Rather than blogging multiple places, we've had the Joe's Real BBQ web site updated to include everthing. Accordingly, if you'd like to keep up with the BBQ happenings, please check out http://joesrealbbq.com/
I'll see you there! bbqtad
Rather than blogging multiple places, we've had the Joe's Real BBQ web site updated to include everthing. Accordingly, if you'd like to keep up with the BBQ happenings, please check out http://joesrealbbq.com/
I'll see you there! bbqtad
Big D and I headed to Meridian, Texas for the National Championship BBQ Cookoff. Never heard of Meridian? I lived in Texas for about 15 years and never had either. Great city. Great people. Great event. Saw (and tasted) a little bit of everything... Custom smokers are the order of the day... Fire Trucks, Bulls, vintage refrigerators. We saw it all. And the obligatory tractor pull.
Tried sundry ribs, chicken, pork and brisket. Best brisket (though the judges won't make their decision for another hour or so) was smoked with... drumroll please... pecan wood.
Peggy Sue BBQ has been operating near SMU in one form or another since the 1950’s. Based on the quality of their offerings, they’ll be around for quite a few more years. Hands down the best chopped brisket of any we have tasted on this tour. Smoked with oak, the result was amazingly flavorful. They don’t spoil it with too much sauce, but rather let the meat do the talking. Wonderful night for a walk, so we walked through the SMU campus. The place is buzzing in preparation for homecoming and the game against Houston tomorrow. All of Dallas is buzzing, actually as the Rangers are playing in Arlington tonight hoping to send the Yankees packing. The Cowboys play on Monday Night Football, and the TV trucks are already positioned outside the stadium. Any restaurant that was good enough for Tom Landry is good enough for us, and if/when I get back this place will be on the list of must-visit BBQ joints.
We had some time before we had to get back to the test kitchen so headed to a nearby place. Momma always said if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. The cashier was very kind and had a great smile.
Stop 8 (first stop of Day 3) is at the test kitchen of J&R Manufacturing in Mesquite, Texas. Judy shows us the brisket that went in the Mod 700 smoker at 8pm last night. The wood is our own Arizona pecan we brought out. Golden brown, but not ready to come out yet. We’re going to have a few hours to go sample another BBQ restaurant before this meat is ready to pull. Judy noted the wood is dry and urged us to try to find green wood whenever possible. Will burn slower and we will use less of it. RJ showed Big D some thermostat calibration tips. We bought a new thermostat for one of our smokers and some parts for upkeep. Ordered some heavier items to be shipped later (new door for a smoke box and a recirculation fan). The recirc fan will allow for more constant temperatures in the smoker overnight. We’ll stop back by later to pull the brisket out.
Had to give the stomachs a respite, so we took in the incredible Cowboy Stadium. As we seek to learn from what others are doing well across the country, it dawned on us we too should charge $17.50 for tours of our facility! Or I could personally lead your tour, in which case we would consider that a VIP tour, let you take a picture with one of our staff members and charge you $25. If you choose to pay us for a tour we apologize in advance we have no 53-yard-long mega-jumbo-tron in our place. But we do have BBQ TV and more affordable food!
Gilbert guy who walks with Christ, sells BBQ, and appreciates those who care enough about his random musings to occasionally read his blog.