255 replies to this topic

[Soulstation1]

i love b-b-q


my fav

steaks
new york
t-bone
rib-eye (cooked up one last nite)

sauages
johnsonvilles are the shiznet

i am gonna type up my speical rib recipe

also
alittle poll

propane vs charcoal

ss1

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Redbones in Davis Square, Somerville, MA.

Can't be beat. One of the best beer selections in town, too. They even have cask conditioned ales on tap! Good food and good beer?? What a combo.

BTW, at home, I've settled on Sweet Baby Ray's bbq sauce as the sauce of choice for chicken. It is awesome stuff... sweet & tangy.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot... best baby back ribs: The Loft Restaurant in North Andover, MA... sucky beer & wine selection though.

Later,
Kevin

[vibes]

I'll take charcoal for flavor, but I would never have the patience for it myself. I grew up with propane, so that's what I'm used to. I love grilled food too. I'd like to try grilling bratwurst. We've been eating a ton of that lately. It's been our new thing since we moved to Minnesota and tried brats at a Twins game. I'm a big fan of grilled steaks and chicken too.

[jazzbo]

I never really had good barbeque. . .til I moved to the South. Thought I did, but I was WRONG.

Some good places here, but really the best barbeque eatings I've had were on a picnic table in someone's backyard. Plenty of great backyard cooks here in Texas!

I like brisket, and links too. . .but it's chicken where I find the real artistry lies in the cooking and I've had some fantastic barbied chicken!

[Templejazz]

My dad BarBQs a MEAN pork loin.......he jams it full of gaaahhlic cloves and marinates it in.....oh I don't know what BUT the taste.......UGGHGH so tender!!! ......he grills it with sliced eggplant and zucchini...

[Dan Gould]

My wife has had a major hankering for ribs ever since her braces came off so this past Friday we went to Outback, mostly on the recommendation of a friend. She satisfied her craving but I can't say that I was too thrilled. Overcooked and the sauce was too sweet.

Guess I should have insisted on my initial plan to satisfy her jonesing-a trip to Texas or Memphis or the Carolinas.

[JSngry]

Much props to my homie Hank,



and no dis intended, but it's CHARCOAL all the way for me. Did a brisket, burgers and dogs yesterday as a matter of fact, and will probably do some ribs the next week or two.

Just curious - do other parts of the country have a cut of ribs called "country style"? These babies have next to no bone, and are essentially rib STEAKS, that's how big amd meaty they are. Tender too! My kids have gotten spoiled now and won't eat anything else, which is fine with me, because they're a lot cheaper than babyback or other "rack"-style ribs.

[Jim Alfredson]

There was a joint in Detroit that Joe and I played once or twice that had the best BBQ chicken I've ever had. It went out of business... a sad sad day for organ groups and BBQ fans everywhere.

I just grilled some brats yesterday. I love grilled brats. It's about the only thing I can grill, though. I have no idea how to do good BBQ.

[Jad]

My wife works at a local fish market and is privy to some of the freshest salmon in town. Nothing better than letting it soak in a garlic ginger marinade and grilling it over mesquite.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

From Redbones' on-line menu:

Memphis Ribs Small $10.95 / Regular $12.95
Pork spareribs w/ Great smokey flavor. Served w/ beans and cole slaw & sauce

Texas Beef Ribs Small $10.95 / Regular $12.95
Slowly smoked large beef ribs. Served w/ beans, cole slaw & sauce

Arkansas Ribs Small $9.95 / Regular $11.95
Thick, meaty country style ribs. Served w/ beans, cole slaw & sauce

Smoked Beef Brisket Small $10.95 / Regular $12.95
Sliced slowly smoked brisket. Served w/ beans, cole slaw & sauce

Baby Back Ribs Market Price
Pork loin ribs. Served w/ beans, cole slaw & sauce

St. Louis Style Ribs Small $13.95 / Regular $15.95
Lean and tender smaller pork ribs w/ beans & slaw & sauce

The Barbeque Belt $15.95
A taste of the South, featuring Memphis, Texas & Arkansas Ribs & Sliced Brisket. Served w/ beans, cole slaw & sauce

Wood Grilled Chicken Small $7.95 / Regular $9.95
A tender half chicken, grilled on the pit. Served with beans & cole slaw

BBQ Hash Dinner $7.95
Pork, Beef, Peppers, Potatoes, Onion & Spices. Served w/ greens & beans & mild sauce

Sausage Dinner $7.95
Today's sausage. Served w/ dirty rice & beans

Pulled Pork Dinner $7.95
Slow smoked pork w/ cole slaw & beans

BTW, their sausage is handmade on the premises, not store bought. They also offer combo plates. I often find myself ordering the "lazy man's meat platter" i.e. pulled pork and BBQ hash.

Later,
Kevin

[Big Wheel]

Mmmmm....Kevin, have you ever been to the Midwest Grill in Inman Square? I checked it out the other night for the first time--it's a Brazilian Rodizio that for a little over $20 gives you all you can eat grilled meat that they bring to the table item by item--chicken, steak (awesome), lamb, pork, chicken hearts, kielbasa, plus a whole lotta other crap. The pork and some of the chicken were a little on the dry side but everything else was damned good. I haven't been to Redbone's yet...have been meaning to for quite awhile.

There is an old BBQ chain in Miami called Shorty's that has some of my favorite BBQ sauce around. Also great if anyone is down there is a joint called the People's BBQ that mixes Southern-style barbecue with some Bahamian specialties--great!

[ralphie_boy]

Much props to my homie Hank,



and no dis intended, but it's CHARCOAL all the way for me. Did a brisket, burgers and dogs yesterday as a matter of fact, and will probably do some ribs the next week or two.

Just curious - do other parts of the country have a cut of ribs called "country style"? These babies have next to no bone, and are essentially rib STEAKS, that's how big amd meaty they are. Tender too! My kids have gotten spoiled now and won't eat anything else, which is fine with me, because they're a lot cheaper than babyback or other "rack"-style ribs.

We get the Country Style ribs here in NY and they are very good. I like to marinate them a day-ahead in a mixture of hot sauce, cider vinegar and a little brown sugar and then throw them on the grill.

[pryan]

Coindentally, I'm going out for dinner tonight (for my Dad's birthday) to one of Winnipeg's finer steak joints, Rae & Jerry's. I like their steaks but enjoy their BBQ ribs even more, which is what I'll order in a few hours.

My Dad was big on charcoal too, and stayed with it for a long time before finally buying a gas BBQ. It would be interesting to do a taste test; I'm betting I'd like the charcoal variety better, at least for steaks.

BTW, I've had a number of favorable reviews on my BBQing of steaks, however, that's the only thing I can really BBQ.

[catesta]

This thread couldn't have been timed any better.

I've been cooking with a gas grill for the past 5-6 years. I love the convenience, but missed some of the taste associated with charcoal grills.

The dude in the office a couple doors down from me is a teritory rep for Weber. At times, he has grills for sale sitting out in front of his door. These are units that have usually been returned for minor defects.
Today he had a giant charcoal grill for sale, dude only wanted $30!

I bought it, and now I will have both.

I'm a big fan of grilled Italian sausage, brats, baby back ribs, veal chops, and New York strips.

[chris olivarez]

You fiends you're making me hungry!!!

[catesta]

[robviti]

ah, finally a thread i can sink my teeth into! i consider myself fortunate to live less than a mile away from redbones. i'm not a big fan of what i consider "texas-style" barbecue, because its sugary sauce is too sweet for my taste. i prefer southern style: dry-rub, slow-cooked, with a more vinegary sauce. upstairs at redbones is decorated with great b&w photos of barbecue joints and blues musicians. the decor downstairs, referred to as "underbones," could be described as "rec room on acid." it's a hoot! btw, redbones claims to be the first restaurant in the nation to offer valet parking for your bike:

for take-out, i also rcommend the blue ribbon diner, with two locations: newton and arlington. great meat, great prices, and as much sauce as you want. once again, a thousand thanks to whoever told me about smoke daddy's in chicago. if you're in that city and plan to go to dusty groove, you've got to check them out. they're only several blocks away. great food, attractive and pleasant waittresses, and live music later in the evening. god, i'm so hungry now!

Edited by jazzshrink, 29 May 2003 - 08:51 AM.

[JSngry]

i'm not a big fan of what i consider "texas-style" barbecue, because its sugary sauce is too sweet for my taste.

Fair enough, but have you actually been to Texas and explored our barbeque at any length? There's literally infinite variations in the sauces, some quite spicy, and some more sweet (and I don't like the sweet stuff either). The best sauces are neither sweet nor spicy. They achieve a blend where individual elements become indistinguishable and all that remains is THE SAUCE, a flavor unto itself, and one that should enhance the meat, not dominate it.

I ask if you've ever experienced actual Texas BBQ because about 20 years ago, I was in Buffalo, NY, on the road w/a band, and was delighted to find a "Mexican Restaurant" in town (this was 20+ years ago, remember, and the Tex-Mex boom was still a ways off). It had been at least 6 weeks since my last dose of the stuff, and I was JONESIN', so I went in and ordered a, uh, "rather large" amount of food. First up, a nice, big bean and cheese burrito. The first bite was the last - the naive Buffaloians had used SWISS CHEESE on this burrito. I checked the enchiladas - same thing. I went away sad, angry, and above all, HUNGRY.

Well, that's just WRONG, but if that had been my sole exposure to Mexican food, I'd probably think "not for me. thanks anyway".

[SEK]

I love barbeque ribs, just about all varieties. I've had good barbeque in Texas and the Carolinas, but I favor the St. Louis-Kansas City style. Arthur Bryant's was terrific about 20-30 years ago.

Growing up in L.A., I made it my mission to check out all the good places. I usually could afford to try the places' rib tips, and only treated myself to the meaty small end after I had just been paid. Eventually, my clear favorite was a place called "Carl's" on Pico Blvd. I haven't been there in over a dozen years, but that place used to be great. Carl's was run by two guys from St. Louis who knew their stuff was good when they surpassed the flavor of Arthur Bryant's in its heyday. They even eventually got an award from the L.A. Times.

I remember one time I went there to pick up some ribs, soon after I had made a culinarily satisfying trip to Kansas City. I was talking about the good barbeque I just had at Bryant's, Hayward's, and Gates and said something like, "When one thinks about Kansas City, one thinks about their barbeque." I was quickly set straight by Carl or maybe his partner, "When you think about Kansas City, you should think about Charlie Parker." I humbly stood corrected and soon left with a half-rack of ribs (small end, of course).

Even though the pork in Michigan is generally high in quality, the barbeque here is usually too dry, sweet, salty, or mild (sometimes all of the above) and never anywhere near world-class. So now, I just make my own. I only do it about two or three times during the summer. If I start in the morning, it's an all-day process in the smoker, usually over hickory (applewood, when I can get it). My sauce, made from scratch, is pretty good, but not quite as good as I remember Carl's was.

This thread is an inspiration; I think I'll make a couple of racks of ribs real soon!

[Noj]

It ain't good BBQ unless you break a sweat. Mild is for cowards.

[robviti]

Fair enough, but have you actually been to Texas and explored our barbeque at any length?

No, I haven't had the pleasure, that's why i referred to a "texas-style." unless i'm mistaken, quite a few people rightly or wrongly associate this region's barbecue with that sweeter, tomato-based kind of sauce. i have no doubt there are probably many variations and alternatives. in the interest of science (and hunger), i'd be happy to sample some of your region's fare. just mail it to my home and please, don't be stingy on the sauce!

Edited by jazzshrink, 30 May 2003 - 04:26 AM.

[JSngry]

in the interest of science (and hunger), i'd be happy to sample some of your region's fare. just mail it to my home and please, don't be stingy on the sauce!

oooh...sending meat through the mail (and it's really about the meat above all. Sauce is, or SHOULD be, entirely optional and idealy unnecessary!) is not something I'd feel comfortable doing right now (long story...), but here's a place that will send you some DAMN good hot links:

http://www.pittsburghotlinks.com/

Not as good as Earl Campbell Hot Links (but then, few things are, including all but the VERY best, uh, "conjugal relations"), and besides, Earl's Links have no link on the Web. Gotta come and get'em!

[Templejazz]

The first bite was the last - the naive Buffaloians had used SWISS CHEESE on this burrito. I checked the enchiladas - same thing. I went away sad, angry, and above all, HUNGRY.

SWISS cheese on a burrito and enchilada??

What the hell are they smokin'?

[Noj]

Side note: Earl "The Tyler Rose" Campbell--responsible for some of my favorite NFL highlights.

[Big Wheel]

Meat through the mail? Check out www.texasinabox.com . IIRC the sauce wasn't too sweet either.

[jacknife]

Beer up the but chicken is my favorite on the grill. I'm a gas grill person, charcol is just too much trouble.

[J Larsen]

One serious culinary shortcoming in Manhattan is the lack of decent barbeque restaurants. There's a place ill-traveled New Yorkers swear by in Times Square called Virgil's - if you come to visit, don't be deceived. It's not offensive (which ranks it higher than most bbq spots in town) but it's far from impressive. I agree that you have to go south (or buy your own bbq grill and pick up someone's cooking secrets) to get the best bbq. However, if you find yourself with a craving for bbq and you happen to be in Portland, OR, there's a place called Tennessee Red's that's very impressive.

PS: If any NYers reading this know of good bbq places in the city, by all means share yoiur knowledge.

PPS: Had some DELICIOUS jerked pork in Jamaica this week.

Edited by J Larsen, 31 May 2003 - 12:47 PM.

[chris olivarez]

JSngry-That story about the Mexican Food place brought back a horrific memory. I went to a Mexican Food place in the town of Gold Hill,Oregon and ordered a chicken burrito.I took one bite of it and discovered much to my dismay that the Chicken that they used was of the canned variety. My friends dog was a happy camper that night and I was a hungry one.

Edited by chris olivarez, 10 June 2003 - 09:52 PM.

[BruceH]

Redbones in Davis Square, Somerville, MA.

YES!

I used to live in the Boston area, and all I can say is yes, yes, oh yes!!!! (And you're making me homesick.)

The Loft in North Andover? I'm going into Massachusetts withdrawal!

[Soulstation1]

i think on the cooking network this week it's about bbq @ night. i saw a smoker that can handle 300 lbs of meat, every male in the usa deserves one of those puppies.

did anyone catch the pig callin' contest? there was sum fine women in the contest. they had "summer" teeth...


oink if you like swine.