Does doing your smoking affect how you see BBQ restaurants

[backyardsmokin]

My wife and I go to Famous Dave's a lot as that is her favorite place.  Before I thought that it was pretty decent BB but since I have been doing my own smoking and using the wnoderful recipes that people have shared on here, I now get sick to my stomach when I go there.  This is the same for the other big chain's like Logan's and Texas Roadhouse.

I was just wondering if all of you expercience the same thing, where after doing your own smoking/BBQ restaurants just don't taste as good as they once did?

 

[shtrdave]

Never been to a FD, but I have a customers that has  house in VA and they bring me back sauce all the time, and about 2 months ago they brought me back a container of PP and one for one of their employees. The following weekend I was making PP anyway so I returned the favor and sent them some of mine and also sent some home with a co[worker that is their employee's son apparently he shared mine, they all told me how much better tasting and flavorful mine was to FD's  I kind of thought mine was better also.

We had a place called Hogfathers  in the small town close to where I live, I stopped there once for a brisket sammie, it was okay, but mostly a grease ball, they used a pressure smoker, but would not allow me to see how it worked.

We have a small guy not far from here that has terrific Q, uses a couple of Southern Pride units, his stuff is awesome in taste and flavor, especially the chicken halves.

We have a Smokey Bones about 45 minutes away, and was going to stop there one evening, but the parking lot was completely full, not a spot left in it, and I kept going on my merry way.

I like to try different places, but there are not that many around here.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

BYS, it is my contention that it impossible to get the same taste pleasing flavor from a chain food Rest., reason being holding meat like BBQ, in the manner it has to be held , dries it out and over cooks it; they cannot give you the "fresh out of the Smoker" flavor and Bark you are used to at home. Having said that, I will say that if the place has a working smoker and are continually pulling Meat from there , then chances are that you could get some good BBQ (providing they knew what they were doing in the first place).

There is nothing like a slab of Ribs at that point where they are starting to 'sweat' and get that moist look, and the bend test says"right now!"

 Or a Brisket that has just come out of the smoker, jiggling like Jello because the Point is soft enough to rub off with your hand and the Flat is at the perfect "probe in and out like Butta"state. I was spoiled as a child in that There were some really good BBQ joints in Cen-Tex., and learned how good "Q" is supposed to taste

.That is just MHO

.

 

[backyardsmokin]

I have been to about 90% of the mom and pop BBQ places around my area and I have found only 1 that is could be considered real BBQ.  Most are steaks and chicken only.  They have no pork, brisket, ribs, tri-tip, etc.  There is only place by my parent's place that has 4.5 starts on Yelp, but everytime I have gone there and tried different things.  Each time the same thing, completely dried out and covered with sauce to maked that it is tried.  I wondered what the regulars that go there would say after trying real Q .

There is a m&p place here named Bottley's and I believe they are the best represenation of true Southern BBQ that I can find in the central California area.  It is on the pricey side, but I get plate full of brisket, ribs, and freshly made sausage plus potato salad, collard greens and a big glass of lemonade for $20.

 

[rbranstner]

Yep we have had the same experience. My wife  won't eat an any BBQ joints in town anymore. She say's they all suck. We can't stand Famous Daves anymore. But I do still buy their purple bottle BBQ sauce. I do love that stuff.

 

[jc1947]

IMHO, it is like watching a movie after having read the book. No matter how they make BBQ it is not made to your tastes and most folks have no idea how good BBQ can be!

JC1947

 

[rbranstner]

They just opened up a Dickey's BBQ chain restaurant in Fargo so we checked it out and it was HORRIBLE. We sampled the sausage, ribs and pulled pork and the only thing that was OK was the pulled pork and it wasn't anything special at all. I really wanted to try the brisket but they said their cook didn't get there in time in the morning so it wasn't done yet. I will never go back there and I have not heard anything good from anyone that has eaten there. Once you have your own BBQ it's hard to find a place that is even close to as good as your own.

 

[so ms smoker]

IMHO, it is like watching a movie after having read the book. No matter how they make BBQ it is not made to your tastes and most folks have no idea how good BBQ can be!

JC1947

   X2

 

[jirodriguez]

Yeah.... I have ruined eating out at BBQ resteraunts for both me and my entire family... lol. Not only do the BBQ resteraunts taste bad, they also cost twice as much as it costs me to make good BBQ at home!

 

[tom c]

I have a co-worker that has a trailer smoker and does most of the office cookout everyone talks about how great the food is. A few weeks ago was the office last cookout it was the first time in years that I had a Chance to taste his food, after trying it I talk to him about his cooking. He was happy to let me know how important was to be sure the smoker is billowing smoke when you put the food on to get a good smoke taste in the meat. All of his cooking tasted the same to me, Pork, Ribs and Chicken all I tasted was the smoke, if I was blindfolded I don't know if  I could tell what I was eating.. 

 

[teeznuts]

I have been to about 90% of the mom and pop BBQ places around my area and I have found only 1 that is could be considered real BBQ.  Most are steaks and chicken only.  They have no pork, brisket, ribs, tri-tip, etc.  There is only place by my parent's place that has 4.5 starts on Yelp, but everytime I have gone there and tried different things.  Each time the same thing, completely dried out and covered with sauce to maked that it is tried.  I wondered what the regulars that go there would say after trying real Q .

There is a m&p place here named Bottley's and I believe they are the best represenation of true Southern BBQ that I can find in the central California area.  It is on the pricey side, but I get plate full of brisket, ribs, and freshly made sausage plus potato salad, collard greens and a big glass of lemonade for $20.

Hey Backyard,

I was in Stockton for my cousins wedding last weekend and it was catered by a local q joint called Kinders if I'm not mistaken. They only brought chicken and some beef but it wasn't too bad. I was just happy because I never get served q at a wedding.

I actually save money now because there are so many q joints and restaurants I won't eat at because I think my smoke is better. I can't believe how many places I see with pulled pork on the menu but when it comes out its completely covered in bbq sauce and you can't taste the pork.

 

[SmokinAl]

Haven't been in a BBQ restaurant since I bought my first smoker.

There is just no comparison.

 

[jjwdiver]

I was in a tough spot...having sold all my stuff and moving to an island. The moving to an island is still a fantastic choice, but NO ONE did Q here. Oven baked, sauced and dumped onto a grill before serving - that is their version of Q. (Not to mention giving tiny portions and charging up the wazoo for it).  One place opened up a few months ago and I finally had a chance to try their goods.  Barefoot Cowboy only has so-so chicken (sauced and grilled, but grilled from start to finish), ok pork (calls it pulled but I'm guessing only gets to 185 and sliced, smoked...but can hardly tell(. But then I tried his brisket and about needed depends!  Best I have ever tasted and is now the "high mark" I aim for.

I will do my own and not eat at the other places, but Wayne's brisket is the bomb!  My goal is to weasel my way in to get his secrets!!!!!!

John

 

[backyardsmokin]

teeznuts,

Kinder's is ok.  I used to go to their restaurant in Tracy until one day when I ordered the food I heard the common whir and ding of a microwave.  I talked to the gal behind the counter and she said that they used to smoke the meat, but it got too expensive to always have to buy charcoal and wood so now they just cook it in an oven and nuke it before serving.  They still have a smoker trailer for catering events.

diver,

Glad to hear that they opened a good place by you.  Seeing that your in the Caribbean just took my taste buds back to Jamaica and the roadside Jerk BBQ that I tasted and fell in love with.  When I was there I went on a food trip tasting the Jerk Q from town to town and each town having their slight twist on the taste making it their and still delectable.   Since being back i have found 1 place that can match the taste, but it is 30 mins from my work and 2hrs from my house so I don't get there too often.