This Saturday June 22nd please join us at our store from 12noon to 4pm as we host a HOT taste-testing event with our good friend Sue Plumbohn from Hot Mamas. Special: Receive a 15% discount all Hot Mamas products. Bonus: Try new flavours. 

If you’re not familiar with Hot Mamas, boy are you in for a treat!

Hot Mamas is a Canadian, family-owned and -operated company that produces gourmet hot pepper jellies, BBQ and hot sauces, spices and rubs–all in small batches to ensure quality and freshness. Hot Mama’s Georgina, Ont.-based production facility is eco-friendly and partially solar powered.

All products are:

• made right here in Ontario
• produced with 100% natural ingredients (No preservatives, No artificial flavours, No colour additives)
• either no-salt or low-salt
• low-carb and low-sugar
• gluten-free
• MSG-free
• Kosher

Come sample barbecue sauces, spices and pepper jellies at Taste the Heat, Feel the Sweet event.

When: Saturday June 22nd from 12noon to 4pm

Where: 162 Willowdale Ave. (north of Sheppard, east of Yonge), 416-224-2526, sobies.com

Why: Receive 15% off all Hot Mamas products. Stock up for Canada Day!

Try this delicious and easy (!) Caribbean Salmon recipe using Hot Mamas’ Jerk Hot BBQ Sauce.

• 2 Salmon Steaks.. Fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 2 Tsp (10 g) Hot Mamas Jerkn Hot Spice Rub
• Fresh Tomatoes
• 2 Tsp (10 ml) Olive or Canola Oil
• Hot Mamas Jerkn Hot BBQ Sauce 

Directions:

Slice tomatoes in half. Rub both Salmon steaks and tomatoes with oil and then sprinkle with Hot Mamas Jerk’n Hot Spice Rub. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Heat BBQ to min. 400 degrees and then place salmon skin side down on the grill. Place tomatoes on grill also. Add salt if required. Cook for 4-5 minutes and then baste salmon with Hot Mamas Jerk’n Hot BBQ Sauce and turn over and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Baste tomatoes with bbq sauce also prior to removng from grill. Serve with rice or fresh salad. Serves 1-2.

After 40 years in business we know that competitive prices and a large selection is what first brings customers to our store, but it’s our bar-none, bend-over-backwards service that wins your forever loyalty.

Let me give you a recent example: We sold a barbecue to a customer who lives in downtown Toronto. Mr. Q (let’s call him) purchased our “Ready to Sizzle” package, which is how most of our barbecues are sold. Ready to Sizzle includes assembling and testing your barbecue at our store, delivering it right to your backyard deck, as well giving you a personalized lesson on how to use the unit properly and safely. We pretty much do everything for you, except cook the steak! 

When our crew left Mr. Q’s house the barbecue was in perfect working order and Mr. Q himself was pleased as punch.

One week later Mr. Q called our store. He was upset because “the barbecue wouldn’t turn on.” We probed further and he described the knob as being “stuck.”

Our crew jumped into the truck with their toolboxes and a new valves. [Turning the knob actually opens the valve, which is located behind the knobs and either allows the gas to flow (when the knob is "on") or stops it (when the knob is "off")].

When our crew arrived on the scene they discovered the culprit: a broken knob, or more precisely, the shaft of the knob was cracked. It was an easy fix. Problem was, the crew didn’t pack a knob. Just the valves. 

Back they drove to our North York store, and back again to Mr. Q’s downtown house to instal a new knob.

Yup, that’s alot of back and forth. But here’s the way we see it: what we lost in time and labour, we won back in customer loyalty. The art of service is alive and well at Sobie’s, and in our opinion, service is what ultimately what separates the “good-enough” from the great.

More thoughts on specialty stores and the art of service here.

The guys cooked up a storm of steak, sliders, nachos, grilled pineapple and even cinnamon buns on four (!) grills–all for our lucky customers. 

See for yourself…

1. Party of 2 or More?

No matter what your mom tells you, size DOES matter. For big (or seriously hungry) groups, he’ll need a cooking surface that starts around 500 sq.in. For more intimate gatherings of two to three people, he’ll do just fine with approximately 350 sq.in.

2. Burger Boy or Gourmand? 

If your dad is a meat and potatoes kinda guy, he probably doesn’t need a side-cooker, enclosed cabinetry or anything resembling a time machine on tiny casters. Simply buy the best darn grill that budget allows, and leave the bells and whistles to the other guy. Now, if your dad is “the other guy,” think about what he cooks. If he’s big on roasts and whole chickens, consider a barbecue that comes with a rear rotisserie burner. It makes rotissing easy, and the mouth-watering results will make your dad a hero every time. Or, if he’s big on breakfast, get him the model with the super hot infrared side-cooker so he can whip up pancakes, eggs and bakey in seconds. You. Will. Knock. His. Socks. Off.

3. Fair-weather Cook or Winter Warrior? 

If your dad only grills when the sun shines, any good-quality, properly sized and outfitted barbecue will do. But, if he’s a winter warrior (which we highly encourage because nothing tastes better in the dead of winter than sizzling steak right off the grill), think about investing in a stainless steel barbecue because it lasts longer than enamelled steel. Also look at infrared and electric options. Because they heat up so quickly, dad won’t have to put on his parka, even in a blizzard… and wouldn’t that be a cool Kodak moment?! For electric, one of our favourites is the Black Olive, a Canadian-made Komodo ceramic grill with a 20-year warranty. More on the Black Olive grill here.

4. Fuel Type

Gas, charcoal, pellets or electric? In terms of gas, you have two choices: propane or natural gas. If dad doesn’t have a gas line that runs to the back deck, get him a propane barbecue (if you need a full tank, we have that too). But if lugging around a tank is too much, no worries, we can recommend a gas fitter who is an expert in natural gas line installations. Charcoal is making a resurgence, particularly amongst our Baby Boomer customers who swear by its ability to sear and sizzle like nothing else. For these grillers, we have loads of makes and models to choose from, including a few twists on the old favourite such as pellet-fuelled grills and low and slow smokers; for those who’ve not yet tried cooking on a smoker, trust us, it opens up a whole new world of barbecue. We will help you determine the best fuel type for your dad, and get him started right away with all the accessories: tank, charcoal, pellets, starters (no lighter fluid, please!) and wood chunks. More on gas and charcoal.  

5. Who you gonna call? 

Hopefully us! We are the barbecue experts. We don’t sell flowerpots and ice melter. We live and breathe barbecues; we sell, service, rent and clean barbecues. All sizes, all fuel types, and all the accessories. We can tell you the real deal on warranties, and we can get your dad replacement parts when the time comes. We are staff owned and operated, and after 40 years in business, we know a thing or two about barbecue. Like dad always says, “If you’re going to do it, do it RIGHT!” info@sobies.com, 416-224-2526,

If you missed it, don’t worry. This coming Sunday, June 9th from 10am – 4pm we’ll be hosting a pre-Father’s Day demo by Weber and The Friendly Butcher. Bring your dad and be our taste-testing judges! Come to Sobie’s Barbecues, 162 Willowdale Ave. (north of Sheppard, between Yonge + Bayview). 

And now photos of the Black Olive in action from our June 1st Demo Day

Jalapeno Avocado Burgers

Ground pork 2.5 lbs.

1 small fresh jalapeno

1 small white onion

Garlic 2 cloves

1 ripe avocado

Cilantro 1/4 bunch well cleaned

Kosher salt 2 tsp

Directions

1. Preheat your barbecue on high * Safety Reminder * ALWAYS open the lid before lighting 
2. Place the jalapeno, onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped
3. Take the flesh of the avocado and chop into 1/2″ chunks
4. Combine all ingredients and divide into 6  8oz. portions
5. Gently place paddies on the hot grill. Sear one side so it’s easy to flip, then sear the other. Turn down the temperature, and cook until your meat thermometer reads 160°F.  
6. Serve on fresh buns with your favourite condiments. Pico di gallo (a Mexican salsa) goes particularly well with these burgers, as do butter buns; both are sold at The Friendly Butcher.  

Bon appetite!

For more info about our Friendly pals, go to www.thefriendlybutcher.com.

Andy’s Famous Rib Glaze Recipe

Makes about 4 cups

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons mustard powder

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 cups ketchup
1 teaspoon dried marjoram

Combine sugar and vinegar in a small, heavy-bottom sauce pan over medium high heat and bring to a boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, lower heat to low and add remaining ingredients, whisk until entirely incorporated and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot or cold. The sauce can be stored, refrigerated, in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.

Pictured: Febian from Sobie’s Barbecues (in foreground) is brainstorming with Ken, Mr. Friendly himself. Grill on boys!