Smoking snob

[bbqbrett]

Out of all the different joints I've tried bbq at there have only been maybe 3 that I thought had truly BAD food. I'm kind of a foodie, so I can accept that not every place I eat is gonna be the style that I prefer, and that's the fun part for me. It's very rare that I walk out of a place going "wow mine is so much better", but I do compare whatever I'm trying to what I've done or had in the past.

But the compliments are always nice to hear from someone who isn't myself. :P

You sound kind of like me in that regard. I will often give some places ago and know that not everything is like mine but sometimes trying different things is good and you might find something you like. I have been out to eat with people who have tried my BBQ and a couple of times had them tell me that mine was better than where we ate. Always makes ya feel good to hear that. Couple of years ago gave some ribs to my neighbors and they told me they were better than Famous Dave's. I was happy to hear that.

 

[bbqbrett]

Yeah I hear ya.
There are only 2 bbq joints I go to that have good bbq. I don't even get the brisket at one of them and brisket is king here in TX.

I have also eaten at Franklin's BBQ and have to admit it was the best brisket I have ever eaten.
INTERESTINGLY though, it was not so much better than brisket I make, that family members make, or that I can get my hands on here in TX from other people making it.
It was good to know that what I can get my hands on isn't that far off from the best in the business :)

Franklin's was good enough for me to go again even with the showing up super early and waiting for hours to eat. I appreciate the best of something.
I also grill a damn good steak but I also will not hesitate to throw down on a steak in a fancy steak house when the occasion calls for it... I just have to prepare to blow a wad of cash when going to III Forks Steakhouse in Dallas but damn it's the best steakhouse I've been to of the many across the US and the numerous steakhouses in a couple of other countries!

Have to agree with you in that Franklin's was the best brisket I ever had. I would go again as well. My brisket hasn't gotten close to that level yet though.

 

[tallbm]

Ever heard the term beggars cant be choosers?

Yep but I don't hear it too often. I tend to keep myself out of begging situations

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

Although my favorite Q is made just outside my back door, I have to give a BIG shout to The Rendezvous in Memphis. Best dry ribs on the Planet!

 

[chilerelleno]

That is a fantastic compliment!
Keep that bar raised high!



I hard put to try any new BBQ joint, too tired of disappointment.
There are well over a dozen BBQ restaurants and only two worth eating at.
Both of them are in the hood, family run places that smoke on-site and take serious pride in their food.

 

[siege]

It's not just the barbeque. We all share an interest in good food. I would bet that most of us are pretty proficient at making a lot of other kinds of food besides barbeque. It's always nice when eating in a good restaurant, and enjoying a great meal, to have someone in the group say....you make it better than this.
I learned to cook when I was young, because I couldn't afford to go out and eat whatever I wanted to have. Over the years I ended up being in the food business a few times, and always enjoyed making people happy.
It's nice to sit down to some good Que at a place close to home, and appreciate all the hours that went into preparing the meal so you can just relax and enjoy it once in a while. But it's still hard to beat homemade.

 

[Fueling Around]

Yeah I hear ya.
There are only 2 bbq joints I go to that have good bbq. I don't even get the brisket at one of them and brisket is king here in TX.

... I just have to prepare to blow a wad of cash when going to III Forks Steakhouse in Dallas but damn it's the best steakhouse I've been to of the many across the US and the numerous steakhouses in a couple of other countries!

OK it was 30 years since I've been to the metroplex and hope it improved.
I had dismal Q at many places. I don't remember the names of the places.

Best pork place was 3 Pigs off I-35E near Corinth.

Best regular beef my group enjoyed was off loop 12 at Paul's Porterhouse (which I Googled and is now closed).

Dickie's name sticks out as I didn't eat at one in DFW.
They opened a franchise near me. I wasn't impressed and the locals must have agreed. It closed in less than a year

 

[tallbm]

OK it was 30 years since I've been to the metroplex and hope it improved.
I had dismal Q at many places. I don't remember the names of the places.

Best pork place was 3 Pigs off I-35E near Corinth.

Best regular beef my group enjoyed was off loop 12 at Paul's Porterhouse (which I Googled and is now closed).

Dickie's name sticks out as I didn't eat at one in DFW.
They opened a franchise near me. I wasn't impressed and the locals must have agreed. It closed in less than a year

Ft Worth is muuuuuch better for BBQ than Dallas.
Dallas has a few joints that are good or pretty good but they have quirks like they are only open at lunch, or only open 2 days a week.
Other stuff just gets a little far out.
My favorite is The Hard Eight but I have to go to Coppell or now at least I can go to The Colony for their other location.
I like Rudy's BBQ well enough to eat there (except the horrid sausage) but I have to go to Frisco to get to it.
There is another place people are talking a lot about called Hutchin's BBQ but it is way up in Allen or McKinney.
There is a place on 75 just in Richardson called Ten50 that may be ok but was told it is not as good as Hard Eight. Finally there is a place in West Plano called Kenny's Smoke House which tries to be a "fancier" bbq joint and their brisket was ok but other stuff I had was not special.

Dallas is simply weak on BBQ as a whole. It's mostly places like Dickie's, Spring Creek, etc.

 

[banderson7474]

I've noticed that most Q joints around me are okay. I contend that there is no way that it's fresher than what I make so they make up for it by saucing it up to keep moist.

It could be all in my head but I imagine them smoking the day before or it's been sitting in sauce for hours before I ordered.

 

[tallbm]

I've noticed that most Q joints around me are okay. I contend that there is no way that it's fresher than what I make so they make up for it by saucing it up to keep moist.

It could be all in my head but I imagine them smoking the day before or it's been sitting in sauce for hours before I ordered.

Anything is possible. When doing that volume of meat there are definitely sacrifices to be made.
My favorite local BBQ joint cooks so much brisket that they don't trim it before hand. When they pull it out and prep it for serving they commit a sin (to me) of scraping ALL the outside fat and bark (and seasoning) off at the serving station and then they slice and serve the brisket at that point.
I don't get the brisket there but most of the other stuff is very good!

I chalk this up to the fact that they have to simply do so much brisket that is the approach they are taking and are fine with it.