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Thursday
Aug262010

Review: Flavors BBQ

DateThursday, August 26, 2010 at 8:01PM

With a new day, hope springs eternal. And, after yesterday's failed excursion I was hopeful that I'd find better eats at a place called Flavors in South St. Louis.

Before I got to the door, I spotted what appeared to be a Southern Pride cooker out back and I could smell the smoke. That's always a good sign.

When we walked in, I found what is quite possibly the nicest BBQ joint I've ever been in. All that was missing was white table clothes and fine wine. This place was very nicely decorated and spotless. I wouldn't have been surprised If I'd been handed a fine Italian or French menu, but I was really happy that what I got was pure BBQ.

My lunch mates ordered up the pork plates and I went for the brisket. What we received were huge portions of the respective BBQ dinners with 2 sides for less than $10. Quite a value!

The pork was very good, some of the best in town. The brisket was close, but the fact that the fat cap wasn't trimmed either pre or post cook meant that I received quite bit of fat on my brisket slices. Other than that, the meat was very good.

The side dishes were a mixed bag. My lunch mates really enjoyed a baked potato as a side dish, but being a purist I went for baked beans. What I got resembled a doctored up can of pork and beans. I wish there'd been a little more love and care in the side dishes as there was in the BBQ.  Additionally, there was only 1 sauce on the table and I'd swear that it was Original Sweet Baby Ray's in a nondescript bottle.

Here's how I'd rate my trip to Flavors BBQ

  • Atmostphere - A+
  • BBQ - B
  • Sides - C
  • Sauce - C
  • Value - A
  • Overall - B

I really enjoyed my visit.  I'll definitely go back, but Flavors BBQ could be a couple of sides and an original sauce away from making my list of the best BBQ joints in St. Louis.

Oh, and they did have sweet tea!  ;-)

Flavor's BBQ

(314) 533-1288

4317 Manchester Rd
St Louis, MO 63110

Cheers,
Braddog

AuthorBraddog | CommentPost a Comment |
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Wednesday
Aug252010

Review: Virginia Barbeque

DateWednesday, August 25, 2010 at 2:55PM

Every chance I get, I eat BBQ. I recently spotted a joint that popped up near the office that I hadn't tried before. So, I grabbed a coworker and headed there for
Lunch today.

Turns out, the place is a chain called Virginia Barbeque. However, from the minute I walked in the door I suspected that this wasn't going to be a very positive experience. Thirty minutes later, my suspicions were confirmed.

The place was very "commercial". Now that's not necessarily a bad thing, but I felt like I'd just walked into a Wendy's. There sure wasn't anything charming about the place.

I stepped up to the counter and ordered the three meat platter. This platter included Virginia style pulled pork, North Carolina style pulled pork, and Texas style pulled brisket. It also came with a couple of sides.

Now my mama always said if you can't say something nice then don't say anything at all. To that I say, "the cornbread muffins were tasty". That's about the only thing positive I can say

Sorry mama, but you also taught me to tell the truth. The brisket was the lesser of three evils. The sauce on the two portions of pulled pork was not good at all. The meat itself had no smoke flavor or evidence of being cooked in a smoker at all. There was no obvious rub or other seasoning present. In fact, I'm pretty sure I could make better pulled pork in a crock pot (notice I didn't say BBQ, cause you can't make BBQ in a crock pot).

Unfortunately, my lunch partner couldn't even choke down his lunch and threw it out. I hate to say this, but this is quite possibly the worse BBQ I've ever had in a restaurant.

Here's the final tally;

Atmosphere - D
BBQ - D-
Sides - C
Value - F
Overall - D-

At least they had sweet tea. See mama, I did listen.

Cheers,
Braddog

AuthorBraddog | CommentPost a Comment |
Sunday
Aug222010

Reveiw: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce

DateSunday, August 22, 2010 at 8:26PM

I firmly believe that most BBQ sauce should only be used as a condiment.  And mostly that's the result of all the poor samples that line the shelves in the grocery stores.  Now over the years reading BBQ forums across the interwebs, a few names keep coming up regularly and come highly recommended. 

One of these is Blues Hog BBQ Sauce .  I really don't have a good excuse for not trying it sooner as it's made fairly close to my home in St. Louis, MO.  So recently I determined to give it a try and made a trip to a local BBQ shop that I knew carried the product.

Today, I got the opportunity to crack open the jar and give it a test drive.  Wow!  I was really surprised at how good it is.  In fact, I couldn't keep my fingers out of it.  It is a sweet sauce, but it has a little bite to it that lingers on the palette.  The sweetness doesn't remind of honey or sugar, instead I'm reminded of berries or currants.  I basted a pork tenderloin and a couple of chicken breasts with it and this stuff rocks!  I think I actually preferred it on the chicken.

I'll definitely use this on ribs the next time I cook them.  In the mean time, I'd highly recommend the sauce. 

Cheers,
Braddog

AuthorBraddog | Comment1 Comment |
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Monday
Aug092010

BBQ Ribs in 2 Easy Steps

DateMonday, August 9, 2010 at 11:10AM

When I first began trying to create great ribs, I stumbled upon the 3-2-1 method. That's the method that involves 3 hrs in the smoke, 2 hours in aluminum foil, and another hour in the smoke (or a variation of these times).

That method produces pretty good ribs, but there are some that say the time in foil is steaming the ribs, not BBQing them, etc. I say if you like your ribs that way then have at it.  In fact, I was a 3-2-1 guy myself until this summer.  I've had the chance to cook more ribs this season than ever and here's what I've learned.

    IMG_0649
  • Foil...who needs it?  Partly due to the fact that I've begun to cook on a Backwoods Fat Boy where doing a whole lot of ribs at once makes foiling a huge, time consuming effort, I no longer wrap my ribs in foil.  The Backwoods & the Big Green Egg maintain a moist cooking environment and I don't find that I need to bother with the foil to get great results.
  • Cooking at a little higher temp isn't a bad thing.  I've always tried to keep the cooker at 250*, but it turns out that most things are just as good at 275*.  When demonstrating the Big Green Egg this summer, it was hard to keep the temp below 275* what with everyone wanting to see the meat on the cooker.  Frankly, those are some of the best ribs I've done.
  • Patience, as I've stated earlier, truly is a virtue.  Foiling the ribs and messing with all that always seemed like the magic to getting really tender, juicy ribs.  But guess what, if you're patient and let things take their own course, good things will happen.
  • 3+2+1=6  Now I didn't have to take up BBQ to learn that math, but my new approach to BBQ'ing ribs has them finishing in that amount of time or less...usually less.  I think that foiling made me feel like I was a more integral part of the process than I really am.  Frankly, the fire & the smoke are doing all the work and don't really need my involvement othen than tending the fire.

So my revised rib process looks like this:

  • Put the ribs on
  • Take the ribs off when they're done

Doesn't get much simpler than that!


Cheers,
Braddog

 

AuthorBraddog | Comment3 Comments |
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Wednesday
Jul212010

The Most Important Ingredient for Great BBQ

DateWednesday, July 21, 2010 at 9:53PM

While I've always appreciated good BBQ, I haven't always been able to create good BBQ.  Over the years, I've tried my hand at it with a variety of different BBQ pits.  My failures usually left me thinking that it was an equipment problem.  Finally, after going through a couple of ECB's (El Cheapo Brinkman water smokers) and an off-set cooker, I finally decided that maybe the common denomenator was the guy running the show.

I began to read a lot of the BBQ forums on line and decided to give it one more shot.  My folks had a gas powered, bullet smoker that they'd never used.  I pressed it into service and applied the techniques I'd read about and much to my surprise, I turned out some awesome pulled pork.  I finally realized the most important ingredient that I'd been missing in my previous attempts.

You see, I'd been following the FDA guidelines regarding safe temps for food preparation.  You know, those numbers printed on the back of meat thermometers and such.  I'd always pulled pork shoulder off of the cooker when it reached 165 degrees.  What I failed to realize is that while no one will die from eating pork cooked to 165 degrees, that doesn't mean it's done.  In fact, the magic is only starting when pork shoulder hits 165 degress.

The ingredient that I'd been missing all along wasn't a rub, a sauce, or a cooker.  It was patience.  It turns out that you can't rush good BBQ.  You can't cook by your watch.  You have to cook by temperature (for the most part) and pork shoulder isn't done at 165 degrees, it's done at 195 deegrees.

So grasshopper, now that you know the secret.  Be patient, cause great things come to those who wait!

Cheers,
Braddog

 

AuthorBraddog | Comment2 Comments |
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Wednesday
Jul142010

Best BBQ in St. Louis

DateWednesday, July 14, 2010 at 10:20AM

I try to make it a habit of visiting as many BBQ joints as I can for a couple of reasons.  First I like good BBQ, and second it's great blog fodder. ;)

Over the past couple of years, I've eaten at most of the BBQ joints in the St. Louis area.  There are a couple of chains that I typically avoid and I'm sure there are places that I haven't had the opportunity to try.

However, I though I'd put together the short list of the places that I think are at the top of the heap in the St. Louis area.  Note that this includes the metro-east or Illinois side of the metro area, mainly cause that's where I think you'll find the best BBQ in town.

Here goes:

  1. 17th St. Barbeque- This is my favorite place to eat BBQ in the St. Louis area.  It's one of Mike Mills' restaurants.  If you track the BBQ culture, you know that Mike "The Legend" Mills is a well respected competition cook, restaurateur, and pitmaster.  If you live in the St. Louis metro area, it's worth the drive to try Mike's ribs in O'fallon, IL.
  2. Pappy's Smokehouse -Another joint with great credentials, Pappy's sports some trophies from Memphis in May and folks line up at lunch time to get a taste of some really great BBQ.  Pappy's has also been featured on food & travel shows on cable TV.  They're located in the downtown area so there's no excuse not to sample their fare, but get there early.  When they run out of BBQ, they close early.
  3. Plush Pig- This is a place that I nearly overlooked when they were located in downtown Clayton, MO.  They've since relocated, revamped the menu, and if possible made the BBQ even better.  Still one of my top 5 places to eat BBQ in St. Louis, they're now located at McKnight & Manchester.
  4. Hick's BBQ- Another Illinois place, I discovered them after buying some of their sauce at a BBQ shop in St. Louis.  I've enjoyed their BBQ a couple of times, but when I attended a backyard party that they catered I really became a fan.  I highly recommend their sauce and their BBQ.  I've also had the opportunity to meet the owner and he's a super nice guy, further reinforcing my belief that if you BBQ you're my friend.

So there you have it gang.  To my taste buds, these are the best BBQ joints in the St. Louis metro area.  Who'd I miss? Which joints do I need to visit?  Where do you think the best BBQ in St. Louis can be found?  Drop me a comment and let me know.


Cheers,
Braddog

AuthorBraddog | Comment9 Comments |
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Saturday
Jun262010

Review: Wine Barrel Grilling & Smoking Staves

DateSaturday, June 26, 2010 at 9:06AM

For years, I've cooked over mostly hickory or apple wood.  I really enjoy the smell of the smoke and the taste that it imparts to the meat.

Recently, I had the chance to use Wine Barrel staves on a couple of different cooks and cookers.  The staves are from actual oak wine barrels used to make red wine.  You can see how the wine has stained the inside of the staves.  Simply add these to your grill or smoker in the place of other smoking woods.

I first used them in a Big Green Egg when I was smoking baby back ribs.  The smoke was lighter than hickory or mesquite.  I really enjoyed the milder flavor as well.  Most recently, I used them in a Backwoods Fatboy and the experience was the same.  Although I'm not sure I could detect any flavor from the wine itself, I'd highly recommend this product for a lighter, milder result.

The staves were from RedEnvelope.com.  I really like the package that I received and would highly recommend this site to order up personalized gifts for the grillmeister in your life.  There's a nice selection of personalized and grilling gifts.  You should definitely keep them in mind at your next gift giving opportunity.

Cheers,
Braddog

AuthorBraddog | Comment2 Comments |
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Tuesday
Jun152010

Spatchcock Chicken on the Big Green Egg

DateTuesday, June 15, 2010 at 8:07PM

I’ve done this several times and pulled the chicken for sandwhiches and the like.  However, I’ve had two conversations this week with folks who didn’t necessarily get what I was talking about.  So here’s a shot of a “spatchcock” or butterflied chicken.

To do this, just cut down each side of the backbone/spine of a whole chicken and remove it.  Place your fingers in each side of the incision, press inward on the breast bone with your thumbs, pull each side apart apart at the incision that you’ve made, and the breast bone will crack open till the bird lies flat.  I grill these at ~325 degrees or so for ~1 hour & 15 mins (or until they’re done).

If you haven’t tried this, you should.  It’s pretty darned tasty.

 

 

Cheers,
Braddog



AuthorBraddog | Comment1 Comment |
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Saturday
Jun122010

Update: Pig-a-palooza 2010

DateSaturday, June 12, 2010 at 8:17PM

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I volunteered to help with the cooking at a local fund raiser.  The main course was to be a whole hog, but there were also plenty of pork butts & ribs to cook too.

We convened on the cooking site at 3:00pm on Friday and began preparing the rotissiere/spit that we would use to cook the hog.  Now, I'd never done a whole hog before but one of the volunteers was experienced with the process so he took the lead.

We prepped the hog, got it mounted on the spit, and had the first coals under the 159 lb. guest of honor shortly before 6:00pm.  We had a large trailer-mounted pit that we used for the ongoing process of lighting fresh coals and readying them for shoveling under the spit.

We decided that we'd use my Backwoods Fatboy to cook the butts and ribs.  We picked up my cooker and had 12 boneless pork butts (~60 lbs.) on by 9:00pm.  That would allow us to get the butts done and the ribs started early in the morning and hopefully have things finishing up by the noon serving time.

It was all revelry and good times early on, but slowly the observers drifted off to their homes for a comfortable night's rest as the night wore on.  By 1:00am we were down to three guys who were committed to the process and whatever outcome morning would bring.  We had one close call around that same time.  We hadn't anticipated that the hog would shrink as much as it did, and we had to readjust the clamps that held it on the spit to keep it from flopping around and coming apart.

The hog finished up around 7:00am, about the same time that we began taking pork butts off of the Fatboy and started putting the ribs on.  We had the hog picked by 8:00 or so.  We kept it in pans on the pit we used for charcoal starting and waited for lunchtime.

Once we pulled the pork butts and began to serve lunch, it became clear to us that the pulled pork butts were much tastier than the whole hog.  Over the course of the afternoon, we served all the pulled pork and the ribs.  We only served about half of the pickings from the whole hog.

So here are a couple of observations about my first time doing a whole hog.

  • I don't care for it.  There's so much of it and no real good way to season it, so it ends up tasting mosly like pork roast.
  • I think we cooked it too fast early on.  The pit that we rented for the event had no thermometer, so we were cooking by feel.  I think we should have started at a lower temp.
  • Doing a whole hog is really all about the process and presentation.  For pure eating pleasure, I think the pulled pork and ribs were much better.

After tending the pits for 23 straight hours, I'm beat.  But I do feel a sense of satisfaction and pride when I see folks' reaction to our efforts.

Additionally, we helped a great cause.  I hope the whole event was successful enough to warrant doing it again next year, cause I had a blast.

Cheers,
Braddog

 

AuthorBraddog | Comment6 Comments |
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Sunday
Jun062010

Beef Tenderloin - Round 2

DateSunday, June 6, 2010 at 8:44PM

I've had family in town for a long weekend and we've had a world class weekend running the cookers.  Today, I decided it'd be steak & potatoes in recognition of my father-in-law's birthday.

Last week I took a run at trimming a beef tenderloin and slicing it into steaks.  This week I elected to roast the tenderloin whole.  Wow!  This thing rocked.  I cooked it till it was ~155 degrees in the thickest part.  This allowed me to cut steaks of different levels of doneness to allow for personal preferences.

Here's a shot the whole tenderloin cut in half before I carved it.

Cheers,
Braddog

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