Bandiola Spice Company was founded in 2008 with a goal to bring complex blends of competition-proven spices to average chefs and food enthusiasts. That goal is reflected in it’s tag line, “Bandiola Spice. Enhancing the simple pleasures.” For more information, go to: www.bandiolaspice.com Pictured are: Uncle Mikes 333, Mediterranean, Pork, Barbeque, Steak, Rib Rub, Popcorn, Chicken, and Spicy #13.
Around the competition BBQ circuit, folks get very attached to their products, and are slow at their willingness to use new products. There is always the “test cook”, but eventually many revert to their old stand-by. Lately there has been a shift by folks who have tried Bandiola Spice products. I have spoken with many teams who have changed to Bandiola Spices, after the first use. Some of the reasons I have heard are, “Well, Bandiola offers such a great verity of flavors, it like a one stop shopping for rubs”, “Great flavors” & “It is obvious they use top quality spices”. I know personally, I was hooked the first time I used Bandiola Spices, not just for competition BBQ, but for use around the house, as well.
My family and I REALLY enjoy the Mediterranean Rub, offered by Bandiola Spices. Not a rub that, I personally, would use at a BBQ competition, not the right flavor profile, but at home there are many uses for this great rub. Most folks would think fish right away, and yes it is great on fish, but we have found that the Mediterranean Rub is wonderful on pork & chicken as well. This rub has a great earthy flavor, with just the right amounts of herbs and spices, it truly is a favorite of my entire family.
Pork Chops with Bandiola Mediterranean rub.
Rotisserie chicken rubbed with Bandiola Mediterranean rub.
Pork Chops with Bandiola Mediterranean rub, VERY tasty!!!
Having 9 different flavor profiles to chose from, is a great advantage that Bandiola has to offer the public, and as the old saying goes, “Variety is the Spice of Life”.
Many flavors can be used on your steaks or any type of red meat, I personally have used the Steak Rub and Uncle Mike’s. Both have bold flavors, but at the same time, very deep complex flavors. Half the fun of working with Bandiola Spices is getting to taste all the different layers you can create, with very little effort, all the work has been done for you.
Steaks ready to receive a dose of Uncle Mike’s
Bandiola Steak seasoning.
I have found that one of the most versicle seasonings offered by Bandiola Spice is, the Popcorn Seasoning. Yes, I have used it on popcorn, and it is very good, but I love it on all types of vegetables also. Put it in your cooked vegetables, or just sprinkle some onto your salad with vinegar and oil, for that extra flavor you have been looking for.
Finally, the only other spice I’m going to highlight here is, of course, my overall favorite, Bandiola’s Chicken Rub. Not only is this rub my favorite due to the flavor, but also because it is obvious judges on the competition BBQ circuit love it as well. I have scored very well using exclusively Bandiola’s Chicken Rub for my flavoring.
3rd place Chicken out of 73 teams, Lakeland Pigfest.
1st place Chicken using Bandiola’s Chicken.
Make sure to stack up on Bandiola, chicken rub.
Please head over and take a look at what the friendly folks at Bandiola Spices have to offer. www.BandiolaSpice.com
I have known Michael Gochnour, and been using his spices, for over a year now. His passion for his products is stronger now, then ever before. Michael truly believes in his spices, and for good reason, they are well blended and are extremely versicle in their uses. I am proud to be able to offer his products to my BBQ brethren, I will be carrying, a limited supply of Bandiola spices, and should be able to get them to folks, locally, with no shipping cost. That’s a big savings.
All Bandiola Spices are great, some are very bold, while others have a smooth mild blend, I haven’t tried one that I did not like(& I have tried them all). I will admit that my favorite is the Chicken Rub!! Do I use it at competitions, you ask? Yes, I do!!! Do I hate giving out that little secret, maybe, but I do quite a few things to my chicken for a competition, and the Bandiola Chicken rub is just one part of what I do, (be it a big part), it is just one part. So, I would suggest some practice cooks with it, to see how it will kick up your chicken, because it will bring home the great flavors of the chicken!!!
We used Bandiola for our 3rd place Chicken @ Pigfest 2012.
My wife and I use Bandiola Spices at home, a lot. The Medditerainain is terrific on fish, but we have used it on pork as well. We were extremely surprised just how much we enjoyed it on pork. It really gave pork chops great flavor, give it a whorl!!!
Bandiola Spice Company was founded in 2008 with a goal to bring complex blends of competition-proven spices to average chefs and food enthusiasts. That goal is reflected in it’s tag line, “Bandiola Spice. Enhancing the simple pleasures.” We are proud to offer the full line of this Lincoln-based company’s products. For more information, go to: http://www.bandiolaspice.com/ Pictured are: Uncle Mikes 333, Mediterranean, Pork, Barbeque, Steak, Rib Rub, Popcorn, Chicken, and Spicy #13.
Please feel free to contact me for any questions concerning Bandiola Spices, I will also be offering them on my web-site soon. Thanks!!!
Hello all Let’s Talk Hog!!! fans, We have a great interview lined up for you all today, C-Dub’s BBQ Rub & BBQ competition team. I have known Charles & Allegra Wilson, for just over a year. I have not had the pleasure of meeting them in person, yet, but I have enjoyed watching their BBQ adventures, and corresponding with them on-line. During my short time here in the grand world of BBQ, I have come across many great folks, and Charles & Allegra, are among the top of that list.
The C-Dubs team considers themselves as a “fun and quirky BBQ rub and seasoning company” and from what I know about them, that is a very accurate description. I have tried their rubs in the past, and I do plan on doing a review in an upcoming post, if you would like to try out their great rubs for yourself, please visit there web-site at www.cdubsrub.com
Please enjoy this interview with C-Dub’s BBQ, I did!!!
LTH: Who makes up the team C-Dub’s BBQ, and where are you located?
C-Dub’s: C-Dub’s is a family and veteran run business nestled in a state best known for its coffee, Washington. Founders Charles (C-Dub) and Allegra (Alli) Wilson come from 2 different planets but met in Seattle, Washington;
Charles being from North Carolina and Allegra from Vancouver, B.C. Canada,
they were always BBQing for friends and family with requests for the ribs, brisket, and baked beans.
LTH: Where did the name C-Dub’s BBQ come from?
C-Dub’s: Charles was called C-Dub while he was in the Army, C short for Charles, Dub short for W.
C-Dub's continues serving our country.
LTH: How did C-Dub’s get started?
C-Dub’s: (Alli provided our answer to this question) We started in such a crazy way, I still can’t believe where we are at today!I worked in HR/Payroll at Weyerhaeuser for 12 years, then got laid off, so I decided I would go back to school. I decided to go into Web Development, there I met a guy taking a Small Business Program that was geared towards Veterans. C-Dub is an Army Veteran, and we registered immediately! The funny thing is, I started doing it for my jewelry business! Then on a drive to class one day, we started talking about BBQing, and we said instead of my jewelry, let’s do our rub!
LTH: What helped you decide to go into the spice business?
C-Dub’s: It’s a long story, but whenever we went to parties, dinners, potlucks etc., people asked us to cook our ribs, brisket, pulled pork, baked beans etc. The one thing they all had in common was the spice mix we made. It was a quick start; we have only been in it 1.5 years so far. We knew someone who wanted to get a space at a local fair and we went in on it, and the rest is history. We literally bottled and labeled product the day the fair opened, and we got everything going in less than a week! It was a whirlwind! We did pretty well since no one had a clue to who we were. In two weeks we hot a really good customer base, and we have been building on it since.
Some of C-Dub's famous ribs!!! Nice!!!
Some great looking brisket from C-Dub's
LTH: What are some of your long term goals for C-Dub’s BBQ?
C-Dub’s: We would love to get our rubs into more retail locations as well as restaurants. We would like to work on expanding the line to include a Sugar Free Rub and maybe one other flavor.Right now we have 3 Rubs, C-Dub’s Regular Rub, our VooDoo Rub and our Hot Wang. We would also love to focus more on cooking, but not necessarily a restaurant. At this time, Charles doesn’t want to commit the hours to a restaurant. He still wants to be able to compete and do all of the fun activities we do,like cooking for our Adopt a Unit. We have some ideas of how we want to move forward, but are keeping them under lock and key for now.
I know one short term goal for C-Dub’s BBQ, and that is getting onto season 3 of Pitmasters, please take a look at their audition video, I enjoyed it!!!
LTH: What are some of C-Dub’s BBQ recent achievements?
C-Dub’s: As far as recent, we have not cooked recently and keep missing deadlines to submit our rubs for awards. I would say the most recent achievements have been the ability to give back. We have an Adopt a Unit at Joint Base Lewis and McChord and, we cooked for our Unit when they arrived back from Afghanistan and Iraq. It was a great day! They loved the food and Charles felt great being able to reconnect as an Army Vet.
C-Dubs team, proudly serving it up for our Troops!!
Last year was our first year on the BBQ Circuit, and our best achievements were at the Canadian National BBQ Championship in Whistler BC (Alli’s college day stomping grounds!!) We won 4 awards, and it was only our 5th BBQ competition. We won:
1st Place Ribs
5th Place Chicken
4th King of the grill and New Cook
Alli showing off some awards!!
LTH: How would you describe your spices?
C-Dub’s: Our spices are all natural and organic. We use premium spices and process micro batches to insure top quality. We do not use salt as filler, so you are getting nothing but quality spices. We pride ourselves in the quality of our product.
LTH: What’s with the “Get Naked’ I see on your banners, and products? Is there a story behind that?
Charles, showing it off!!!
C-Dubs: Why yes Doug, there is a story behind the “Get Naked!” lol Where Charles comes from, when you order BBQ you say you want it Naked….no sauce….we feel that if you have a good enough BBQ Rub you don’t need sauce—so…..Get Naked!!! Sometimes to use sauce it’s to cover up a mistake, but we know there are good sauces out there, so we don’t want to offend anyone…it’s just our preference. However, we have conformed for competitions, where we also make sauces for turn-ins. We have also had an overwhelming request to bottle our rib sauce, so who knows what the future brings!!!
LTH: I plan on doing a review of your products in an upcoming blog, but do you have any recommendations on how to use your rubs?
C-Dubs: We have had our products used in a wide range other than BBQ. We use our rubs on our competition meats as well as home cooking; we like it best on Ribs and Chicken. It’s great on baking and grilling meats as well. Both our Regular and VooDoo work great on Steaks, Tilapia, Roasted Chicken, Roasted Vegetables, add a little zest to Macaroni and Cheese, Soups and a great snack on Popcorn. The Hot Wang is a very hot blend that can be used, of course, on Wings, but also in any of the ways above, it just depends on you tolerance to heat. Alli uses it in Chicken Soup, when she feels sick, it helps to clear her up. It’s great to use in Spicy Asian type meals, users in Tennessee and Texas have been known to use Hot Wang on their steaks.
C-Dub's beauty, Da Mistress great looking pit!!!
LTH: Any special recipes to use with your rubs?
C-Dub’s: Hot Wings…it is so easy!!!
5lbs. of Chicken Wings
Marinate:
1 Can Coors Beer
1 tsp. Hot Wang
Marinate overnight, if possible.
Why Coors Beer you ask??? Someone left one behind at our house and we thought let’s use that to marinate instead of one of ours! lol……funny thing is we now specifically buy Coors to marinate our chicken. You can also use Italian dressing or white wine for a marinade.
Drain well after marinating and place wings in a large bowl with a good coating of the Hot Wang Rub. (Since Hot Wang is very spicy I would start with a small amount for your first time cooking and work up from there).
How you cook them is up to you, we have tried Grilling, Smoking and Baking. All turned out great! Just make sure you cook the chicken all the way through.
When we first came out with the Hot Wang we sent it to several people throughout Canada and the U.S. for testing. One of the packages made it to Big Wayner and he did his first blog on our Hot Wang. Visit Big Wayner’s blog here
C-Dub with Myron Mixon from Jack's Old South
C-Dub with Chad Ward of Whiskey Bent BBQ.
LTH: What has been one event or occurrence, since you have been involved with your company,that has stood out for you?
C-Dubs: I think being able to have our VooDoo Rub sponsor last year’s Smoke on the Water’s USA BBQ Championship in Vegas. We got to meet a lot of great people, and got our rub out to a larger market. Being from the NW, it is hard to break through to other areas where BBQ is huge.
Second we had a recent tragedy in the neighborhood where two little boys were murdered by their Father and their Mother was already “missing” . We were able to cook for the first responders who were on scene of such a horrible act of evil. Even though we cannot take the pain away from that day, we gave back the only way we knew how, which was BBQ.
LTH: Where are your products available for folks to buy them?
C-Dubs: They can pick up any of our products on our web-site, where we are running a special right now, a Combo Pack that includes all of our rubs in a 4oz. shaker size. We have it right now for $12, reg. $15. Please visit www.cdubsrub.com or get them on the Shop Now Tab on our C-Dubs Facebook page Click here for Facebook page
A HUGE thanks to Alli and C-Dub for a great interview, I really enjoyed working with them both here on Let’s Talk Hog. I hope we can work together one day on the competition scene. I know that C-Dubs BBQ will be competing in, THE AMC EXPERIENCE, the Academy of Country Music’s inaugural country lifestyle series of events, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 30 & 31, 2012 brought to you by Smoke on the Water Productions. This will be team C-Dubs BBQ first KCBS event, and I know they will be bringing their “A” game!!! If you find yourself in Vegas on these day’s, please stop in and see C-Dub and Alli, let them know Doug sent you!!!
Yea, I thought the same thing first time I heard of a WHITE BBQ SAUCE, what, are you kidding? I
thought, “this is something I will never try”, boy was I missing out.
White BBQ Sauce is really a specialty of the Northern Alabama region, it is very popular there, and
most folks love it on chicken. White BBQ sauce did not get much recognition in other areas till, Big
Bob Gibson popularized it with his award winning BBQ restaurant and competition team.
The first time I tried making this sauce, a couple of years ago, I was not sold. It was very harsh and
overpowering. I thought, after this attempt, that I was off the sauce for good, the White sauce that is. I
took a trip to Germany to change my mind. My Mother-in-Law Thelma, made a great meal, featuring a
spectacular Roast Beef, with a White Sauce, it was the highlight of the meal. I showed her my recipe
for my White BBQ Sauce, and she said, “hey that’s very close to my sauce.” Then I learned the
secret, you must let the sauce sit for at least 24 hours after making the sauce, it will “relax” a bit after
setting in the refrigerator.
I have been working on my sauce ever since, I don’t think my recipe was exactly the same as my
Mother-in-Law’s, but I think I have come up with one very close. I have tried this on Beef, Pork &
Chicken, and like it on all. I hope you will too.
¾ Cup Mayonnaise
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Sugar
1/8 Cup Vinegar, I used Apple Cider Vinegar
½ tsp Bandiola Spice, Barbecue Rub
½ tsp Black Pepper
Whisk all ingredients in a bowl, and let rest at least 24 hours before serving.
I’m not sure how many competition BBQ teams, also write their own blogs, and like to talk about BBQ in many aspects. I have read many, and enjoyed all. I felt that, since I have decided to start this blog, and I hope you chose to follow and enjoy reading it, that I should tell everyone a little about me.
I won’t go too far back, but I was born in a log cabin, pre Civil War era….OK, OK, let’s just start with the BBQ life. I guess the best way to do this is a little at a time, over a few blogs, I don’t want to put you folks asleep right away.
To start with, I have a BBQ competition team, Hogs Gone Wild BBQ, my team consist of, myself (Doug Francis), my Wife (Biggi Francis), I get many questions about her name, Biggi was born and raised in Germany, and Biggi is a very popular name there. Tim Wysocki is our team mate, we were very happy to have Tim join our team in October 2011.
Myself & Tim accepting a first place award a the 2011 FBA Sebring event!!!
Biggi building boxes, not happy about parcley right about now!!!
We have a lot of fun at our competitions, and have enjoyed meeting and making new friends.
I would like to use this site for, not only updating our team’s BBQ experiences, but all things related to BBQ competitions. I plan on having product reviews, I will be looking at products from a competition aspect, what will work, what will not work, and what will help you score with the judges. I also have plans to do BBQ teams spotlights, BBQ folks are some of the best people I have met, and I what you to get to know them as well.
Please continue to check back with us here to keep up with everything BBQ!!!
Very excited, I have made the decision to start my own blog. I plan to use this space to promote and report on BBQ and the wonderful people who are involved in competition BBQ and are taking BBQ to the next level. I truly believe BBQ is only as good as the fine folks who make it, and that is what I want to share with everyone.
I will be reporting on events, and what is new in the BBQ world, I am also open to doing product reviews, and promoting anything BBQ related. If you are interested in me trying out your product, please drop me a line, you can check out my web-site at http://www.HogsGoneWildBBQ.com or just send me an e-mail at hogsgonewildbbq@aol.com
Thanks to everyone for their support, and Let’s Talk Hog!!!!
