The class was really about smoking meat & chicken - long and slow, rather than grilling. Without going into a ton of detail since the smokers out there know the work that is involved in good smoking.
Suffice it to say that if you want the real deal, you need to spend a lot of time, and you have to use charcoal not gas or electric.
Ari spent about an hour and a half talking rubs, what kind of meat to use (2nd cut brisket all the way, long ribs, short ribs), chicken, turkey. All very informative and I definitely learned a number of things, and made me want to get my own smoker than than compromising and settling for whatever my gas Weber will produce.
At the start of the class, they passed out some smoked sausage, which had a nice smokey flavor to it. There was also corn bread which was very moist and tasty, although I'm not a big corn bread guy.
At the end of the class there was a buffet with the following:
Sliced Brisket - You really see how the 2nd cut delivers, juicy and moist with the dry rub flavor.
Pulled Brisket - BBQ sauce meshes with the smokiness on a bun with some slaw. Great every time.
Ribs - The meat was falling off the bone. Even the gristle part was soft.
Chicken - Also had a great smokiness to it.
Corn - I think the rub was put on the corn and grilled, definitely added something.
The slaws were really good - there was a creamy red cabbage one and one without cream.
Ari provided some Shiner Bock beer, and Gary Landsman from Herzog brought some Zinfandel.
Ari White did an incredible job, and it was a great evening.
If you want to taste his stuff, I understand he will be on the Upper West Side this Sunday Broadway and 98th. He will also be in the Hampton's, Memorial Day Weekend
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