Over 20 kids attended a unique summer school last week. No it wasn’t a Vacation Bible School. It was a barbecue class designed just for kids ages 8 - middle school, with half of the kids living in HSV and the other half here for the summer visiting grandparents.
The concept and grill leadership was provided by Dr. BubbaQ, the senior pastor of Christ of the Hills United Methodist Church. Dr. Smith, as he is known to some, and Bubba as he is known to others, has a long, rich history of southern barbecuing and of teaching the basics of barbecuing.
The kids who attended received both appropriate information and hands-on instruction on how to please the palate.
After donning their special grilling aprons and hearing a brief history of the origin of barbecuing, the class was divided into two groups: the Seasonings Group and the Sauces Group. Each group received a lesson on food safety from Ms. Linda Bates, a Garland County Extension Agent, and a lesson on culinary skills and etiquette as it relates to being a host and a guest. No iPods or iPads at Dr. BubbaQ’s table.
It was emphasized that there are three basic things to keep in mind when grilling outdoors: Taste, Sight, and Smell. When all three of these senses are accomplished, the end result is a “Smiley Face.”
Once the classroom work was done, it was on to the kitchen where each student had an opportunity to create his/her own seasoning mixture from a combination of secret spices made available.
Next it was to the object lesson and main reason for attending the class – the meat. Thanks to a beef donation from Rick Bellinger, owner of Riverside Grocery and Catering, the class was able to grind its own hamburger meat.
They learned while most hamburger meat does come from a store, it comes first from a cow.
Hamburgers were not the only items on the menu to be grilled. Each student participated in a taste test that included grilled veggie burgers and turkey burgers. Most preferred the bovine burger, otherwise known as a hamburger.
To close out the session, the families of the students were treated to a luscious hamburger meal, seasoned and cooked by the class.
Students received a certificate from the Dr. BubbaQ Grilling School certifying each as a Junior BBQ Griller.