Website design By BotEap.comMy friend Harley has always loved southern barbecue and just about anything you can cook on a grill. Her story is one that celebrates the spirit of a man to rise up when life has brought him down.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen I first met him, all we talked about was grilling ideas and the best grilling recipes to use any time of year. We also discuss the virtues of charcoal grills over electric or gas stoves. He was obsessed with anything to do with cooking over a smoky fire.

Website design By BotEap.comWe would see each other from time to time and you could always smell the aroma of barbecue smoke on her body and clothes, with fragrant wisps of whatever meat she had been cooking over the weekend. His ever-patient wife threatened to go vegetarian because of the amount of grilled ribs, grilled chicken, and grilled pork their family had to consume just to keep up with Harley’s passion for cookouts. free.

Website design By BotEap.comHarley worked in the large offices of various defense contractors and over the years developed a small barbecue catering service for the companies he worked for. He just brought in his grills and provided meat for the Memorial Day celebrations, the 4th of July, and the Labor Day festivities.

Website design By BotEap.comOn weekends I would go by her house and see her wrapped in a halo of smoke. She always had several smokers and grills working in her backyard. This was in the early days of her passion for barbecue, before moving on to something bigger to cook with.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen it was time to buy a new grill, he went to a foreign country, Mississippi, and bought one on wheels. Indeed this was a fabulous piece of craftsmanship, with a huge new BBQ grill welded to a trailer big enough to hold a fishing boat.

Website design By BotEap.comIn addition to the 6-foot firebox powered by hickory logs to be transported on the trailer, it had a smoker welded to the side. It was made of quarter-inch steel and had two temperature gauges; one in the firebox and the other in the smoker hood.

Website design By BotEap.comThe trailer also carried a water tank to cool the fire if it got too hot. The entire unit was surrounded by silver chrome, which I thought was a bit flashy, but I never consulted before purchasing the grill.

Website design By BotEap.comSomewhere along the way, the economy turned sour and people across the country were losing their jobs and livelihoods; Harley too. After the initial shock had worn off and the self-pity had dissipated, he began counting his blessings and taking stock of his assets.

Website design By BotEap.comThanksgiving was coming up, and he had a list of satisfied customers from his side business. He began by calling them over and suggesting that this year they had smoked turkey or ham instead of the traditional tired old bird that usually graced their table on that holiday. He also told them to tell their friends and neighbors about his service.

Website design By BotEap.comThe response was overwhelming. Harley kept that huge grill and smoker going for three days straight while he tried to keep up with demand for his product. He made it through Thanksgiving and by Christmas he was doing it again, but this time with BBQ ribs and brisket, BBQ chicken and spare ribs along with some turkeys and hams.

Website design By BotEap.comDriving down a street on the wrong side of the tracks just after Christmas, I saw Harley’s wonderful barbecue machine tied to a sign near a small, empty diner. The sign on the door read, “Harley’s BBQ Restaurant, Opening Soon!”

Website design By BotEap.comThis is a testament to the resilience of the American worker and a tribute to the power of good old-fashioned Southern barbecue. Hats off to both of you!