Tuffy Stone began his culinary career in a French kitchen, focusing on haute cuisine. But he’s probably better known for his skills in a more humble arena: the barbecue pit.
You may recognize Stone from his appearances on the reality show “BBQ Pitmasters,” where he travels the country competing in barbecuing contests with his team, Cool Smoke. His knowledge of the craft and attention to detail have earned him the nickname “The Professor.”
Stone was in Bel Air in October for the MD State BBQ Bash, an annual competition and street festival that assembles professional and amateur barbecue teams for a day filled with smoke, live entertainment, prizes and, of course, some top-notch barbecue. Stone took home the top prize.
With another summer of grilling and barbecuing on the horizon, we spoke with the pitmaster and some other local barbecue pros for their tips and tricks on how to achieve fall-off-the-bone ribs, tender brisket and perfectly smoked pit beef.
First Sergeant’s BBQ
David Crump spent 30 years in the Army, rising in the ranks to sergeant major before retiring from the service. His favorite position, however, was as a first sergeant tasked with leading and training soldiers.
“He bonds the unit,” Crump said of the first sergeant’s role. “That was the best job I had in the military.”
Crump strives to create a similar sense of community at First Sergeant’s BBQ, the restaurant he runs with his two daughters, Jessica and Vanessa, at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Between smoking ribs, pulled pork and chicken legs, he walks the dining room, lobbing jokes at fellow servicemen and women and checking in on veterans who have become regular customers.
Crump started barbecuing in the late 1990s when he was stationed in West Virginia. His food was a hit, and he began catering military events and setting up shop at local festivals. While he was stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground in 2009, he set up a barbecue trailer on the base.
In 2012, he expanded the operation, opening a 300-seat dining room and kitchen inside the base’s recreation center. The sprawling space is decorated with military history: uniforms, vintage photographs, helmets and patches. Many of the items are donated by customers; one regular gave Crump the first combat-related license plate to be issued and another donated a McClellan saddle, a design used by the Army during the Civil War.
Over the years, Crump has added to the menu at First Sergeant’s, which now incorporates fish, cheesesteaks and a veggie burger for those who don’t eat meat. “In the military, they taught me you go places and you observe what people need,” he said. “Some people get tired of the same old thing, so you have to make adjustments.”
Still, the barbecue is undeniably the star at First Sergeant’s. Crump says he smokes meats for about six hours before they are ready to serve.
Patience is key when it comes to good barbecue, the restaurateur said. He prefers to use indirect heat, placing meat on one side of the smoker and wood on the other side. The method is ideal “because it cooks, rather than burns,” he said.
Old Line Grill
Henry Jones says two factors contribute to the best barbecue: time and temperature.
“Our motto is ‘slow and low,’ ” Jones, the co-owner of a traveling barbecue operation called Old Line Grill, said. “Take your time and let the wood do the work.”
Jones and business partner Ian Mitchell launched Old Line Grill about three years ago and now bring their barbecue trailer to festivals, breweries and events around the region. They’re based in Bel Air and make regular appearances at Hopkins Farm Brewery and the Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Co., among other Harford County spots.
Jones, who also runs a sub shop and has three decades of experience in the food industry under his belt, started as an amateur on the grill.
“I used to love grilling, and I thought: ‘Pit beef is a Maryland staple — I’m going to give it a try,’” he said. He set up a smoker outside the sub shop and “we sold out within an hour.”
Eventually, he branched out to other barbecue classics like brisket and smoked turkey. Early efforts involved lots of trial and error.
“When I first started doing brisket, the very first one I nailed,” Jones recalls. “Then the next two failed.”
That’s why he encourages aspiring pitmasters to remember that practice makes perfect: “You’ve got to keep at it and keep trying different things.”
Jones and Mitchell use a stick burner smoker to cook their meat. They don’t use marinades or lighter fluid. Instead, they allow time and heat to bring out the flavor and tenderness of the meat.
Old Line Grill’s beef is smoked for four to six hours at temperatures of 175 to 200 degrees, Jones said. Brisket takes even more time to cook: 15 hours.
That’s why Jones would add another two qualities to the list of what makes for good barbecue: patience and a passion for cooking.
“Barbecue takes time,” he said.
Tuffy Stone
When Stone first started experimenting with a barbecue pit, he brought some of his fine dining techniques with him.
“I had this idea that white truffle salt would be good on brisket, and I was right,” he said of one of his early efforts, “but I realized that’s not what people are looking for when they’re eating barbecue.”
“Barbecue humbled me,” he said.
Stone has since coined a phrase — ”stereotypical expected flavors of barbecue” — to describe what makes for a successful piece of smoked meat.
A fundamental rule is not to skimp on quality.
“I try to get the best quality meat that I can afford or find,” he said. He looks for cuts that are well-marbled, providing for a “juicier bite.” Fresh seasonings make a difference, too.
Stone recommends shaking your rub or seasoning well before applying it evenly to the meat.
When it comes to cooking, Stone favors a clean smoker and charcoal briquettes. “Some people will leave the residual smoker and juices from a previous cook on a grill or smoker and say that’s seasoning, but I don’t subscribe to that.”
The chef, who teaches barbecue classes in addition to traveling the competitive circuit, says cooking with the right amount of smoke is as fundamental as the seasoning or rub when it comes to cultivating flavor.
To avoid over-smoking a brisket or pork butt, he recommends a technique called the “Texas crutch,” in which you wrap a hunk of meat in aluminum foil to allow it to continue cooking without getting overly smoky. When the meat is finally done cooking, it’s also important to let it rest for a while before serving.
Though he’s ditched many of his French techniques when using the smoker, Stone still recommends the “mise en place,” or advance preparation. If you’re cooking for family and friends on the weekend, you can make your rub, buy and trim meat, and make sure the grill is cleaned days in advance.
“Being organized can be really helpful,” he said.
But once he gets to the smoker or the grill, Stone likes to live in the moment.
“Most people I know have so many responsibilities,” he said. “What I like about lighting a fire is, all of a sudden, it’s like you hit pause for a second. There’s something therapeutic about it.”
Tuffy Stone’s Competition Ribs, Cool Smoke StyleServes 2 to 4
“As I’ve often said, competition barbecue is one-bite food — we have one opportunity to get the judge’s attention. These ribs have just the right amount of smoke to complement the natural flavor of the pork, with enough pop to take to a barbecue contest.” — Stone
Ingredients
- 2 (3-pound) racks St. Louis-cut pork spareribs
- 1 cup Cool Smoke Rub
- ½ cup apple juice, in a spray bottle, for the grill
- 1 cup Cool Smoke Barbecue Sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup honey, divided
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
Directions
- Use a shaker to dust both sides of the rib racks generously, and let them sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 hour before cooking.
- When you are ready to cook, heat the smoker to 275 degrees pit temperature. Alternatively, heat a grill to 275 degrees, using a 2-zone setup, with 3 to 4 chunks of your favorite wood, in addition to the charcoal or gas.
- Place the ribs meat-side-up in the smoker, or on the grill over the indirect heat, and cook 2 hours, spraying the spare ribs with apple juice every 30 minutes to moisten.
- In a small bowl, stir 1 cup Cool Smoke Barbecue Sauce with ¼ cup honey and 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar and set aside.
- Cut 2 (18 x 24-inch) lengths of foil to wrap each rib rack in a tight package.
- When the ribs have cooked for 2 hours, transfer them to a rack meat-side-down on the foil. Drizzle the ribs evenly on both sides with the butter, ¼ cup honey, and light brown sugar. Wrap each rack tightly in the foil, being careful not to puncture.
- Return the rib packages meat-side-down to the smoker, or to the cool side of a grill, close the lid, and cook another 2 to 2.5 hours, or until the meat is tender. The ribs are done when a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat reads an internal temperature of 203 to 205 degrees. Open the foil package and use a skewer, or a toothpick, to check for tenderness.
- Remove from the heat, carefully unwrap the ribs, and discard the foil. Brush Cool Smoke Barbecue Sauce on both sides of the ribs to coat and return them meat-side-up to the smoker or grill over indirect heat. Cook 15 minutes to set the sauce. Watch them carefully so you do not burn or overset the sauce.
- Serve immediately, with any remaining sauce on the side.