Tuesday Favorites…National Barbecue Day

[Nalt]

Sofla, it's 2023. Enjoying a chicken thing is an acceptable activity. Of course so is barbequeing nine chicken thighs. Lol

Wait! So you have killed 8-1/2 chickens and now have a one-legged chicken pecking around your place?

 

[LaylaGator]

Wait! So you have killed 8-1/2 chickens and now have a one-legged chicken pecking around your place?

Bama math at its finest.

 

[Ironhead]

Can eat my weight in good pulled pork. Brisket and Ribs are always a take as well. For sides any type of potato, baked beans, mac and a sweet cornbread.

BBQ is one of those foods that I have become snobbier with as I have gotten older, like pizza, where I find a favorite place and try not to stray to much. Will do Sonny's or Mission in a pinch. Here in Jax I prefer Woodpeckers with Bearded Pig coming in second. When I lived in Atlanta areas Dreamland was really good, but the last time I went to one it was horrible. The best BBQ I still remember is from a guy with a pull behind trailer in the town I grew up in.

Agreed, Plus one on Woodpeckers. Although I still like French Fries to go with beans and/or slaw. No fries at woodpeckers.
The Datil beans or slaw are a plus as well.
Sonny's started using inferior meat a few years back. Tough, a different cut?
I'm a fan of the very thin sliced center cut, pink pork. Which is what made Sonny's. Dustin's still has that thin sliced pork.
Sonny's, abandoned that cut for the "Pulled pork" craze. Their thin sliced is no longer "thin", rather a generous cut of overcooked, full of fat and tough pork.

Had a recent trip to Virginia to help out my parents after my Mom 81, fell and broke her leg...Long story.
Anyway, Had the pleasure to eat at some of my old favorite places from years gone by.

"Snobbier", is the word here.
I don't think I've ever tasted worse pulled pork, complete with vinegar based sauce. Only they still call it "Chopped pork". Full of fat and even a bone or two.
Good lord......

 

[gatorev12]

I'm from Texas originally, so it's brisket for me and a looong way down for anything else.

In terms of other meats, prefer BBQ chicken as a distant second, then pulled pork, then turkey.

In terms of regional BBQ--Texas is king, but KC has a shout to be in the conversation. For chain BBQ, Rudy's in Texas is hands-down the best; but there's so many smaller mom n pop places all over the state that it's hard to pick on its own. Truth in Houston is good for non-Austin joints (too many of those to list); while Joe's KC (formerly Oklahoma Joe's) is my favorite in KC.

To our resident Bammer: I'll actually admit that Lawler's and the Bama White Sauce isn't bad--I wouldn't choose it over TX or KC, but it's unique in a good way.

Anyone who says Sonny's is comparable to Texas is smoking crack: they're totally different. Sonny's is Carolina-style and if that's your thing, that's all well and good, but it's apples and oranges.

Woodpecker's is my Jax area favorite; but Mission isn't bad either (for a chain). If we're in Gainesville, Hogtown in the downtown area was a pleasant surprise and I make sure to go on a gameday weekend a few times a season.

Actually do like the datil pepper/citrus sauces that are starting to become a thing here in the Northeast FL/St Aug area--it's our own unique regional twist and people are starting to get pretty good at it.

 

[Ironhead]

I'm from Texas originally, so it's brisket for me and a looong way down for anything else.

In terms of other meats, prefer BBQ chicken as a distant second, then pulled pork, then turkey.

In terms of regional BBQ--Texas is king, but KC has a shout to be in the conversation. For chain BBQ, Rudy's in Texas is hands-down the best; but there's so many smaller mom n pop places all over the state that it's hard to pick on its own. Truth in Houston is good for non-Austin joints (too many of those to list); while Joe's KC (formerly Oklahoma Joe's) is my favorite in KC.

To our resident Bammer: I'll actually admit that Lawler's and the Bama White Sauce isn't bad--I wouldn't choose it over TX or KC, but it's unique in a good way.

Anyone who says Sonny's is comparable to Texas is smoking crack: they're totally different. Sonny's is Carolina-style and if that's your thing, that's all well and good, but it's apples and oranges.

Woodpecker's is my Jax area favorite; but Mission isn't bad either (for a chain). If we're in Gainesville, Hogtown in the downtown area was a pleasant surprise and I make sure to go on a gameday weekend a few times a season.

Actually do like the datil pepper/citrus sauces that are starting to become a thing here in the Northeast FL/St Aug area--it's our own unique regional twist and people are starting to get pretty good at it.

Sonny's is definitely NOT Carolina style bbq.
Carolina style is really chopped up similar to pulled with the sauce already mixed in, Usually, Vinegar based sauce.
Usually, can't get "Carolina style BBQ" with Garlic bread either. It's usually Hushpuppies and occasionally, corn bread.
If you don't know what "chow chow" is, then you've never eaten at a Carolina Style BBq joint.

I'm not a fan of todays "Pulled pork". It's dried out and loses flavor.

While In Texas, I did indulge several BBq places and enjoyed every single one although, I've never been a big fan of brisket. To me, the differences in Texas were the sauces. These places always have their own sauces and twist on sides. I'm not a fan of plain untoasted white bread though.

Still, It's a unique skill to smoke a piece of meat for over 24 hours and the flavor of the wood you smoked it with, doesn't overcome the actual piece of meat. Texas seems to have perfected that process. I see rookies all over smoking brisket but all I can taste is Hickory or Oak.

Woodpeckers has the "Fatty brisket" which is the best of you're a Brisket fan.
Someone mentioned their sides and I have to agree. I've eaten there so many times now, I'm sick of their same sides.

 

[Altitude Gator]

If you do smoke brisket in a good smoker (not those pellet things), hickory, oak and mesquite are great, but apple, cherry and pecan are also excellent. Pecan is my favorite and it also does great on pork butt.

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

If you do smoke brisket in a good smoker (not those pellet things), hickory, oak and mesquite are great, but apple, cherry and pecan are also excellent. Pecan is my favorite and it also does great on pork butt.

Apple is great. I prefer my bacon that way. Mix oak and apple for Boston ass. A good rub and smoke beats sauce any day, but I do love a vinegar based sauce with a bit of sweet and heat. Mustard based sauces get thrown away. I'm not as picky on sides per say, but you can tell a lot about a BBQ joint by the way they handle three sides: baked beans, coleslaw, and mac n cheese. If those aren't on lockdown, then keep looking. Texas toast > any other bread option, however I'm partial to cornbread. Real cornbread. The kind of cornbread that sucks all the moisture out of your mouth. Sweet cornbread is simply cake, fight me.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Apple is great. I prefer my bacon that way. Mix oak and apple for Boston ass. A good rub and smoke beats sauce any day, but I do love a vinegar based sauce with a bit of sweet and heat. Mustard based sauces get thrown away. I'm not as picky on sides per say, but you can tell a lot about a BBQ joint by the way they handle three sides: baked beans, coleslaw, and mac n cheese. If those aren't on lockdown, then keep looking. Texas toast > any other bread option, however I'm partial to cornbread. Real cornbread. The kind of cornbread that sucks all the moisture out of your mouth. Sweet cornbread is simply cake, fight me.

Agree on the sides.

I like the baked beans smoky, spicy, and a little sweet.

I don't like cole slaw that's too sweet or too finely chopped. Should be tangy to offset the richness of the meat and have some texture.

The mac n cheese has to be thick and should have a crust.

I'll add two more classic sides:

1. Crinkle-cut fries (dunno why, but bbq joints serve crinkle-cut fries and that's just the way it is) and
2. Green beans (the ones they cooked with some smoked hocks or jowls)


But then you went off the rails on bread.

Garlic bread.

Not wonder bread. Not toast. Not Texas toast.

Thick garlic bread is the answer.


Alex.

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

Agree on the sides.

I like the baked beans smoky, spicy, and a little sweet.

I don't like cole slaw that's too sweet or too finely chopped. Should be tangy to offset the richness of the meat and have some texture.

The mac n cheese has to be thick and should have a crust.

I'll add two more classic sides:

1. Crinkle-cut fries (dunno why, but bbq joints serve crinkle-cut fries and that's just the way it is) and
2. Green beans (the ones they cooked with some smoked hocks or jowls)


But then you went off the rails on bread.

Garlic bread.

Not wonder bread. Not toast. Not Texas toast.

Thick garlic bread is the answer.


Alex.

The Texas toast I'm thinking of is a thick slice of soft white bread that's been slathered with butter and garlic on both sides and toasted. It's basically garlic bread, but better. Your last line is pretty much what I was thinking, but being a Florida boy who never had actual Texas toast, that's what I heard it called growing up. My Florida cracker side is showing

 

[AlexDaGator]

The Texas toast I'm thinking of is a thick slice of soft white bread that's been slathered with butter and garlic on both sides and toasted. It's basically garlic bread, but better. Your last line is pretty much what I was thinking, but being a Florida boy who never had actual Texas toast, that's what I heard it called growing up. My Florida cracker side is showing

I'll allow it.


Alex.

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

I'll allow it.


Alex.

I'd rather have cornbread.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

Here's this weekend's project. Pork belly ribs. Spare ribs with bacon meat included. Sliced into three different sizes so we can gauge which size works best.