Bubba’s Southern Slaw Salad May 09 2017

This is the best slaw we’ve ever eaten! It’s crunchy, flavorful, creamy and refreshing. Serve it at your next BBQ or family gathering alongside Bubba’s Boneless Ribs or stacked atop Bubba’s Black Angus Beef Brisket Craft Burger.  Enjoy!

1 head green cabbage, finely shredded

2 large carrots, finely shredded

¾ cup best-quality mayonnaise

2 Tbsps sugar, or to taste

2 Tbsps white vinegar

2 tsps celery salt

salt

freshly ground pepper

Coaching Points

Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk all other ingredients in a medium bowl, and then add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine. Add more salt, pepper, or sugar, if desired.

Serves 8

Bubba’s Q Boneless Rib Salad April 20 2017

Bubba’s Q Easter Sliders April 03 2017

Looking for the perfect appetizer for your Easter brunch? These Bubba’s Boneless Sliders are perfect! Holidays can be tough when it comes to preparing meals that the whole family will love. Many times, we find that it’s best to go with classics that you know will win.  We’ve got the perfect suggestion: our Bubba’s Boneless Sliders. These sliders have our world famous Boneless Ribs sandwiched between brioche buns with coleslaw on top. Can you say YUM? 

Bubba’s Boneless Sliders

• A rack of Bubba’s Boneless Ribs
• Brioche buns
• Coleslaw
• Additions: lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, etc.

1.  Cook your Bubba’s Boneless Ribs according to the package directions (make sure to add our world-famous Bubba’s Bar-B-Q sauce to the ribs!)
2. Cut your ribs in to small squares and assemble them onto the brioche buns.
3. Add more Bubba’s Bar-B-Q sauce if desired to the top of the ribs.
4. Top that with coleslaw, close your bun, then face plant!

We hope that these sliders are the perfect addition to your Easter brunch and that you enjoy the day with your family!

Essential Bar-B-Q Grilling Tips March 24 2017

With the winter coming to a close and spring heating up, Bar-B-Q season is upon us! While Bar-B-Qing is for all, there is definitely some skill associated with whipping up a tasty meal on the grill. Check out these tips below to help guide you through the BBQ basics and make your cookout the best that it can be!

1. Get your grill HOT!

Preheating the grill is super important. About 15-20 minutes before you start cooking, make sure to turn on your grill. That way, your grill will reach the optimal cooking temperate before any food hits it. This will allow for less cooking time and a more even cooking experience.

2. Know your grill

Whether you have a charcoal or gas grill, it’s important to know what you’re working with. While gas grills take longer to set up initially, charcoal grills take longer to light each time you’re using them.

3. Oil it up

Even on the cleanest grill, oil is still necessary for cooking. Make sure to oil up your heated grill so that your food won’t stick! Grab a paper towel or napkin soaked in oil and rub it on your grill. If not hot, this can be done by hand, but if done heated, use tongs so that you don’t burn yourself.

4. Keep it safe

While many put safety on the back burner, it needs to be a top priority when grilling. For example, a few things to keep in mind are avoiding cross contamination between raw and cooked foods, refrigerating raw foods, and never spraying cooking oil on a hot grill. All of these things could result in dangerous accidents that are easily avoidable.

5. Marinating your meat

If you want to infuse your food with flavor, marinating it is a must! Marinating your meat for a few hours ahead of cooking really helps it to seal in the juices and keep your products tasting great.

6. Rest your meat

While it’s so tempting to eat right away, letting your meat rest for about 5-10 minutes after it is done cooking. This helps the juices to evenly distribute and keeps your meat tender and juicy.

7. Cook with high quality products

When grilling, it’s important to get high quality cuts of meat so that you can guarantee a delicious experience. Our Bubba’s Q Ribs and burgers are perfect for cooking on the grill if we do say so ourselves!

We hope that you enjoyed the Bar-B-Q tips above and that they come in handy at your next cook out!

5 Best Alcohol & Bar-B-Q Pairings March 08 2017

Some say that the best pairings bring out the best in one another. In this case, that holds true. Bar-B-Q food is a classic and is best when kept simple. These alcohol pairings are the same way. Below, we’ve laid out our favorite drinks that intertwine perfectly with your southern inspired BBQ. Try out these simple boozy Bar-B-Q pairings to take your average cook-out to the next level.

Beer

• While certain beers may work better with certain sauces, beer is a great pairing for any BBQ meal. Cold, refreshing, and hoppy; beer will be your go-to when having a Bar-B-Q. 

Red wine

• Red wine has been known to pair perfectly with meat. The smoky and savory texture of the meat tastes amazing with the rich character associated with red wine grapes.

Bourbon

• Bourbon is from the south, and so is Bar-B-Q! These two southern delicacies go hand in hand. Bourbon’s rich taste is something that a BBQ can’t live without.

Rosé

• Rosé is sweet, light, and incredibly delicious. Though at first you wouldn’t think to pair it with Bar-B-Q, we can promise it tastes amazing. It’s light texture and taste are a lovely compliment to meaty, hearty flavors.

Whiskey

• Grab a classic glass of Jack Daniels and pair it with your favorite rack of ribs (Bubbas Boneless Bar-B-Q ribs, anyone?). Tennessee whiskey is naturally smooth with hints of caramel and sweetness. It tastes amazing when paired with BBQ food, or even in your favorite BBQ sauce.

Bubba’s BBQ Chili February 27 2017

Savory, spicy, smoky, and incredibly delicious, this chili is all of the above. Spice up your traditional chili recipe with this BBQ Chili! Chili is a traditional comfort food and is something that is loved by all. Though warm recipes may seem reserved for the winter months, this is a dish that’s great all year around. It’s the best side for Bubba’s Q Boneless Ribs and works as a perfect piece in a summer BBQ. The best news? This recipe doesn’t take long to come together and will be a hit with the entire family. Give it a try & let us know how you like it. Also, please let us know if you have a family chili recipe that we should try. Enjoy!

Bubba’s BBQ Chili 

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 tsp. chili powder feel free to add more if you like things on the spicier side
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. cumin
• 1 T. brown sugar
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 4 (16 oz.) cans chili beans
• ¾ picante sauce
• ¾ cup of Bubba’s Q barbecue sauce

1. Sauté onion in a large pot in 2 Tbsp. of oil.  
2. Add ground beef and minced garlic. Add in the chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes.
3. Mix and cook covered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is totally cooked.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and beans.
5. Add any additional chili powder and/or red pepper flakes to taste.
6. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or more.
7. Let simmer for up to 2 hours or as long as you can wait! The longer it sits, the yummier it gets. It’s great the next day and the day after, too!
8. Serve with your choice of toppings on top. We like sour cream, shredded cheese, and some Bubbas Boneless Ribs.

Meat-a-Palooza Giveaway November 03 2016

Meat lovers! We've partnered with our friends Three Jerks Jerky and Rastelli Market Fresh for a giveaway like no other. Enter today to win a $1,000 Meaty Mega Medley of all your favorite meats: http://bit.ly/2fetHhE

Ultimate BBQ Giveaway September 22 2016

Shark Tank’s Blog for Bubba Q Boneless Baby Back Ribs December 04 2013

Please visit the Shark Tank Blog for information about the show.

Shark Tank Blog

Below is a preview from the site:

Boneless Ribs – Bubba’s Q

December 3, 2013 by Rob Merlino

Former NFL defensive Rookie of the Year Al “Bubba” Baker took to the kitchen when he retired from football and he’s cooking up some of his famous “patented” boneless ribs in the Shark Tank in episode 512. Al’s been making award-winning barbecue in Cleveland since he retired from the Cleveland Browns. Barbecue is in his blood: his family owns Jenkins Quality Barbecue in Jacksonville, Florida (there are three of them). My Jacksonville friends tell me the place is ridiculously good. Quality barbecue is one step closer to heaven: if you haven’t had good barbecue, you haven’t really lived!

It was Baker’s wife, Sabrina, who was the inspiration for Bubba’s boneless ribs. When he brought her to the family restaurant in Jacksonville for the first time, she said ribs were “too messy.” That didn’t exactly endear her to Baker’s family, but luckily, Mr. Baker overlooked her one “shortcoming” and kept her around. She runs the business end of Bubba’s Q while Al mans the kitchen.

The thought of ribs being “too messy to eat” gnawed at Baker for years and he eventually patented his boneless ribs which eat like a steak, but are ALL RIB. He has a patent on the boneless ribs product and the process for de-boning them. They’ve been a restaurant staple for years, but Bubba’s got plans to go national. He recently began mass producing them at nearby Heinen’s Supermarkets’ production facility, but the boneless ribs are still a regional play. Baker wants the Sharks to take him national.

My Take on Boneless Ribs

I like ribs. We smoke them and barbecue them at home a lot. Everyone in my family begs me to cook them more often. While we don’t share Mrs. Baker’s disdain for the mess, I can see the convenience of eating boneless ribs with a knife and fork. You could actually eat Bubba’s boneless ribs in your Sunday best!

Do Sharks Eat Ribs?

Food products are always touch and go in the Shark Tank, but a good product can (and often does) attract Sharks and their money. The Sharks will like the fact that they can eat Bubba’s boneless ribs in their fancy Shark suits, but even if they’re off the wall good, Mr. Baker better know his numbers. Margins are tight in the food business and the Sharks will disregard him if he doesn’t have his figures and valuation in order.

The one thing that will intrigue the Sharks is his patents. It’s very rare that FOOD gets patented, so boneless ribs are, and will continue to be, unique to Bubba’s. Bubba also sells his “famous” barbecue sauce, which could be a nice add-on product in the Sharks’ minds.

I don’t think Lori will go for this; she’s invested in food products before, but her comfort zone is products with mass appeal that she can sell on TV. She’ll like the ribs, but she’ll take a pass. Any of the other Sharks could go for Bubba’s. Mr. Wonderful will likely try his increasingly tiresome “royalty offer,” but Baker won’t go for that.

Robert may offer something, so might Mark, but I think Daymond goes in on Bubba’s boneless ribs. In the promo that aired after the last show, he has a sound bite where he says “let’s de-bone this pig!” It looked like he was excited about something and I think that something is the boneless ribs. He’ll like that he won’t have to mess up his fancy suits while eating barbecue! I think Daymond gets into the boneless ribs business. I’m ALL IN too, with a rack of boneless ribs, a side of slaw, and some sweet potato fries. And please pass the sauce!

If ‘Shark Tank’ rewards Al ‘Bubba’ Baker with a backer, it’ll be a win as sweet as his barbecue sauce December 04 2013

Originally posted on Cleveland.com

AVON, Ohio — Al Baker is a man who’s used to long shots. When he appears on ABC-TV’s prime time program “Shark Tank” at 9 p.m. Friday (on Cleveland’s WEWS-TV-5), the former Cleveland Browns player knows that his shot at a chance to get financial backing from one of the nation’s wealthiest investors could be the longest shot of all.

“I have never been so nervous in my life,” he says flatly.

Baker’s appearance on “Shark Tank” is aimed at more than just grabbing a national spotlight for his patented invention: Bubba’s Q De-Boned baby back rib steaks. His goal is to garner the attention — and financial backing — of one of the show’s deep-pocket stars. Among the show’s investor “sharks” are Mark Cuban, billionaire owner of the NBA championship Dallas Mavericks; Barbara Corcharan, New York City real estate tycoon; Daymond John, founder of FUBU clothing; Kevin O’Leary, venture capitalist, and Lori Greiner, the “Queen of QVC.”

The former NFL star attributes his nerves to all the hoops he’s had to jump through in order to make it onto the popular reality show. You’d think he had already faced every possible adversary, both on the playing field and throughout a long run as a restaurant owner. Bubba’s Q’ World Famous Bar-B-Q & Catering, originally located in Cleveland’s Shaker Square before moving to Avon, turns 20 in May.

And it’s not like he hasn’t overcome plenty of other hurdles over his lifetime.

As a kid growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, eventually gaining the nickname “Bubba,” he could only dream of life as a football player. Let alone landing a career that spanned 13 seasons as a defensive lineman on National Football League teams. Let alone recognition as Defensive Rookie of the Year. Much less multiple trips to the Pro Bowl. Or an MVP award from the Detroit Lions. Or his final years on the playing field, wearing Cleveland Browns colors. Or becoming a role model and an icon.

And then a chef.

“Man, I could scarcely have dreamed all this,” says Baker, who turns 57 on Monday.

On the eve of making his network television debut — in a venue quite different from his lifelong career – Baker marvels over a life that’s is very much a tapestry of blessings and breaks.

Maybe the first break came in the form of family. Baker comes from the family that runs Jacksonville’s much-loved Jenkins Quality Barbecue, with three locations in the Bold New City of the South. Sweet, smokey hot sauce runs in his blood.

Indeed, it was a trip back to Jacksonville — to introduce his then bride-to-be, Sabrina, to his family — that took Baker on the winding road that led him to the Sony Pictures Television lot in Southern California.

In the past, Baker has obliquely referred to his boneless baby backs as a creation born of convenience. Much as people love a good slab, they don’t like to eat them in restaurants.

But this past weekend, the 6-foot-eight-inch former player came clean on how the concept really came into being.

“I took Sabrina to meet my family, at Jenkins Quality,” Baker recalls. “Well, as soon as we sat down, they started bringing food out, setting all these platters and plates in front of Sabrina.

“Well, she just sat there, looking at everything, and then she opened her mouth. ‘Oh, no, no, no — I don’t eat all this. Ribs are too, too messy.’

“And all of a sudden like, the room got REALLY quiet,” Baker recalls. Though he describes himself as a deeply religious man, he felt the buckles of his faith strain mightily.

“About 17 people stopped what they were doing and just looked at me, and stared at her, and back at me. And I sat there thinking ‘Oh, Lord, please, please, quiet this woman, right NOW.’ ”

(To this day, Baker adds, “Some of them will still ask me, ‘You still with that Sabrina girl, the one who don’t eat no ribs?”)

He is, of course. She owns Bubba’s Q, handling the business end of things while Al Baker and his daughter, Brittani Bo Baker, handle the cooking and the recently formed subsidiary food company, Queen Ann Inc., named for Baker’s mother — “she’s Ann, the queen” — and grandmother, Annabelle.

The vivid reality of how some diners view spare ribs never left Baker.

“They’re messy, they’re time-consuming, and you throw the bones away,” is how he sums up the downside,” he says. So Baker set about developing a process by which he could completely remove the bones from his delectable dry-rubbed and apple wood-smoked baby back pork ribs.

When he finally mastered the process, the challenges were only beginning. Though they became an innovative option on the Bubba’s Q’ menu, he envisioned an audience well beyond Northeast Ohio.

That’s when the long shots came like a meteor shower.

“They told me ‘you’re never going to get a patent on a food, that just doesn’t happen,’ but in 2010 I won the patent on the food product — then in 2011, on the process,” he says.

Even then, he required state or federally inspected production facilities in order to safely produce meat products. Tom and Jeff Heinen of Heinen’s Supermarkets agreed to allow him the use of their production plant — after hours and on weekends. Which meant crosstown drives from Avon to Warrensville Heights in the middle of the night to produce the smoked and fully cooked, Cryovac-wrapped, heat-and-eat rib steaks. And then leave the facilities spotless.

“In this business you have layer upon layer upon layer… and at every step you have to develop and secure customer acceptance and respect,” Baker says. “When you work with meat, you DON’T make mistakes. It’s too costly, in every respect.”

About a thousand hurdles later — product test-marketing in grocery stores, consultations with members of the business department faculty at Baldwin-Wallace University, working with idea incubator JumpStart Inc. — Baker and his daughter found themselves in a large room on the lot of Sony Pictures Television.

“At this ‘pre-pitch’ they [the 'Shark Tank' producers] told us: ‘Give yourselves a hand.’ You started out with 35,000 other small business people – then we paired it down to 12,000, and then fewer and few… and now there are 36 of you.

” ‘But Sony has us down, contracted, for 22 episodes. Meaning, about a dozen of you won’t be on the show.’

“And among the contestants it was no longer social, all of a sudden. Everybody realized that a lot of us are going home with nothing, not even an episode. And the producers are very matter of fact, telling us ‘even if we tape you, we may not air your episode; there could be some sort of news, a catastrophe, or the president may have a press conference…’

When “Shark Tank” producers notified him that they’d be visiting the Bakers at their home, their restaurant and other locations in the Avon area during early November, Bubba Baker was cautiously elated.

And when he got the call last week that his episode would indeed air — “I’m keeping my fingers crossed there’s no national emergency,” he laughs — he began to relax. Just a little.

“I AM sleeping, finally,” he says. “And whether you believe in this or not, at least in MY Bible there’s no passage where God led the Israelites to the river Jordan and said ‘OK, fellas, you’re on your own. Cross it yourself.’

“It’s not my talent. It’s not my skill level. Of course, my family and our workers have done so much. But this is called ‘Favor.’ It has nothing to do with my ability or influence. Just, after a lot of hard knocks, my God up there has said ‘I’ve brought you this far. Trust me.’ “

Bubba’s-Q in Avon to be on ABC’s Shark Tank December 02 2013

Thank you to “The Morning Journal” for a wonderful article about Al’s appearance on Shark Tank