manufacture valves of his own patented design. The company grew to be a leader in the field of manufacturing temperature control valves and devices, gaining worldwide respect across diverse industries. Therm-Omega-Tech freeze protection valves have become the railroad industry’s standard for preventing freeze damage to diesel locomotives, annually protecting billions of dollars of railroad equipment worldwide.

Since then, he has patented more than 20 products, including the BBQ Guru, the first temperature control device for charcoal grills and cookers. His patented products are manufactured in the Therm-Omega-Tech facility in Warminster, PA.  More information is at www.ThermOmegaTech.com and www.TheBBQGuru.com.

The Sam Houston State University Alumni Association recognized Pirkle’s career accomplishments earlier this year by honoring him as a “Distinguished Alumnus,” the university’s most prestigious designation for a former student.

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You’ve got a lot on your plate this holiday season – gifts to buy for family and friends, getting the house ready for visiting relatives, and of course, preparing your holiday feast. That’s why we at The BBQ Guru wanted to lighten the load a little bit by providing recipes for four dishes to prepare at your holiday gathering this year. There is no need to scan cooking magazines or online recipe sites for the perfect crowd pleasers when we’ve got them all in one place on our website.

Click on the links below for the recipes. And to husbands and wives who got their spouses one of our temperature control devices this year – maybe let them unwrap that gift a day or two early this year. Doing so will allow him or her to spend more time with friends and family instead of hovering over the grill.

From all of us at The BBQ Guru, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season!

Appetizer: Beer Braised Garlic Shrimp

Side Dish: Cornbread and Oyster Dressing

Main Course: Smoked Turkey

Dessert: BBQ Bob’s Chocolate Cake