Join Chef and Competitive BBQ Pitmaster Tuffy Stone June 4 – 8, 2017 for the second annual Back Deck Bourbon Barbeque. Coming off back-to-back Grand Champion wins at the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational, Tuffy will be sure to wow guests again this year.
*Tuffy Stone is looking forward to returning to this special event again this year.Those who attended the first annual event can attest, two things that go extremely well together are world-class BBQ fare and fine bourbon. And what better place to savour the best of both than the back deck of The Clubhouse.
* Back deck of The Clubhouse - perfect location for a barbeque.Following up on the popular success of The Ultimate Grill Showdown at North Island Lodge, the big smoke moves up to The Clubhouse for it's second annual in 2017. A privileged group of guests will have the opportunity to interact with two of the top names in the barbeque and bourbon world. The Yoder Smoker will be put to work to create a varied menu throughout the trip, which will feature appetizers, mains, side dishes and desserts to enthrall even the most discriminating tastes. Relax in an intimate setting over a nightly offering of fine Jack Daniel’s products, the pride of Lynchburg, Tennessee since 1866.
* Tuffy Stone Jr. and Jeff Hayes with Smoked Snake River Farms Wagyu Brisket Sliced to order served with Gentlemen Jack Barbecue Sauce & Smoked and Lacquered Chicken Thighs
* Smoked Snake River Farms Wagyu Brisket Sliced to order served with Gentlemen Jack Barbecue Sauce & Smoked and Lacquered Chicken Thighs
* Jack Daniels Brand Ambassador Gerry Jobe ready to serve up some Bourbon in 2016.There couldn’t be a more unique setting for this deep-south extravaganza than the northern-most reaches of Haida Gwaii. The Clubhouse deck overlooks Parry Pass, whose tide-swept waters separate the rugged shorelines of Graham and Langara Island. And as the summer solstice nears and daylight lingers into night, there is no better venue to enjoy a glass of premium bourbon, or a bourbon based cocktail, while a Yoder Smoker slowly teases the most delicate flavours from both land and sea.
* Smoke teasing the senses from the Yoder Smoker.
It’s sure to be smoking great time on the back deck June 4-8, but space is already limited, so call us TODAY to secure your spots at 1-888-432-6666 or click here to make an inquiry online.
Two things that go extremely well together are world-class BBQ fare and fine bourbon. And what better place to savour the best of both than the back deck of The Clubhouse, where a full house of discriminating BBQ and bourbon lovers gathered June 5-9 for the inaugural Back Deck Bourbon BBQ, presented by The West Coast Fishing Club, YETI Coolers, Woodford Reserve and of course, Jack Daniels. Following on the popular success of The Ultimate Grill Showdown at North Island Lodge, the big smoke moved up onto the bluffs overlooking Parry Pass the following week, where world-renowned pit-master Tuffy Stone headlined as guest chef, accompanied by brand ambassador Gerry Jobe from legendary Tennessee bourbon distillery, Jack Daniel’s.
* Jack Daniels Brand Ambassador Gerry Jobe ready to serve up some BourbonTuffy’s friend and cooking partner Jeff Hayes, both enthusiastic anglers, took their turns on the water under sunny skies on day one and did their first bit of business of the trip with Chinook Salmon as well as Halibut that were in great numbers throughout the month of June. Meanwhile The Clubhouse executive chef Shaun Snelling and his team were doing one of the many things they do extremely well and that was preparing an evening meal that reflected their inordinate skills and the finest ingredients from local lands and sea.
* Jeff Hayes, Jacob Richler and Tuffy Stone Jr take a quick photo by the YoderThe rest of the trip featured Tuffy and Jeff working the Napoleon Grill and Yoder Smoker to tease the most delicate flavours from select cuts of artisan-produced beef and pork. With help from The Clubhouse’s kitchen team, guests enjoyed a varied menu that enthralled even the most discriminating tastes, including that of well-known Canadian food writer Jacob Richler. When not tempted by endless offerings of unique appetizers, mains, side dishes and desserts (how about Honey Jack spiked Crème Brûlée?), guests relaxed over nightly offerings of fine Jack Daniel’s products, the pride of Lynchburg, Tennessee since 1866.
* Woodford Reserve along side Rambler Lowballs from YETI
* Full selection of spirits from Jack Daniels
* The Back Deck Bar setting for the tripNot surprisingly, space is already filling up fast for next year’s Back Deck Bourbon BBQ, scheduled for June 4-8. Read Canada’s 100 Best’s Editor in Chief, Jacob Richler’s day by day account of this year’s trip and give us a call to reserve your space today.
Day 1:BBQ, Bourbon and Jack Daniel’s go together better than you know. Yes, they taste good together. But more important, each October the historic Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Nashville, Tennessee, hosts one of the biggest events on America’s competitive barbecue circuit, the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational – more commonly referred to by BBQ cognoscenti as “The Jack.” Last year, for its 27th running, I got accredited as a member of the Kansas City BBQ Society to qualify as a judge, and selflessly munched my way through pound after pound of chicken, brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and untold sauce samples. The quality of the BBQ fielded by the 120-odd teams entered in the completion blew me away. But there could ultimately be only one overall winner. When all the ballots were counted that turned out to be one Tuffy Stone, and his “Cool Smoke” BBQ team from Richmond, Virginia. It was Tuffy’s second Jack and his fifth major championship. So, naturally, after the event I gave him a ring to see if he liked fishing. He loves it. Great news.
* Tuffy keeping close to the Yoder while his Brisket is being smoked
* Tuffy & Jeff preparing to slice the Double R Ranch BrisketFlash forward to the afternoon of Sunday, June 5, at The Clubhouse. Upon arrival I find the bearded, bespectacled, and very serious Tuffy Stone Jr. already changed into his gear, champing at the bit and ready to go. Not to cook – but to land his first Salmon.
* Jack Daniels Ambassador Gerry Jobe shows that he can make drinks and catch fish too!
* Patrick Doyle with a nice mid twenties ChinookDay 2:The honour of first Chinook actually went to Tuffy’s friend and cooking partner, Jeff Hayes, who spent the next six or seven hours on the water ribbing Tuffy mercilessly. Until the tables turned and roles were reversed. By the end of day 2 they had two Chinook each, and it was time to cook some championship brisket. Time for Tuffy and Jeff to cook brisket, anyway. For my part and for the rest of the fishermen it was time to take some sun on the Clubhouse deck, and pay a visit to Shaun Snelling’s oyster shucking station, while right alongside, Jack Daniel’s brand ambassador Gerry Jobe turned out some epic cocktails. A half-dozen oysters in, and in my second Woodford bourbon based-Manhattan Applewood Smoked #7 Old Fashioned. Greg Garske sauntered onto the scene, nursing a sore arm: he had just reeled in a 59 lb halibut off MacPherson Point on his Sage salmon rod, petrified the whole time that it would fracture. It didn’t. (nice work). Paulo Pessoa pulled in the day’s only Tyee – on the mark exactly at 30 lb. I just missed, with a 29 pounder.
* Paulo Passoa with his catch
* Guests watch closely as Gerry prepares another Smoked Apple Wood #7 Old FashionFish stories done, it was time for Shaun to quit the oyster station for the main kitchen, to finish the orders we had placed over our fish and chips lunch. I can vouch for pork belly and the succulent halibut. Tuffy was deeply impressed with his scallops.After dinner Tuffy and Jeff started work on their fatty USDA prime brisket, sourced from legendary stateside purveyor Snake River Farms. It took them well into the night and watching was quite a cooking lesson.
* Chefs Tuffy Stone Jr., Shaun Snelling and Jeff Hayes with the finished BrisketTo start, trim sides, square off the point. Trim all silver skin to expose the grain of the meat. Trim all fat from the deckle. Trim fat on the leaner muscle – the flat – down to a quarter inch. Sprinkle generously with rub, inject with brine every inch or so, add more rub – and put away overnight. Along with Tuffy’s trimmed chicken thighs, resting in his signature brine.Day 3:The fishing is at its best. I got a pair of my ideal-sized eating Chinook – at 20 and 20.5 lbs. Three Tyees were pulled in – and self-guided Greg Garske reeled in the biggest of them, at 39 lb. But it was brisket day, so Tuffy stayed on land at the side of the Clubhouse’s new state-of-the-art Yoder smoker, breaking it in, jumping up from his chair every 10 or 15 minutes to check the temperature. And now and then, to open it to have a look. Then, after the briskets had reached his target temperature, he wrapped them in foil, returned them to the cooker, swapped places with Jeff and headed out onto the water.
* Jeff Hayes and Jacob Richler double up while Tuffy is back at the lodge manning the YoderA Chinook, halibut and 2 ling later, Tuffy charges direct from the transporter straight through the Clubhouse without even removing his life jacket to be back with his meat. After 6 hours at 275°F exposed to the smoke, 3 or 4 wrapped in foil, and four hours of rest, they were finally ready. So were we, after a few more rounds of Gerry’s excellent patio bar-tending.
* Gerry Jobe offering up some cocktails on another beautiful evening at The Clubhouse
* Smoked Snake River Farms Wagyu Brisket Sliced to order served with Gentlemen Jack Barbecue Sauce & Smoked and Lacquered Chicken ThighsTuffy sets up a station at the pass of the Clubhouse kitchen, dons his fire engine red Cool Smoke team shirt, and gets slicing. Everyone in the Clubhouse jumps into line for a slice or two, and a couple of thighs of shiny-glazed smoky chicken.The brisket is sublime. Pull it between your fingers and it breaks apart in moist chunks, suffused with sweet Umami smoke. The sauce has smokiness and an addictive rumble of background heat. The chicken is moist, smoky and supple. I try to stop at two portions, but then have a third. Fishing is hard work, after all.
* Tuffy Stone Jr. and Jeff Hayes with Smoked Snake River Farms Wagyu Brisket Sliced to order served with Gentlemen Jack Barbecue Sauce & Smoked and Lacquered Chicken Thighs
* Guests enjoying a beautiful evening on the back deckDay 4:Back on the water Tuffy collects his fourth Chinook and second halibut, filling his license – at least, for the best stuff. Then it’s time to make ribs. “St. Louis cut spares,” Tuffy says, as we head back in from another fruitful day at the Fishbowl. St. Louis cut means side ribs, with the thick cartilaginous tops sawed off to make a big rack into a near perfect rectangle. It’s just gone two o’clock when Jeff and Tuffy get to work on them. They trim meat flap and silver skin from the back side, press down hard on the mat between the bones as if they were crimping some pastry, and then coat the ribs with salty rub, and let them sit for an hour.
* Jeff Hayes and Tuffy Stone Jr. with a chicken Halibut
* Tuffy Stone Jr. & Jeff Hayes prepping the ribs for Stations Night at The Clubhouse“Any longer and it’ll cure.,” Jeff explains., “We don’t want smoked ham on a stick.”
* Tuffy serving up his Smithfield St. Louis Style Ribs
* Chef Shaun's Venison Chop StationNo, we don’t – and it’s not what we get. Six hours later, after being smoked, spritzed, sprinkled with dehydrated onion flakes, wrapped, cooked some more, reheated on the grill, and brushed with Cool Smoke BBQ sauce, we get rib perfection – soft, succulent, pork that pulls from the bone with the gentlest tub.
* Crab & Prawn Raviolo stationAnd that’s just one station for the evening’s feed. The Jack Daniel’s bar is back, by popular demand. In the dining room there’s freshly made raviolis stuffed with crab and prawn, nestled on spring peas. At the pass, Executive Chef Shan Snelling is carving beautiful rare rib chops of venison – his huge spread of Southern-inspired sides anchored by corn bread. And for a finishing touch, Honey Jack spiked Crème brûlée.
* Matt's Oyster & Sambuca Prawn Station
* Fire Jack Creme BruleAnother great meal. And if much of the talk focused on Tuffy’s ribs, which we took to be porcine perfection, Tuffy summarily informed us that we were wrong. Genuinely perfect pork was going to have to wait for next year – when he plans to return and cook a whole, split 140 pound hog on an open fire of freshly made charcoal. Too bad my parting gift of Woodford Reserve won’t last till then.
* Woodford Reserve display a top the custom Jack Daniels Barrel
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