Cooper's BBQ - Statewide

I tried four different barbecue joints with the name "Cooper's" in just over a month. Here's what I found.

Cooper's - Mason
This is the original. Started by George Cooper in 1953, but sold to Duard Dockal (who still runs it) in 1983. This is where the family traditions of cooking directly over mesquite coals and ordering straight from the pit were born. It was one of my favorites of mine and Sam's inaugural BBQ tour back in 2006, but it disappointed a few years later. This visit would sadly be more like the second than the first.



On this day you could see the dried out edges of meat when the pit lid was raised. A thick beef rib was still chewy despite the prolonged warming time, but the hefty cut still had some juice left. Brisket was over-tender and a bit spongy while goat ribs provided the most disappointingly bone-dry meat. With all the sub-par meat here, the goat sausage was a revelation. A mix of pork and goat, these links also get a good dose of spices for a bold flavor that's not too heavy on the salt and a great snappy casing. Even with the numerous disappointments heaped on the butcher paper, I would return if just for the goat sausage.

Cooper's - Llano
In 1962, Tommy Cooper was sent out by his father George to expand the Cooper's BBQ business from Mason to Llano. Tommy sadly died in an accident in 1979 and the business was sold. It was sold again in 1986 to current owner Terry Wootan who has seen this Hill Country staple's fame reach new heights. The Wootan's have also taken to some expansion of their own and have seen new stores open in New Braunfels in 2009 and Fort Worth in 2010.





This is by far the most popular location with weekend road-trippers and bikers flooding the place by the dozens on the weekends. We opted for a visit right at opening time on a Friday where we had the dining room to ourselves. All the meats are ordered from the pit at the entry. The cooking pits are scattered about under the same roof, but this pit is just for warming. This is also where Cooper's can suffer. Meats are stored here without any protection, and I've had dry meats on occasion when I make a late afternoon visit. I didn't let the drying process start on this day and the meats were all superb. Beef ribs and brisket were boldly seasoned and tender with that signature flavor from those coals. It ain't called 'Home of the Big Chop' for nothing, and the one on this morning was better than I'd ever eaten. The two inch thick chop was still hot from the fire just flowing with juices. This was best meal I've had at a Cooper's anywhere, so get there early, folks.

Cooper's - Round Rock
I didn't dine here since it's closed, but I thought I'd add a word about it since we're talking about Cooper's. Another of George Cooper's sons named Gary Cooper opened this location in 1985, but it had to close in 2006.

Cooper's - Junction
The sign may claim that they've been smoking since 1953, but this joint opened in 1999. Current owner Mark Cooper is a grandson of George Cooper, so they're sort for taking credit for a few decades of Cooper's operation in Mason. The woodpiles and pits are just as impressive as the Llano and Mason versions, but its position at the off ramp of I-10 belies some of the quaintness offered in the smaller towns.

 

The general theme here is dry, dry, dry. The brisket was tough to pull apart and most of the moisture was gone before it was sliced. Pork ribs hadn't lost all of their juices, but again the meat was tough. Save for a good fatty jalapeno sausage, this one was hardly worth the effort.

Cooper's - Fort Worth
This was my third, and best visit to the newest Cooper's near the Fort Worth Stockyards. This is the newest in the Wootan empire, and it pays to get here early as well. Even at 11:00 the 'Big Chop' was starting to lose some of those juices. Fatty brisket edges which I usually relish for their richness can hardly be enjoyed here given the massive amount of salty rub applied.

 

Pork ribs had a bit more a kick from black pepper, but they were also a bit chewy, especially the rib tips. A beef rib had decent flavor, but wasn't particularly memorable. One memorable item worth noting is the beans. These are freebie beans to be doled out by the bucket-load if you wish from the communal pot. For free beans, they certainly put plenty of effort into them. Viscous and meaty enough to be a meal on their own, there are also plenty of jalapenos floating around if you want some greenery with your meal.

If I were to rank on these visits alone, it would be hard not to put the Junction location at the bottom with Mason barely beating them out with that excellent goat sausage. The Fort Worth location is still a pretender in my book with Llano easily outshining them all.

- BBQ Snob

Fire Recovery at Sonny Bryan's

Update: According to their Facebook page, the Original Sonny Bryan's will reopen Friday, 10/7 at 11:00 am.

9/26: Contractors and insurance adjusters were milling around Sonny Bryan’s parking lot this morning. The back side of the building was splayed open in the bright sunlight, and the smell of a spent fire hung in the air that was very much unlike the hickory smoke that generally emanates from the building. Discussions of reestablishing power to the building and roof repairs were quickly followed up by the arrival of the industrial cleaning crew’s bright yellow van at 11:00 to clean out the interior. A focused and organized effort was already underway just twelve hours after the fire broke out. No cause was given for the fire, but the Star Telegram reports that there was a possible witness.





The stench of fire was less pronounced inside since much of the flames had been stopped by a concrete block wall. Workers were already up on the roof surveying the damage there. “Baron of Beef” and general manager Dave Rummel said that they hope to be open back up in three or four days but didn’t offer any concrete information. Pegasus News has their full statement. With the knowledge that City of Dallas permits will be required for some of the electrical repairs and with inspections required by the Health Department for reopening, my guess is that is very optimistic, but we’ll all see after the weekend.

WFAA Video

This venerable spot for BBQ pilgrims in Dallas is the second barbecue joint to go up in flames in the Metroplex. The previous night, a Dickey's location in Flower Mound also went up in smoke. One website even jokingly refers to the happenings as possible BBQ terrorism, and on Twitter a tongue-in-cheek reference was made to possible arson at the hands of the BBQ Snob. Just days ago I applauded the city of Dallas for not choosing either of these names for their best of BBQ pick in the Dallas Observer. No matter my lack of affinity for their smoked meat, this is a Dallas treasure that we'll all be happy to see back in business.

- BBQ Snob

Oklahoma Barbecue...A Unique Style?

I often hear folks from Oklahoma crying that their state's version of barbecue is superior to Texas BBQ or any other regional offerings. With equal weight given to Texas style brisket, KC style sliced beef sandwiches and Memphis style ribs, I'd never been able to get a straight answer about what defines OK BBQ...until now. Rick Bayless grew up in Oklahoma City, and his parents ran Hickory House Barbecue on 25th and S. Western in OKC from 1949-1986. In Saveur Magazine he wrote about his experiences at his parents' joint, and attempted to define Oklahoma 'cue in his article “Hickory House Memories”. Here is an excerpt:

"What I do believe is that most people don’t think of Oklahoma barbecue as unique – in contrast to the kind found in Texas or Kansas City or Memphis or North Carolina. In fact, this barbecue is usually described in terms of what it’s not: it’s not as saucy as barbecue from Kansas City, though both places commonly use hickory wood, and what sauce it has can be similar to K.C.’s with ketchup as a main ingredient. It’s not as tangy as Memphis barbecue and not as vinegary as what they serve in North Carolina. It’s not as dry as most classic Texas barbecue, and it’s not inclusive of just one kind of meat: both pork ribs and large cuts of beef (like brisket) play a major role. What it has in common with the other well-known barbecue styles of this country is that its tradition has existed for almost as long as theirs and was likely created by the same combination of European immigrants and black workers who came to the area and looked for good, cheap food when they arrived."

Maybe it's just that those who sing the praises of Oklahoma barbecue simply appreciate that the style welcomes the use of sauce, and embraces the inclusion of myriad pork items onto the menu. I guess you could say Oklahoma is sort of BBQ Switzerland.

- BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 009: Beef and Pork

I just wanted to share a few great articles that I've come across recently where are friends the pig and the cow are the main subject. The first article is about the science behind butchering a cow, and how those in the butchering biz are trying to find new cuts of beef that may be hidden gems. The article, by Kim Severson, is entitled "Same Cow, No Matter How You Slice it?".

The next article is about a tasty breed of hog that is quickly regaining popularity, not because of its cuddly features, but because of it well marbled meat. Mangalitsa meat is not yet available in stores, but a few chefs are highlighting it on their menus. I can't wait to smoke some.

The final article is from NPR about a class on whole hog butchering. I think I'm going to need a bigger kitchen.

- BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 008 - The Low, Slow Road...

"Barbecue’s appeal isn’t hard to fathom and may explain why barbecue cookery seems such a Neanderthal corner of modern gastronomy. It elegantly embraces several stereotypically Guy Things: fire building, beast slaughtering, fiddling with grubby mechanical objects, expensive gear fetishes, afternoon-long beer drinking, and, of course, great heaps of greasy meat at the end of the day. Top this off with the frisson of ritual tribal warfare and you’ve got the mother of all male pastimes."

That's just a taste of this truly fine article written by David Dudley in "Baltimore Magazine". Here's a link for more of "The Low, Slow Road to Perfect Barbecue".

-BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 007 - BBQ & Carcinogens

"Does all of that black stuff cause cancer?". That's the question that was posed to me by a friend when I couldn't shut up about the merits of a robust crust on a slice of brisket. I've always known that BBQ was not the healthiest of meal options, but does a well smoked brisket cause cancer? This required some research.

Every year around Memorial Day, reporters jump on the annual backyard barbecue buzz-kill bandwagon of telling the general public that their charred hot dogs will send them to an early grave. This is because meats cooked at a high heat create heterocyclic amines or HCA's when the creatine in the meat is subjected to the fire. This creates the HCA-rich burnt crust on the meat, and this is further exacerbated by flare-ups from fat dripping into the fire. The National Institutes of Health put out their eleventh edition of the "Report on Carcinogens" where they identify elements known to cause cancer, and HCA's are on their ominous list. Cecil Adams has a good explanation of the report here.

So are we Texas BBQ aficionados at a higher risk of cancer because of our passion? I'm no doctor, but I can tell you that the first line of defense is cooking temperature. The definition of "low and slow" cooking is using low temperatures created with indirect heat, with an ideal smoking temp is 225-250. The "Report on Carcinogens" notes that the main method of reducing HCA formation is to keep the cooking temperature below 392 degrees. Between the low cooking temp and the indirect heat, the risks of HCA formation is greatly limited. Even better news is that drinking beer actually inhibits the body's ability to accumulate HCA's even if you're chowing down on burnt bits. So turn down the heat, crack open a beer, and keep enjoying those well formed crusts on your favorite smoked meat.

- BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 006 - MeatWater

I still can't tell if this is real product. I have my doubts, but I'd buy a case if I found it at my local Kroger.

The product is called MeatWater, and the flavor possibilities will astound you!

- BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 005 - Bacon Explosion

The Bacon Explosion is a roll of meaty happiness created by the folks over at BBQ Addicts that was recently made famous by the NY Times. I couldn't think of a better pure protein treat for the Super Bowl, except maybe two of them. In addition to the original Bacon Explosion with bacon and ground sausage, I decided to create the Bacon Cheeseburger Explosion. Behold the woven bacon!


On to the ingredients...
I found that 1.5 lbs of bacon was plenty to create a good weave, with plenty left over for the filling.

1.5 lbs Thick Cut Jalapeno (Bacon Explosion)


1.5 lbs Thick Cut Peppered Bacon (Cheeseburger Explosion)


2 lbs Ground Sausage (Bacon Explosion)


2 lbs 85% Lean Ground Beef (Cheeseburger Explosion)


Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning & Black Pepper


The most fun part of this whole recipe is weaving the bacon. I'm sure most of you have not had the experience, so savor it. A 6x6 weave was the perfect size. Be sure to keep it tight so the filling is fully contained.


Fry the rest of the bacon to be crumbled into the filling.


Season the bacon weave well.


Spread the sausage or ground beef evenly over the bacon weave.


Now spread on the crumbled bacon and douse it in BBQ sauce. Be sure to keep one edge untainted so the roll finishes nicely without the filling spilling out.


For the cheeseburger explosion, I added grated cheese and used a mustard based sauce.


Now carefully roll the meat into a beautiful log, and you're ready for cooking


Smoke it for 2 to 2.5 hours at about 275 degrees.


Remove from heat, let it rest about 10-15 minutes, and slice.


I would have some pictures of the truly artful slices, but my ravenous compatriots tore into the dual explosions so quickly and thoroughly,that I had no time for proper documentation. I can assure you that is was delicious.

- BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 004 - Umami

You may have heard about umami in the past year, as it has escaped the culinary field to become quite the buzz word used more and more often in the common lexicon. It is now considered to be the fifth taste in addition to the commonly known sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Professor Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University is credited with the "discovery" of the flavor in 1907 while studying flavors in seaweed broth...mmm! Umami (oo-mommy) has been written about in cookbooks, on NPR, and in my favorite magazine, Cooks Illustrated. Umami has been described as a "meaty" or "hearty" flavor in foods like mushrooms, red wine, soy sauce and most proteins. It exists in the glutamates which are naturally found in those foods. Umami has been synthesized into the much maligned food additive MSG, which enhances the flavors of any dish it is added to.



So how does this relate to this blog, you ask? Barbeque is a cuisine incredibly rich in umami. Start with brisket - proteins in beef are high in glutamates, and tougher cuts rich in collagen (Hello! Brisket!) are saturated with flavor from the Big-U. These flavors are heightened by both the smell of smoke, and a long slow cooking process...both characteristics of good 'cue. Sugar also acts as an umami enhancer as evidenced by barbeque sauce which uses tomatoes (high in umami) and worchestershire sauce (also high in umami) in combination with a sweetener (white or brown sugar or mollasses) to create the perfect umami-rich condiment. It's no wonder we crave BBQ. Who wouldn't want umami dipped in umami heightened by smoke and sweetness? Now get yourself some sliced brisket, a good sauce, and enjoy it with a nice cabernet and a few sauteed morels. Mmm mommy!

For more information on other umami-rich foods, check the UMAMI Information Center.

- BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 003 - Planet Terror

I recently viewed the special edition DVD of Grindhouse featuring Planet Terror and Death Proof. I was pleased to see Texas BBQ featured so prominently in the Planet Terror half of this double feature. The Bone Shack serves as a the setting for a good chunk of the movie, but is finally destroyed in one of the movie's many over-the-top explosions. The joint's owner is J.T. who is working on his competition sauce recipe throughout the movie. The recipe is only perfected after he tries a taste of the sauce after a zombie attack where some of his own blood gets into the sauce. While the premise is as ridiculous as the rest of the movie, I still give the writers credit for using such a quintessential Texas theme. The sign (below) rocks as well. Instead of interrupting the business of a functioning restaurant, the historic Zedler Mills outside of Luling, Texas were used as the setting of The Bone Shack.



I got a chance to visit the abandoned mill last time I was in Luling, and just happened to be wearing an appropriate t-shirt.



- BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 002 - Barbeque Sauce

Barbeque sauce....just those two words can start an argument. Mustard based, tomato based, or vinegar...sauce or no sauce...serve it hot or room temperature...baste with it while cooking, or only while eating. You've read reviews by the BBQ Snob that show disappointment when meats are sauced without asking, but this isn't because my palate is anti-sauce. In fact, I love sauce, I just like to have the option. I don't have an answer to all of the other arguments, but I can share where I've found the best or most unique sauces in my travels around Texas.

The City Market in Luling has a tangy mustard based sauce that is so good that a Houston joint called Luling City Market was founded because an original Luling employee defected to Houston and gave up the sauce recipe for a cut of the new restaurant. The imitator sauce is now sold in grocery stores, but I'd suggest you get the original from the source right in downtown Luling. You won't regret it.

The Salt Lick in Driftwood also has a mustard based sauce, but it's much sweeter and thinner due to the addition of oil. This consistency makes it perfect for pouring over hot slices of brisket and sausage. In addition to the delicious original, they also offer a habanero version if you like some spice to balance the sweetness.

Lambert's in Austin offers three sauces with each platter. Two are tomato based, one mild, one hot, and the other is mustard based. The server there suggested I mix the mustard based and the hot which worked nicely. Try your own combination.

Peggy Sue's in Dallas has a hot sauce so thick it turns solid in the refrigerator. My guess is that a significant amount of animal fat is used in this recipe along with the black pepper and sugar. I usually spread it on the Texas toast just to get a few more bites of it.

Cooper's in Mason and Llano as well as the Hard Eight chain all have a vat of thin, sweet yet vinegary sauce sitting next to the pits where they will dunk the cuts of meat you've chosen for your dining pleasure.

Another thin sauce is at Jasper's in Waco. They call it gravy rather than sauce, and it's kept warm in a large crock pot. I couldn't detect the base for this sauce, mainly because I couldn't detect any flavor at all.

E-mail me and tell me which joint has your favorite sauce. fcgbbq@gmail.com

- BBQ Snob

Blowin' Smoke 001 - BBQ (sp)

In researching and visiting hundreds of barbeque joints around the great State of Texas, I've come across more ways to spell barbeque than you can shake a stick at. In all that time I have witnessed and read about countless arguments varying from which wood is best for smoking, to whether sauce is a necessary addition to smoked meat. Not once have I heard an argument about the correct spelling of the very term whose definition these arguments try to refine. The most common spellings that I have come across include:

Barbecue

Barbeque

BBQ

B-B-Q

Bar-B-Que

Bar-B-Q

and even BBCue

According to Webster, both "barbecue" and "barbeque" are acceptable, and that easily translates to the shorthand "BBQ". In my humble opinion, the term has no room for hyphens, so I declare that we stop using them to describe our favorite smoked meats. I think three choices should be plenty.

- BBQ Snob