OT: validation of a hobby/passion (BBQ)
@JimmyinSD might find this interesting since he is my Q brother. I have become something of an enthusiast over the years and am constantly looking for validation of my techniques and reviewing against others. Jimmy probabaly knows every time I cook, or at least a good number of times I cook as I usually drop him a text asking him "what was the the how you did that thing with the chicken/ribs/beef etc again?" I reached my pinnacle achievment of validation recently when a friend of my wife's from Austin TX told me that my brisket stood up to anything she had ever had before.
So something that I find satisfying is looking at a list of local BBQ joints and reading the reviews to see things like "AMAZING! BEST BBQ in the MIDWEST" and other such raving reviews, only to try it and find out your own is like 10 times better.
Today I went to a little local hole in the wall called "Smoke In The Pit BBQ" in South Minneapolis... And I mean that's all it was, a hole in the wall your order through and get your food out of. I actually usually take that as a good sign. So I talked to the people running it for a bit.Saw a pic of their pit and sure enough it was a drum.... but sideways. Told them they had their drum knocked over.... I think they were taken aback by a white guy that looked like he could be Andy Griffith's deputy chatting them up about their Q. But they were friendly folks.
Anyway I got a pound of their brisket and a tub of slaw.... Well the brisket was decent. It had moke flavor and there was a bit of a smoke ring but nothing to write home about. It had ok bark for how moist the meat was but you could tell it was sliced and set in beef broth for keeping. I suppose that's how it goes for serving as a restaurant. The only real problem with the product was that every other bite had a big piece of fat in it. I don't mind fat but you gotta trim your fat caps on your brisket. I can imagine if you are a restaurant trying to stretch the product that it would be easy to leave a bit too much fat on but honestly the product would have been markedly improved if there wasn't sooo much fat flavor in there never mind the texture that too much fat provides. Then again there is so much room for opinion in Q as to what people like. But in my opinion fat imparts a flavor of it's own and too much of it takes away from the flavor provided by the meat fibers.
The slaw was a creamy mustardy slaw that for my preference had too much "juice" to it. I like a creamy slaw but not when it is too soupy. This would have been great on a pulled pork sandwich as a topper, but as a standalone was a bit too soupy for me.
Anyway I gave them 3/5 stars in my review. If you are in Minneapolis and haven't been there I would recommend giving it a try. And then after that let me serve you dinner sometime.
Is this thing STILL on? | Skol Vikes! |
Would love to taste your BBQ sometime...if your in So. CA. any time soon C'Mon by....Vikefans always welcome.
Nothing honestly will beat the "home" BBQ IMO. You can make them just the way you want them...and we all have our "best"
Here's my B-Back ribs:
(4 hours ahead) Brine w salt, water & dark beer. Starting with just Lawrys seasoning salt, I smoke mine with Mesquite chips low & slow on upper rack for a couple hours, then coat with honey and light brown sugar & wrap in Aluminum foil (keeps in moisture) another two hours. CAREFULLY take them out of the foil (as the bones will pull out) add BBQ sauce and grill on high for 5-6 minutes each side.
Let sit for about five minutes. My buddies tell me these ribs count as a "sexual experience"
ooooh mesquite now that is some strong smoke flavor
@"Mike Olson" said: ooooh mesquite now that is some strong smoke flavor
We live by that down here in Arizona. Traditional eat'in...
I used to always do my own rubs, but my wife was at Costco and they had their St Louis Style ribs that has their signature rub on sale. I decided to give them a try and see how they compare. Like Vanguard, I typically smoke at 225 for about 3 hours using a mix of hickory and cherry over a drip pan of apple juice. I will pull and wrap them in foil(Texas Crutch) because my family wants them to almost fall off the bone for another 2 1/2-3 hours, and then finish them on the grill. I was amazed at the flavor of these ribs and my family raved about them. I like to be in control of my rub, but I don't think mine is measurably better. These packs at Costco are two full racks so if you aren't hosting a party, or have 8-10 people in your family, you can freeze one for later. I have only used an electric smoker. I have a Masterbuilt ME 40 which I think does a great job, and keeps things very simple with the remote control and internal temp sensor. I want to set it and forget it. The good news is those ribs were on sale again today and I will be smoking a rack tomorrow for dinner. Mike, if you are close to Woodbury tomorrow, you are welcome to stop by.
I did the exact same ribs las weekend TBro.... And did them almost the exact same way ha!
Ah, when is the tailgate again? I am also a Q guy. I love smoking and charcoal grilling. I like hickory for certain things but use Oak quite a bit since I have a lot of it on my property. I'm a brine guy for poultry and fish and use foil to finish off my brisket. I also use a digital meat thermometer for thicker cuts of meat. I also like to dry cure and smoke my own bacon and hams, although lately I found wet curing the hams leaves them a bit more tender. I also make a variety of sausages.
There is never a dry Turkey, chicken, or brisket anymore, but it did take me awhile to get it all figured out.
Beer, BBQ, and Vikings football. Life's good!
I love making Q, but it time consuming and due to its popularity has gotten crazy expensive. However I have found a new hobby and that is sausage.... I looked at what I was spending getting wild game processed and said screw that, I will do it myself. I haven't gotten into the smoked products yet, but the fresh brats, italian, and breakfast products that we've made just have me itching to try more.
I love grilling. Grill something pretty much every night. It's not a summer evening if my grill isn't smoking. Steaks, sausage, drummers, wings, burgers, kabobs. I experiment with a hundred different flavors... garlic, soy, ginger. My fave for ribeyes is herbes de provence...
But man for whatever reason, I do not like BBQ.
@"MaroonBells" said: I love grilling. Grill something pretty much every night. It's not a summer evening if my grill isn't smoking. Steaks, sausage, drummers, wings, burgers, kabobs. I experiment with a hundred different flavors... garlic, soy, ginger. My fave for ribeyes is herbes de provence...But man for whatever reason, I do not like BBQ.
where you at on smoked sausages... ie: polish, ring bologna, summer sausage, snack sticks, kielbasa, etc? how about a smoked pork chop or ribeye?
@"JimmyinSD" said: I love making Q, but it time consuming and due to its popularity has gotten crazy expensive. However I have found a new hobby and that is sausage.... I looked at what I was spending getting wild game processed and said screw that, I will do it myself. I haven't gotten into the smoked products yet, but the fresh brats, italian, and breakfast products that we've made just have me itching to try more.
http://wisheksausage.com/ <<<-----This grocery store in Wishek, ND makes the greatest ring bologna on the planet! (no disrespect to what you're doing, Jimmy!). If you ever get up this way you need to stop there and pic yo'self up some. I promise you'll love it!
@"prairieghost" said:@"JimmyinSD" said: I love making Q, but it time consuming and due to its popularity has gotten crazy expensive. However I have found a new hobby and that is sausage.... I looked at what I was spending getting wild game processed and said screw that, I will do it myself. I haven't gotten into the smoked products yet, but the fresh brats, italian, and breakfast products that we've made just have me itching to try more.http://wisheksausage.com/ <<<-----This grocery store in Wishek, ND makes the greatest ring bologna on the planet! (no disrespect to what you're doing, Jimmy!). If you ever get up this way you need to stop there and pic yo'self up some. I promise you'll love it!
thats funny... every small town in that part of the country claims to have the best.. ( insert type of sausage here) every small town that I call on in that area says i have to try the local "X" as its the best in the world. most are pretty damn good, it just cracks me up when they find out I am kind of a foodie that they have something for me to try.I may have to take you up on the recommendation though, Wishek is only about 30 minutes out of my way when I am traveling on my sales routes through that area.
@"JimmyinSD" said: I love making Q, but it time consuming and due to its popularity has gotten crazy expensive. However I have found a new hobby and that is sausage.... I looked at what I was spending getting wild game processed and said screw that, I will do it myself. I haven't gotten into the smoked products yet, but the fresh brats, italian, and breakfast products that we've made just have me itching to try more.It's insane how much cheaper you can process your own venison compared to taking it someplace else. There is a place in Green Bay that is fantastic for venison brats and hot dogs, but it's over $200 if you take in 40 pounds of trimmed venison and end up with about 55-60 pounds of finished product. There are cheaper places to go, but I figure if I was spending the money, I want it to taste good.
I process all my own venison now. My buddies and I have perfected the way we make smoked venison sausage and kielbasa. We typically spend two weekends each year making a variety of stuff (couple different kinds of brats... Honey BBQ, Pepper Jack, and Sheboygan-style this year, hot dogs, cheddy dogs, smoked sausage, kielbasa, snack sticks, jerky). We all have grinders, mixers, and plenty of plastic tubs for storing mixed product so we can make whatever we want for about half the price of taking it somewhere to be processed.
Our hot dogs turned out pretty good this year, but it's a pain in the ass trying to fit sheep casings on our stuffer... we also use high temp cheese to add some flavor to our smoked venison sausage and brats. It's a fun hobby and I like knowing I'm getting my own meat back.
This has been a fun thread. I'm writing down these recipes to try later since I'm not a big Q guy... yet.
BOOM
@"Wetlander" said:@"JimmyinSD" said: I love making Q, but it time consuming and due to its popularity has gotten crazy expensive. However I have found a new hobby and that is sausage.... I looked at what I was spending getting wild game processed and said screw that, I will do it myself. I haven't gotten into the smoked products yet, but the fresh brats, italian, and breakfast products that we've made just have me itching to try more. It's insane how much cheaper you can process your own venison compared to taking it someplace else. There is a place in Green Bay that is fantastic for venison brats and hot dogs, but it's over $200 if you take in 40 pounds of trimmed venison and end up with about 55-60 pounds of finished product. There are cheaper places to go, but I figure if I was spending the money, I want it to taste good.I process all my own venison now. My buddies and I have perfected the way we make smoked venison sausage and kielbasa. We typically spend two weekends each year making a variety of stuff (couple different kinds of brats... Honey BBQ, Pepper Jack, and Sheboygan-style this year, hot dogs, cheddy dogs, smoked sausage, kielbasa, snack sticks, jerky). We all have grinders, mixers, and plenty of plastic tubs for storing mixed product so we can make whatever we want for about half the price of taking it somewhere to be processed.
Our hot dogs turned out pretty good this year, but it's a pain in the ass trying to fit sheep casings on our stuffer... we also use high temp cheese to add some flavor to our smoked venison sausage and brats. It's a fun hobby and I like knowing I'm getting my own meat back.
This has been a fun thread. I'm writing down these recipes to try later since I'm not a big Q guy... yet.
BOOM
do you guys have a list of recipes you would recommend ( and share?) I have been pulling stuff from the internet, but getting something from somebody with their notes and changes is awesome.
@"TBro" said: I used to always do my own rubs, but my wife was at Costco and they had their St Louis Style ribs that has their signature rub on sale. I decided to give them a try and see how they compare. Like Vanguard, I typically smoke at 225 for about 3 hours using a mix of hickory and cherry over a drip pan of apple juice. I will pull and wrap them in foil(Texas Crutch) because my family wants them to almost fall off the bone for another 2 1/2-3 hours, and then finish them on the grill. I was amazed at the flavor of these ribs and my family raved about them. I like to be in control of my rub, but I don't think mine is measurably better. These packs at Costco are two full racks so if you aren't hosting a party, or have 8-10 people in your family, you can freeze one for later. I have only used an electric smoker. I have a Masterbuilt ME 40 which I think does a great job, and keeps things very simple with the remote control and internal temp sensor. I want to set it and forget it. The good news is those ribs were on sale again today and I will be smoking a rack tomorrow for dinner. Mike, if you are close to Woodbury tomorrow, you are welcome to stop by.
I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker as well and love it. I'm sure tending to a big drum smoker for hours over a few beers would be fun, but for simplicity's sake and ease of use, you can't beat an electric smoker.
(Ducks beer bottles being thrown by the BBQ purists) ;)
@"SFVikingFan" said:@"TBro" said: I used to always do my own rubs, but my wife was at Costco and they had their St Louis Style ribs that has their signature rub on sale. I decided to give them a try and see how they compare. Like Vanguard, I typically smoke at 225 for about 3 hours using a mix of hickory and cherry over a drip pan of apple juice. I will pull and wrap them in foil(Texas Crutch) because my family wants them to almost fall off the bone for another 2 1/2-3 hours, and then finish them on the grill. I was amazed at the flavor of these ribs and my family raved about them. I like to be in control of my rub, but I don't think mine is measurably better. These packs at Costco are two full racks so if you aren't hosting a party, or have 8-10 people in your family, you can freeze one for later. I have only used an electric smoker. I have a Masterbuilt ME 40 which I think does a great job, and keeps things very simple with the remote control and internal temp sensor. I want to set it and forget it. The good news is those ribs were on sale again today and I will be smoking a rack tomorrow for dinner. Mike, if you are close to Woodbury tomorrow, you are welcome to stop by.I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker as well and love it. I'm sure tending to a big drum smoker for hours over a few beers would be fun, but for simplicity's sake and ease of use, you can't beat an electric smoker.
(Ducks beer bottles being thrown by the BBQ purists) ;)
the term tending a "drum" smoker is simply made by those that want an excuse to drink beer as there is really no wood/charcoal unit that is more set it and forget it than a drum. (especially when you cheat and use a GURU like Mike has...its about as hands off as a unit can get) I literally check on mine about once and hour or so and most the time make no adjustments. I will be making a gas unit for my next one as I think I will want to be able to maintain lower temps in a smoke house for sausage than charcoal/wood is able to do without getting all nasty tasting.
@"JimmyinSD" said:@"Wetlander" said:@"JimmyinSD" said: I love making Q, but it time consuming and due to its popularity has gotten crazy expensive. However I have found a new hobby and that is sausage.... I looked at what I was spending getting wild game processed and said screw that, I will do it myself. I haven't gotten into the smoked products yet, but the fresh brats, italian, and breakfast products that we've made just have me itching to try more. It's insane how much cheaper you can process your own venison compared to taking it someplace else. There is a place in Green Bay that is fantastic for venison brats and hot dogs, but it's over $200 if you take in 40 pounds of trimmed venison and end up with about 55-60 pounds of finished product. There are cheaper places to go, but I figure if I was spending the money, I want it to taste good.I process all my own venison now. My buddies and I have perfected the way we make smoked venison sausage and kielbasa. We typically spend two weekends each year making a variety of stuff (couple different kinds of brats... Honey BBQ, Pepper Jack, and Sheboygan-style this year, hot dogs, cheddy dogs, smoked sausage, kielbasa, snack sticks, jerky). We all have grinders, mixers, and plenty of plastic tubs for storing mixed product so we can make whatever we want for about half the price of taking it somewhere to be processed.
Our hot dogs turned out pretty good this year, but it's a pain in the ass trying to fit sheep casings on our stuffer... we also use high temp cheese to add some flavor to our smoked venison sausage and brats. It's a fun hobby and I like knowing I'm getting my own meat back.
This has been a fun thread. I'm writing down these recipes to try later since I'm not a big Q guy... yet.
BOOM
do you guys have a list of recipes you would recommend ( and share?) I have been pulling stuff from the internet, but getting something from somebody with their notes and changes is awesome.
Yeah, I'll have to see what I have written down at home and get some information from my buddy. He buys most of the spices, seasonings, and cheese so I can get you some brands, amounts, etc. I'll try to track this down and update the thread (if others are interested as well) or send you a PM when I get it.
Love some q. Over the 4th I had friends and family over. Did 3 racks of baby backs, a 7 lb brisket flat, and an 8 lb turkey breast. For the fixings we had a large batch of smoked beans with 2+ lbs of bacon and some tater salad. Wasn't much for left overs when all was said and done. I had a great time doing it. =)
Hell, I always thought I knew a lot about BBQ...
until I joined up at this here forumn! ;) B)
I agree with mike on the brethren site, i learned a ton there, but lately I have been hitting this one up. not as much traffic, but the amount and diversity of topics all centered around outdoor cooking is over whelming. and this place isnt hung up on any particular cooker... pretty much any information you could ever want... check it out.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/
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