tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32331367669707010142024-03-15T20:10:20.349-05:00Full Custom Gospel BBQFull Custom Gospel BBQ is an extensive and exhausting look at Texas BBQ. Through reviews of BBQ joints, books and articles related to our favorite 'cue, we've created a resource for like-minded carnivores. In short, we are The Prophets of Smoked Meat.smokemasteronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13060574775769962975noreply@blogger.comBlogger914125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-61293141279144090152014-10-08T11:21:00.002-05:002014-10-08T11:21:30.124-05:00TMBBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For anyone looking for any of my current writing, please head on over to <a href="http://tmbbq.com/">TMBBQ.com</a> There you'll find:<br />
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- <a href="http://www.tmbbq.com/tag/interviews/">Interviews with pitmasters</a> and others in the world of barbecue<br />
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- Weekly round-ups of <a href="http://www.tmbbq.com/bbq-news-0926-1002/">barbecue news</a><br />
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- Reviews of <a href="http://www.tmbbq.com/joints/">barbecue joints</a> across Texas<br />
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- <a href="http://www.tmbbq.com/stories/">Features on barbecue</a> subjects around the globe<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<br />BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-40755011758177236192013-12-31T16:58:00.000-06:002013-12-31T16:58:18.489-06:002013: A Very Good Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My year started like everyone else's back in January, but my new life really began with <a href="http://eater.com/archives/2013/03/21/daniel-vaughn-named-barbecue-editor-for-texas-monthly.php">an article on Eater National</a> announcing my new role as Barbecue Editor for Texas Monthly. That was Thursday, March 21st. I still had six days left of my six year tenure at <a href="http://www.gff.com/">Good Fulton & Farrell</a>, a Dallas architecture firm. You can imagine how productive that final week was.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This jacket arrived in the mail on 04/08</td></tr>
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Before that day I had spent a couple months of the year editing my book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Prophets-Smoked-Meat-Barbecue/dp/0062202928">The Prophets of Smoked Meat</a>, for publication. It was to come out two months later in Anthony Bourdain's new line of books with Ecco, but Manny Fernandez of the New York Times wanted to talk about this new Barbecue Editor position the evening of the Eater announcement. When <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/us/texas-monthly-hires-full-time-barbecue-editor.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">that story went live</a> on May 23rd, things went from crazy to surreal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Rex C. Curry of the New York Times</td></tr>
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I had three weeks off between jobs to do some barbecue exploring, so I convinced my photographer <a href="http://redblank.com/filter/photography">Nick McWhirter</a> to tag along on a Carolina barbecue road trip in early April.<br />
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We ate plenty of pork, and got to chew a little fat with some of our counterparts on the East Coast. Author <a href="http://johnshelton.weebly.com/">John Shelton Reed</a> and blogger <a href="http://bbqjew.com/2013/04/14/bbq-royalty-me/">Dan Levine</a> met us for a meal at Allen & Son in Chapel Hill, NC, while author <a href="http://www.robertfmoss.com/">Robert F. Moss</a> met us on our final day in Charleston, SC.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan Levine & his children, me, John Shelton Reed, and Nick McWhirter</td></tr>
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<b>4/12:</b> I got home to find the first real copy of my book in the mail.<br />
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<b>4/15:</b> I officially started my new job as Barbecue Editor of Texas Monthly...<br />
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…and they gave me these cool business cards.</div>
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<b>4/25:</b> The first official event for the book launch was the TLA Conference in Fort Worth where I shared the stage with a friend and Texas BBQ mentor, Robb Walsh.<br />
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<b>5/5:</b> Texas Tech student Kristen Witherspoon made this drawing of me for a class project, which now is <a href="https://twitter.com/BBQsnob">my Twitter avatar</a>.<br />
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<b>5/7:</b> Interview with Nightline's Meredith Frost at Pecan Lodge.<br />
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<b>5/8:</b> Interview with NBC's Kevin Tibbles during a Dallas BBQ road trip.<br />
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<b>5/9:</b> Book event in Seattle catered by my friend Jack Timmons<br />
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<b>5/13:</b> Travel to New York with my wife for the official book launch events. We spent the day going around town on a BBQ tour with New York food critics Pete Wells and Robert Sietsema.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert Sietsema, Me, Pete Wells</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helen Cho, David Hale Smith, Jennifer Vaughn</td></tr>
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<b>5/14:</b> The Prophets of Smoked Meat is out! I spotted the first copy "in the wild" at a Barnes & Noble in Manhattan. The book's designer, Suet, and my editor Libby were both excited for launch date. That evening I had an interview with Anthony Bourdain at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZwJ8ct6uSNr5OOx2AZE7pL6RKzhXJcrz0K9MW500Bho0SxdJ-XC_VpO4Sq0r-W8vzk9bU8Gik_AtD0er8XSCjEJrkbacSA2x-qhMlWfz7apBvW8IvOHpGp7uySfxAwloP1VEe-Z2Z0o/s1600/POSM+Tour18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZwJ8ct6uSNr5OOx2AZE7pL6RKzhXJcrz0K9MW500Bho0SxdJ-XC_VpO4Sq0r-W8vzk9bU8Gik_AtD0er8XSCjEJrkbacSA2x-qhMlWfz7apBvW8IvOHpGp7uySfxAwloP1VEe-Z2Z0o/s320/POSM+Tour18.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suet and Libby</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony and me with matching shirts</td></tr>
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<b>5/15:</b> The Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joints list is revealed while I'm still in New York making it my busiest day on Twitter ever. That night I had a book signing party catered by my friend Daniel Delaney of Brooklyn's Delaney Barbecue.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7Pbvwl-0KE4JqAkbS1rodNJH2LjPE6yp8_PlbrlON1TLO5osNHa_XqXYOt7gwZik8vQxqTOFNc0kmwS5F2vR6A6o26oWdorRam3aPZSDJ_s7wluep1tWBizzudzo6GLlQODnK0tnr4c/s1600/POSM+Tour20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7Pbvwl-0KE4JqAkbS1rodNJH2LjPE6yp8_PlbrlON1TLO5osNHa_XqXYOt7gwZik8vQxqTOFNc0kmwS5F2vR6A6o26oWdorRam3aPZSDJ_s7wluep1tWBizzudzo6GLlQODnK0tnr4c/s320/POSM+Tour20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daniel Delaney, David Hale Smith, and me</td></tr>
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<b>5/16:</b> Celebration lunch at Le Bernardin with my agent David Hale Smith. There was a strict no photo policy that we enforced on ourselves.<br />
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<b>5/17:</b> A ridiculous party was hosted by Steve and Anne Stoghill at their house in Dallas. Hundreds of people including the Dallas mayor came to enjoy barbecue from some of Texas's best pitmasters. I signed books through the entire party.<br />
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<b>5/19:</b> In Chicago with Tony.<br />
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<b>5/21:</b> Interview on NPR's Think with Krys Boyd.<br />
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<b>5/23:</b> Interview at KUT studio in Austin where I met Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett in the kitchen.<br />
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<b>5/24:</b> San Antonio book signing at Two Bros. BBQ Market.<br />
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<b>5/25:</b> Book signing party at Four Corners Brewery in Dallas.<br />
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<b>5/28:</b> OKC book signing at the Semtner house.<br />
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<b>5/30:</b> Book signing party at Fox Bros. BBQ in Atlanta.<br />
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<b>6/1:</b> Texas Monthly BBQ Bus Tour to Snow's, Louie Mueller and Franklin Barbecue.</div>
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<b>6/6:</b> Interview with Dan Rather and Texas Monthly BBQ takeover with Aaron Franklin at Hill Country BBQ in New York.<br />
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<b>6/7: </b>This morning was the worst event of the tour. I went on the Opie and Anthony Show and it bombed. But the bonus was that I brought one of Aaron Franklin's briskets that was warmed in the kitchen of Le Bernardin. The interview later that day with an Austrailian morning show made up for it when the host ended the segment showing concern for my colon.<br />
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<b>6/8 and 6/9:</b> Big Apple BBQ Block Party.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With burger aficinado George Motz</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With 17th St BBQ's Amy Mills</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fedotowskied!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rdm1ZqEkoz9m74ezzVVH8aGGvT9AHX5fFrsjGsIs7fdeI4O1H6htRFROmAbEfIgs1WKjdSHS0GpCTLk4snHmCPZ-b0gJcz-ex8eDDNKBNkJMUIzeJZyxmB652pX20nFZizpcK1UFEFA/s1600/POSM+Tour39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rdm1ZqEkoz9m74ezzVVH8aGGvT9AHX5fFrsjGsIs7fdeI4O1H6htRFROmAbEfIgs1WKjdSHS0GpCTLk4snHmCPZ-b0gJcz-ex8eDDNKBNkJMUIzeJZyxmB652pX20nFZizpcK1UFEFA/s320/POSM+Tour39.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John T. Edge, me, Jimmy Hagood</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq1jg7Y0YKd1ZWyMZ2h2kNoZcnOFf_oQHimIA5hP75LVxC_JOI_9h-xqRM2-utYnQhs5bCNvouROuPSTHvhhy9x6qDaS7UZFeCXfE-tZ-nyb9PvF1Hp4Okr66K2wMmAhD6m_c2SuS20Q/s1600/POSM+Tour38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq1jg7Y0YKd1ZWyMZ2h2kNoZcnOFf_oQHimIA5hP75LVxC_JOI_9h-xqRM2-utYnQhs5bCNvouROuPSTHvhhy9x6qDaS7UZFeCXfE-tZ-nyb9PvF1Hp4Okr66K2wMmAhD6m_c2SuS20Q/s320/POSM+Tour38.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Frank Ostini</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK3HgQNNNBHSZ135khg4lKqSaT4YIo2wnPn_5GJJlm3r6jrVVVjl_JeehtUeDiCUAS8HhyphenhypheneLhtx9L8oW_tTaqxOxxRrygRcGkgDX3VW7x_pTOq7_bhraS6kTQkyVjIVMM7bK1iJP4nOE/s1600/POSM+Tour41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK3HgQNNNBHSZ135khg4lKqSaT4YIo2wnPn_5GJJlm3r6jrVVVjl_JeehtUeDiCUAS8HhyphenhypheneLhtx9L8oW_tTaqxOxxRrygRcGkgDX3VW7x_pTOq7_bhraS6kTQkyVjIVMM7bK1iJP4nOE/s320/POSM+Tour41.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With John Markus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>6/?:</b> Sometime in June my book showed up on the desk of Geoff who is the co-star of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. I have no idea how it got there.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O2XNsHiO1jCG810m5U6vdazsqUndzfyQ5bIn0ur-8mmHNJ2ksFlA9vgPdI-GAnRH6EIbZYFOCjEu4LtF3gGdJeCl3I9rRnA8iwr8oChO8GUpT_Fu2cgBE8dlaITYf6wWBxEp5lSI-yE/s1600/POSM+Tour42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O2XNsHiO1jCG810m5U6vdazsqUndzfyQ5bIn0ur-8mmHNJ2ksFlA9vgPdI-GAnRH6EIbZYFOCjEu4LtF3gGdJeCl3I9rRnA8iwr8oChO8GUpT_Fu2cgBE8dlaITYf6wWBxEp5lSI-yE/s320/POSM+Tour42.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>6/10:</b> BBQ University with Steven Raichlen in Colorado Springs, CO.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXHlmtIa80NAJ_5Tk_j5yy2VMgKNoka2bFv38AfvL7Tad12UOD7DemfuHvzRaeSh_R4c_H-LaevqhoDJxcifnv1zxVLFAR0s_A-afQYDQ3Xs6FMDJtBKZnJIj5jOIvuOzM92Y6c0O1M4/s1600/IMG_9264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXHlmtIa80NAJ_5Tk_j5yy2VMgKNoka2bFv38AfvL7Tad12UOD7DemfuHvzRaeSh_R4c_H-LaevqhoDJxcifnv1zxVLFAR0s_A-afQYDQ3Xs6FMDJtBKZnJIj5jOIvuOzM92Y6c0O1M4/s320/IMG_9264.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>6/14:</b> Book signing in Cleveland where they cooked a few cow heads for me at Greenhouse Tavern.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIuwQzeqDuceDn_tOjFTLgfovuAylozO__jr25Q0C-AKfnStdON1KZaFH_hWqjrgIQJvFMcPDp0mrMycd7aK9qxSNDkilDazgBXOu-A9tDtndahfMEtzzGBx70cPECq5EtUxHJZUQ8nQ/s1600/POSM+Tour45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIuwQzeqDuceDn_tOjFTLgfovuAylozO__jr25Q0C-AKfnStdON1KZaFH_hWqjrgIQJvFMcPDp0mrMycd7aK9qxSNDkilDazgBXOu-A9tDtndahfMEtzzGBx70cPECq5EtUxHJZUQ8nQ/s320/POSM+Tour45.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>7/10:</b> I smoked beef ribs for a cooking class put on by Tom Douglas in Seattle. Later that night, Sir Mix A Lot raved about one of the leftover ribs at another Tom Douglas restaurant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIGpD9io9DH4ZwRuYzcrfWOgQgiyLw5qVDpcHIWf-U5ttpRJhdAOgK90VLeB4NU47gURtYRqCCz_TL77SKNVSwiKWtpEJxHktCxy0_Rc7nLwN12Ar9scfYT-0QLupeBom1uPQowLnKmU/s1600/POSM+Tour50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIGpD9io9DH4ZwRuYzcrfWOgQgiyLw5qVDpcHIWf-U5ttpRJhdAOgK90VLeB4NU47gURtYRqCCz_TL77SKNVSwiKWtpEJxHktCxy0_Rc7nLwN12Ar9scfYT-0QLupeBom1uPQowLnKmU/s320/POSM+Tour50.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>8/29:</b> Took Todd Blackledge on a "Taste of the Town" scouting trip to BBQ on the Brazos in Cresson. It was featured in the LSU v. TCU game a few nights later.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfW9Pi3dWdXc0r6uruhb6aFPScXupdy9dEVY-RrNwCo_BfKBLhkozZv3K-PKxTGZPs0kPb4PV0pG28b35QgSYRjZGG2xypMyESNhoVgtDnXgBt8MwOhcXEZ0heea_NNWUmj288APWeExU/s1600/POSM+Tour52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfW9Pi3dWdXc0r6uruhb6aFPScXupdy9dEVY-RrNwCo_BfKBLhkozZv3K-PKxTGZPs0kPb4PV0pG28b35QgSYRjZGG2xypMyESNhoVgtDnXgBt8MwOhcXEZ0heea_NNWUmj288APWeExU/s320/POSM+Tour52.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRxIS58mqn_A4ziunH4UZ5RbeHt2BDyTAcAbgAn6BkgIVPmbW-qvKlAMhyphenhyphenChVwsasutCX7XSU5B-sqOp5S9c7NB7JgFeOJM5xeO7zxn_OSs-pnumcY7mkQ9m8cK70uN8qD2lheFLFsB0/s1600/POSM+Tour53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRxIS58mqn_A4ziunH4UZ5RbeHt2BDyTAcAbgAn6BkgIVPmbW-qvKlAMhyphenhyphenChVwsasutCX7XSU5B-sqOp5S9c7NB7JgFeOJM5xeO7zxn_OSs-pnumcY7mkQ9m8cK70uN8qD2lheFLFsB0/s320/POSM+Tour53.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>9/4 and 9/5:</b> Cooked with Adam Perry Lang in Los Angeles. Got to chat with restaurateur and author Roy Choi and writer Lolis Eric Elie as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunaXGysuynsZWAZ4eetJj7v60Eaq-_SP9CdfZHb2pfokHzZUNCI09hKDm8VtxU93v3r37Q4oJ5LqUDPojXg2_2NTS-ns6eycXJXXGekLlNChPjOPf2c-I8t2y1uDxrAOkYc6561GCtcQ/s1600/POSM+Tour54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunaXGysuynsZWAZ4eetJj7v60Eaq-_SP9CdfZHb2pfokHzZUNCI09hKDm8VtxU93v3r37Q4oJ5LqUDPojXg2_2NTS-ns6eycXJXXGekLlNChPjOPf2c-I8t2y1uDxrAOkYc6561GCtcQ/s320/POSM+Tour54.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Roy Choi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6jqrUFArucdQ_044RQO91asVxOXrlBTwljp13pYGygsLFzDijItr6TsNtuZ63YG8xGc18R9WMog6JMkrTGiVnjn-A_DPa45CcMDvuvYGntaQxeDqkFivnL-Ts1UnHbK_AWa15M-gxR0/s1600/POSM+Tour55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6jqrUFArucdQ_044RQO91asVxOXrlBTwljp13pYGygsLFzDijItr6TsNtuZ63YG8xGc18R9WMog6JMkrTGiVnjn-A_DPa45CcMDvuvYGntaQxeDqkFivnL-Ts1UnHbK_AWa15M-gxR0/s320/POSM+Tour55.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam Perry Lang, Lolis Eric Elie, me</td></tr>
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<b>9/19:</b> Spoke in <a href="http://thesunbreak.com/2013/09/27/feast-portland-offers-food-for-thought-for-a-second-time/">a panel discussion</a> on American food at Feast Portland with chefs Christopher Kostow, Naomi Pomeroy and Hugh Acheson.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKSWozgixJgJgBiS603gpkpoxKIGTh33ZQ7DlrGHreJU3bmVJTWtc3qom4yyaUG0OGCli3mItWBueWS_PAgAUuPadZ5XdttRHWEDouFBxgOmDC7NvXht9XPgnQ6NYPHwYGr1Hl0kE90s/s1600/Feast+Portland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKSWozgixJgJgBiS603gpkpoxKIGTh33ZQ7DlrGHreJU3bmVJTWtc3qom4yyaUG0OGCli3mItWBueWS_PAgAUuPadZ5XdttRHWEDouFBxgOmDC7NvXht9XPgnQ6NYPHwYGr1Hl0kE90s/s320/Feast+Portland.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Jay Friedman</td></tr>
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<b>10/3: </b>Sat in on a press conference with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and asked a few barbecue questions.<br />
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<b>10/5:</b> Met Nina Sells of Smitty's BBQ in Lockhart during a book signing. Despite my harsh words for Smitty's, she was very gracious and even gave me this Smitty's shirt to cover the Kreuz Market one I was wearing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqzsBjVJ2bIFeacJ2wEWOoDMhnLqPdLAbyR4Mfkbj7LcJixskrXI8wqS7yXC8SWD4e2gdY8l9aIwtroUXIoSE3FNbAbavWVbvWnPdP8eag2cyfdIQXq67cYVDSvkhDn5qlVVf0dODft0/s1600/POSM+Tour57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqzsBjVJ2bIFeacJ2wEWOoDMhnLqPdLAbyR4Mfkbj7LcJixskrXI8wqS7yXC8SWD4e2gdY8l9aIwtroUXIoSE3FNbAbavWVbvWnPdP8eag2cyfdIQXq67cYVDSvkhDn5qlVVf0dODft0/s320/POSM+Tour57.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>10/10:</b> Andy Langer sent me this photo of ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons.<br />
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<b>10/15:</b> Filmed a segment with Frank Stewart and Wynton Marsalis in Lockhart for CBS Sunday Morning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrLx6rC_3oFm1xgZHGQGfhOiI2PgtDG3GwkTrJ1n-EZ04uSorWFZEx4t8BB2WiZ3hNgyWQb7yfQDxLTvhdnDl1GSdfy64wwLlT7kI4S1zJjmnUkksUGCnfGrqmj5L8S5XhDsXb2Gw9sI/s1600/POSM+Tour60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrLx6rC_3oFm1xgZHGQGfhOiI2PgtDG3GwkTrJ1n-EZ04uSorWFZEx4t8BB2WiZ3hNgyWQb7yfQDxLTvhdnDl1GSdfy64wwLlT7kI4S1zJjmnUkksUGCnfGrqmj5L8S5XhDsXb2Gw9sI/s320/POSM+Tour60.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>10/25:</b> Talked with Rick Schmidt, former owner of Kreuz Market, at the opening of Schmidt Family Barbecue in Bee Cave, TX.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPR4RHIXRtIXyFW5wLkX4HDwAs_RBSUwntEBfG3UoscBXTlehFFrUplmmzoIkCYdYqj24mvj0k5POF0KtlEyLwqvUIUGQhnUvgHZkzNywPwevZ89iqsVN3942dr870r1dxNDwHx4L7md4/s1600/POSM+Tour61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPR4RHIXRtIXyFW5wLkX4HDwAs_RBSUwntEBfG3UoscBXTlehFFrUplmmzoIkCYdYqj24mvj0k5POF0KtlEyLwqvUIUGQhnUvgHZkzNywPwevZ89iqsVN3942dr870r1dxNDwHx4L7md4/s320/POSM+Tour61.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<b>10/26:</b> Attended the Texas Book Festival in Austin. Spent and evening with a bunch of authors at the Paisano Ranch outside of Austin and witnessed a great party trick with grain alcohol.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_j3Zs5ozbdq6xFUhyphenhyphenRoHDTGBVwXoNgT3oqLoKHg2ENhywSl7sZUpw3Ko8VThPFeuvTglFLwfKo2UFBENRHem8Byp0iw5T9bjzgOFn_5udoZI1b30Nq9lYatB74P0z3iL0LDiB7AXvUI/s1600/photo-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_j3Zs5ozbdq6xFUhyphenhyphenRoHDTGBVwXoNgT3oqLoKHg2ENhywSl7sZUpw3Ko8VThPFeuvTglFLwfKo2UFBENRHem8Byp0iw5T9bjzgOFn_5udoZI1b30Nq9lYatB74P0z3iL0LDiB7AXvUI/s320/photo-4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>11/2:</b> Met my nemesis, <a href="http://www.tmbbq.com/brisket-sucks-josh-ozersky-2013/">Josh Ozersky</a> at Meatopia Texas.<br />
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<b>11/3:</b> Texas Monthly BBQ Festival in Austin.<br />
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<b>11/17:</b> Judged Meat Fight in Dallas with Nick Offerman, aka Ron Swanson.<br />
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<b>11/21:</b> The BBQ Audi that had been my trusty road companion was totaled.<br />
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<b>11/22:</b> The most sparsely attended book signing I had was saved by these nice folks from Tyler, TX.<br />
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<b>11/23:</b> I drove to Longview to get a new BBQ Audi and stopped for barbecue in Tyler on the way back.<br />
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<b>12/7:</b> Judged the Linn-San Manuel cook-off and ate the finest cabrito of my life just north of McAllen.<br />
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<b>12/13:</b> Learned that The Prophets of Smoked Meat was listed as one of the ten best non-fiction books of 2013 by the Wall Street Journal.<br />
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<b>12/14 and 12/15: </b>Filmed Bizarre Foods America with Andrew Zimmern in Dallas and Fort Worth.<br />
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<b>12/18:</b> I received the January issue of Texas Monthly where<a href="http://www.tmbbq.com/interview-roy-perez-of-kreuz-market/"> my interview with Kreuz Market pitmaster Roy Perez</a> appeared. What an incredible end to an incredible year.<br />
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I met so many incredible people and made some great friends along the way. There are too many people to thank of making this such a fulfilling year, but I mostly have to thank my family for their patience. Their absence along the way is glaring in the photos above, but they know I've gotta keep working.<br />
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- BBQ SnobBBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-50467581223882563522013-11-20T20:13:00.002-06:002013-11-20T20:13:11.056-06:00A Fork in the Road<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's not often that a book comes out that I had a hand in. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Prophets-Smoked-Meat-Barbecue/dp/0062202928">The Prophets of Smoked Meat</a> that came out this May was my first. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Fork-Travel-Literature/dp/1743218443">A Fork in the Road</a> was my second. The book's editor James Oseland asked (or maybe it was suggested to him) that I provide a short account of a food/travel story for the collection. I was excited to write it, and even more giddy when it arrived in the mail this week.<br />
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I quickly read throughout the story of traveling through Georgia eating barbecue. These trips took place over several months as my architecture career wound down, and the possibility that I might write about barbecue for living started to take shape. I got to the final line. "We were already late for the next stop." I gasped. There were several paragraphs missing.<br />
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A call to James Oseland was met with the same baffled response that I had. He hadn't made the change, and the publisher who had worked on the project was no longer with Lonely Planet. There was no quick way to find out what had transpired, and regardless of the answer the book was already on the shelves. Below is the final sentence that made it into the print version and the four missing paragraphs. Enjoy, as this is the only place you'll see how the story really ends for the time being.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We were already late for the next stop. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A new location of Grand Champion BBQ had just opened and our friends Dustin and Steven were waiting patiently with owner Robert Owens, who had been kind enough to leave the joint open just for our meal. A feast was laid before us on a large platter and we clawed at the meat, whose quality at this late hour was remarkable. Slices of brisket were well above respectable, pork ribs were tender but in need of smoke, and the pulled pork was so loaded with well-rendered fat and caramelized crust that it was downright decadent. A dip in their thin spicy sauce heightened it. I could have kept eating, but the hour was now late and I was a long way from Warner Robins. I said goodbye to Bill and we both hoped my next visit to Atlanta would be just for the barbecue. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The final inspection for the project went off without a hitch the following day, so I again found myself with a few extra hours. I drove straight north, right back to Marietta, where Dave Poe’s former business partner Sam Huff manned the pits at Sam’s BBQ1. The menu was a replica of Dave Poe’s, but the only item I preferred here was the stew. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I dreaded the idea of having eaten at Heirloom Market BBQ only once, so this became my final stop. I thought I was just going to reminisce over a few old favorites, but this time I noticed the chunks of meat in the Korean pork sandwich were chopped rib ends rather than simple pulled pork shoulder. Their tighter muscle structure made for meat with a bit more resistance. I didn’t think the stew could be topped as a side item until I took a bite of the bacon creamed corn, which was richly flavored with smoked pork belly. When I tipped the bowl back to get the last drop, I noticed the banana pudding. It was dense with bananas and had an elegant topping of the lightest meringue. I consider myself a connoisseur of banana pudding and I haven’t had much that matches this. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Back at the airport I said what will probably be my final goodbye to Roosevelt at the rental counter. This was my last Georgia trip that I would expense back to the firm. I passed him a container of still chilly banana pudding. I didn’t get to see the look on his face when he took a bite, but I’d like to think he licked the bowl. That wasn’t the only unanswered question. What of this Georgia barbecue style? The old tradition of pork, slaw and Brunswick stew still has a solid grasp in rural Georgia, but the new joints in Atlanta put just as much stock in their brisket and Mac N Cheese. Some of these innovations will fade and others will become just as entrenched in tradition as the chopped pork at Fresh Air, but the thread that ties them all together is that wonderful omnipresent stew.
</blockquote>
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This is one of those situations where there's no need to cry about it. Nothing can be done unless there is a second printing. If you bought the book and wondered why I can't finish a story properly here's your answer. I'll also remind you that there are thirty-three other great, and complete, stories in the collection that is A Fork in the Road. Thanks again to James Oseland for including me in such great company, and here's to a second printing.BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-70669312455500650162013-05-06T11:23:00.000-05:002013-08-21T14:11:08.219-05:00The POSM Book Events Calendar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFDwWNhq6vXtXmWapKbpWYfL7XgS-Bgx9iPimI0VtbLR5wBfe8nCJfZS6u7MUkozxHasBBQQsvVNGZczhoWJsOEw7XI3oyVtEaaREUlClLSBhPUr8rTWu3zujagHlTidJSZVRoeAbPNo/s1600/POSM+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFDwWNhq6vXtXmWapKbpWYfL7XgS-Bgx9iPimI0VtbLR5wBfe8nCJfZS6u7MUkozxHasBBQQsvVNGZczhoWJsOEw7XI3oyVtEaaREUlClLSBhPUr8rTWu3zujagHlTidJSZVRoeAbPNo/s200/POSM+Cover.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
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5/9 Seattle - Book signing and <a href="http://sbx5.eventbrite.com/#">Seattle Brisket Experience</a> dinner. Ticketed event, sold out.<br />
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5/14 New York - Book launch at <a href="http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/78856">Barnes & Noble in Union Square</a> with Anthony Bourdain. Public Event<br />
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5/15 Brooklyn - Brisket party by <a href="http://meattacular.eventbrite.com/">BrisketTow</a>n. Sold out.<br />
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5/17 Dallas - Private party<br />
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5/19 Chicago - Book signing at <a href="http://new.pitchengine.com/pitches/0e8854f2-bef7-4fee-aaa6-7396e282b536">Macy's</a> with Anthony Bourdain at noon. Public event.<br />
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5/22 Austin - Book signing at <a href="http://bookpeople.indiebound.com/event/daniel-vaughn-the-prophets-of-smoked-meat">Bookpeople</a> with BBQ from Micklethwait Craft Meats and beer from Saint Arnold. Public event.<br />
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5/24 San Antonio - Book signing at <a href="http://thetwig.indiebound.com/event/offsite-event-two-bros-bbq-prophets-smoked-meat-journey-through-texas-barbecue-texas-monthly%E2%80%99s">Two Bros. Barbecue Market</a> from 6-9. Public event.<br />
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5/25 Dallas - Book signing and barbecue at Four Corners Brewery. <a href="http://danielvaughnvip.eventbrite.com/#">VIP ticket</a> or <a href="http://www.texasmonthlymarketing.com/rsvp/meatandgreet">general admission</a>.<br />
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5/30 Atlanta - Book signing and dinner at <a href="http://www.xorbia.com/e/gom/FoxBrosandDanielVaughn/?referral=xorbiamai">Fox Bros. BBQ</a>. Ticketed event.<br />
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6/15 Houston - Book signing at <a href="http://www.leibmans.com/news-and-events.html">Leibman's Fine Foods</a> from 1-3, then at <a href="http://riveroaksbookstore.com/">River Oaks Bookstore</a> from 4-6. Public events.<br />
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6/17 Dallas - Book Signing at the <a href="http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/4419623">Preston/Park Barnes & Noble</a> at 7:00. Public event.<br />
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6/18 Cleveland - Dinner at <a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/org/665140619">Greenhouse Tavern</a> at 6:00. Ticketed event.<br />
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6/20 Fort Worth - Book Signing at <a href="http://www.tcubookstoreonline.com/">TCU Bookstore</a> at 5:00. Public event.<br />
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6/21 Oklahoma City - Book Signing at <a href="http://wimgo.com/oklahoma-city-ok/daniel-vaughn-to-sign-prophets-of-smoked-meat/events/290004">Full Circle Bookstore</a> at 3:00. Public event.<br />
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8/22 Dallas - Book Signing at Lockhart Smokehouse from 11-2.<br />
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8/27 Dallas - Book Signing at the Dubliner on Greenville Ave. from 5-7.<br />
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- BBQ SnobBBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-31699778414032567092013-04-22T08:00:00.000-05:002013-04-22T08:00:16.985-05:00Hammerheads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">KENTUCKY: Hammerheads<br />921 Swan St.<br />Louisville, KY 40204<br />502-365-1112<br />Open M-Sat 5pm - 10pm</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.louisvillehammerheads.com/">www.louisvillehammerheads.com</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Driving down <span style="font-size: small;">a resid<span style="font-size: small;">ential street in Lo<span style="font-size: small;">uisville I thought I may be in the wrong part of town, but soon I noticed the glow coming out of the windows at Hammerheads along with a very large shark tacked up to the wall above the door. </span></span></span></span>You'll need to duck shortly after walking through the door </span>because Hammerheads is located in the basement of a house and has some low ceilings. A long bar is at the right and what remains is a small dining room. It gets packed and it gets loud, but before long we each had a beer and a table.<br />
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The menu is wide and includes more than just barbecue. It is expectedly meat-heavy, but there is a salad, a veggie burger and veggie tacos. We didn't order any of them. First on the table were an array of sliders. The only bite of brisket I had was a thin slice on one of the sliders. It and the pulled pork were fine if unremarkable, but it's hard to shine next to the ridiculously good duck sliders. Next up was a fried smoked cheddar grit cake which was crisp on the outside and smoky and creamy on the inside. <br />
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Giant mac & cheese balls were more fried cheesy goodness, but the grit cake just seems less gimmicky, more well conceived, and far less rich.<br />
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As the meats came out they were all served on wooden cutting boards. A rack of baby back ribs was very tender, almost too much so. The smokiness went deep into the rosy meat which was a nice counterpoint to the sweet rub and finishing glaze. There was no need for barbecue sauce.<br />
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I've seen few smoked meat items so rich on a menu as the PBLT. Four thick slices of pork belly (the PB in the equation) were beautifully smoked. The fat was silky and the ribbons of meat in between were yielding but tender. The black crust was stout and the sweetness from the rub was pleasantly restrained. I must admit that I don't know how it all tasted as a sandwich because we ate the slices of belly too quickly.<br />
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Our table was getting crowded with food, but we managed to find some real estate for the three kinds of fries. We got the original, the sweet potato and a version dusted with the famous Grippo's BBQ spice from the Cincinnati chip company. For just $3 extra, you are provided the option to get any or all of the varieties fried in duck fat. Of course we did, and they were stunning. The Grippo's version is mandatory if you're eating here.<br />
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<br />I saved the best for last. Lamb ribs are a house specialty, and they are incredible. Lamb, especially the ribs, can be very gamey and full of unrendered fat. These ribs suffered from neither of those issues. The dark crust provided a smoky kick along with a pleasant chew to contrast with the tender meat beneath. These ribs should serve as an example to anyone serving this cut.</div>
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Hammerheads is a great restaurant with plenty of imagination and mostly spot-on execution. The items I normally judge a joint on are the brisket and pork ribs. Here the brisket was average and the ribs were a bit overcooked. In the end these were the only items on the menu I had any qualms with, and I can't wait to get back to Louisville for another visit to Hammerheads.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Rating **** </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-6024274645742317972013-03-21T09:31:00.005-05:002013-03-21T09:31:59.395-05:00Texas Monthly, Here I ComeStarting next month this barbecue life of mine will no longer be a hobby, a part-time job or a distration from my day job. On April 15th I will become the <a href="http://eater.com/archives/2013/03/21/daniel-vaughn-named-barbecue-editor-for-texas-monthly.php">Barbecue Editor at Texas Monthly</a> magazine. Hell yes!
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For the first time since 1996, I will not be immersed in the world of architecture, which saddens me a bit knowing how well I've been treated at <a href="http://www.gff.com/">Good Fulton & Farrell</a>, but there are some opportunities that cannot be passed up. Goodbye to architecture for a while, and hello to All BBQ, All the Time!
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- BBQ SnobBBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-88307190831947648462013-03-13T08:00:00.000-05:002013-08-27T00:09:43.674-05:00Black Diamond Smokehouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZC6gjRzletam1-nwxTFXDLSWUasrNn8EVhOutP6lSRPm2kDAiO77Zs75MnDtpcL_3EPSw3vaQSNlwgc0RuhumHtybHT8cdU00XspOA1Jhm9Lzt-zeYZRs7ZkPLpv6_QxCXMn_ds_5C94/s1600/Black+Diamond+01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZC6gjRzletam1-nwxTFXDLSWUasrNn8EVhOutP6lSRPm2kDAiO77Zs75MnDtpcL_3EPSw3vaQSNlwgc0RuhumHtybHT8cdU00XspOA1Jhm9Lzt-zeYZRs7ZkPLpv6_QxCXMn_ds_5C94/s200/Black+Diamond+01.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">NORTH RICHLAND HILLS: Black Diamond Smokehouse<br />3900 Rufe Snow<br />North Richland Hills, TX 76180<br />817-284-2374<br />Open Sun-Thur 10:30-9, F-Sat 10:30-11<br /><a href="http://blackdiamondsmokehouse.net/">blackdiamondsmokehouse.net</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Update: This joint is <span style="color: red;">CLOSED</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">2013: It was several months ago when I made my fi<span style="font-size: small;">rst vis<span style="font-size: small;">it to Black Diamond S<span style="font-size: small;">mokehouse<span style="font-size: small;">. The smoky sme<span style="font-size: small;">ll is strong out<span style="font-size: small;"> in the parking lot and it doe<span style="font-size: small;">sn't dissipate inside. A large array of side items <span style="font-size: small;">outside the norm </span>of beans and slaw were avai<span style="font-size: small;">lable<span style="font-size: small;"> like cuc<span style="font-size: small;">umber s<span style="font-size: small;">alad</span></span></span>, <span style="font-size: small;">fried okra and mac & cheese </span>along with the standard cuts of smoked meat. It wa<span style="font-size: small;">s early evening and there wasn't another person in the <span style="font-size: small;">large d<span style="font-size: small;">ining room</span></span> so I grabbed a two-meat combo to<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>go and took it out<span style="font-size: small;">side for a picnic on the trun<span style="font-size: small;">k. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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The ribs were covered in a thick black bark. Each bite was intensely smoky, but the heavy rub of powdery ingredients had a burnt flavor. The meat was tender if a bit dry and it came away from the bone nicely. A jalapeno sausage was well smoked, but it was an overly salty commercial sausage. The brisket was also both smoky and a bit dried out. They had some real potential which brought me back a few months later to try it again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYdGJEMF-gE0KX1ZoyJguZDhAf8hqioBMP7BYXwkqRAfHPFWZLsyspUesn74RlyGOWA2AZVXAAJ0yy46KUc6VkVvIanshyrqKWICqazGHlOto_kij2pRUkaGJES93IDHEba0x_1bKAyw/s1600/Black+Diamond+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYdGJEMF-gE0KX1ZoyJguZDhAf8hqioBMP7BYXwkqRAfHPFWZLsyspUesn74RlyGOWA2AZVXAAJ0yy46KUc6VkVvIanshyrqKWICqazGHlOto_kij2pRUkaGJES93IDHEba0x_1bKAyw/s400/Black+Diamond+10.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
This time around the parking lot was packed in mid-afternoon. Dining tables had been converted into poker tables and they were packed with customers clad in visors and sunglasses. I thought I might need to ante up if I took a seat, so I took it to-go once again. This time I just went for the brisket and ribs although the fried catfish and fried frog legs looked tempting. Once again the brisket was deeply smoky as well as dried out. The ribs had improved. There was still a heavy smoke flavor that verged on overkill, but a lighter rub had been applied that allowed a crisp bark to form on these moist ribs. As I concluded my meal I could still see the potential. A fattier cut of brisket closer to opening time may be great, but the slices I got were just above acceptable. The ribs seem like a safer bet.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating *** </span> </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-27434688958014368752013-02-26T23:35:00.001-06:002013-02-26T23:35:43.405-06:00Polak's Sawsage Farm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkkxgn8oOYAqpsWN3yZWED2jyzuF0US-wKcpYIuZ2aiAa5ZfRClcBjUAxgQ-tomnd137IQI-KBIeZtzh_nWekuZ6bH4WLqa_bUT8ZXgvD7NYYDe26OO8vuQVMuqoIgcl3nx-pRnFsCOk/s1600/Polak's+01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkkxgn8oOYAqpsWN3yZWED2jyzuF0US-wKcpYIuZ2aiAa5ZfRClcBjUAxgQ-tomnd137IQI-KBIeZtzh_nWekuZ6bH4WLqa_bUT8ZXgvD7NYYDe26OO8vuQVMuqoIgcl3nx-pRnFsCOk/s200/Polak's+01.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">KARNES CITY: Polak's Sawsage Farm<br />2835 S Highway 181<br />Karnes City, TX 78118<br />830-583-2113<br />Open M-Tues 8:30-8:30, Thur 8:30-8:30, F-Sat 8:30-9, Sun 8:30-3<br /><a href="http://www.polaksausagefarm.com/">www.polaksausagefarm.com/</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If <span style="font-size: small;">I could ju<span style="font-size: small;">dge this joint on sides and <span style="font-size: small;">items on the menu besides the barbecue, then it might get a more so<span style="font-size: small;">lid endo<span style="font-size: small;">rsement, but the barbecue at <span style="font-size: small;">Polak's Sawsage Farm isn't worth stopping for.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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A side of sauerkraut flecked with bits of smoked meat was well seasoned with just the right amount of crispness. A German potato salad was richer than expected in a good way. I finished them both. The homemade sausage links was decent, but the casings hadn't crisped up at all and there was little evidence of smoke. It made me wonder if maybe the sausage wasn't smoked. The brisket on the other hand was inexcusable. It had been sliced then
rewarmed on a flat top back in the kitchen. The surfaces of the slice
(singular) were browned and the edges were crispy. I cringed as I took a
bite knowing that it wouldn't be pleasant. It wasn't. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating * </span> </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-10649631631080120682013-02-26T23:26:00.003-06:002013-02-26T23:26:49.441-06:00Lil' Joe's Bar-B-Que<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">ROSEBUD: Lil' Joe's Bar-B-Que<br />212 N 5th. <br />Rosebud, TX 76570<br />254-583-7383<br />Open Thur-Sun 11-6</span></span><br />
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You wouldn't think that a town the size of Rosebud, Texas (population 1,412) could support three barbecue joints, but then you find the small painted wooden sign for Lil' Joe's along the highway just inside the city limits. A bit of Dallas Cowboys memorabilia decorates the small dining room, and orders are placed at a back counter. I took a three meat combo of sausage, brisket and spare ribs to go.<br />
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Out at the car I could smell the smoke which got even stronger when I opened the box. The colors were right, but the black crust of the ribs was just too much. They were overcooked and falling off the bone while also being oversmoked with a distinct taste of creosote. The brisket had a more appropriate level of smoke but it was so dry it crumbled apart. A well spiced sausage was enjoyable enough, but not enough to save the plate of what was otherwise poorly executed barbecue.<br />
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Rating **BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-21887813959616468722013-02-26T23:17:00.000-06:002013-02-26T23:17:04.895-06:00Jake 'N' Boo's Backdoor Bar & Grill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OcOlZs9MOsgY20aSy-0AFR86p_7pyv-bx72jGx718y8Pzhg59E08b9bXiUVFPO9Xyqrrmfsr4o28FhQu6cPmvJeOmCicQyD_VIJOgJFBT8yVrjTwLdsA4d3ShY95ZcvGfTdui1vhhOo/s1600/Jake+N+Boo%2527s+01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OcOlZs9MOsgY20aSy-0AFR86p_7pyv-bx72jGx718y8Pzhg59E08b9bXiUVFPO9Xyqrrmfsr4o28FhQu6cPmvJeOmCicQyD_VIJOgJFBT8yVrjTwLdsA4d3ShY95ZcvGfTdui1vhhOo/s200/Jake+N+Boo%2527s+01.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ROSEBUD: Jake 'N<span style="font-size: x-small;">'</span> Boo's Backdoor Bar & Grill<br />341 W Main St.<br />Rosebud, TX 76570<br />254-583-7827<br />Open Thur 11-8, F-Sat 11-9, Sun 11-6</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">There's something ironi<span style="font-size: small;">c about the feeling I get after seeing <span style="font-size: small;">the walls of a barbecue joint lined with competition trophies<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">This sh<span style="font-size: small;">ould be a good sign</span></span></span></span></span></span> that several panels of judges have found the owner's barbecue enjoyable, albeit in a different setting. Unfortunately, there rarely seems to be a correlation between barbecue competition prowess and great restaurant barbecue, which is why I was suspicious when walking into Jake 'N' Boo's. There were trophies and plaques everywhere and not another customer in sight during our mid-afternoon visit. We sat down after ordering a meat sampler plate at the bar.<br />
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Just as important as the cooking of barbecue in a restaurant setting is how it is held through the day. This isn't a challenge on the competition circuit where the meat is sliced, plated and served immediately after smoking. One method for holding is to keep the meat in a broth or drippings, or to use those drippings to brush the meat. This can awaken dry meat and provide an extra oomph of flavor. An overly salty broth can also overwhelm the meat. This was the case at Jake 'N' Boo's where every item we tasted had a similar greasy film and overly salty flavor. The chicken stood out as being extremely overcooked and mushy while the rib and brisket were both incredibly dry despite the added moisture. It was just a sad plate of barbecue, and I can't say that I saw enough potential to think it would have been much better a few hours earlier.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Rating * </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-12204350582814758102013-02-20T22:12:00.001-06:002013-02-20T22:12:35.486-06:00Suds and Smoke at Deep Ellum Brewery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVbCkqHFiG3CYbUEbwwxr8xgDoT845vuufIhEIOWAGZxh2hVwMuItVZiMGMjWa1EigxgY9N6QtcT2dXeap1psem3nSqWTBx8KQZKGhbrEJAUnmHBVb50xHwUqc0W8gEBoFIR6Q4MxAjM/s1600/SudsSmoke_invite1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVbCkqHFiG3CYbUEbwwxr8xgDoT845vuufIhEIOWAGZxh2hVwMuItVZiMGMjWa1EigxgY9N6QtcT2dXeap1psem3nSqWTBx8KQZKGhbrEJAUnmHBVb50xHwUqc0W8gEBoFIR6Q4MxAjM/s320/SudsSmoke_invite1.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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Get your <a href="http://foodwaystexas.com/2013/01/suds-and-smoke-event/">tickets</a> for a BBQ and beer event that happens NEXT MONDAY to benefit Foodways Texas.<br />
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The Food: <br />
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Justin Fourton of <a href="http://www.pecanlodge.com/">Pecan Lodge</a> - Pepper Crusted Smoked Pork Belly<br />
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Brian Luscher of <a href="http://www.thegraperestaurant.com/">The Grape</a> - Smoked Beef Red Hots<br />
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David Uygur of <a href="http://luciadallas.com/">Lucia</a> - Mussels, N'duja and Grilled Bread<br />
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Tim Byres of <a href="http://smokerestaurant.com/">Smoke</a> - Lamb Barbacoa Tacos<br />
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Terry Chandler of <a href="http://www.fredstexascafe.com/">Fred's Texas Cafe</a> - Mesquite Fired Tablitas (beef short ribs)<br />
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<a href="http://www.centralmarket.com/Home.aspx">Central Market</a> will be providing several salads if you need a break from the meat. <br />
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In addition to the food, beers from <a href="http://www.deepellumbrewing.com/">Deep Ellum Brewing</a> are included in the price. They'll have six beers on tap.<br />
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I hope to see you there. Click for <a href="http://foodwaystexas.com/2013/01/suds-and-smoke-event/">tickets</a>.<br />
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- BBQ Snob BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-72757025374607243362013-02-08T08:00:00.000-06:002013-02-08T08:00:08.374-06:00Bunkhouse BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72Oa2sZ24YM-8so6Qoic70jcHKOEAJGrVQB8oXMR_XasIdGwznfFKaMJcB5XVSHglaV6lgIJ9ygCE4dBUmhzRqf8USBLcbDlAe_neF4SKLej6S-i7R2ZCJ2i6emmhsauv_9myqIc5S5I/s1600/Bunkhouse+BBQ+Clifton+02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72Oa2sZ24YM-8so6Qoic70jcHKOEAJGrVQB8oXMR_XasIdGwznfFKaMJcB5XVSHglaV6lgIJ9ygCE4dBUmhzRqf8USBLcbDlAe_neF4SKLej6S-i7R2ZCJ2i6emmhsauv_9myqIc5S5I/s200/Bunkhouse+BBQ+Clifton+02.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CLIFTON: Bunkhouse BBQ<br />1001 South Avenue G <br />Clifton, TX 76634<br />254-675-8409<br />Open Tues-Sat 11-8<br /><a href="http://www.bunkhousebarbeque.com/">www.bunkhousebarbeque.com</a></span></span><br />
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There is nothing more disheartening at a barbecue joint than watching the meat slicer take the back of their knife and scrape away the layer of beautiful fat cap and throw it in the trash. When the black crust on a freshly unwrapped brisket glistens with moisture it makes my heart skip a beat. No matter how many joints I've eaten at that day, my mouth waters and my stomach grumbles. I can almost feel the fat melting on my tongue as the fat jiggles on the cutting board. Then, to see that brisket violated by the back of a knife makes me want to press charges. I was on the verge of calling 9-1-1 at Bunkhouse BBQ.<br />
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I requested some fatty brisket in the hopes that some of the fat remained. I also added some ribs and pork loin to the order. Outside on the trunk it took just one bite of the beans and potato salad to determine their dubious quality. The thick ribs were tough and undercooked with a thick sweet glaze. The excessive salt and sugar blasted away any other flavors including the smoke. The pork loin was incredibly dry, but it tasted better than it looked. A dip into the homemade sauce just brought more of the excessive sweetness that was on the ribs. That brisket that could have been great was just inching beyond good. The meat was moist and had the perfect tenderness. All of the seasoning and smokiness were long gone, but it didn't have to be that way. Do us all a favor - keep the fat, keep the flavor.<br />
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Rating **BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-52673877559042275312013-02-07T22:09:00.000-06:002013-02-07T22:09:00.447-06:00Doc's BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SCHULENBURG: Doc's BBQ<br />US Hwy 77 & Co. Rd. 225<br />Schulenberg, TX<br />Phone?<br />Open ?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">This joint is already <span style="color: red;">CLOSED</span><span style="font-size: small;">, but here are the photos.<span style="font-size: small;"> It wa<span style="font-size: small;">s on a <span style="font-size: small;">empty stretch of highway between Sch<span style="font-size: small;">ulenb<span style="font-size: small;">u</span>r<span style="font-size: small;">g and <span style="font-size: small;">Hallettsville</span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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None of it was good, and the sauce didn't help. It's always sad to see a joint close, but when it's as secluded as Doc's was, they really need to make it worth the trip, and this wasn't.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Rating * </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-87225074309271039152013-02-07T08:30:00.000-06:002013-02-07T08:30:03.204-06:00Conger's Smoke Shack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84RYB29WiOxfqM9Me2Yy2Hk-kpNf7Mka0cZuwT5DY41VceKKOzHeYpMADBZ4bFJdYbFQm1WpUwIxveWC61aN_6hZT1-x4h3kRJIfg9Ml2yv_DYn707o1IgrrtNL_ynsJcmJznq3DJYPE/s1600/Conger%2527s+Smoke+Shack+02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84RYB29WiOxfqM9Me2Yy2Hk-kpNf7Mka0cZuwT5DY41VceKKOzHeYpMADBZ4bFJdYbFQm1WpUwIxveWC61aN_6hZT1-x4h3kRJIfg9Ml2yv_DYn707o1IgrrtNL_ynsJcmJznq3DJYPE/s200/Conger%2527s+Smoke+Shack+02.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">SAN ANTONIO: Conger's Smoke Shack<br />2347 Nacogdoches Rd.<br />San Antonio, TX 78209<br />210-829-8448<br />Open M-Sat 11-3</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://kateconger.wix.com/congercatering">kateconger.wix.com/congercatering</a> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">A smoker attached to the back of th<span style="font-size: small;">is food truck parked under an<span style="font-size: small;"> old gas station canopy<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">in the shadow of the interstate</span></span> was belching out oak and pecan smoke. This was a go<span style="font-size: small;">od sign. </span></span></span>I was w<span style="font-size: small;">earing a<span style="font-size: small;"> t-shirt that read "I lo<span style="font-size: small;">ve BBQ" when I ordered <span style="font-size: small;">through the window<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">. You'd think this would be a clue to give me the good stuff, b<span style="font-size: small;">ut what I got was a mixed bag...at first.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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The pork ribs were a great start. They are served either glazed or naked depending on your request, so I went for a half and half. The whole rack was beautiful, but those glazed ribs had an extra shimmer. They looked as if they'd been prepared for a photo shoot. A well formed bark was on both versions, so I took a bite of an unglazed rib first. It was exquisite. The meat peeled away from the bone easily without falling off, and even without the glaze they were very moist. Smokiness pervaded every bite, but the sweetness of the rub was a perfect balance. The sweetness was enhanced by the glaze, but it wasn't needed. The naked rib was perfection.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Brisket</td></tr>
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Not as much could be said of the first brisket we received. The meat was a bit dry and the flavor was washed out. There was a great crust and nicely rendered fat, but it just tasted like old brisket. By this point the owner had come out to the table to see why we were taking photos. I gave him a card and he asked our honest opinion on the meat. I was honest and he quickly got up to get some more brisket. While I could have chalked this up to good customer service, I knew that most customers wouldn't have gotten this level of service.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Brisket</td></tr>
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I was more annoyed when he came back with some slices from what he called a "fresh brisket". It was obvious that I was being fawned over, but there was no contest between this replacement brisket and the first one. The meat was smoky, well seasoned and had perfectly rendered fat. This was some great brisket.<br />
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Along with the new brisket was a sample of pulled pork. The moist and smoky meat came along with some sweet mustard sauce for dipping. Both the sauce and meat were excellent alone, but it was an even better combination. I got a nervous note from the owner the next day to see how I liked things. My response could be used as words of wisdom for many pitmasters who are striving for greatness. When excellence is your goal then you need to know when to make the hard decision to either throw out a brisket or just turn it into chopped beef. There's no room for serving your best stuff to some customers while others dine on your mistakes. If he heeds my advice, then this joint could be a five star place. At this point, the ribs are some of the best in the city, but given the spotty quality of the brisket it's just not to that level yet.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating ***<span style="font-size: small;">*</span></span> </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-62866337194419840832013-02-06T22:57:00.000-06:002013-02-06T22:52:26.071-06:00Barbecue Station<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb0Lb5u58hSpqNVbLbTO35A01IgXhYZuV7nPAE1QN_ItHV7xsSN4UH2zfU5yJeLMBYGWrCL86SZoNSW35u32AACWBIF_7PDA61DzhyphenhyphenyeD6qzXb6k3hBMqImuvA8al08s4bQKQt47BAqs/s1600/Barbecue+Station+01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb0Lb5u58hSpqNVbLbTO35A01IgXhYZuV7nPAE1QN_ItHV7xsSN4UH2zfU5yJeLMBYGWrCL86SZoNSW35u32AACWBIF_7PDA61DzhyphenhyphenyeD6qzXb6k3hBMqImuvA8al08s4bQKQt47BAqs/s200/Barbecue+Station+01.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">SAN ANTONIO: Barbecue Station<br />1610 Northeast Loop 410 <br />San Antonio, TX 78209<br />210-824-9191<br />Open M-Sat 11-9<br /><a href="http://www.barbecuestation.com/">www.barbecuestation.com</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">You could smell the smoke <span style="font-size: small;">in the parking lot of </span>Barbecue Station.<span style="font-size: small;"> It's all mesquite and oak smoke comi<span style="font-size: small;">ng from the wood<span style="font-size: small;">-fired pits<span style="font-size: small;">, so I was hopi<span style="font-size: small;">ng for some good stuff. </span></span></span></span></span>The joint was nearly em<span style="font-size: small;">pty in the mi<span style="font-size: small;">d-aft<span style="font-size: small;">ernoon, so my order came out quickly.</span></span></span></span> For just some brisket and ribs, my bag felt heavier than expected. I'm guessing they were a little generous with the 1/2 pound of each that I requested.<br />
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The two huge spare ribs may have weighed in at a 1/2 pound each. The meat was juicy, but the rub was so heavy that it overpowered any hint of smokiness. They hadn't gone light on the salt for sure, but the ribs mostly tasted like roast pork.<br />
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The brisket was also plenty moist, but had been overcooked to the point of falling apart. The crust and smokering looked as if the slices might pack a smoky punch, but it was more like a light shoulder tap just to remind you that it was smoked meat. I may have gotten more meat than I paid for, but what I really needed was the smoke that I smelled in the parking lot to find its way to the meat.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating ** </span> </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-36712166494059623532013-02-06T22:33:00.000-06:002013-02-06T22:33:12.991-06:00The Big Bib<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXq_z_XmSlrvKDhCia64mQ8DOKw2oi_eltLO6QAvChbxUooXszd8EW5nKvoclJ_LqqwJ7L_z0iEfS7Gr2dQn9EiXwwrUQuyOMfdqYq9tawQ-phtOvsh8y3cUYxbhTPiwp7_sZhsV1Q5CQ/s1600/Big+Bib+01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXq_z_XmSlrvKDhCia64mQ8DOKw2oi_eltLO6QAvChbxUooXszd8EW5nKvoclJ_LqqwJ7L_z0iEfS7Gr2dQn9EiXwwrUQuyOMfdqYq9tawQ-phtOvsh8y3cUYxbhTPiwp7_sZhsV1Q5CQ/s200/Big+Bib+01.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">SAN ANTONIO: The Big Bib<br />2427 Austin Hwy<br />San Antonio, TX 78218<br />210-654-8400<br />Open Tues-Sat 11-8, Sun 12-6<br /><a href="http://www.thebigbib.com/">www.thebigbib.com</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The first time I saw the listing for the Big B<span style="font-size: small;">ib, I just assumed it was a typo and it was supposed to be the Bi<span style="font-size: small;">g Rib. Not so. A few barbecu<span style="font-size: small;">e folks around town directed us here, so on the way out of town we stopped at this tiny storefront. What is pictured below is far less than what I actually <span style="font-size: small;">ate.<span style="font-size: small;"> As</span> I ordered <span style="font-size: small;">at the counter they asked if I'd been there before<span style="font-size: small;">. When I <span style="font-size: small;">said no they started setting out samples of nearly every meat they served, although I had only ord<span style="font-size: small;">ered <span style="font-size: small;">a simple combo plate.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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It was hard to remember all of those rapid-fire meat samples, but the turkey was moist and smoky whole muscle meat. The pulled pork was juicy and studded with bits of crust. The sausage was forgettable, but the chicken was smoky and better than I expected. Back in the car I had a bit more time to contemplate the brisket and ribs alone. The baby backs had a generous rub, but a nice crust was still allowed to form. The meat had great tenderness, but had dried out a bit. It needed a bit more smoke, but was a good rib overall. The brisket also needed some of that smoke, but the meat was well cooked with a good crust, nicely rendered fat, and good flavor overall.<br />
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It might be a tiny joint, but the Big Bib displayed some hospitality in a big way. Their barbecue was better than average which is worth noting in a city that doesn't have a huge number of great barbecue options. I'd be happy to return.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating *** </span> </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-36256773321628616462013-02-05T14:00:00.000-06:002013-02-19T21:02:03.264-06:00BREAKING: John Mueller Meat Co. Opening in Austin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You may remember last October when John Mueller was <a href="http://austin.eater.com/archives/2012/10/31/john-mueller-is-out-at-jmueller-bbq-hes-decided-to-mismanage-again.php">shut out</a> of his well regarded <a href="http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/2012/07/jmueller-bbq.html">JMueller BBQ</a> trailer on South First St. in Austin. To say the least he wasn't happy about it, but stayed quiet plotting his return. That return will occur in just two weeks, and for smoked meat lovers everywhere, let's hope it's a triumphant one. <br />
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Wednesday, February 20th (<span style="color: red;">Now Saturday, February 23rd</span>) will be the opening day of <a href="http://www.johnmuellermeatco.com/">John Mueller Meat Co</a>., and the trailer will be set up in the parking lot of Kellee's at 2500 E. 6th St. This will put John a stone's throw from <a href="http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/2010/09/franklin-barbecue.html">Franklin Barbecue</a> and spitting distance from <a href="http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/2011/10/live-oak-barbecue.html">Live Oak Barbecue</a> in East Austin. <br />
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The new trailer will be open Tuesday - Saturday with the same menu that I applauded at John's old location. Just like his previous set-up you can eat at one of the picnic tables in front of John's trailer or you can take your barbecue inside and buy a beer at Kellee's. <br />
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If you're too impatient to wait two weeks, you can get a preview in Houston where John will be smoking brisket, ribs and sausage for "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/111627312346938/">Q for a Cause</a>" from 12-4 at Cottonwood Bar at 3422 N. Shepherd on this Saturday, February 9th.<br />
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Finally, for all the folks with unfulfilled hope that the Aaron Franklin v. John Mueller barbecue rivalry would blossom, they can now shift their focus to a genuine intracity family feud. John's sister LeAnn Mueller (who ousted him from the trailer on South First St.) and (I'm guessing former) friend John Lewis now head up the pits at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/labbq78704">la Barbecue</a> in John Mueller's old barbecue trailer. Sparks are gonna fly.<br />
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- BBQ SnobBBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-4086959139382627832013-02-05T08:30:00.000-06:002013-02-05T09:06:02.769-06:00BBQ Openings in D/FWA few years ago there were few BBQ openings that would garner a mention by even local media. Most joints didn't bother even making an announcement, but things have changed. These days with every opening there seems to be a press release, a new website and maybe even a chef. More than once I've been frustrated at the lack of marketing prowess of those that make barbecue their business, but that doesn't seem to be a problem any longer. Here are a few of those openings:<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/FmSmokehouse">FM Smokehouse</a> is coming to Irving. They've <a href="http://dallas.culturemap.com/newsdetail/food-drink-holy-grail-pub-plano-fm-smoke-house-barbecue-restaurant-irving/">announced</a> a March opening at 660 Walnut Ridge Rd. This joint will be from the owners of Holy Grail Pub in Plano.<br />
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<a href="http://dallas.culturemap.com/newsdetail/food-drink-jack-perkins-maple-motor-slow-bone-bbq-restaurant/">Slow Bone</a> will open in Dallas in late February or early March. It'll be in the old BW's BBQ building across the street from Off Site Kitchen. Jack Perkins of Maple & Motor is at the helm with a solid staff behind him.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/3StacksBBQ">3 Stacks Smoke and Tap House</a> will open on February 8th in Frisco at 4226 Preston Rd. Trace Arnold known as the <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRibWhisperer">Rib Whisperer</a> will work the pits, presumably taking some time away from the <a href="http://theultimatesmokerandgrill.com/the-ultimate-smoker-grill/">Ultimate Smoker & Grill</a> that he designed.<br />
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<a href="http://kennyssmoke.com/">Kenny's Smokehouse</a> in Plano has already opened despite their <a href="http://kennyssmoke.com/">Facebook banner</a> that still says "Coming Soon". It's from chef Kenny Bowers and is located at 5760 Legacy Dr.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/PeakElm">Peak & Elm Cocina y Bar</a> isn't a barbecue joint, but they will be cooking barbacoa. I haven't confirmed the cooking method, but via their <a href="https://twitter.com/PeakElm">Twitter account</a> I've learned that they will offer whole head barbacoa (barbacoa de cabeza) and the more popular cheek meat (cachete). They'll open Friday, February 8th at Peak and Elm Streets in Dallas.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/BrooksBackyardBbq?rf=113689218796634">Brooks Backyard BBQ</a> opened in Garland two months ago without any fanfare. They're doing some decent barbecue and they cure and smoke their own bacon.<br />
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You'll have to wait until later today for the biggest opening news so far this year. I'll be sure to give a full report on all of them. <br />
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- BBQ SnobBBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-88050066025964102732013-01-31T08:30:00.000-06:002013-03-14T21:31:41.135-05:00Balderas Grocery & Bar-B-Que<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">WAELDER: Balderas Grocery & Bar-B-Que<br />419 W Us Highway 90<br />Waelder, TX 78959<br />830-788-7155<br />Open M-Sat 6:30am - 9pm</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Update: This joint is <span style="color: red;">CLOSED</span>. It <span style="font-size: small;">will open on 04/15/13 as Crossvi<span style="font-size: small;">ne</span> Market & Bar-B-Que.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2012: </span>I read <span style="font-size: small;">ab</span>out this joint on <a href="http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/12/7/Austin-Daily-Photo-Eureste-Grocery-Tuesday-December-7th-2010">another blog</a> and it really got my hopes up. Even if the old Eureste's had changed hands, <span style="font-size: small;">we<span style="font-size: small;"> were h<span style="font-size: small;">oping for some <span style="font-size: small;">well smoked meats at the new version called Wae<span style="font-size: small;">lder <span style="font-size: small;">Grocery. When we pulled up to the parking space <span style="font-size: small;">along the street we noticed that it had changed hands again, and the new name was Balder<span style="font-size: small;">a's Gro<span style="font-size: small;">cery.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> A guy working the register motioned towards the back of the store when we asked about the barbecue. <span style="font-size: small;">Through a couple of doors and past a make-shift dini<span style="font-size: small;">ng area we found the pit room. The old bri<span style="font-size: small;">ck pit looked<span style="font-size: small;"> well worn wh<span style="font-size: small;">ich kept hopes high</span></span></span></span></span></span>, but it took a few minutes before someone showed up to get our order.<br />
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The brisket was so over cooked that it came apart in chunks. A bit of mashed potatoes and gravy would have been more appropriate accompaniments than barbecue sauce. It was just sad roast beef. Pork ribs were so dry that edges were frayed as they were cut from the rack. They had been wrapped up tight for some time, so what once was bark was now wet and gummy. The only saving grace was a well spiced sausage with some kick from garlic and spices along with some unexpected herbal notes. It had good smoke, but like everything else had dried out considerably. It might be the same building and the same pit, but it didn't seem like this joint was up to the level of the other joints that have called this building home.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating ** </span> </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-955375315012249392013-01-30T23:39:00.001-06:002013-01-30T23:39:30.307-06:00C&J Barbeque<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">COLLEGE STATION: C&J Barbeque<br />4304 Harvey Rd.<br />College Station, TX 77845<br />979-776-8969<br />Open M-Thur 10:30-8:30, F-Sat 10:30-9, Sun 11-3<br /><a href="http://www.cjbbq.com/">www.cjbbq.com</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">C&J is a mini-chain around the Bryan/College Station area that gets plenty of love from the locals. I'd been told the best brisket in town could be f<span style="font-size: small;">ound here<span style="font-size: small;">, so I had to check it out. <span style="font-size: small;">Service was in the classic cafeteria style with meats being cut on a back counter that was still in view. That allowed me to get some good lean <span style="font-size: small;">slices and<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">a few fatty chunks as well.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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The lean brisket had plenty going for it. The slices looked great with a good crust and thick smokering. They were moist, nicely tender, and somehow they were almost flavorless. It just tasted like a mass of wet, unseasoned beef. The fatty chunks had at least a hint of smoke, but the fat was poorly rendered and still chewy. At least the sides of loaded mashed potatoes and a vinegar-heavy slaw were interesting.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The ribs w<span style="font-size: small;">ere a ste<span style="font-size: small;">p up. They also looked great, and this time the seasoning came throug<span style="font-size: small;">h. A nice bark and tender meat beneath made for a great texture, but<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">the sm<span style="font-size: small;">oke was just too hard to discern. I guess they must re<span style="font-size: small;">l<span style="font-size: small;">y</span> to<span style="font-size: small;">o much on the gas assist in that gas smoker. A few more sticks of wood could have made this some <span style="font-size: small;">above average barbecue.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Rating ** </span>BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-1281395630076100842013-01-30T23:22:00.001-06:002013-01-30T23:22:13.858-06:00Blue Moon BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">E<span style="font-size: x-small;">DGE</span>: Blue Moon BBQ</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">18746 E. OSR</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hearne, TX 77859</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">979-549-4800</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Open W 11-4, Thur-Sun 11-7</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To call this an out<span style="font-size: small;">-of-the-way joint would be an unde<span style="font-size: small;">rstatement. <span style="font-size: small;">It's address is in Hearn<span style="font-size: small;">e wh<span style="font-size: small;">ich isn't exactly close, and the clo<span style="font-size: small;">sest town is the unincorporated<span style="font-size: small;"> E<span style="font-size: small;">dge, Texas</span> wh<span style="font-size: small;">ose cemet<span style="font-size: small;">e</span>ry has a higher popul<span style="font-size: small;">ation than</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> the town. Blue Moon's owner Rick Moon said his family immigrated to this area a few generations back, so he couldn't think of a better place to open this joint when he moved back from Houston five years ago.<br />
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I started with a bacon wrapped jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese and brisket. The bacon was crisp, the pepper tender, and the filling adequately meaty. I should have ordered more than one.<br />
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Slices from the brisket flat were very dry, and the pitmaster explained that he was trying to catch up and get his briskets done by cranking up the heat. He let them go a little long, then admitted he didn't have time to let it rest before slicing it. I guess the lunch service around here is more brisk than I assumed. The brisket had good smoke, as did the pork loin which remained a lot more moist. The well seasoned cut had a nice ring of rendered fat around the edges and an exemplary smokering. Baby back ribs had a good bark along with a heavy rub. The subtle sweetness didn't overpower the smoke, and the meat came cleanly from the bone. These were some great ribs.<br />
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One of the oddest sides I've seen is on this menu. Onions, tomatoes and chopped brisket are sauteed together in a skillet then cornbread batter is poured in for a kicked up skillet cornbread. To serve it they cut a wedge, cover it in cheese and give it a quick zap to melt the cheese. It wasn't as bad as it looked, but it was also more unique than good.<br />
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Back in the pitroom I got to check out the huge steel barrel smoker that was still putting off some post oak smoke. A fresh brisket was on the cutting board and Rick cut off a couple slices from the fatty end. It was far superior to the lean stuff I got with my meal and showed just what their high end was. I know the profit margins are low, but Blue Moon would do themselves a favor to turn some of those bad briskets into chopped beef and serve the good ones that I know they have in the back.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rating *** </span></span> </span> BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-61929642929705916182013-01-26T08:47:00.002-06:002013-01-26T08:48:13.567-06:00Suds and Smoke from Foodways TexasYou should really join Foodways Texas and a line-up of stellar local chefs for plenty of smoked meats and beer. Deep Ellum Brewery is hosting, Central Market is providing the sides and the smoked meat will be prepared by some familiar names. Check out the flyer and get your tickets <a href="http://foodwaystexas.com/">here</a>.<br />
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I'll see you there!<br />
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- BBQ SnobBBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-81764875551269199022013-01-24T22:54:00.000-06:002013-01-24T22:54:20.158-06:00Chuy’s BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">EDEN: Chuy's BBQ<br />606 W. Broadway<br />Eden, TX 76837<br />325-869-5200<br />Open W-M 8-8</span></span><br />
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I'll spare you all the details here. Chuy owns the joint and he's a past champion at the goat cook off in Brady. He doesn't normally do goat for the restaurant because of its high cost, but if he can truly do a mean smoked goat then he should stick with it.<br />
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Dry brisket was bad and the mushy ribs were worse. If I'd just stuck with the sausage and sides it would've been a good meal. A scoop of potato salad was so rich with egg it tasted deviled in a good way. The beans had some good spice and a piece of freshly baked bread was a cross between a butter biscuit and a dinner roll. Chuy gets the sausage raw from a meat market in San Angelo and smokes it well. The meat has great spice and it gets plenty of good smoke with a stout casing. So, when you stop at Chuy's get some sausage and hope for some cabrito on the pit because the brisket and ribs were pretty hopeless.<br />
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Rating **BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-91622058868323210922013-01-24T22:38:00.000-06:002013-01-24T22:38:23.311-06:00Packsaddle Bar-B-Q<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SAN ANGELO: Packsaddle Bar-B-Q<br />6007 Knickerbocker Rd.<br />San Angelo, TX 76904<br />325-949-0616<br />Open W-M 11-9<br /><a href="http://www.packsaddlebbq.com/">www.packsaddlebbq.com</a></span></span><br />
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With just the menu in hand, I was impressed. A surf-and-turf platter featured sliced brisket and fried catfish, there were meats aplenty and fresh cut fries. It was all sounding like the day in San Angelo might end on a high note, then the food arrived.<br />
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The catfish looked great and had a good crisp batter, but the fish needed a good rinse to get rid of the overly earthy flavor. The fries were fine once a generous sprinkling of salt was added. The thick slices of dry brisket were beyond help. A dark crust was plenty smoky, but there wasn't much else to like about it. All of the fat was trimmed off, the meat was cut thick making the tough texture even harder to chew, and it lacked seasoning.<br />
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Pulled pork was truly 'pulled' into large chunks, but the flavors were just of roast pork rather than smoked meat. A few slices of deli turkey came on the recommendation of the server. It's hard to fathom what folks find appealing with warmed over lunch meat, but I wasn't won over. The sausage at least had some good flavor and a pleasant snap.<br />
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I'm usually a fan of homemade onions rings, but so much flour had been dredged onto this hovel of onions that every bite came with a puff of raw flour. <br />
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The spare ribs weren't about to save this meal. A good bark, rosy meat and a a generous amount of meat made them look promising, but it took just a bite to know that they needed a few more hours on the smoker to render out the thick fat and tenderize the tough meat. The meat selection may have been generous, but I'd have rather had one item that was done really well.<br />
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Rating **BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233136766970701014.post-44987654109082050372013-01-22T23:01:00.001-06:002013-01-22T23:01:31.768-06:00Bubba’s Smokehouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SAN ANGELO: Bubba's Smokehouse<br />1801 Ben Ficklin Rd.<br />San Angelo, TX 76903<br />325-617-2913<br />Open M-Sat 10:30-8</span></span><br />
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There wasn't much that stood out here at Bubba's. Rarely do I have a meal that is so thoroughly mediocre. There's usually a high point and/or a very low one with one of the items, but these were all equally inoffensive and forgettable. <br />
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The ribs were well cooked, but the cumin-heavy glaze overpowered any of the smoke that may have existed. The jalapeno sausage had only a superficial cayenne heat and nothing more. Brisket wasn't so much slices as pulled into chunks. The meat was overly salty with little smoke. It would have been good with some gravy and mashed potatoes. Green beans from a can, grocery store potato salad and an overly sweet commercial sauce did little to bring it home.<br />
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Rating **BBQ Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13823666726747359204noreply@blogger.com0