Get your game on... the grill

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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Give it a rest guys, for ****'s sake.
how long should it rest before i pour the can of honey-mustard sauce on?

Originally Posted by SField

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I went to Kellogg

ojfc

Originally Posted by mharwitt

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essentially you are taking a stand against health and better flavor because McDonalds is popular. i've never heard someone so proudly describe their effort to lower the bar.

No, I'm saying that the reality is that the health craze we see on the news is a good story, but not reality. That there are millions of people out there that are perfectly content with jarred garlic, dried rosemary, or whatever that gets the ire of the foodies here. I'm marketing a business and find it funny that I'm told over and over in here that I should be marketing it to a smaller segment of the population because that's the big thing right now. Those eating less healthy seem to outnumber those that eat healthy in this country. It's said, but it doesn't mean I should not market to those people.

Realize there are two different discussions here. Marketing vs. quality ingredients.

Normal people that have a problem with pre-minced garlic or dried rosemary in a recipe simply mince their own garlic and use fresh rosemary rather than jump on a soapbox to decry the evil of non fresh ingredients. But those people don't comment all that often, or that loudly, particularly on anonymous message boards where they get so much of their perceived self esteem.

Sorry, couldn't resist!?!

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

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No, I'm saying that the reality is that the health craze we see on the news is a good story, but not reality. That there are millions of people out there that are perfectly content with jarred garlic, dried rosemary, or whatever that gets the ire of the foodies here. I'm marketing a business and find it funny that I'm told over and over in here that I should be marketing it to a smaller segment of the population because that's the big thing right now. Those eating less healthy seem to outnumber those that eat healthy in this country. It's said, but it doesn't mean I should not market to those people. Realize there are two different discussions here. Marketing vs. quality ingredients. Normal people that have a problem with pre-minced garlic or dried rosemary in a recipe simply mince their own garlic and use fresh rosemary rather than jump on a soapbox to decry the evil of non fresh ingredients. But those people don't comment all that often, or that loudly, particularly on anonymous message boards where they get so much of their perceived self esteem. Sorry, couldn't resist!?!
So you believe in quality ingredients, yet you use inferior ones because you can market them to a larger population? Sounds like cognitive dissonance to me. How about instead of perpetuating the unwholesome and unhealthy diet consumed by your target demographic, you set by example and influence your costumer to use fresh, whole ingredients? I think spreading the knowledge of the health benefits would be a much more noble thing to do then to bow down and just say "oh well, that's the way it is".

Originally Posted by mm84321

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So you believe in quality ingredients, yet you use inferior ones because you can market them to a larger population? Sounds like cognitive dissonance to me.

How about instead of perpetuating the unwholesome and unhealthy diet consumed by your target demographic, you set by example and influence your costumer to use fresh, whole ingredients? I think spreading the knowledge of the health benefits would be a much more noble thing to do then to bow down and just say "oh well, that's the way it is".

I am setting an example. I'm showing how to make incredible meals with basic ingredients. It's not as flashy as many on this board would like, but hey, it's successful.

We all know Kobe or even Wagyu beef is much better than standard grocery store fair. It's not necessarily healthier, but it is indeed better. Should I use Kobe brisket every time I do brisket because it's better than what most people can get at the grocery store? Should I dry age every steak I do because it's better than a non aged steak? It's no healthier, but it's also a lot better. How many of my target audience are going to see the dry aged steak and click away? Some will look specifically for that, but the vast majority will think, "I can't afford or can't dry age a steak myself, so time to look for another recipe."

Take the healthy part out of the equation and tell me how that's a good business model. Also, show me where I said I need to be some sort of role model.

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

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I am setting an example. I'm showing how to make incredible meals with basic ingredients. It's not as flashy as many on this board would like, but hey, it's successful.

Yes, but is your success dependent on the use of overly convenient store bought ingredients, or rather because you offer interesting recipes and extremely unique methods of grilling?

We all know Kobe or even Wagyu beef is much better than standard grocery store fair. It's not necessarily healthier, but it is indeed better. Should I use Kobe brisket every time I do brisket because it's better than what most people can get at the grocery store? Should I dry age every steak I do because it's better than a non aged steak? It's no healthier, but it's also a lot better. How many of my target audience are going to see the dry aged steak and click away? Some will look specifically for that, but the vast majority will think, "I can't afford or can't dry age a steak myself, so time to look for another recipe."

Take the healthy part out of the equation and tell me how that's a good business model. Also, show me where I said I need to be some sort of role model.

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I think you are in a particularly unique position. Your site showcases a method of cooking that is exclusive to most American males, i.e. grilling. Once you have received the attention and curiosity of the general public, which it seems you have based on your interviews and such, you are equipped with a great venue of teaching and educating your viewers on the tenets and principles of eating healthy. This is something the average joe may have otherwise not been poised to learn. It would be great to show those who would use store bought sauces and spice blends, how simple and easy it is to make your own brines, stocks, rubs, sauces, etc.

It is not your duty to be a role model, I just think it's a nice idea.

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

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I am setting an example. I'm showing how to make incredible meals with basic ingredients. It's not as flashy as many on this board would like, but hey, it's successful.

C'mon dude. Dial the ego back a few hundred decibles.

Originally Posted by mharwitt

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essentially you are taking a stand against health and better flavor because McDonalds is popular. i've never heard someone so proudly describe their effort to lower the bar.

Originally Posted by mm84321

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So you believe in quality ingredients, yet you use inferior ones because you can market them to a larger population? Sounds like cognitive dissonance to me.

How about instead of perpetuating the unwholesome and unhealthy diet consumed by your target demographic, you set by example and influence your costumer to use fresh, whole ingredients? I think spreading the knowledge of the health benefits would be a much more noble thing to do then to bow down and just say "oh well, that's the way it is".

Now, hang on just a minute here. He's not using pre-processed formed venison or some engineered soy vegan deer patty here. The star of the show, as it always is, is the meat which I presume is fresh and wholesome.

The dried herbs...well, we can quibble, and the pre-made shortcuts, yes, again we can quibble. But so what? Could it be better by degrees? sure. Does it have to be? nope. And is it a lot less daunting to Joe Average who wants to try something new without chasing down all sorts of ingredients. Call it dumbed-down if you like, but I wouldn't automatically assume that accessible = crap.

I've never thought this before, but honest question: should I start a little blog on my endeavors? Sorry for the minor threadjack but given how this thread is going seemed like a perfect spot to ask.

Btw, GF, the venison looked good.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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I've never thought this before, but honest question: should I start a little blog on my endeavors? Sorry for the minor threadjack but given how this thread is going seemed like a perfect spot to ask.

Btw, GF, the venison looked good.

Isnt' that your sausage thread?

Originally Posted by Thomas

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Now, hang on just a minute here. He's not using pre-processed formed venison or some engineered soy vegan deer patty here. The star of the show, as it always is, is the meat which I presume is fresh and wholesome.

The dried herbs...well, we can quibble, and the pre-made shortcuts, yes, again we can quibble. But so what? Could it be better by degrees? sure. Does it have to be? nope. And is it a lot less daunting to Joe Average who wants to try something new without chasing down all sorts of ingredients. Call it dumbed-down if you like, but I wouldn't automatically assume that accessible = crap.
I don't agree with this poast, but I will not say why.

Originally Posted by Thomas

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Isnt' that your sausage thread?

No, I mean start a blog, flog it on various websites and around my locale.

Originally Posted by iammatt

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I don't agree with this poast, but I will not say why.

Please?

Originally Posted by mm84321

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Please?
Well, OK. Two reasons, I guess. First of all, I don't prefer to eat in a way that the meat is the "centerpiece." I really love excellent, well prepared vegetables of all sorts, like sauces, especially natural roasting juices, etc. I think I enjoy meat as a compliment to these things, or at least as a part of a whole more than I do a piece of meat plus some thoughtless vegetable or mashed food plus a canned, or badly concocted sauce. Also, and this is kind of dorky, but I feel like the deer died so that we could eat, and we should be as respectful as possible of that, so if it takes me a few seconds or an hour to do something right by it, I think the deer deserves that. I'm not going to convince myself this is normal, or the only way, or that everybody will want to do the same, but I am also not interested in complimenting the idea that if you have a nice hunk of meat, it is somehow respectful of you or the food to lace it with bitter bottled garlic, tasteless dried herbs and a sauce with all sorts of unfortunate things in it.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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I've never thought this before, but honest question: should I start a little blog on my endeavors? Sorry for the minor threadjack but given how this thread is going seemed like a perfect spot to ask.

Btw, GF, the venison looked good.

Absolutely. If you are serious, I can give you some tips on how to get off the ground and what you need.

Honestly, that's how I started. Myself and a handful of guys on a fantasy football site talked grilling in the offseason. We took pictures of what we did and hosted them on flickr or image shack. After a few years of doing that, I realized I had enough content for a blog and started it in November of 2008. Six months later I was on the cover of the food section of the local paper. At that point, my little ****** blogger site had to be upgraded to Wordpress, I had to incorporate and get insurance.

I might even be able to hook you up with a webdesigner that works for booze. He's not the fastest, but he works cheap and does great stuff. He's the head web designer for a $2 billion company I used to work for... But we can take all this offline... PM me if you're interested. Your starting costs would be very minimal. It's not till you get a following do you really have to worry about anything...