7161 Bishop Rd
Plano, TX 75024
972-591-4888
Open M-Thur 11-10, F-Sat 11-11, Sun 11-9
http://www.kentrathbun.com/jaspers/plano/
This not an official review, because Jasper's is not a BBQ joint. What they can claim is that they serve one of Bon Appetit Magazine's three best ribs in America along with 17th Street Barbecue in Illinois and the Rendezvous in Memphis. With accolades like that (even if they were from 2007), I just had to go try 'em.
My wife was nice enough to join me for a nice dinner in north Plano on Saturday night. Even in this economy, expensive "backyard" grub is popular with a 1-hour wait required for a table inside. We sat outside, and enjoyed the weather. A full rack of ribs arrived stacked three bones high with a side of baked potato salad. Like any true backyard food, these ribs had been grilled and absolutely drenched in sauce. Scraping some of the sauce away, I inspected the cross-section of the meat for any evidence of smoking, but no smoke line was to be found.
The tell-tale "falling off the bone" tenderness tells me that these ribs had either been parboiled or baked before being thrown on the grill. The resulting flavor was satisfying in the same way that grilled cheese sandwich is satisfying. You can't deny that it tastes good, but it's not complex nor a great example of a food genre. My proclivity to the deeply smoky ribs that emerge from Central Texas smokers may make me a poor judge of this style, but I could hardly say that these are the best ribs in the Metroplex, let alone the nation. With that said, I will certainly make a point to finish the leftovers.
- BBQ Snob
I have wondered about Jasper's since I saw that episode on the Food Network. I am surprised and disappointed that is isn't a smoked rib. That goes to show you that a name goes a long way. I am sure it is a good rib; but they are supposed to be naming the top three ribs in America? Oh well. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteSmokemaster1 likes to quote Lyle Lovett from an old "Esquire" magazine interview.
ReplyDeleteWhen asked how he could land a woman like Julia Roberts, Lyle said, "There are universal truths about women. . . Women like to eat outside."
Glad you're still enjoying the patio with the missus.
I have only been to Jasper's once and I think I had a steak. I'll have to try the ribs next time, even if there was no smoke line.
- Mrs. Smokemaster1