Barbecue Nation! has one goal: to advance the enjoyment and appreciation of barbecue--not as just 'food,' and 'sauce' but as a culinary artform unparalleled in human history.

Towards this end, Barbecue Nation! will serve as a forum within which to discuss what's great about bbq and what's annoying when it's just done all wrong. Towards these ends, i expect and encourage good (and bad) natured regional bragging on the subject (Kansas City, i'm looking in your direction!).

Barbecue Nation! will not tolerate any bbq snobbery between old vets and novices. i don't care if you own a grill of steel and chrome or just bought your first one from the grocery store yesterday--bbqing is about education, and none of us are above tweeking our techique from time to time.

Lastly, *and pay attention*, Barbecue Nation is open to all--both meateater and vegetarian. i mean, i *hear* bbq'd tofu, done right, is good--but i don't know how to prepare it on a grill so i'd never eat it. if you have the know how with the veggies, then we encourage your participation. the greater the variety of the recipes posted and exchanged here, the better for the general greatness of all things barbecue.

Now, Barbecue Nation has but *one* restriction--if you use a *gas grill*...i mean, you can stay, but keep your trap shut! This is about *Barbecuing* not "Grilling-out" or some crap. so, if your feelings get hurt, know that you've been warned.

okay kids, that's all i have to say. everyone try to play nice and don't take the top off the grill 'til i get back from the fridge.

(THIS IS NEWER(ISH) - BECAUSE I FOUND THE LATTER PART OF THE PREVIOUS DESCRIPTION A BIT CHILDISH, I AXED IT. JUST KNOW THE FOLLOWING THREE THINGS:

1) I CHECK OUT EVERY REQUEST, EVERY SINGLE ONE
2) IF YOUR PROFILE IS SET ON PRIVATE, YOU MAKE MY CHOICE EASY. I'M JUST AS CAUTIOUS AS YOU ARE ABOUT ALLOWING OPEN ACCESS TO THE GROUP.
3) IF YOU ARE SELLING BBQ SAUCE OR HOT SAUCE, KNOW THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM--EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE GOOD STUFF DON'T NEED IT, SO...

get UP for the throw DOWN - this is not a joke.