CISC

The Culinary Institute of Smoke Cooking

Master BBQ Cooking School ©

Introduced to rave reviews at the National Barbecue Association (NBBQA) convention in February 2000 in Houston, the CISC Master BBQ Cooking School was developed by Ruthie and the late Charlie Knote (1921-1998) of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, who founded CISC in 1990. Charlie Knote, PhB, was posthumously named National Barbecue Association Man of the Year for 2000. Using their combined 110 years of BBQ expertise, the Knotes also co-authored the best-selling cookbook "Barbecuing and Sausage-Making SECRETS", which is the textbook for the Master BBQ Cooking School.

The CISC Master BBQ Cooking School has been approved by the American Culinary Federation, the nation's foremost culinary recognition body, and ACF chefs are eligible for 48 continuing education hours for completing the course

The course has been specifically written to greatly improve the skills of the backyard barbecuer, the professional chef and the competitive cook or team. In fact, a past California State Champion and a Memphis In May Grand Champion have been students of our techniques. We are available to answer questions and to assist students in making this course a truly terrific experience. We currently have 228 students enrolled and we have graduated 85 Master BBQ Cooks to date.

Briefly, the school is an eight-lesson correspondence course that you study at home using your own cooking equipment and at your own pace. Our training is based on in-the-pit, hands-on techniques designed to teach you the "What" and "Why" of grilling and classic wood-smoked BBQ, not just "How" to put together recipes. At $299, most of our students say they have saved at least that much in the cost of meat that they have not overcooked or undercooked because of our precise instructions and techniques.

You grade your own cooked meat and appoint an independent mentor-judge to also grade your cooking efforts. The grades are sent to us to evaluate separately. Any large discrepancies in the grading will mean a telephone call from our faculty. You must also complete the reading assignments, the exercises and the quizzes at the end of each of the eight lessons and mail them to us for grading. If you are fairly studious, it should take about eight weeks to complete the entire course.

The course materials include:

• All eight lessons, specially written and designed to help beginners, competition cooks and advanced BBQ cooks improve their techniques, broaden their knowledge and prepare world-class BBQ every time with no disappointments and no wasted food.
• The complete book of reporting forms and questionnaires used to grade the course.
• A "Mentor/Judge" packet to be given to the person you chose to help monitor your progress and assist you in taste-testing and grading your BBQ.
• The best-selling cookbook/training manual "Barbecuing and Sausage-Making SECRETS," with more than 26,000 copies in circulation, a $14.95 value.
• Complete and prompt administration of the course's tests and exercises by experienced CISC faculty.

 The eight in-depth lessons include such detailed and easy-to-understand information as:

1. Buying Quality Meats for Less: Solving the Meat Market Maze.
2. Is My Fire Right?: Precise Time and Temperature create Classic BBQ.
3. Find A Favorite Wood-Smoke-Flavor: From alder to oak, the scoop on smoke wood.
4. Increase Your BBQ’s Flavor: Rubs, marinades, mops, sauces and more.
5. Grill Steaks, Burgers and Chicken: No more mistakes; get it right every time.
6. Wood-Smoke-Cook Spare Ribs, Baby Backs and Country Ribs: You will be able to cater any BBQ occasion.
7. Wood-Smoke-Cook Pork & Beef: The best techniques from the Carolinas to Texas.
8. Wood-Smoke-Cook Poultry: The best methods for turkey, chicken and game hens.

Upon completion of the course, within one calendar year from the time you send us the first lesson, you will be awarded a Master BBQ Cook certificate. Better than that, you will have mastered the major cooking techniques necessary to create world-class grilled and barbecued pork, ribs, chicken, beef and other meats.

We hope you will decide to enroll soon. Please contact us with any questions or comments.