I had never been so excited to go to school in my whole life. For my birthday The Wife and the Mother in Law had teamed up to get me a smoker grill to compliment my gas grill and a seven hour class with the NW BBQ and Grilling School. Ladies, want to make your man really, really happy? Buy him this class. You arrive at the school to the wafting aroma of wood chips and charcoal as the smokers and grills are all ready to go as you arrive. Traegers, grills, a big green egg... it's all there, all the best equipment. After checking in and getting to know your classmates it's into the classroom/kitchen for some "chalk talk" about the basics and then prepping some dishes. The main lesson that Stu (the instructor) tries to get across to you from the start is that barbecue and grilling are a "concept" and that there are almost no wrong answers. The answer of the day was, "Yep". How long does that cook for? Yep, it cooks until it's done How much cayenne pepper should I put in that sauce? Yep. Should I use hickory wood or applewood or mesquite? Yep. The time went by so fast as we prepped St Louis style ribs two ways, steamed and smoked. We prepped chicken several ways from beer can style grilled to smoked. We made our own barbecue sauce and smoked chicken wings. We made an amazing pulled pork and grilled apples and nectarines and stuffed green peppers. We grilled sweet potatoes and regular potatoes and spaghetti squash. Then, at 2:00, we had to do the best part of the school, we ate everything we made. But is it over? Hell no! Bloated from food from drink and in a semi-coma, Stu takes you back out to the grill to show you how make grilled pizza. The man is a devil. In between Stu dropped pearls of wisdom on us to make our own personal grilling experience better. Stu told us the best places to buy our meat, the best thermometers to use, the best liquids for injecting and more importantly, what not to do and use. If you go you'll be surprised at how laid back it is, and yet how intensely the information comes flying at you from every direction. You get to bring BYOB and many did, from beer to soda to water to wine, people brought their favorite grillin' beverages. You can also bring take home containers because let me tell you, you and your classmates are not finishing all that food. At the end of the class the email you all the "concepts" (recipes) to keep. I ran right home and made grilled pizza's for the Wife, the Mother in Law and the Tax Deduction. I was a freakin' hero. Isn't that the way it should be? A man, grilling for his family. Next week, pulled pork and grilled potatoes. Super Bowl at my place, Yeeps! read more

NW BBQ and Grilling School - Final Exam - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Interesting to read the varying reviews ranging from 1 star to 5 stars. My review is somewhere in the middle. One thing to remember is that in the past that had been different instructors. A review for one instructor may not reflect another instructor's class. Stu was the instructor for the class I attended. There were pros and there were cons to the class I attended. To begin with I did not find that he was pushing sales items too much as one reviewer mentioned. It's nice to know what is available and he had it available. Prices were not high. He also had different spices and rubs but none of them were pushed in this class. I felt Stu covered an awful lot of information in a very short time. I think it might have been a little too much with too many people for what was presented. However, with that said, I also think everyone walked away with a great deal of knowledge from the class. For the most part it was very good. A slide presentation was shown and moved along with a few items. The presentation and all the product knowledge from the class was available for sale as well as a website link to all the recipes. There was no way he could have covered all the information in the presentation on this class and stay within the time limit. The slide presentation was very nice and the ability to have it once you left the class, even nicer. Food items prepared were done in several different ways using spicy seasonings and not so spicy seasonings. In addition to brisket, ribs, chicken and pork, he also demonstrated cooking several different vegetables on the BBQ. There was a lot of food to eat and to take home. I believe we all learned a lot. However, with all those compliments about the class, there was definitely a big con with Stu. At the beginning, I actually thought about booking a private session for family. However, that was before he repeatedly used sexual innuendos and insinuations in his presentation. He thought he was funny using them as examples over and over again. He wasn't funny and it was extremely unprofessional. In addition, it left several in the class feeling uncomfortable. No way would I invite that behavior in our home with family. Thus, what would have been a 4 or 5 star rating, is dropped to 3. read more

Wow, hands on, super fun class. I liked how we made our own rubs/injections/sauces... and wow on taste. Who knew Orange fanta and curry would go so well when injected into a chicken? I learned a LOT about grilling and ate a TON of food. Warning, you don't eat til 2 for a snack and 3 for lunch, so since me and 4 others skipped breakfast we were so hungry.... I was one of 4 girls and the only girl to come alone. If I was single again, I'd hit this class every month. The other guys were so nice, easy to talk to, and I would have loved to set them up with my single girlfriends, If i brought them with me. So many guys got down and washed all the dishes together, joined me when drying dishes so I wasn't doing it alone.... it was great. Bring a sweater ladies- you're practically outside (duh! grilling outside! why is my brain broken?) and the class is in a garage-like setting- big door open so you can go in and out. I was so cold I boiled water to warm up. But man, these guys a tough! Such a different class than the traditional stuff for the ladies, but not to be missed. read more

Got the Groupon. They kind of messed up the process, but NW Grilling School went out of their way to help make it right. They treated me with patience and respect and were more than willing work things out with me. Stu is a total professional who has obviously been doing this a long time and has all the kinks worked out of the teaching process. He kept the class going with banter, examples, tips, and solid information. Great Power Point lectures mixed in with lots of hands on and teeth in experience. Great concepts and great presentation make this class a winner in my book. I will be taking the class again. About a day after the class, just when you think you are starting to forget some of that wealth of knowledge, you get an email that pretty much lays out everything you learned in class. You don't have to take notes... They do that for you. read more

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Spent the day learning from Stu. What a fantastic experience. Stu is fun, entertaining and knows his stuff! There was a lot of information presented in this 6 hour class. After learning how to prep our different food items we got to have a "snack" and sample everything. The plate of food pictured was the first round of food. I was so stuffed I had to take the second round of goodies home. I attended with some buddies and we packed our coolers with some beverages. We had a blast! Warning: you won't eat until the later part of class so don't come hungry expecting to eat right away. But once the food is rolled out you will get your fill! If you have an inkling to learn how to BBQ using gas, charcoal or pellet this class is for you! Next up for us is the Surf & Turf with the wives. Thanks Stu and Seth for a great day!! read more

NW BBQ and Grilling School - The "snack" - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Went to NW BBQ and Grilling School for my dad's birthday/Father's Day the other week. My mom had bought this class on Groupon and had heard good things about it. I'll just tell you now, if you think you get to actually grill something at this class, then you're mistaken. I had checked their schedule online and saw everything weekend was sold out through the next 3 months. So I'm thinking this must be a cool activity for so many people to want to do. We arrived on time and took our seats. They had a their tables set out with cutting boards and knives ready. So I'm think "sweet, this is going to be fun". No joke, the first hour was listening about 20 different types of thermometers and how we could buy them in their store. It took about an hour and a half before they brought out some chicken for us to start working on. However, their idea of good BBQ chicken is to use pre-made seasonings, all of which we could buy in their store. We doused these chicken wings in mustard and seasonings and then their grillmaster took them away. Seriously, this is the only cooking class I've been to where I didn't do any cooking. We prepped some ribs and brisket (or at least our group did one of them and the rest of the people at our table did the other) with all these lovely pre-made seasoning blends and we listened to the absolute worst Powerpoint presentation I've ever experienced. Whoever put it together thought each slide required a minimum of 3 exclamation marks. Their schedule is completely whack too. It starts at 10 AM. They tell you we get a "snack" at 2 pm and then lunch at 3 pm. The snack is all the chicken you made earlier, but you're so hungry cause it's 2 hours past a normal lunch time that when the actual lunch is ready, you're not even hungry. When I sign up for a grilling class, I want to hold a fricken spatula and smell like charcoal when I come home. I didn't get to do either of those. In fact, they make you wash your own dishes and then you get to hear about all the other classes they offer (where I would assume you also don't get to cook anything). Then at the end, our teacher for the day said this was the first class he had taught solo. If there's one thing I know about teaching it's that if you're the replacement, you never tell them you're the replacement. I don't think it was a terrible class cause he had never done it before, but it certainly didn't help. We honestly couldn't wait for it to be over and get back to our day. I would not recommend this class to anyone. read more

Loved the class. Very hands on. You will be slicing, dicing and rubbing meat. Picked up a groupon for Christmas and my buddy and I who bbq's a lot like me signed up. We did the BBQ/grilling 101 class and a lot of it was for the beginner, there is some good info and techniques discussed in the class. The classes are around 20 people. Plenty of supplies to use, quality meats and equipment. Part if the class is lecture and there is a lot of hands on. To me it seemed like it was a chance to hang out with some cool people for the day and talk BBQ and food. You will be stuffed when you leave. You can bring your own brews. If there are leftovers you will go home with some too. We had brisket, pulled pork, chickens, pork loin, veggies and a great time talking BBQ! Fun way to spend a rainy Sunday as the grilling season is fast approaching. read more

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I attended the NW BBQ and Grilling school a few months ago and had very much the same experience as John E. My wife bought me the class for my birthday and is Grateful every week when I prepare everything from Ribs to Chicken to Bacon wrapped Meatloaf. This was By FAR the best "classroom" atmosphere I've ever been in. Not to mention the Extra one on One Help the Stu has given me after the class (Even coming to my home to check on my Traeger smoker) I Recommend this class to Everyone who ever wanted to learn how to BBQ and Smoke Foods properly. Thanks Again Stu... Dave read more

Went to this class with a friend as we are both into BBQ and cooking. This class is not cheap and for the money not at all worth it. We did things in groups and that part was okay; however, the instructions and the prepping are really all you get. You get to grill zero. All you do is spice and even that is in a group setting. I honestly couldn't wait for this class to be over and feel like a wasted an entire day. There is a lot of food prepared, and it was all very flavorless and bland. I actually felt ill after eating there and continued to be sick through the night. I asked for a refund as this is the worst cooking class I have attended, but no one would get back to me. Unfortunately I had high hopes for this class and school, but their instructors and owners are not forthright. What an expensive disappointment. Read a book or google BBQ & Grill - you can do much better on your own. read more

I usually don't like to leave negative reviews but this really got me to the core. Today is fathers day and I had a class scheduled at the school witch I was totally excited about. What I did not know is that my children had planned a big surprise party for me for fathers day. As soon as I found this out I called 2 times and left a message both times to see about rescheduling. They said I didn't give them enough notice so I'm out of luck. I guess I should have told my children to cancel the surprise party. Now I'm out $65.00 and they lost a customer. read more

Enjoyed the class. Got good information for future reference. We prepared the food early in the day and then ate our schoolwork later. Each item we sampled was not huge and I was wondering if I would leave hungry. Not a chance! It worked out great as an all day meal in that you got moderate portions of a whole lot of entrees and sides. Best of all I got lots of great informatin and recipes to impress friends and family with my smoking and grilling prowess! I recommend buying the cd, it comes with lots of good info. read more

This was a fabulous class. We will definitely take another class. Lots of information and different foods to BBQ. We loved that the recipes were available after taking the class. And the food was amazing!! Plan on coming hungry because you eat what you cook and you will leave full. Great class Garrett. read more

Our class was a disaster. Deep fryer didn't work, so we had no French fries. We didn't get hamburgers until after 9:00. Entertaining and informative, but not worth $55/couple for 2-3 burgers. If it's going to take this long for food, need appetizers. read more

Had a very nice time, with knowledgeable staff and great food, that I made myself. Absolutely going back, thank you Mark, Wes, and Ashley. read more

The class was great! I took the 6 hour class and we went over times and temps, marinades, rubs and injections for brisket, pork shoulder, chicken, pork tenderloin, ribs, and touched on steak a bit. The best part is you get to eat what you cook and there is plenty of food to go around. I will be taking additional classes! read more

NW BBQ and Grilling School - Cooking Schools Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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I had a wonderful experience and learned a lot. Stu is as entertaining as he is informative. I look forward to sharing what I learned with family and friends through cooking for them. I highly recommend this course as a good introduction to BBQ and general food preparation. Mike Patterson Portland read more

Took their 6 hour BBQ and grilling class. Learned a lot about grilling, smoking ribs, pork, chicken, and veggies. Best part is you get to eat what you make. Great instructor. read more

I don't even like to cook. I went with my wife, who loves cooking. This was a really fun class that kept my interest for 6 hours! We learned a lot about what we can do to give our grilled foods more flavor and better texture. The class is definitely worth the cost, as an investment in your future meal quality. We ate everything we prepared, including stuffed peppers, potatoes, yams, squash... and meat! Factor a stomach FULL of delicious food into your cost equation. The class is more about food prep than actually using the grills, but that makes all the difference at home, too. Grilling food isn't supposed to be an activity. We did get useful instruction about different types of cookers, and how to set them for better cooking. Yes, they sell the cookers and implements used in the class... for excellent prices. read more

I took their 6 hour grilling class and had a blast. I highly recommend it. Enjoyed it so much that I'm going again and brining a group of friends. Make sure you bring beer and snacks! I also recommend you by the class CD at the end, it covers everything you go over in class. Great reference tool for later. read more

I took the 6 hour course mid April 16 in Vancouver WA. It was a very informative class. Be ready to take notes as the class comes fast and furious if you are not already a competent cook. They do sell a CD with all recipes and all of the slides but it helps if you take notes as well. Also, come hungry. there is plenty to eat, and it is all DELICIOUS!! Frank was my instructor and he did a very good job. Lots of little tricks that he can relay over his many years of competitive BBQ and smoking. Overall the class is well worth the money and I highly recommend it. Randy Horn read more

I was looking forward to the four hour gas grilling class that I had signed up for along with a family member. This class was meant to be a gift for the person attending with me. I had heard positive things about the class from a friend and thought I'd give it a shot. The first 45 minutes of the class were spent trying to push the overpriced retail products that they had available including brushes, rubs and thermometers. Once the power point presentation began, we were subjected to the other classes they have available and a synopsis of what they would be doing in those classes. When we reached the instructional slides that were geared toward our class, the instructor flipped through them without allowing us time to even read them. We were instructed to work in groups by table once we reached the hands on point of the class but because the materials provided were so limited, only one or two people could actually do anything while the rest watched on. This was nothing like it was described on their website. There was no structure to the class, no instruction as to what type of rubs or seasonings work best with each different type of protein and when it came time to the actually "grilling" portion of the class, one or two people would be involved and subsequently miss what little information was going to be discussed in the class. The products used in the class were the cheapest products available. The protein came from Winco and the rest of the items were First Street products which happen to be the generic Cash N Carry brand. The food storage was questionable as well, seasonings that had completely hardened because moisture had gotten into them, bacon in a partially open package that was left unsealed to the point where the bacon had turned grey and steaks that were set out for an hour while flies buzzed all around. The criticism of preferring your meat cooked to a higher temp for those who like well done was a running theme throughout the class and since you were cooking one steak for 5-6 people, you had to go along with the crowd resulting in you not being able to enjoy the results of the class. When it came time to make the pizzas, we were given premade dough from Winco, Kraft BBQ sauce, pepperoni, sausage and a partially used bag of cheese. There was no instruction other than to roll the dough and put it oil side down on the grill. The class was supposed to last from 1:00pm-5:00pm and at 4:15pm we were told that there was no more instruction for us. We were then left to clean everything up, which sadly, was the most hands on portion of the entire class. This was THE BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY EVER!!!!! I would NEVER recommend this class to anyone and am extremely disappoint in the fact that what I thought would be a fun time for a gift, turned out to be a total bust. read more

Absolutely changed the way I BBQ. So much knowledge imparted, and in a very fun way. Well worth every penny, and the six hours flew by almost too fast. I will be taking more classes, and impressing my friends and family with my newly learned skills and recipes! Thanks a ton, Stu! read more

I attended the NW BBQ and Grilling School April 17, 2016. It was fantastic! I learned so much that I was a bit overwhelmed by the time the day was done. I even came away with lots of great recipes and the confidence to try them out on my own. If you are even thinking about improving your grilling skills sign up for the next class. I expect to take the advanced classes later this summer. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed Bruce and Seth. We covered a lot of meats in the 6 hours with lots of good eating of all we cooked. hands on learning style which I liked. We are interested in taking some more classes from them. read more

BBQ School was FANTASTIC. I learned so many things I had not known before. Though not fearless, I am now less fearful around a grill and a smoker. The food we prepared was also delicious. Stu and Seth were just great! read more

I have taken three classes (101 Smoking and Grilling Class, 201 Holiday and New Year Smoking Class, and 201 Advanced Smoking Class) and have enjoyed each and every one of them. The classes are well organized, safety is emphasized, and the hands on preparation and smoking of various meats will provide a foundation for upping your Q' game. - Matt read more

This was an AWESOME class! We had some friends that had taken this class last year and they thought it was so much fun, so we decided to give it a try. We had a blast! We learned so much in that 6 hours about meat, spices, rubs, sauces, veggies and the different kinds of grills to use. We got to eat everything we prepared that day! It is definitely worth the price and we did not leave hungry. read more