What the hell am I doing wrong since I would eat Famous Dave's Chain Smoked meat over mine anyday

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
While Famous Dave’s is a chain, it IS good! One is seasonal but nearby.

I might ruffle a few feathers here but I am apprehensive that everyone who says there stuff is as good or better than places like FD is actually true. Most likely, it is pretty good but it is mostly they are just really proud of their work. I judge homebrew and a lot of guys claim to make beer that is on par with a good craft or german brewery but that is usually quite far from the truth. There are some fanatics (like me) that are really striving and come pretty close but it takes a serious investment in time (and money sometimes) to get to that level. I do believe some guys here are at this level with barbeque but they have invested a similar amount of energy to do so. My results have improved dramatically since joining here! Lots of good people and info. I agree with Pops. What is specifically the reason FD was better?

Some specific points: It is likely the ribs they get are just another level above stuff we get at the supermarket. Specific breed, age, etc. Most likely their process requires several days. Doubt the ribs are smoked and served same day. I do this myself for convenience sake but am finding it improves the results too. Each protein and cut has gets its own treatment but for ribs, I am pretty sure they are saucing and finishing them on a grill and that is pretty critical to me. If you are actually talking about the level of smoke flavor in the food itself, they run hickory and that is a pretty strong smoke.

https://www.famousdaves.com/BBQGrillingTips
 
I do homebrew as well and I can tell you my stuff is nothing compared to that of brewers that have stuff in the stores. I think its all peoples preference, I personally am not a fan of Famous Daves and here in the midwest we used to eat it alot. I can tell you that my family would easily say that my ribs and pulled pork are better then what is served at FD, just our opinion though.
 
Proper cook temps and times . Forget the rubs , smoke and sauce . The meat should stand on it's own . Rub's , sauce and smoke are a plus , but know what your are cooking first .
^THIS^

While I'm coming back to it and haven't smoked anything in a while, that's a truism I realized early on. The best sauces and rubs and marinades and injections in the world can't salvage a lack of one of the three essentials of meat, heat, and smoke. Get the basics down and go from there.

OP, not sure if you've taken the course, but I was absolutely educated afterward, and I highly recommend it:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forums/5-day-smoking-basics-ecourse.127/
 
Famous Dave's is good. I'm sure I can't top it, and I'm OK with that. Truth be told, my true favorite BBQ joint is this one:
https://hardeightbbq.com/

That said, I still want to create a good meal that everyone will enjoy. I think I've gotten really good with steaks and burgers on the grill, and I don't think there are many restaurants that can outdo me. Smoking is something that takes a long time, dedication, and care - and you can't let yourself get too distracted or else you'll have too much dog food LOL... It's the challenge that I'm looking for, and I want to get that down.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chopsaw
I’m not sure what I have to add to the great thoughts here, other than this: I can cook my meat EXACTLY the way I want it to taste. So, i don’t compare my results to other cook’s. I’m honest about what I like, and what my family likes. I don’t care what FD cooks in the grand scheme of things. I’ve been to a place in KC that’s won some major hardware in comps, and I like my ribs better than theirs. But then again, I cook to my own flavor profile, and cook to when it’s ready for me and my family. They’d kick my tail in a competition!

Know what you like from a flavor profile perspective. Get good meat and use fresh spices. Cook it to where YOU like it. Sauce it the way YOU want. Learn. That, to me, is the fun of this, and I’ve been playing around with it for over 20 years.
 
Matt I can't agree more . I don't go out for BBQ / smoked meats for the same reason . Not saying mine's better . Just what we are used to .
 
I also agree with Matt, if I am going to put in the time and effort, I am cooking it my liking. I enjoy getting to play around with different styles of cookings along with rubs and sauces. I think the biggest thing that has helped me has been to keep a journal, this way I can go back and see what I liked and what I wanted to tweak.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky