Shownotes
This episode delves into the intricacies of operating a barbecue business, as we engage in a candid dialogue with Rob Wirt, the proprietor of Ribs by Rob. He elucidates the considerable challenges he faces, particularly in securing a permanent location to offer his culinary services. The conversation transcends mere business discourse, venturing into personal anecdotes that reveal the lighter aspects of life intertwined with the barbecue profession. We examine various dimensions of barbecue culture, including the significance of brisket and the profound satisfaction derived from mastering this culinary art. As we navigate Rob's experiences and insights, we foster a deeper appreciation for the dedication and skill that accompany the craft of barbecue.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Painted Hills Natural Beef
- Ribs by Rob
- AC DC
- Motley Crue
- Blue Oyster Cult
- Bruce Springsteen
- Doobie Brothers
- Julia Child
- Bobby Flay
- Chris Lilly
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Transcripts
This is Barbecue Nation After Hours.
Speaker A:The conversation that took place after the show ended.
Speaker B:Hey, everybody, it's jt.
Speaker B:And this is a special version of Barbecue Nation.
Speaker B:It is brought to you in part by Painted Hills Natural Beef.
Speaker B:Beef you can be proud to serve your family and friends.
Speaker B:That's Painted Hills Natural Beef.
Speaker B:Hey, everybody.
Speaker B:Welcome to After Hours here on Barbecue Nation.
Speaker B:I'm JT along with Ms. Leanne Whippen.
Speaker B:And we've got Rob work today from Ribs by Rob.
Speaker B:And we are putting him.
Speaker B:Think of this as you're a law enforcement.
Speaker B:Think about this as an interrogation at this point forward.
Speaker B:Okay?
Speaker B:All right.
Speaker C:It might.
Speaker C:It kind of is like that.
Speaker B:It kind of is.
Speaker B:What have you found is the hardest thing about owning your own business?
Speaker B:We'll start with the easy ones.
Speaker A:Like I said earlier, just trying to find a spot to be able to provide my service of barbecue and.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Permanent spot.
Speaker C:You reasonable.
Speaker B:You obviously don't have full time employees yet.
Speaker B:If you give us that answer.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker B:When?
Speaker B:When?
Speaker B:Next time we talk to you and you have full time employees, then we'll talk about that.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:What is one thing you miss about your 20s?
Speaker B:I know you're only 31, but, you know, what's the one thing you miss about your 20s?
Speaker A:Oh, boy.
Speaker A:Being able to stay up late and get up early and get the job done at a reasonable pace.
Speaker B:Yeah, that is true.
Speaker C:That is true.
Speaker B:That is.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:I can't stay up that late anymore.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker C:I can if I.
Speaker C:If I.
Speaker C:If I know I'm able to sleep in.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:But I'm talking going to 3am and getting up and hitting the road by 6.
Speaker B:37.
Speaker B:I can't do that anymore now.
Speaker B:That's too tough.
Speaker A:Well, I'm on graveyards right now, and I get off Sunday at 7am and we'll have cooks on Sunday at starting at 10.
Speaker A:And so I'll hustle home, hook everything up, make sure everything's ready for travel, then we'll go cook till four and then I come home and just crash.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:I don't know how you do it.
Speaker C:I really don't.
Speaker C:That's.
Speaker B:So, Rob, if we, if we put your skills to music, what would the music be?
Speaker A:Probably a little.
Speaker A:Let's see here, a little AC DC with a little bit of country mixed in.
Speaker B:Yeah, that's my man.
Speaker B:I love that.
Speaker B:Speaking of that, what's the worst concert you ever attended?
Speaker A:Oh, it was last September.
Speaker A:Motley Crue in Las Vegas.
Speaker C:Really?
Speaker A:All the other bands were great, but Motley Crue was horrible.
Speaker C:That's disappointing.
Speaker C:I saw them when I was in college with Blue Oyster Cult, but that was back in the day when they were awesome.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker C:Did you see it in a small venue like Hard Rock or something like that?
Speaker A:No, it was in the big stadium.
Speaker C:So that even makes it.
Speaker C:Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker A:I think that was the main problem.
Speaker B:That's tough.
Speaker C:Good to know.
Speaker B:I went and saw Dave Mason, the Doobie Brothers, and wasn't Blue Oyster Cult, but it was another one like that.
Speaker B:I don't really remember.
Speaker B:I think the concert was good.
Speaker B:I was in college.
Speaker B:I was my sophomore year in college, so.
Speaker C:I thought you were gonna say it was your worst concert.
Speaker B:Well, I.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker B:It could have been.
Speaker B:Oh, hell, I don't know.
Speaker C:You know who I'm going to see tomorrow night?
Speaker C:Bruce Springsteen.
Speaker B:Are you really?
Speaker C:I'm a Jersey girl and I've never seen him, so.
Speaker C:Yeah, he's playing here in Florida.
Speaker A:Cool.
Speaker B:You want to hear my Bruce Springsteen story?
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:I took a date with another couple.
Speaker B:We drove to Tacoma to see Bruce Springsteen in the Tacoma Dome.
Speaker B:And my date fell asleep during a Bruce Springsteen concert.
Speaker C:I hope that's not going to happen anyway.
Speaker B:And my buddy Al turned around and goes, what in the hell is wrong with her?
Speaker B:I said, I don't know, but don't worry, you won't see her again.
Speaker B:And that was true.
Speaker B:That was true.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:Where's the worst place you've ever had to cook, Rob?
Speaker A:The worst place, I would say down at the state park.
Speaker A:They had a new festival, and it was just all grass and dust and everything got filthy.
Speaker A:Like, I got some carpets inside to, you know, help with dirt and stuff, and they were just.
Speaker A:It was like a jigsaw puzzle trying to get the tall grass out of the rugs afterwards.
Speaker A:But it was a great venue, but the conditions where we were were not the best.
Speaker B:Okay, fair enough.
Speaker B:If Leanne decreed you supreme ruler of barbecue for a couple of days and you get one decree that you can make, what would you rob as supreme ruler of barbecue?
Speaker B:Decree.
Speaker A:The brisket.
Speaker B:What about it?
Speaker C:Brisket.
Speaker B:That would be the official barbecue food.
Speaker B:Or what would that.
Speaker B:Yeah, okay.
Speaker C:Okay, that works.
Speaker B:On a scale of 1 to 10, how much barbecue do you and your family eat on a regular basis?
Speaker A:Me probably eight and a half.
Speaker A:My family, probably five.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:You might get over that someday.
Speaker B:I'm not sure.
Speaker A:Well, I just like to try different.
Speaker A:Every time I go out of town, I like to try something different just to see what they're about.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:Do you have a Favorite barbecue cookbook that you've looked at or read.
Speaker A:Not necessarily a cookbook, but YouTube.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker A:I do have Mr. Meathead in my drawer at work just in case I get a little extra reading time.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, He's.
Speaker B:He's a regular on the show, so.
Speaker C:Mr.
Speaker C:Scientist.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:It's very fascinating, though, if you do have the time and you almost have to take it little bits at a time, the book, because it's so intense to just keep reading it, reading it, it would be so overwhelming.
Speaker C:So it's kind of good.
Speaker C:You're doing bits by bits, you know?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, it's the number two selling cookbook, if you will, in that category of all time behind Julia Child.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:I thought it was number one in barbecue.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker B:It's number one in barbecue.
Speaker B:But in the overall category of cookbooks, it's number two behind Julia Has Bunches.
Speaker C:Because I. I have signed.
Speaker C:I collect signed cookbooks and I have signed Julia books because.
Speaker C:Well, I kind of sort of knew her, but my dad really knew her.
Speaker C:And which book was it?
Speaker B:Do you know the one with the art of French cooking or whatever?
Speaker C:Oh, okay.
Speaker C:I have that one.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Cool.
Speaker B:First one.
Speaker C:That's quite the accolade, though.
Speaker B:Yeah, it is.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker B:Okay, Rob, back to you.
Speaker B:Would you describe yourself as corn fed or grass fed?
Speaker A:Definitely.
Speaker A:Probably corn fed.
Speaker B:Attaboy.
Speaker B:Boxers or briefs?
Speaker A:Boxer briefs.
Speaker C:Okay, you know what?
Speaker C:That's been the.
Speaker C:That has been everyone's answer.
Speaker C:So I guess that's it.
Speaker A:That's not too tight, but not too loose.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker C:That's the thing.
Speaker C:I. Yeah, no comment.
Speaker B:We have.
Speaker B:We haven't had anybody.
Speaker B:Have we had anybody say, like, Fong or anything like that?
Speaker B:No.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker C:Because you don't give it as a choice.
Speaker C:Maybe if you gave it as a choice, but no.
Speaker B:Okay, I'll add it to the list.
Speaker C:You can add it to the list.
Speaker C:There you go.
Speaker C:Get yourself into trouble again.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Do you have a favorite movie?
Speaker A:I do.
Speaker A:It's Wild Hogs.
Speaker B:Wild Hogs.
Speaker B:There you go.
Speaker C:What's Wild Hogs?
Speaker A:What?
Speaker B:What?
Speaker C:What is Wild Hogs?
Speaker A:Interview's over.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:John Travolta.
Speaker A:Yeah, we have the little.
Speaker C:John Travolta.
Speaker B:John Travolta, Tim Allen, William.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Oh, shit.
Speaker A:A little motorcycle group and they take a trip to the West Coast.
Speaker C:I have not seen it.
Speaker B:You will laugh, I guarantee you.
Speaker C:Good, I'm glad I have.
Speaker C:I will put it on my to do list.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Captain and Tenille, Allman Brothers, acdc, Dire Straits or Billy Ray Cyrus?
Speaker A:ACDC Attaboy.
Speaker B:Attaboy.
Speaker B:I like that.
Speaker B:Have you ever cooked in a thunderstorm in your underwear?
Speaker A:Not that I remember.
Speaker C:That's good.
Speaker B:So there's a question mark behind that.
Speaker A:You just.
Speaker C:Well, he doesn't remember, so he doesn't know.
Speaker B:I know, but I'm just trying to get the context.
Speaker A:Next thunderstorm.
Speaker A:I will get down to my underwear and cook now, though.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:That way when we ask you next.
Speaker C:Time, you can say yes.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:If you.
Speaker B:If you say yes, you're in good company.
Speaker B:With Chris Lilly.
Speaker C:With Chris Lilly.
Speaker C:Because he has achieved that.
Speaker B:Yeah, he has done it.
Speaker C:Wasn't Tuffy on the fence?
Speaker C:I think he kind of.
Speaker B:Yeah, I think he hedged.
Speaker C:He hedged.
Speaker C:Yeah, I think something.
Speaker B:Yeah, he hedged.
Speaker B:What, Barbara?
Speaker B:What.
Speaker B:What barbecue skill took you the longest to master?
Speaker A:I'm gonna go back to the good old brisket.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So part of that would be the trimming or with just the seasoning or the cook time or the whole deal.
Speaker A:Just the.
Speaker A:All around.
Speaker A:Just getting it to the point where it's.
Speaker A:Well, when I first started edible and it wasn't like I got it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Just making it to where people want to come back for more.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:If you could cook with one of your barbecue heroes, who would it be?
Speaker A:Leon Whippen.
Speaker C:Oh, you know what, Jeff?
Speaker C:I want to.
Speaker C:I want to remove that question from the after hours because I feel like you're setting them up and like.
Speaker C:And if they don't say me, they're going to be in deep trouble.
Speaker C:But I appreciate that a lot.
Speaker C:Well, we'll cook together when I come to Oregon.
Speaker C:How about that?
Speaker A:Nice.
Speaker A:Probably Bobby Flay.
Speaker C:Yeah, Bobby Flay is cool.
Speaker C:He's a good.
Speaker C:He's very good at what he does.
Speaker B:You know, she whipped his ass.
Speaker C:I did nice in the throwdown.
Speaker C:Way back in the day, I cooked on an Oklahoma Joe and I beat him in a.
Speaker C:In a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw.
Speaker C:You know, he was trying to change it up his slaw and they had KCBS judges there.
Speaker C:But, yeah, I prevailed.
Speaker C:I was very happy.
Speaker C:And I'd never even seen a throwdown before, so I guess that was good.
Speaker C:But he is phenomenal.
Speaker B:So, Rob, if you could have dinner with one historical figure from the past, well, it could be present day, too, if you consider anybody historical figures.
Speaker B:But if you could have dinner with one, who would it be and what would the menu be?
Speaker B:And you can't say brisket.
Speaker A:No, we just use that too much today.
Speaker A:I would probably say Pele.
Speaker A:The old.
Speaker A:He just passed Away.
Speaker C:Oh, the soccer dude.
Speaker A:Yeah, I played soccer.
Speaker A:We were state champs back when I was 13 years old in battleground Washington.
Speaker A:And he had a movie out and I watched that a dozen times and.
Speaker A:And I would probably say just good old hamburgers on the grill.
Speaker B:He probably would have liked that.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:If you were to give some advice to somebody starting out trying to do what you're doing, what would it be?
Speaker A:Don't be overzealous.
Speaker A:Don't go out there saying you're the best barbecue around because there's going to be somebody better.
Speaker A:And just work and strive to do the best that you can.
Speaker B:Okay, very good.
Speaker B:Last question, Buddy, what do you want to do if and when you ever retire?
Speaker A:I'd actually like to purchase a nice fifth wheel and a newer truck and go around the country and be a camp host and get my space paid for and be able to see the country on.
Speaker A:On their dime.
Speaker B:There you go.
Speaker C:That's very nice.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:That's probably one of the most sincere answers we've had.
Speaker C:I agree.
Speaker B:Yeah, we really have, Rob.
Speaker C:Everyone's sincere, but it's everybody.
Speaker C:90% of them want to do.
Speaker C:What I want to do too is.
Speaker B:Travel, you know, and you like to.
Speaker B:You want to go fishing?
Speaker C:Fish and fishing must be included in the travel.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:See, we could take her down there, we could run her up to a Waco and go do a salmon trip with when she.
Speaker C:That's what I have to do because I haven't done that kind of fishing before, so.
Speaker A:Well, try third week of August if you can make it.
Speaker A:I can get it set up for us on a fishing guide out of Hammond here.
Speaker B:There you go.
Speaker C:Third week of August.
Speaker C:Says I'm jotting this down very quickly.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:I would, I really want to see what she would do if she hooked like a 35 pound Chinook, you know, a hog, so to speak.
Speaker C:35 pound is tough.
Speaker C:I mean, I've caught 100 pound Marlins and some big sailfish in my day and they're fighters.
Speaker C:But, you know, you're on boats, do you get like a chair to sit in?
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:Or a beer cooler, something like that.
Speaker B:You could do that anyway.
Speaker B:Rob Wirt, proprietor of Ribs by Rob down in Warrenton on the Oregon coast.
Speaker B:Thank you and we wish you the best of luck, buddy.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:Appreciate it.
Speaker A:It's been fun, guys.
Speaker B:No problem.
Speaker C:Thank you so much for your time and we will check in with you down at a later time and see how you're doing and how you're growing and if you moved into your new spot.
Speaker A:Sounds good.
Speaker A:I look forward to it.
Speaker B:Yeah, it'll be fun.
Speaker B:If anything.
Speaker B:I guarantee it'll be fun.
Speaker B:We're going to get out of here.
Speaker B:We're going to be back next week with another edition of Barbecue Nation.
Speaker B:And after hours until then for Rob and Leanne.
Speaker B:I hope you all have a great week.
Speaker B:Remember our Mott.
Speaker B:Burn it, don't burn it.
