Richard Fergola - Fergolicious BBQ - Afterhours ENCORE
Join us for a lively conversation with Rich Fragola from Burgerlicious Barbecue as he dives into the world of competitive barbecuing. Rich shares his insights on the evolving barbecue scene, including the hottest new tools like the brisket caddy that has gained popularity among competitors. The discussion takes a humorous turn as Rich recounts his experiences in the kitchen, including cooking for barbecue legends and even a memorable mishap involving a missed turn-in at a competition. With a blend of personal anecdotes and industry wisdom, Rich emphasizes the importance of community in barbecue and the joy of bringing people together through food. Tune in for tips, laughs, and a look at what it takes to succeed in the competitive barbecue circuit.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Painted Hills Natural Beef
- Burgerlicious Barbecue
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Transcript
This is Barbecue Nation After Hours.
Host:The conversation that took place after the show ended.
Host:Hey, everybody, it's jt and this is a special version of Barbecue Nation.
Host:It is brought to you in part by Painted Hills Natural Beef.
Host:Beef you can be proud to serve your family and friends.
Host:That's Painted Hills Natural Beef.
Host:Hey, everybody.
Host:Welcome to After Hours here on the Nation.
Host:This is the part of the show where Leanne swears.
Host:No, she doesn't.
Host:I think I've only heard her say something as strong as Shucky darns in my.
Host:In my association with her.
Host:But we've got Rich Fragola here from Burgerlicious Barbecue, and he's going to jump in and do the lightning round with us.
Host:How about that?
Host:Are you ready, Rich?
Rich Fragola:I'm ready.
Host:You sure?
Host:Mm.
Host:Okay, here we go.
Rich Fragola:I'm always ready.
Host:We'll start off with more of a serious type thing here.
Host:What would you say your success to failure ratio is when creating a new seasoning, a new dish, a new method for what you're going to do in comps?
Rich Fragola:I would probably say that at the beginning, it was probably a pretty low, like, more failure than it was success.
Rich Fragola:I think now at this level, I know exactly what I'm looking for.
Rich Fragola:I would compare what your question is to me when I go shopping.
Rich Fragola:Like, when I go shopping, I know exactly what I want, I know exactly where it is, and I know how to get it.
Rich Fragola:That's how I am now when it comes to doing those kind of things.
Rich Fragola:I know exactly what I'm looking for, and I can make it happen pretty quick.
Host:Right.
Host:Okay.
Host:If you started your career all over again, would you do anything different?
Rich Fragola:I don't.
Rich Fragola:I don't think I would.
Rich Fragola:I mean, I think we are what we are today because of how we started.
Rich Fragola:You know, we went through the fire, went through the trials and tribulations, and I think it definitely helped us get to where we are now.
Host:There you go.
Host:If you could cook for, then dine with a historical figure, who would it be?
Rich Fragola:Cook for and dine with?
Host:Yeah, you're gonna make a dinner.
Host:You're gonna make them dinner.
Host:A historical figure.
Host:And what would the menu be, by the way?
Rich Fragola:Holy crap.
Rich Fragola:Well, I kind of feel like I kind of already did it.
Rich Fragola:Johnny Trigg is kind of was always kind of a guy that I looked up to, and.
Rich Fragola:And we did the Barbecue League Big 12 thing together that Leanne did with us this year.
Rich Fragola:A few years ago, I got to make him pork briskets, which he had never had.
Rich Fragola:Here's a guy From Texas, who.
Rich Fragola:First of all, they don't do a lot of pork in Texas.
Rich Fragola:And then when I said pork brisket, his ears perked up, and he was like, what is this?
Rich Fragola:And so I literally cooked it in front of him and then made him a pork brisket taco.
Rich Fragola:And he thought it was.
Rich Fragola:He thought it was awesome.
Rich Fragola:So I think I've kind of accomplished that one.
Host:There you go.
Host:That's great.
Rich Fragola:And dine with.
Rich Fragola:Well, I dined with Leanne last year at the Golden Ox here in April.
Host:That was fun.
Rich Fragola:There we go.
Host:There you go.
Host:What is the.
Host:If you'll allow the term, hottest new thing that you've seen out there that help people in competition?
Host:I'll give you an example.
Host:You know, thermometers, digital thermometers, have come a long way, especially in the last, like, five years.
Host:So, you know, maybe it's a tool or a piece of equipment.
Host:Maybe it's a new temperature change.
Host:You know, that's up to you, but give us your insight on that.
Rich Fragola:I think the thing that I've seen probably out there, that's being used a lot right now, that's a new thing.
Rich Fragola:I don't personally use one, but they have this thing called a brisket caddy, and you actually put your brisket flat inside of it to keep it all together and cook straight.
Rich Fragola:And there's.
Rich Fragola:There's several different versions of them out there.
Rich Fragola:But that's kind of been a thing that's been really popular over the last year and a half.
Rich Fragola:I have.
Rich Fragola:Like I said, I don't use one.
Rich Fragola:I haven't tried one, but I do see a lot of people using that in competition.
Rich Fragola:Barbecue.
Host:There you go.
Host:Have you ever smoked a penguin?
Rich Fragola:No.
Host:Okay, good.
Host:That'd be some chewy stuff, I'm afraid, right there.
Rich Fragola:If you have some people after me.
Host:Yeah, you could.
Host:If you could work with one of your barbecue heroes outside of Leanne, like, for a weekend, just hang with him and do stuff.
Host:Who would that be?
Rich Fragola:Well, like I said, I earlier in the interview, we used to watch barbecue Pitmasters all the time.
Rich Fragola:And of course, you know, that was early years with Leanne and Johnny and Tuffy and Myron.
Rich Fragola:And I've been fortunate enough in my career to cook and be with all those people, so it's been awesome.
Rich Fragola:I got to cook with Johnny.
Rich Fragola:I mean, at this year's Memphis in May, I actually had Tuffy Stone walk up to me with a younger kid and ask me to autograph this kid's shirt.
Rich Fragola:So that kind of blew My mind a little bit when I had Tuffy Stone asking me to do that.
Rich Fragola:I mean, it was just, you know, admiring.
Rich Fragola:I cook on his smokers.
Rich Fragola:I've been.
Rich Fragola:I've been to his plants.
Rich Fragola:I've been to his house.
Rich Fragola: o this game around, you know,: Rich Fragola:So I just, like I said, I've been blessed to be able to do things with every one of them, so.
Rich Fragola:And including Mo, too.
Rich Fragola:So I think that entire cast of the first season of Barbecue Pitmasters I've got to cook with multiple times.
Host:There you go.
Host:If you were declared supreme ruler of barbecue for a week, what would you decree as supreme ruler of barbecue?
Rich Fragola:Man, everybody.
Rich Fragola:Love everybody.
Rich Fragola:Like Jackie Moon from Semi Pro.
Rich Fragola:I think barbecue has gotten to a point where, I mean, it's pretty serious game, you know, And I think there's sometimes some people out there take it too seriously.
Rich Fragola:I just think I'd figure out a way to get everybody together.
Rich Fragola:That's kind of my thing is with barbecue is I do a good luck shot on Saturdays at 9:22, and that's my favorite time at a contest because I get to see everybody in one spot and I get to high five everybody.
Rich Fragola:And I just would try to decree or figure out some way to have more of that happening.
Host:There you go.
Host:What's your least favorite food to cook?
Host:It doesn't have to be for comp, either.
Host:It's just anything.
Rich Fragola:My wife made me smoke cauliflower and brussels sprouts once, and I wrapped the brussels sprouts and bacon just to get rid of that horrible smell.
Rich Fragola:And the cauliflower.
Rich Fragola:I hit it with one of my rubs.
Rich Fragola:I didn't eat either one of them, but, yeah, that wasn't my favorite.
Host:They probably look good, though.
Rich Fragola:They look great.
Rich Fragola:Yeah.
Host:Yeah.
Host:Do you remember the first thing that you ever grilled or smoked?
Rich Fragola:It was rib, and it was terrible.
Host:Okay.
Host:All right.
Host:That's an answer we get fairly often.
Host:Yeah.
Host:Yeah, fairly often.
Host:If we could put your skills to music and Leanne could be your background singer, what music would it be?
Rich Fragola:Oh, it would have to be frugalicious.
Host:Okay.
Host:Okay.
Host:If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?
Rich Fragola:I would probably.
Rich Fragola:I mean, I'm born in August.
Rich Fragola:I'm a Leo, so I would have to say I'm a lion.
Rich Fragola:I don't know.
Rich Fragola:I'm pretty aggressive.
Rich Fragola:I'm.
Rich Fragola:I'm pretty.
Rich Fragola:I'm pretty pushy.
Rich Fragola:And persistent.
Rich Fragola:And I try to, you know, try to be the best.
Rich Fragola:I try to be the king of the jungle.
Rich Fragola:So that's.
Rich Fragola:I think that's where my Leo.
Rich Fragola:My Leo attitude comes out.
Host:There you go.
Host:What does a fantasy day look like for Rich Fragola?
Rich Fragola:A fantasy day?
Host:Yeah.
Host:You can do anything you want.
Host:But remember, this is a family show, so.
Rich Fragola:Oh, I got you.
Rich Fragola:I got you.
Rich Fragola:My wife and family and I on a beach somewhere where I don't have to cook, and somebody's making us food and bringing us drinks, and we don't have to worry about anything.
Rich Fragola:It's all done for us.
Rich Fragola:That would be fantastic.
Host:There you go.
Host:Where's the worst place you ever had to cook, Rich?
Host:Worst place.
Rich Fragola:The worst place I've ever had to cook.
Host:Yeah.
Rich Fragola:Wow.
Rich Fragola:Man.
Rich Fragola:I don't know if there's a particular place.
Rich Fragola:I mean, I've cooked in some pretty bad weather before.
Rich Fragola:I've cooked in potential tornadoes and snow and those kind of things.
Rich Fragola:But I don't know if.
Rich Fragola:I mean, every place that I've cooked has always been fine.
Rich Fragola:I've never really complained about a place when I left.
Host:All right, we're gonna stack you up against Chris Lilly on this question.
Host:Have you ever cooked in the snow?
Host:Your underwear?
Rich Fragola:Well, I can say this.
Rich Fragola:I have cooked in a contest in the snow, and I was in the trailer changing my clothes.
Rich Fragola:So at one point, I was in my underwear.
Host:That's a little.
Host:Judges, do we get an answer on that?
Host:Yeah, we'll give it to them.
Host:We'll give it to them.
Host:If you could.
Host:If you could erase one mistake from your past, what would it be and why?
Host:But if there's any pending litigation, you don't have to talk about it.
Rich Fragola:I could erase one mistake in my life.
Rich Fragola:And why, man, I've made a lot of them.
Rich Fragola:I've made a ton of them.
Rich Fragola:Boy, I don't know.
Rich Fragola:I don't even know how to answer that one.
Rich Fragola:There's so many answers.
Rich Fragola:There could be.
Host:Okay.
Rich Fragola:Yeah.
Rich Fragola:I just don't even know where to begin on that one.
Rich Fragola:That's.
Rich Fragola:That's the thing about learning, man.
Rich Fragola:You make a lot.
Rich Fragola:You make a lot of mistakes.
Rich Fragola:You learn from them.
Host:Well, you always have the option on this show to play or pass, so it's okay.
Rich Fragola:Okay.
Host:You'Re on death row.
Host:What would your last meal be?
Rich Fragola:On death row, what would my last meal be?
Rich Fragola:I would probably have to say probably tacos.
Rich Fragola:Wow.
Rich Fragola:My wife sitting here next to me, and she said tacos before I said it.
Rich Fragola:Wow.
Host:Okay.
Host:Sweatshirts or formal wear?
Rich Fragola:Sweatshirts.
Host:Okay.
Host:Boxers or briefs?
Rich Fragola:Boxers.
Host:Okay.
Host:Would you describe yourself as corn fed or grass fed?
Rich Fragola:I would probably say grass fed.
Host:Wow.
Host:You don't fit on my side of the microphone then.
Host:That's for sure.
Host:Dire Straits, AC dc or Billy Ray Cyrus?
Rich Fragola:Oh, I have to go with acdc.
Rich Fragola:I just saw an ACDC cover band at the contest I was at in Iowa this weekend, and they were awesome.
Host:Fun.
Host:I like that.
Host:Remember, it's a long way to the top if you want to run.
Rich Fragola:That's right.
Host:My daughter actually bought me a.
Host:A keychain with that on it that I use, so.
Rich Fragola:Oh, cool.
Host:What's one thing you miss about your 20s?
Rich Fragola:One thing I miss about my 20s?
Host:Yeah.
Rich Fragola:Yeah, probably.
Rich Fragola:Probably when I was into my 20s, I can get up out of bed in the morning and not take 30 minutes to warm up.
Rich Fragola:You know, I.
Rich Fragola:I just turned 50 last month.
Rich Fragola:And I tell you, after 20 some years of wrestling, when I get up in the morning, it, you know, I.
Rich Fragola:You know, I gotta limp for a little bit.
Rich Fragola:I gotta.
Rich Fragola:I gotta get warmed up.
Rich Fragola:So I get.
Host:It takes me about a half hour to get all the moving parts headed in one direction.
Host:You know, exactly.
Host:That type of thing.
Host:What's your favorite movie?
Rich Fragola:Oh, well, I've got a top three, but I'd have to say Rocky.
Host:Okay, cool.
Rich Fragola:Cool.
Host:Do you have a favorite event you like to compete in, One you've been to multiple times and done well, or you just like the area that it's in and the people, or what have you?
Rich Fragola:Oh, man.
Rich Fragola:Yeah, I got quite a few of those.
Rich Fragola:I'd have to say that our home contest here in Gardner, where we live, started about six years ago, and it's called Smoke on the Trails.
Rich Fragola:Really love that contest because it's literally two minutes from our house.
Rich Fragola:But I cooked one in Hammond, Louisiana, one year.
Rich Fragola:That was a beautiful, awesome contest.
Rich Fragola:Actually, Johnny Trigg cooks that contest every year.
Rich Fragola:And we got third there, got four calls.
Rich Fragola:It was a great.
Rich Fragola:I mean, the hospitality there was off the hook.
Rich Fragola:I've never seen anything like it.
Host:Cool.
Host:What's the.
Host:What's the worst concert you ever attended?
Rich Fragola: , which was striper in, like,: Rich Fragola:I've been to a ton of concerts.
Rich Fragola:This one was pretty.
Rich Fragola:That was pretty bad.
Host:Pretty bad.
Host:Okay, Rich, what's the dumbest thing you've ever seen done with a grill or a smoker?
Rich Fragola:The dumbest when I'm at Arrowhead And I'm watching guys across from me tailgating, using the same grill I'm using, and they're.
Rich Fragola:They're literally dumping bottles of water fluid on it.
Host:Oh, you should.
Host:You should call the authorities on that one.
Host:Get Carolyn come out of retirement and lock them up.
Rich Fragola:I go over there and I actually take it.
Rich Fragola:Use it as a.
Rich Fragola:As a teaching moment, you know, because I'm like, guys, man, you got.
Rich Fragola:Your food's not gonna be good.
Host:Yeah, you can't drink enough to get rid of that taste.
Rich Fragola:Nope.
Rich Fragola:You cannot.
Host:You can't.
Host:What's the biggest mistake you ever made during a competition that you're willing to share with us?
Rich Fragola:Biggest mistake during a competition.
Host:Have you ever been DQ'd?
Rich Fragola:I have.
Rich Fragola:Well, I haven't been DQ'd.
Rich Fragola:I did this year, just this year in March at a double on day one.
Rich Fragola:Missed my first ever turn in.
Rich Fragola:I missed a pork turn in.
Rich Fragola:That's the first time it's ever happened in almost 160 contests.
Rich Fragola:And obviously, we finished last that day, but the next day rebounded and got fifth.
Rich Fragola:So, you know, it's a.
Rich Fragola:It's a learning moment, you know, Even if it can happen, it can happen to the best of you.
Host:Okay, here's a fairly serious question.
Host:I know we're not very good at that on this end, but what's the biggest change you think, if any should be made regarding barbecue competitions?
Rich Fragola:I.
Rich Fragola:You know, I was on the board, KCBS board for the last three years.
Rich Fragola:I'm not on it now, but.
Rich Fragola:And that was always, you know, a topic of conversation.
Rich Fragola:And I think.
Rich Fragola:I think it's.
Rich Fragola:I can't tell you what it is or what it looks like, but just getting more people involved and, you know, growing the sport of barbecue.
Rich Fragola:And that's what I try to do every.
Rich Fragola:Every day through my classes, through interviews with, like, this.
Rich Fragola:Just anytime that I have an opportunity or a platform to grow the sport of barbecue, that's what I try to do.
Rich Fragola:And I think there's so much more of that that we could do.
Rich Fragola:Whether it's at a contest or not at a contest is growing the sport of barbecue and getting more people involved, because it's.
Rich Fragola:I think barbecue is hotter than it's ever been.
Rich Fragola:And I've been.
Rich Fragola:I've been in this sport for 10 years, and it just keeps getting hotter every year.
Rich Fragola:So it's there.
Rich Fragola:The product is there.
Rich Fragola:It's a good product.
Rich Fragola:We just need more people pushing it, you know, so that's.
Rich Fragola:That's what I try to do.
Host:Okay, two Last questions here.
Host:Rich, what do you think is the best barbecue book out there?
Host:Oh, there's lots of.
Rich Fragola:Yeah, I say I got a couple.
Rich Fragola:I think one is the Operation Barbecue Release recipe book we were at.
Rich Fragola:We actually have a recipe in that, too, but I just think it's great because it's got tip masters from all over the world in it.
Rich Fragola:And then my boy Smitty from Loot and Booty, he's actually got two.
Rich Fragola:Two books out.
Rich Fragola:One sauces, one's recipes, and he did a really good job of that book.
Rich Fragola:I'm also in that one as well, and I didn't pick those because I'm in them, but I just thought they did a really good job at the book.
Host:No worries.
Host:That's good information.
Host:Last question.
Host:Have you ever eaten haggis?
Rich Fragola:No.
Host:Do you want.
Rich Fragola:I don't even really know what it is.
Host:Oh, it's where they.
Host:They cook stuff in a sheep stomach.
Rich Fragola:Oh, yeah, no, I'll pass.
Rich Fragola:Okay.
Host:Hard pass on that.
Host:So.
Rich Fragola:Yeah, yeah, hard pass.
Host:If.
Host:If you're ever overseas, especially in the, you know, in the uk, on the islands there, and you hear somebody say, I gotta go prick the boil run, because they're letting this run.
Host:They're letting the steam out.
Host:So anyway.
Rich Fragola:Oh, boy.
Rich Fragola:Yeah, I'll pass.
Rich Fragola:We.
Rich Fragola:I did a couple classes in.
Rich Fragola:In the Netherlands a few years ago, and their food was a little different there, too.
Host:Yeah.
Host:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Host:They.
Host:They.
Host:They have room for improvement on a lot of things there.
Rich Fragola:Exactly.
Host:Richard Fergola from Fergalicious Barbecue.
Host:Man, you've been a good sport, and I, Leanne, and I really appreciate you taking the time to be with us, and good luck at the Royal and the Jack and everything you've got coming up.
Rich Fragola:I appreciate you guys.
Rich Fragola:Thanks for having me on.
Rich Fragola:And.
Rich Fragola:And I appreciate the.
Rich Fragola:The good luck.
Rich Fragola:Thank you.
Host:No problem.
Host:We'll see you soon.
Host:We'll see you soon.
Host:All right, we will.
Host:Thanks, everybody, for listening.
Host:And we'll be back next week with another edition of After Hours here on Barbecue nation.
Host:So for Ms.
Host:Leanne and myself and Richard, we thank you for listening.
Host:And remember our motto, turn it, don't burn it.
Host:Take care, everybody.
