Back Alley Blues & BBQ

[jacobi]

I love urban areas where the smell of good food floats through the streets, especially if that smell includes pecan wood!

Gaspar, I don't often agree with you, but you have fine taste in woods for smoking meat with.  And yes, the emerging BBQ culture is awesome.

Does anyone know when rib crib going to actually start moving on renoing their space?

[Red Arrow]

I love urban areas where the smell of good food floats through the streets, especially if that smell includes pecan wood! 

I use pecan to smoke Jalapenos to make Chipotles.  Smells great.

[Conan71]

I use pecan to smoke Jalapenos to make Chipotles.  Smells great.

And that's my understanding is the traditional way to do it.  I love the versatility of pecan, though you can't beat fruit woods with pork or fowl.  I think my favorite I've smoked with is plum, it's like crack to me.

[Teatownclown]

And that's my understanding is the traditional way to do it.  I love the versatility of pecan, though you can't beat fruit woods with pork or fowl.  I think my favorite I've smoked with is plum, it's like crack to me.

I don't know about crack, but what's good with veggies. Herbs?

[heironymouspasparagus]

I can hardly wait for Oklahoma Joe's to open.  Much closer to my traffic pattern (south and east) then Albert G's.  But then, I have been spending a lot of time downtown, too...


Remind me again, why Rib Crib is still in business after the way they have been for several years??

[Gaspar]

I don't know about crack, but what's good with veggies. Herbs?

Alder wood is!  Pecan is also good.

Veggies pick up delicate smoke very well, so you can actually do some interesting things to get unique flavors.  Broccoli and asparagus are excellent with pecan or corn cob sprinkled with a handful of dry sage leaves. You can smoke seafood, squash and root vegtables using alder or pecan with dried rosemary stems as a smoke.

For me, I like the heavy meats!  Roll a beef short rib in Smokin' Spice, then smoke with pecan wood adding a few stems of cinnamon and some coffee beans to the smoker.  That's how you punish a vegetarian!

[Conan71]

I don't know about crack, but what's good with veggies. Herbs?

Alderwood might be good.  That's the proper one for salmon anyhow.  Play your Fender Strat until it's worn out then smoke fish with the body, just remember to remove the pick guard and pick ups first

Seriously, pecan is about the most versatile, though whole lump oak charcoal leaves a nice flavor on squash and sweet potatoes.

[Conan71]

I can hardly wait for Oklahoma Joe's to open.  Much closer to my traffic pattern (south and east) then Albert G's.  But then, I have been spending a lot of time downtown, too...


Remind me again, why Rib Crib is still in business after the way they have been for several years??

I thought the Oklahoma Joe's deal was dead.  Didn't someone mention that here a month or so back?

Rib Crib exists because a large majority of people's tastes simply aren't that discriminating when it comes to Q.  That and it's consistently mediocre and they have sides which have been focus-group tested.  In other words, they are becoming the Fridays, Chili's, or McDonalds of BBQ.  You know what you will get every time you go into a Rib Crib.  I would even take customers there as it was convenient, but I won't eat there now after Gaspar spilled the beans on the dirty little secret a lot of the chains don't want you to know: nitrites and nitrates in place of getting proper flavor and tenderness out of their meat.  I can see the corporate side of it as there's a lot of risk if you have a bad day on the smoker.  Cheat and use chemicals so that you end up with something that's agreeable (taste, texture, flavor, moisture level) every time a customer comes in.

Real BBQ is an art and it's hard to come up with repeatability day after day if you are doing it old school.  Your meat can be different, you might not keep the pit stoked to quite the same temp, etc. and you can have some odd swings from day-to-day.  That's where inconsistency comes in.  Then there are some which are simply dreadful every day like Billy Ray's.  I tried to give them a chance again recently and can't see how that place is still in business.

My buddy I had lunch with today was going on and on about Burn Brothers in the old Ella's Deli location.  I went there when they first open and keep forgetting about them.  They really do some great stuff.  My understanding is they only do x amount of meat a day and when they are out, they are done.

[Gaspar]

Seriously, pecan is about the most versatile, though whole lump oak charcoal leaves a nice flavor on squash and sweet potatoes.

Here's one for you Conan.  Take a small tight head of romaine lettuce, cut in half and fully coat with good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.  Grill over lump charcoal (Hasty Bake or Royal Oak) for just about a minute on each side until you get grill marks.  Drizzle with FINI balsamic vinegar and a little more olive oil and shave some Parmesan over the top.  Hit with black pepper and serve!

You can also cut it in smaller portions after grilling if you like or grill in quarters.

[Conan71]

Here's one for you Conan.  Take a small tight head of romaine lettuce, cut in half and fully coat with good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.  Grill over lump charcoal (Hasty Bake or Royal Oak) for just about a minute on each side until you get grill marks.  Drizzle with FINI balsamic vinegar and a little more olive oil and shave some Parmesan over the top.  Hit with black pepper and serve!

You can also cut it in smaller portions after grilling if you like or grill in quarters.

That's right up our alley.  I'll have to spring that one on FMC.

[Gaspar]

That's right up our alley.  I'll have to spring that one on FMC.

You can also do it with Belgian Endive if you want to spend the extra scratch.  Has a really delightful bitterness.

[Teatownclown]

I thought the Oklahoma Joe's deal was dead.  Didn't someone mention that here a month or so back?

Rib Crib exists because a large majority of people's tastes simply aren't that discriminating when it comes to Q.  That and it's consistently mediocre and they have sides which have been focus-group tested.  In other words, they are becoming the Fridays, Chili's, or McDonalds of BBQ.  You know what you will get every time you go into a Rib Crib.  I would even take customers there as it was convenient, but I won't eat there now after Gaspar spilled the beans on the dirty little secret a lot of the chains don't want you to know: nitrites and nitrates in place of getting proper flavor and tenderness out of their meat.  I can see the corporate side of it as there's a lot of risk if you have a bad day on the smoker.  Cheat and use chemicals so that you end up with something that's agreeable (taste, texture, flavor, moisture level) every time a customer comes in.

Real BBQ is an art and it's hard to come up with repeatability day after day if you are doing it old school.  Your meat can be different, you might not keep the pit stoked to quite the same temp, etc. and you can have some odd swings from day-to-day.  That's where inconsistency comes in.  Then there are some which are simply dreadful every day like Billy Ray's.  I tried to give them a chance again recently and can't see how that place is still in business.

My buddy I had lunch with today was going on and on about Burn Brothers in the old Ella's Deli location.  I went there when they first open and keep forgetting about them.  They really do some great stuff.  My understanding is they only do x amount of meat a day and when they are out, they are done.

I must say Burn Brothers (just love the name) is quite good. No bs....line out the door, order, wax paper on tray, chew, toss....just hogs eating and minding their own binness! Great Q....

[Gaspar]

I must say Burn Brothers (just love the name) is quite good. No bs....line out the door, order, wax paper on tray, chew, toss....just hogs eating and minding their own binness! Great Q....

You have good taste-buds!

Adam knows his Q.  He sold Hasty-Bakes for years before risking everything to pursue his passion.  Boy knows how to cook, and understands that the best ingredients and technique yield the best BBQ.

Lump charcoal, real wood, and a Hasty or two=Quality, high flavor BBQ that people in suits will line up for and eat out of a paper bag with a plastic fork!

[joiei]

I must say Burn Brothers (just love the name) is quite good. No bs....line out the door, order, wax paper on tray, chew, toss....just hogs eating and minding their own binness! Great Q....

Actually it is Burn Co (no Brothers) and yes the food is great.  If you want ribs, go early, like be there before 11:30 if not earlier.   

[custosnox]

Then there are some which are simply dreadful every day like Billy Ray's.  I tried to give them a chance again recently and can't see how that place is still in business.

Go into any place in this state that has a fair number of people in it and yell out "Boomer!" and you will get the answer to how they stay in business.