tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91155621236277366112024-03-06T14:02:55.302-06:00Texas BBQ RangerI created a scoring system for enjoying Texas Barbecue for the same reason they score cigars, wine, whisky and deer antlers. texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-15571662588795572182014-11-01T16:46:00.000-05:002014-11-01T16:46:07.324-05:00D-Luxe BBQ & Catering<div>
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10/29/14 12:15 - D-luxe is D-ifferent. The mercato wine sauce gives these smoked meats a whole new flavor. Look for the bright red food trailer with a big black steel pit at the corner of Eldridge & Fm 1960. A welcomed addition to the barbecue desert of North-West-No-Where.<br />
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I scored D-luxe an 86 out 100. Reserve Grand Champion Texas BBQ.<br />
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Smoke: "Red oak, Mesquite, Pecan and little bit of Hickory". (???) The big black ancient rusted pit is for real and not for show. They use the pit to cook offsite and haul it to the trailer everyday. This pit is a sight to see. It looks like they resurrected this thing from the bottom of Galveston Bay and painted it black. Not sure why it has smoke stacks. There was more smoke billing out of the 1/2 inch gaps between the lids and holes at the seams. Very primal. The poor folks parked at the traffic light get a nice smoke bath.<br />
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Brisket: Very Good. An 1/8 inch smoke ring beneath a well constructed black bark. Near perfect tenderness. Full intense smoke so bring the Rolaids. They use a sweet white mercato wine sauce as a mop. It gives this brisket a unique flavor unlike I have tasted anywhere. There was a slight bitter after taste from either the charred sugar from the mop or too much smoke. If they could get this balance corrected it would be a slice to rave about. Serious flavor in this brisket. No sauce needed.<br />
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Ribs: Good. A big meaty spare rib. A little past tender and little dry. A great smokey bark with same mop flavors and sugar coated rub seasoning. Full smoke flavor but not as intense. A lot flavor packed into a big meaty rib. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Very Good. They serve a beef and a venison link. Both are equally delicious. Moist, bold traditional spice with beef and venison flavors. A nice peppery aftertaste. Very juicy so have a napkin handy or you have grease running down you face. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sauce: Excellent. This is not a traditional BBQ sauce and very unique. This wine sauce had strong ginger and herb flavors. It worked well with all the meats and gave every bite a rush of flavor. Get it on the side, dip and enjoy. <br />
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com212600 Farm to Market 1960, Houston, TX 77065, USA29.9214945 -95.60561430000001329.921440500000003 -95.605693300000013 29.9215485 -95.605535300000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-509053287836392502014-10-12T09:08:00.004-05:002014-11-01T17:12:43.073-05:00Kozy BBQ<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peace, Love, BBQ</td></tr>
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10/3/14 12pm - "Wha chu wont, baby?". I don't quite understand it, but I love it when old women call me baby. That was my greeting to this BBQ trailer located in the 5th Ward, catercorner from the original Kozy Kitchen. Side of the trailer reads "Peace, Love, BBQ". Words to live by.<br />
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I scored Kozy BBQ a 78 out of 100. This is Regional Texas BBQ. This was my second visit. Four months prior the score was 79, but I was hoping I caught them on a bad day. Consistency is the toughest skill to master with BBQ. I really wanted to give this place high marks because wood fired Que is so hard to find within city limits. If you want real pit BBQ you don't have to stand in line for give them a try.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real wood fire pit BBQ</td></tr>
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Smoke: Pinon & Post Oak. A large Steel offset smoker is located in the Trailer with dual stacks smokin!. I was bathed in blue smoke as I waited for my real wood fired BBQ. If was kinda like a baptism.<br />
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Brisket: Good. A 1/8in smoke ring beneath a thin black bark. Slice was a tad overcooked. It fell apart, there was no resistance left to hold it together. Full smoke flavor, could not detect any seasoning. It finished a little dry. Use the sauce. The slice from my previous visit was the exact opposite, under cooked and chewy.<br />
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Ribs: Fair. Consistently bad is not good. These meaty spare ribs are a bit chewy. Great smoke and black pepper seasoning. They taste great but you need strong teeth and a toothpick. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sausage: Very Good. A homemade beef circle link like central Texas and spiced up like East Texas. Strong bold spice, cumin and smoke flavor. Long lasting aftertaste. Nice smoke ring but overheated a bit. No sauce needed. I gave their jalapeno sausage higher marks last time.<br />
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Sauce: Excellent. A thick red very sweet sauce. A great flavor boost to all the meats. I like how it worked with the spicy sausage. Good enough to drink. Great to deep bread in. Would make any sandwich remarkable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dining room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The glory days</td></tr>
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com01101 Lockwood Drive, Houston, TX 77020, USA29.7699911 -95.31565864.2479565999999984 -136.6242526 55.2920256 -54.007064600000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-81407581552659988022014-09-21T07:35:00.000-05:002014-09-21T07:35:04.211-05:00Brooks Family BBQ<div>
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9/19/14 12:38pm - Funkalicious! That is the one word that best describes this East Texas style BBQ joint. I was greeted by a stereo blasting out the Gap Band's "You drop a bomb on me". In my mind I was dancing all the way up to the counter. Felt like I was back at the high school dance listening to a funk play list from the 70's & 80's. The BBQ roots of this family stretches back 50 years to Nacogdoches. Harlon brought his family to Houston in the 70's and started Harlon BBQ (out of biz). Marlon continued the family tradition and open his restaurant December 26, 2013 across the street from UH's new football stadium. No relation to the Brooks Place in Cypress. The service is great; they pour the love on their customers.<br />
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I scored Brooks Family BBQ an 84 out 100. This is Reserve Grand Champion Texas BBQ with a little Funk.<br />
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Smoke: Hickory and Mesquite. There is a steel barrel smoker outside but its most likely for catering, since outdoor cooking is forbidden. Not a stick of wood in sight and their Facebook page is littered with rotating steel racks. Its a gasser.<br />
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Brisket: Very Good. An nice bright red 1/4in smoke ring beneath a respectable black bark. Slice thin but it tested and ate tender. Well done. Good smoke flavor. Seasoning was mild but you could taste a hint of salt. No sauce needed. Not bad for a gasser.<br />
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Ribs: Very Good. Fall-off-the-bone spare ribs. Even though these ribs were overcooked they were very moist. The red savory salty pork suggests these ribs may have spent a night in a brine. Love it. The moist seasoned bark suggests these ribs spent their final hours wrapped. Lot of love goes into these ribs. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Excellent. A pork link that was a cross between East Texas and Mexico. An East Texas spicy sausage seasoned with chile powder. One minute I thought I was eating Chorizo the next I think I am eating an East Texas link. Marlon said they purchase these links from Frenchys. Very bold spice flavor and long lasting aftertaste. A little orange grease on the plate made me wish for a tortilla. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sauce: Good. A purchased product with a private label. Since nothing here needs sauce who cares. A sweet thick red sauce with a little spice that lingers after the tangy fades away. It does complement all the salty flavors. It does the job.<br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/1840276/restaurant/University-of-Houston-OST/Brooks-Family-BBQ-Houston"><img alt="Brook’s Family BBQ on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1840276/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com03602 Scott Street, Houston, TX 77004, USA29.7235249 -95.3513060000000224.2014904000000008 -136.65990000000002 55.245559400000005 -54.042712000000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-36157250495743208182014-09-14T17:35:00.002-05:002014-09-19T06:49:23.571-05:00Heavy's Outdoor Bar-B-Que<div>
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9/5/14 12:16pm - I was six days too late to run into Daniel Vaughn eating at Heavy's. I did not eat the same BBQ he did. This was once the location of McBees, which made top 50 back in 2008. The name may have changed but the quality has not.<br />
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I scored Heavy's a 90 out of 100. This is Grand Champion Texas BBQ.<br />
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Smoke: Mesquite. Well I knew I would run into this sooner or later. The combination of a gasser and wood fired pit. The same two twin pits that made McBees famous are still in use today, but behind them is a Southern Pride. I am guessing the briskets start out in the pit and spend the night in the gasser. Around 145F the smoke ring process stops and so does smoke flavor. At this point your pit becomes a oven. Only bark and fat benefit from the smoke past this point.<br />
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Brisket: Excellent. Top 50 quality. A 5/16in impressive red smoke ring underneath a big black bark. Near perfect tenderness, silky and moist. Smokey fat rendered well. Full smoke flavor with a salty rub. No sauce needed. <br />
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Ribs: Very Good. I wished these ribs tasted as good as they looked. They scored high on tenderness but lack of flavor hurt. A bronze bark with pink meat. A soft bite left a clean bone. Near perfect tenderness. The seasoning was visible but all the flavor had vanished. Surprisingly very little smoke flavor (gasser ribs?) These ribs only had one flavor, pork. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sausage: Excellent. Anytime I see a smoke ring in a sausage, I get a little excited. At first bite I knew this was a winner. A beef/pork mixture with bold traditional spice. Just enough salt to makes it pop with flavor. The garlic and pepper leaves a long lasting aftertaste. No sauce needed. According to DV's article, they purchase this sausage from Pollok's Market in Falls City, Tx. Its a fifth generation recipe dating back to 1854. A fabulous link and a real connection to the old world.<br />
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Sauce: Good. An average thin tangy sauce that does the job. Make sure you get it on the side.<br />
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com01301 19th Street, Hondo, TX 78861, USA29.347482 -99.1428859000000129.347428 -99.14296490000001 29.347535999999998 -99.142806900000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-8410406816689237922014-08-16T15:17:00.000-05:002014-08-16T15:24:24.248-05:00Texas Bar-B-Que House<div>
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8/15/14 12:17 - I am starting to notice a trend here. Houston Greeks are really bad at Texas BBQ. They took over the restaurant back in 1983. The joint dates back to the 1960's. They serve both BBQ and home style meals. <br />
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I scored Texas Bar-B-Que House a 71 out of 100. This is Bum Steer BBQ.<br />
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Smoke: Mesquite and Hickory. An ancient Oyler is beneath the smoke stack. Owner says its the "original" and dates back to 1946. She claims she has the "papers". I think she was implying this was the original in Houston. Not sure exactly what she has. She may be mistaken about the date. The patent for Oyler was filed in 1968. The first pits were named Lean-To Smokehouse Ovens and built by the inventor Herbert J Oyler. Mr Oyler died in 1973. Since she has "papers" one can assumed this was a purchased item. She may have an original Lean-To Smokehouse built by Herbert J Oyler and that would be very very cool. <br />
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Brisket: Fair. An 1/8 in smoke ring beneath a thin bark. Overcooked and crumbled under the fork. Could not detect a rub, the only flavors were beef and smoke. Very dry. Use the sauce.<br />
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Ribs: Good. Served one spare rib cut into two halves. Nice pink smoke ring beneath a bronze bark. Bite required some tearing and ate tough of tender. There was a fabulous black pepper seasoning. Great smoke and great flavor. No sauce needed. Best item on the plate.<br />
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Sausage: Fair. You cant really taste filler but you can recognized its texture. This sausage had a lot of filler. It had mild spice flavor and very little after taste. Smoke was very mild also. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sauce: Very Good. A thick tangy sweet dark red sauce that can cover up some bland meats.<br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/116675/restaurant/Downtown/Texas-Barbecue-House-Houston"><img alt="Texas Barbecue House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/116675/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com02401 Texas Street, Houston, TX 77003, USA29.753204399999991 -95.349764699999984.2311698999999905 -136.65835869999998 55.275238899999991 -54.041170699999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-22140094698332150932014-08-10T18:52:00.001-05:002014-08-11T15:40:19.488-05:00The Granary 'Cue and Brew<div>
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8/8/14 11:06am - If this is the future of Texas BBQ, I only have one thing to say.....BRING IT!. I don't care what they serve at night because they are serving some killer Texas BBQ for lunch. The lunch and dinner menu are totally different. A total food snob joint. The chef is probably a shoe end for the Jimmy Beard award or something. They have hand crafted beers, an eclectic dinner menu, and they doing some fun stuff with smoke like the pastrami short rib. According to the chef, they "honor the past tradition of Texas BBQ with their lunch menu and look towards the future of Texas BBQ with their dinner menu". Gee whiz thanks.<br />
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I scored The Granary 'Cue & Brew a 95 out of 100. This is Grand Champion Texas BBQ. Oh yeah, they made Texas Monthly top 50 for 2013 like that even matters.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Fired</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VE6UjGU_0HJAue70ym9he5I1NROKziJe4kgZbnt579TL1Wq6ppmb-OVR_5ozDV_mtgd9kGCcNJ-5GxojnOOOBUYwpoI0yfAGyOPlJfS3myuUTrOnqI02jQuGSYDWbdzFZxpr8bq_TTY/s640/blogger-image--2112118903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VE6UjGU_0HJAue70ym9he5I1NROKziJe4kgZbnt579TL1Wq6ppmb-OVR_5ozDV_mtgd9kGCcNJ-5GxojnOOOBUYwpoI0yfAGyOPlJfS3myuUTrOnqI02jQuGSYDWbdzFZxpr8bq_TTY/s200/blogger-image--2112118903.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oak</td></tr>
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Smoke: Oak. Big stacks of oak in front of the wood fired Olyer pit are on proud display on the side of a quaint 1900's house. The house belong to a German family who worked at the Pearl Brewery. That's cool. According to the chef they use smoke as a perfume. Cute, the foodies will love you. I can see how the Olyer is the tool of choice for these modernist pit masters.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The red stuff is Pastrami!</td></tr>
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Brisket: Excellent. I have been suffering for weeks searching for a slice this good! A 1/16 in smoke ring beneath well seasoned black bark. A near perfect score on tenderness. Every bite moist, silky and pull apart tender. No knife needed. The smoke, oh my the smoke. Every bite of meat, bark or fat was under its spell. I could smell it on my fingertips hours later and just smiled (the wife thought it was creepy). The whole slice ate like a tender juicy burnt end. No sauce needed at all. It was almost the perfect slice but for the 1/16 inch smoke ring?! Come on....gassers produce a bigger smoke ring.<br />
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Ribs: Excellent. I have not been wowed by a pork rib in weeks until now. These cute little St Luis or baby backs were like meat candy. Near perfect tender with soft bite and clean bone underneath a reddish bronze color. They looked as good as they ate. You could taste all the smoke, seasoning, and porkyness flavors. They had a subtle sweetness. One bite and you can't put them down. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Very Good and Unique. Are they grinding up filet mignon to make beef sausage? Seriously, this beef was as succulent and luxurious as a fine steak. A large course ground loose beef link with bold traditional spice and mild after taste. The smoke was mild. The casing was kinda tough but after first bite you get over it. I love the pink center. They should ask you at what temp do you want your sausage served. I like medium rare please. No sauce or steak sauce needed. Warning: you will need a napkin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow smear is mustard for Pastrami!</td></tr>
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Sauce: Excellent. A dark brown semi thick very tangy sauce. Its strong apple cider vinegar flavor made it a stand out. It has an over powering effect so use it sparingly. Nothing here needs sauce but its fun to dip a bite or two.<br />
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PASTRAMI!!: Grand Slam Home Run. If you are lucky enough to be in San Antonio for lunch on a Friday, there is no other choice than The Granary. This blows away all deli pastrami. Don't decide between brisket or pastrami, just get them both. A bright cherry red center from top to bottom from the brine process beneath a well seasoned black bark. Just as tender as the brisket. Just as smokey as the brisket. And it tastes like barbecue pastrami! How come nobody in Texas thought of this before?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craft beers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pearl Connection</td></tr>
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/39/1690597/restaurant/Midtown/The-Granary-Cue-Brew-San-Antonio"><img alt="The Granary Cue & Brew on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1690597/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
<br />texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com0602 Avenue A, San Antonio, TX 78215, USA29.4414445 -98.47920233.9194099999999992 -139.7877963 54.963479 -57.1706083tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-2433939935447174212014-08-02T07:58:00.001-05:002014-08-02T07:58:02.382-05:00Waller County Line BBQ<div>
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7/28/14 11:46am - This place sure knows how to pull in the clients flying down Hwy 290. Bright signage, big black steel pits and blue smoke. No doubt they are serving wood fired barbecue. My advise is to keep on driving. You are not missing out on anything.<br />
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I scored Waller County Line BBQ a 67 out of 100. This is Bum Steer BBQ.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What are they used for?</td></tr>
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Smoke: Oak. Under the banner "The Pit Crew" is a fenced off area with big black steel pits. Large stack of Oak wood. The billowing blue smoke leaves no doubt this is wood fired something.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No smoke ring, nada!</td></tr>
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Brisket: Poor. No smoke ring. No bark. My first thought was "Did they cut it off?" Closer examination revealed it was never there to begin with. Pre-sliced big hunks of brown beef. It look like roast beef and ate like roast beef. Are the pits for show? Overcooked way past tender, it dried up and crumbled on my plate all by itself. One of the worst excuses for Texas Brisket I have ever had. Drown the plate in sauce. They should refuse any requests for sauce on the side. They should only sell chopped beef. Hell they should just take brisket off the menu.</div>
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Ribs: Fair. A thin spare rib with zero smoke ring. There was a paper thin bark and grey pork beneath. I had to wait a little in line as they did not have any ribs ready to serve. First bite was cold! Yep, these are re-heated left over ribs! You have to try to be this bad. They were overcooked past tender and dry. They had a rubbery texture from spending the night in the frig. Little flavor except pork. Little smoke again begs the question "What is inside those pits!?". Use the sauce and demand your ribs are re-heated fully.<br />
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Sausage: Very Good. A course ground mostly beef link. Great traditional spice with mild after taste. A great smokey dark casing (Oh! the pits are for the sausage, I get it now). No sauce needed. Get the one meat plate and save some money.<br />
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Sauce: Very Good. I guess Waller is too close to Houston because they follow the Houston formula: Great Sauce + average BBQ = Houston BBQ. They serve two sauces, one mild and one spicy. They are equally great. The mild is a thick tangy sweet ketchup based sauce that could make liver taste great. It coats the meats well and hides how bad the BBQ is here. The spicy sauce has a little heat and its a little thinner than the mild. Use either one generously and drown the whole plate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Used to keep warm</td></tr>
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/1727707/restaurant/Houston/Waller-County-Line-BBQ-Waller"><img alt="Waller County Line BBQ on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1727707/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com1Waller, TX 77484, USA30.069391082993874 -95.9351062774658230.062520082993874 -95.945191277465824 30.076262082993875 -95.925021277465817tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-21105051191156243682014-07-28T14:07:00.003-05:002014-07-28T14:07:49.656-05:00Lyfe Tyme Wood Fired Brisket<div>
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7/5/14 - I bought this Lyfe Tyme pit for one reason: wood fired barbeque. Up until now I have used charcoal for my heat source and wood chunks for smoke flavor. My focus has been on controlling temperature and charcoal works very well. I use a chimney starter so I can measure whole or half chimneys of charcoal. I use an old Weber Smokey Joe as a base to set the starter on. <br />
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Since I have not set the backyard on fire yet, I think it works well. With firebox vent at half open and stack at half open my pit averages around 230F to 250F. I have had the pit for a year now. Time to grow up. Charcoal is for wimps. Real pit men use wood. Cave men use wood. I want to be a cave man.<br />
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The problem I have with wood is the wood. My firebox is limited by two support bars for grill. They are only about 13" apart. I have had little luck finding wood that will fit inside my firebox. I have managed to collect a lot of smoke wood too big for my pit. Without a chainsaw (birthday gift anyone?), I have not found a good way to cut it to size.<br />
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But wait, they have now started to sell mini logs at local groceries (H.E.B) and sporting goods stores (Academy). These babies are 8 to 10 inches long. Perfect! <br />
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They are not "seasoned" naturally so I have concerns about being too green. I found these at Academy. They are kiln dried. Good enough for me since no one has bought me a chainsaw for Christmas.<br />
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The wife bought me a guilt brisket while she took off to Galveston with her girlfriends for the entire weekend and left me with the 5 year old. It was a 6 lb trimmed brisket. Not a whole packer brisket but who am I to judge? I rubbed it with kosher salt and course ground black pepper. I have some fancy store bought rubs. I have made my own fancy rubs. When it comes to slow cooking for hours and hours. The only flavors that remain are salt and pepper. The rest are just.....fancy.<br />
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I am not interested in building a camp fire. I want the pit to heat up fast and I want the wood to catch fire fast. Therefore I used a full chimney of charcoal. I put the brisket on the pit and charcoal in the fire box. Pit temp reached 220F in 15 minutes. Once the coals started fading and temp started dropping (235F), I put the first mini log on. Temp reached 262F in 15 minutes and held for 30 minutes. I then flipped it and it flashed burned and temp hit 285 and died fast. I put another mini log on those smoldering coals and repeated for the next 9 hours. Finally the brisket hit the magic 196F and i pulled it off. Using the coals of the previous mini log to light the next mini log keptan average temp of 248F over 9 hours.<br />
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The trimmed brisket split at both ends. Weird. But hey, now I have more burnt ends!<br />
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Brisket: Very Good. 5/16 in smoke ring. Tested a little tough of tender. Did not hit that sweet spot and used a knife. Fat rendered well and was smokey good. Rub came through and added that extra zip to overall flavor. No sauce needed.texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-51493700805449660072014-06-28T12:10:00.003-05:002014-06-28T12:10:26.014-05:00Old Smokehouse<div>
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6/22/14 11:31am - Thirty years in the same location is a testimony of mesquite smokey greatness. One of the two spin offs from local legend Bob's Smokehouse, it eventually changed hands and renamed Old Smokehouse. This 'que was so good, I did not snap a foodie pic until halfway through lunch.<br />
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I scored Old Smokehouse 89 out of 100. This is Reserve Grand Champion Texas BBQ.<br />
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Smoke: Mesquite. A long brick pit built along the side wall of a strip center with outside firebox on one end and cinder block chimney at the other end. For their sake I hope they own the property. Even though mesquite is not my favorite, it does remind me of home back in West Texas. It requires a bit more skill to use than oak or hickory, but when done right its flavor is phenomenal. Old Smokehouse does mesquite right.<br />
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Brisket: Excellent. A 1/4 in smoke ring beneath a thick black crunchy smokey bark. First in line, i got the burnt end. I nearly swooned with first bite. I got slices from the flat and watch them crumble a little under the pressure of the knife. The slices pulled apart with ease and were moist at first but did dry out little towards the end. They pulled this brisket off the pit at the nick-of-time. No knife needed tenderness. Dominate flavor was the mesquite smoke. Full intense smoke flavor throughout meat and well rendered fat. No sauce needed for this masterpiece.<br />
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Ribs: Very Good. A meaty spare rib. They cut the tips off separate which I like. It was fall off the bone past tender. No matter, with smoke and rub seasoning I inhaled them. They were voted best rib in 2008 by San Antonio Express. No sauce needed for this local favorite.<br />
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Sausage: Good. My hopes of 5 star Grand Champion were dashed with first bite of sausage. It was course ground pork link with too bold salt flavor masking the traditional spice. Aftertaste was OK along with mild smoke. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sauce: Very Good. A thick tangy sweet sauce with a bit of spiciness. It worked well with ribs and sausage.<br />
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PS: Try the pork shoulder. Mesquite smokey goodness!<br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/39/1500100/restaurant/Medical-Center/Old-Smokehouse-San-Antonio"><img alt="Old Smokehouse on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1500100/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com05145 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA29.5020761 -98.5604089999999933.9800416 -139.869003 55.0241106 -57.251814999999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-24651394244769140972014-05-31T09:19:00.001-05:002014-05-31T09:19:32.508-05:00Hungry Farmer Bar-B-Q<div>
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5/24/14 11:39am - I am a big fan of Hungry Farmer. I love their Crosstimbers location so naturally I wanted to sample their S Postoak restaurant. I like the whole vibe of Hungry Farmer. Lets start with the clever name that is a play on the idiom "Eat like a farmer". The name has a cartoon sound to it and fun to say out loud. It makes me smile. The decor is late 1970's urban cowboy/truck stop/hunting lodge. The biggest kick are the horrible pictures of the food and plate dinners. These drab yellowish pictures look like something out of a 1970's cookbook your grandmother owns. The pictures are as appetizing as a school lunch. They are wretched. How Hungry Farmer has escaped becoming a Houston landmark baffles me. They have been around since 1973 serving great BBQ in some of the worst locations. So much better than the other Houston BBQ grandpas.</div>
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I scored the S. Postoak Hungry Farmer an 84 out 100. Reserve Grand Champion BBQ. Not as good as the Crosstimbers location. See my earlier post.<br />
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Smoke: Hickory. There is a large smoke stack in the back and a large stack of wood. They use wood fired Olyers at the original, I assume they have the same here.<br />
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Brisket: Good. A sad slice compared to Crosstimbers. A 1/8in smoke ring beneath a thin bark. They got the tenderness nearly perfect. Flavor was just beef and mild smoke. Use the sauce.<br />
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Ribs: Very Good. A big meaty Memphis style spare rib. Smoked slow and then thrown on a hot grill. A nice red smoke ring beneath a bronze bark with grill marks. The smokey porky rib meat was moist and tender. No sauce needed for these babies.<br />
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Sausage: Excellent. A medium ground pork link with bold traditional spice and nice peppery aftertaste. It was moist and a little greasy and had a mild smoke flavor. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sauce: Fair. Wow this was bad. A dark brown stew thick tangy spicy sauce. It was bitter and the sauce developed a skin, eweh! It made everything taste worse. Skip all together.<br />
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(see the skin below?)</div>
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Beef Rib: Good. The best thing about this beef rib was the price. $4.50!! I think they messed up but I wont't tell (just did). It was knife tough and dry. You get what you pay for. Use the sauce.</div>
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The school lunch pictures on along the counter.</div>
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com014530 South Post Oak Road, Houston, TX 77045, USA29.615240099999991 -95.4653141999999664.09320559999999 -136.77390819999997 55.137274599999991 -54.156720199999967tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-61998142014119911252014-05-24T11:18:00.000-05:002014-05-24T16:04:27.716-05:00Son-of-a-Brisket Bar-B-Que<div>
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5/22/14 11:51 am - In my endless search for new BBQ joints, I stumbled across this one. The name alone was worth the drive. Three adorable senior citizens were operating the lunch crowd. Website indicates they may have been the parents of the owner and a family friend. The service was very friendly. It is located in a lease space next to a gas station/convenience store.<br />
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I scored Son-of-a-Brisket a 76 out 100. Regional Texas BBQ.<br />
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Smoke: Oak/Red Oak. Another Southern Pride gasser. A brand new shiny gasser behind French doors. At least you know what your getting.<br />
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Brisket: Fair. A dark standard 1/8in smoke ring beneath paper thin bark. Tested tough of tender. Slices pulled apart with no resistance. Slightly overcooked and on the dry side. Smoke flavor was good. Not much else. Use the sauce.<br />
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Ribs: Very Good. Baby Backs were near perfect tender and moist. Nice pink smoke ring beneath bronze bark. They had a good rub seasoning and smoke flavor. A porky good rib. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Very Good. At first bite, I knew this was hand made. Website indicates this is family recipe dating back to 1800's. Is was a 3/4in medium ground pork link with mild traditional spice. Packed very tight inside a snappy casing. Aftertaste and smoke were very mild. However, it was very fresh and delicious. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sauce: Excellent. This sauce had the "Wow" factor at first taste. It was a thick dark brown sweet and tangy sauce. It was good by the spoonful but very overpowering on the meats. A little goes a long way.<br />
They also served a yellow mustard base sauce. They called it a North Carolina style sauce. It looked like yellow mustard and tasted like yellow mustard. Save this stuff for the 99 cent hot dogs next door.<br />
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com017835 FM 2920 Road, Tomball, TX 77377, USA30.079781 -95.6997629999999624.5577465 -137.00835699999996 55.6018155 -54.391168999999962tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-76091024926146948812014-05-11T18:04:00.000-05:002014-05-11T18:04:17.865-05:00Meat Candy Time<div>
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5/4/14 Wife is out of town and the weather is perfect. Time to fire up the pit. I am ready for some meat candy ribs (See previous post Meat Candy)<br />
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I have decided to abandon the meat thermometer and just monitor the smoker temperature. A meat thermometer is pointless. A slab has thick and thin areas and the bones heat up different than the meat. A meat thermometer is not reliable to determine when they are done. Instead I am using time and technique to decide when to pull off some super tender juicy ribs. <br />
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After 5 hours i will start checking for tenderness by using the bend test. When I lift the thick end of the rack i will see if the skin splits and meat cracks. I am looking for a 1/4in or larger crack as a sign to pull the ribs off the pit.<br />
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Also, I will no longer do the wet seasoning on the pit. What's the point. I wrap the ribs in foil for an hour and braise them in fruit juices. I can easily do this in the oven. Benefit, it provides a perfect intermission to clean the built up ashes out of the fire box.<br />
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Score 28.25: Very Good. Beneath a soft jerky candy bark was rosy juicy tender rib meat. I nailed it on tenderness (finally). So much flavor! First the bark was sweet, salty and smokey. It had a soft jerky texture. The rub was in full force adding flavor to every bite. Pork flavor was excellent. Takeaways: cut back on salt in rub. Maybe remove the brown sugar from rub and apply at end. Cut back on smoke to bring out the wet seasoning flavor. Also will help in the bark color. I am looking for bronze not black.texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-17165061310400140052014-05-10T18:35:00.002-05:002014-05-11T14:07:27.090-05:00Taste Wood's Bar-B-Que<div>
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12:00pm 5/3/14 - There is a very good reason folks are double parked in front of Taste Wood's. They know Glen Woods is serving up Top 50 quality barbecue. The question is when will Texas Monthly discover Taste Wood's. This is one of those place where the patrons are as excited as children in an ice cream parlor to place their order.<br />
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I scored Taste Wood's a 90 out 100. Grand Champion Texas BBQ<br />
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Smoke: The pile in the back had pecan, mesquite, and oak. Your guess is as good as mine. A steel barrel pit in the side garage does the day to day cooking. A trailer mounted pit handles the catering demands.<br />
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Brisket: Very Good. A dark red 1/8in smoke ring beneath a thick black bark. Meat is brown in color (injection?). Near perfect tender with one push to separate with fork. A thick slice starts out moist but drys a little before you finish. Full smoke flavor in every bite. A nice rub adds a little seasoning and salt. Fat is a nice smokey treat. No sauce needed.<br />
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Ribs: Very Good. A bronze crust over tan interior (brine?). Near perfect tender with clean bite and clean bone. Like the beef starts out moist but drys a bit after sliced. Full smoke enhances the great pork flavor. A nice rub adds to the experience. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Good. A course ground beef and pork link with mild traditional spice. A faint after taste and faint smoke. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sauce: Excellent. This sauce was unique and exciting. I have never had anything like it. It was a thin very sweet sauce with honey brown sugar and drippings flavors. It was thin enough to penetrate everything you dipped in it. It transformed every bite into smokey BBQ candy. A benchmark sauce for this meathead.<br />
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com01925 Regional Medical Drive, Wharton, TX 77488, USA29.3252797 -96.11641650000001429.3252257 -96.116495500000013 29.325333699999998 -96.116337500000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-25518472483173436912014-04-24T21:19:00.001-05:002014-04-24T21:19:16.323-05:00Guy's Meat Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3Ftyd0aDT9vau0uu38vXGYmD1C0gS0lNcngyJP1fSezVOLx5fcyds7EPFW3Td-LMzz39BEe6LPfK8Z6P2nt9WdjQkm5xnaX9TJdxyjEf5nrjD9uNd7Vo_0GqtuLdoxJUnG0Behs3oZc/s1600/060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3Ftyd0aDT9vau0uu38vXGYmD1C0gS0lNcngyJP1fSezVOLx5fcyds7EPFW3Td-LMzz39BEe6LPfK8Z6P2nt9WdjQkm5xnaX9TJdxyjEf5nrjD9uNd7Vo_0GqtuLdoxJUnG0Behs3oZc/s1600/060.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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4/22/14 12:00pm – There is a serious lack of love for this
meat market. Guy’s has been running a
thriving meat market with a lunch counter since 1938 right here in Houston of
all places! The BBQ smoked hamburger is nationally known for over 20
years. They have been selling their own
rub seasoning since 1952 (Guys Seasoning). The meat counter is no slouch either
with specialty items like boudin stuff pork chops and homemade sausages. The
only time Guy’s entered the HLSR barbecue cook-off, they won it! (1975).
Allright, the BBQ today is ok but so what. This is a Houston landmark if there
ever was one. Guy’s can’t even get an
honorable mention in Texas Monthly. In
my library of BBQ books, not one mention of Guy’s. What do the blogs right about? Hamburgers. I guess if you’re a successful 76 year old
meat market located within Houston city limits and your last name is Dickens
instead Dinceks or Dreuz; you get no love!</div>
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I scored Guy’s a 79 out of 100. Regional Texas BBQ.</div>
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Smoke: Hickory. I
was encouraged by the smoke stack, serious bark and intense smoke flavor but
they use a Southern Pride gasser. If
they would switch to an Oyler maybe they could get some much-deserved respect.
(JR Manufacturing 972-285-4855 hint hint)</div>
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Brisket: Good. A beautiful slice with 1/4in smoke ring
beneath a big black bark. Alas, it
tested tough of tender and a knife was needed (sigh). Smoke flavor was intense and the 62-year-old rub recipe was still
working its magic. Its good with out
the sauce but you will need it before you finish to offset the dryness.</div>
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Ribs: Good. The medium size spare ribs were a little
tough. Again the rub seasoning came
through along with full smoke flavor. A
little dry but very good. No sauce
needed.</div>
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Sausage:
Excellent. A homemade large 1
1/4in thick course ground pork link with bold spice and with a little red
peppery heat. After taste is long
lasting. A good amount of smoke flavor
and you will fall in love. No sauce
needed.</div>
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Sauce:
Excellent. A thin tomato base
sauce that is not too sweet or too tangy.
Taste good by the spoon full and the flavor is not overwhelming. A nice little dipping sauce for your
three-meat plate. Get it on the side.</div>
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History:
Brad "Guy" Dickens opened the original Guy's Meat Market on Almeda in
1938. In 1958 he moved to the current location on OST. When Guy retired in
1970, his son,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Brad Dickens took
over the store. Brad started the smoked hamburger in 1988.</div>
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/112545/restaurant/University-of-Houston-OST/Guys-Meat-Market-Houston"><img alt="Guy's Meat Market on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/112545/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com03106 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, TX 77054, USA29.699731 -95.3803249999999714.1776965 -136.68891899999997 55.221765500000004 -54.071730999999971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-66514114486868671782014-04-19T14:42:00.000-05:002014-04-19T14:42:04.049-05:00Zimmerhanzel's Bar-B-Que<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlFanFZa-EJyAE7nVpQ4P-JLB9pHOJJqOGjF5XT9PAWP81zgjCWn8hS92CJfDfC4bBbVrtcCo6GiHNadAQ6OBRoIS90p-fOaYnQX9ZVbjWuTQ4z6Qumi0oS6F39VTfBEDOXDC0asFMtQ/s1600/055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlFanFZa-EJyAE7nVpQ4P-JLB9pHOJJqOGjF5XT9PAWP81zgjCWn8hS92CJfDfC4bBbVrtcCo6GiHNadAQ6OBRoIS90p-fOaYnQX9ZVbjWuTQ4z6Qumi0oS6F39VTfBEDOXDC0asFMtQ/s1600/055.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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4/18/14 11:30am – This was my second trip back because they
keep running out! I barely got the last
two ribs this time at 11:30!?! I
finally had the Texas Holy Trinity.
This is a straight up no thrills Texas BBQ restaurant inside an orange
metal building. Texas Monthly listed them in the Top 50 in 2013 and
Honorable Mention for 2008 & 2003.
They been smoking great barbecue since 1980. Its makes you wonder what it takes to crack the Top 50. </div>
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I scored Zimmerhanzel’s a 94 out of 100. This is Grand Champion Tx BBQ.</div>
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Smoke: Post
Oak. Beneath a gia-normous oak tree are
three behemoth steel barrel cookers surrounded by cords of seasoned split
oak. Pretty primal but these pits are
the reserves! The main workhorse,
however, is inside which I was unaware of and have not picture. From blogger’s pictures it’s a steel box
offset cooker much like brick pits. Apparently they do not fire up the outside
pits except for busy Saturday’s and catering demands.</div>
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Brisket: Superior
Excellent! Wow! It’s been a long time
since I have had a slice this good. I
got both lean and moist. An impressive
5/16in smoke ring beneath a substantial black bark and salty rub. Both the lean and moist were near perfect
maximum tenderness. Moist and silky and
never dry out. A near magical intense
smoke flavor and aroma. This is hall of
fame brisket. No sauce needed! Don’t do
it!</div>
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Ribs:
Excellent. Well its no wonder
these spare ribs run out. I got the
last 2 scrawny ones at the end of the rack.
Usually the toughest of the bunch, but not these! Near perfect tender with the same silky
moist tenderness. Not a dry bite. Rosy red with intense smoke flavor and nice
rub. No sauce needed. Get here early so you don’t miss out.</div>
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Sausage: Very
Good. My first thought was I just ate
this same link 30 minutes ago in La Grange.
But they are handmade right here.
A course ground beef link with mild traditional spice and mild peppery
aftertaste. Very moist and casing was
snappy and smoky. No sauce needed.</div>
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Sauce: Good. A thin red tomato vinegar based sauce. Mild flavor that does not overpower the
incredible smoke meats. If you like
sauce use it. If you forget because nothing
here needs sauce, don’t sweat it.</div>
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1278028/restaurant/Texas/Zimmerhanzels-Bar-B-Que-Smithville"><img alt="Zimmerhanzel's Bar-B-Que on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1278028/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com0307 Royston Street, Smithville, TX 78957, USA30.0108602 -97.16329919999998329.9971092 -97.183469199999976 30.0246112 -97.14312919999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-40314766494033618342014-04-19T12:19:00.000-05:002014-04-19T12:19:21.752-05:00Prause Meat Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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4/18/14 10:30am – A real treasure for La Grange and the
great state of Texas. Prause is a
living operating relic of times past.
After emigrating from Eastern Europe to Texas, Arnold Prause put his
butcher skills to use and started up a meat market in Fayetteville, Tx. Like so many others he began to smoke unsold
cuts of beef before they spoiled and made lot of sausage. In the 1902 they moved the family business
to La Grange. In the 1930’s Prause was
the first meat market with a refrigerated counter. In 1952 they relocated to
their present building. After 5
generations the Prause family is still running a meat market and a sideline
barbecue business. By some miracle
winds of change never shook this family business. The day I went, there were more customers at the meat counter
than eating the great barbecue. Texas
should put up a historical marker. It
has only made Texas Monthly top 50 one time back in 1997.</div>
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I scored Prause Meat Market an 88 out of 100. Reserve Grand Champion Tx BBQ for over a
hundred years.</div>
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Smoke: Post
oak. The brick pit came with the
building and was built around 1910. I
guess that meat market has been lost to the dustbins of history. It looks like an earthquake hit this pit
with its large and wide cracks. They
like it like that and seem to have no intent of repairing it. This pit might as well be part of the
family.</div>
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Brisket: Very
Good. Large slices with 1/4in smoke
ring beneath a thin brown bark. Pull
apart tender but a little dry. Mild but
deep smoke flavor in the fat and meat. No noticeable rub. No sauce needed.</div>
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Pork Chop:
Excellent. They did not have
ribs today so I went with the pork chop.
They sliced it right off the loin.
It had a deep thick crunchy smokey crust. Very moist and juicy. There was a nice subtle salty rub
flavor. Could not put it down until it
was all gone. No sauce needed.</div>
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Sausage: Very
Good. A course ground pork and beef
handmade link. It was fresh and juicy
with a mild traditional spice with an even milder peppery aftertaste. Good
smoke flavor with snappy casing. I
wonder if old Arnold used to make the same link. No sauce needed.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sauce:
Good. A syrupy orange sauce with
little sweetness and a little tang. Nothing special and it not needed at
all. Goes good with the crackers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1436076/restaurant/Texas/Prause-Meat-Market-La-Grange"><img alt="Prause Meat Market on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1436076/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com1253 West Travis Street, La Grange, TX 78945, USA29.904345 -96.878343999999974.3823104999999991 -138.18693799999997 55.426379499999996 -55.569749999999971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-60441612729951850382014-04-13T16:07:00.003-05:002014-04-13T16:07:27.089-05:00Cooper's Bar-B-Q<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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3/29/14 1:39pm – After topping off the feeders in
Rocksprings, my daughter and I headed up to Mason to met my life long friend
and his son. Where else to hook up than
the original Cooper’s Bar-B-Q! This
little gem made Texas Monthly Top 5 in 2003 but never again has it graced even
the top 50. The father started this
joint in 1953, the son then took the same concept to Llano 10 years later and
became a Texas BBQ legend. After lunch
we’re taking the kiddos to swim in the Llano river and then back to camp for
some turkey hunting. Hill Country fun
big time! God bless Texas.</div>
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I scored Cooper’s Bar-B-Q an 80 out of 100. This is Regional Texas BBQ.</div>
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Smoke: Mesquite.
Three direct heat Cowboy style steel pits.
Wood is burned down to coals in the large firebox. Coals are transferred
to the pits, heat to the meat, and meat to your belly. So much blue smoke you think you’re in a
forest fire.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Brisket: Good. When he sliced my brisket at the pit, the
color of the meat was nearly white.
High heat. He dipped in the mop
sauce (a must for these bone dry clods).
There was no smoke ring! Had a
nice crunchy black bark. Me slice
tested tough of tender and I had to use a knife. Smoke was bold. Use the
sauce.</div>
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Ribs: Good. Near perfect tender spare ribs with clean
bite and clean bone. Not much on
flavor, just smoke and pork. Use the
sauce.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Sausage: Very
Good. Course ground pork/beef links
with bold traditional spice and a bold after taste. No sauce needed.</div>
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Sauce: Very
Good. Well if you like Heinz 57 sauce you
love this stuff. It was nice change
with all the different sauces I sample.
It made everything taste a little better. It comes in a large bottle cause you need it.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">PS: Do NOT get
the beef rib!! Dry as bone and tough as
nails. So overpriced it still burning a
hole in my wallet. My buddy’s dog
refused to eat the left over. That
bad. Coopers is famous for sticker
shock, this beef rib might cause PTSD.</span><br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1276054/restaurant/Texas/Coopers-Bar-B-Q-Mason"><img alt="Cooper's Bar-B-Q on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1276054/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com0810 San Antonio Street, Mason, TX 76856, USA30.7407965 -99.221031627.246757 -104.3846056 34.234836 -94.0574576tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-55299740441016911992014-04-12T14:03:00.001-05:002014-04-12T14:03:47.029-05:00Pit-Master Bar-B-Que Cafe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3y4yjc_aeyJQz4hSvnbTJlNqgroedjdp9RPr1Tf4ayH4IA9wRywCqCGSTM5_nanOUHj41nwXGqA7NV9uyNasMAzwQZMlE4M2RrkWYQax3rGKAu6eH8UnmGO2RmGkoXQ7hybjDOz9rSj4/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3y4yjc_aeyJQz4hSvnbTJlNqgroedjdp9RPr1Tf4ayH4IA9wRywCqCGSTM5_nanOUHj41nwXGqA7NV9uyNasMAzwQZMlE4M2RrkWYQax3rGKAu6eH8UnmGO2RmGkoXQ7hybjDOz9rSj4/s1600/035.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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3/28/14 11:48 - More false advertising. If you use a commercial gas smoker, you do not have a "pit". The Southern Pride sales brochure does not determine what is and is not a pit. Paying your gas bill, setting the temp gauge, throwing 2 sticks of wood in the fire box and pushing the start button does not make you a "master". The owner is very hands on and personally greets all his repeat customers. Service is over the top. Guns on the walls and guns on half the clientele (cops) makes this a unique experience. Its a local favorite but don't drive 28 miles to get here.<br />
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I scored Gas Cooker a 73 out of 100. This is Regional Texas BBQ.<br />
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Smoke: Not sure. No visible stacks and not mentioned on menu or website. Does not really mater because there was little smoke on these "smoked meats". There is a gasser in the back behind the fence.<br />
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Brisket: Fair. Standard gasser 1/8in thick smoke ring beneath paper thin bark. Was sliced thin but that did not fool me. It tested tough of tender with stretching and little tearing. Faint whisper of smoke. Overall flavor was gasser que. Use the sauce.<br />
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Ribs: Good. St Luis cut spare ribs were good and tender. The rub seasoning was long gone. Faint whisper of smoke. Overall flavor was gasser que. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sausage: Good. A fine ground link with mild traditional spice. Faint aftertaste and little smoke. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sauce: Very Good. An orange syrupy tangy sauce. My first thought was Arby's sauce! My gosh the owner cracked the secret recipe for Arby's sauce. This stuff would make anything taste good, even gasser 'que.<br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/115018/restaurant/Houston/The-Woodlands/Pit-Master-BBQ-Cafe-Spring"><img alt="Pit Master BBQ & Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/115018/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
<br />texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com0343 Sawdust Road, Spring, TX 77380, USA30.1266901 -95.44749530000001430.1266366 -95.447574300000014 30.1267436 -95.447416300000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-39918209964964939492014-04-12T13:47:00.000-05:002014-04-14T07:12:48.578-05:00Hill Country BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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4/10/14 11:24am - Well you cannot get more authentic Texas BBQ than this joint. The owner Dan Hill (the Hill in "Hill Country") is a former rodeo bull rider back in the day before whoosy vests and helmets. Pictures of rodeo, bulls and cowboys cover the walls. But it gets better, this rodeo bull rider is also a guitar playing troubadour. He leads gospel every Saturday night and they're closed on Sunday. And if that weren't enough he is a formidable pitmaster. His clientele includes none other than George & Barbara Bush. I would say Dan Hill is livin' the Texas dream.<br />
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I scored Hill Country BBQ an 87 out 100. This Reserve Grand Champion Texas BBQ to the max.<br />
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Smoke: Today was hickory. Dan says wood is wood. He is not married to any particle smoke. In his pile was post oak, hickory, pecan, water oak(?), and cedar?!?!. Dan explained he can smoke with any wood and often does. He claims he has used sycamore and wee-sash! (maybe he should have worn a helmet). The key is the wood must be bone dry. He split a hickory stump and I thought the splitter was going bust apart the wood was so dry. He uses a ancient rusted steel barrel pit that has been smoking none stop for 7 years! He has another steel fire pit where he reduces the everything to coals. Texas primal! <br />
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Brisket: Very Good. An impressive 5/16in smoke ring beneath a beautiful black bark. I got both the lean and moist cuts. The lean was tough of tender and required a knife, but the moist was pull apart perfect and fat rendered well. Surprisingly the smoke was mild. Could not detect a noticeable rub but these slices were not lacking in flavor. No sauce needed.<br />
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Ribs: Very Good. A cake soft perfect tender rib. Clean bite and clean bone. Once again the smoke was mild and I was wishing for some more flavor from a rub. Dominant flavors was pork and smoke. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Very Good. I really enjoyed this link. A medium ground pork sausage with traditional spice and a little extra special yummyness I could not detect. Maybe it was its freshness, their facebook page has a picture of "homemade" sausage. Maybe it was little extra salt or garlic but its flavor was different enough that it was unique. Mild smoke. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sauce: Very Good. A thick tangy sweet sauce of the Kansas City style variety. Nothing here needs sauce but this stuff enhances the flavor so don't skip it.<br />
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A must stop for all meatheads. <br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/1828393/restaurant/Energy-Corridor/Hill-Country-BBQ-Houston"><img alt="Hill Country BBQ on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1828393/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a>texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com027004 Highway 6, Hempstead, TX 77445, USA30.171719 -96.06432529.951928 -96.387048499999992 30.39151 -95.7416015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-84856436568177781802014-03-27T19:05:00.000-05:002014-03-27T19:05:04.655-05:00Demeris Bar-B-Q<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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3/17/14 12:51pm - This is classic Houston BBQ which is a metaphor for mediocre. I have lived in this fair city for 20 plus years and over that time I have had a few plates of Demeris barbecue either at their Shepard location or catered events. I proclaim it classic Houston BBQ because I have eaten this same bland plate of roasted meats covered in sauce all over Houston for the last 20 years. Demeris is one of the big names in Houston BBQ. They have been around since 1964 so they are part of the blame for 4 lost Houston decades of serving this sauce covered roast beef. This is a new location but actually a relocation from a strip center that was torn down for the Hwy 290 expansion.<br />
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I scored Demeris a 70 out of 100. This is classic Houston Bum Steer BBQ. <br />
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Smoke: Hickory. At this location the smoker is walled off like Fort Knox. There is a smoke stack (been fooled before) but not a stack of wood in sight. The smoker is not visible from the cafeteria line. I know that JR Manufacturing lists Demeris as a client. Wood or Gasser? Who knows. I trust JR so I'll go with wood fired which makes this plate of BBQ even more sad.<br />
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Brisket: Fair. 1/8 in smoke ring beneath a paper thin bark (gasser?). Mild faint smoke. Tested tough of tender. No detectable rub flavor. Its a slice of roast beef. Use the sauce.<br />
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Ribs: Fair. Get the toothpicks. This spare rib was chewy tough. Lots a tearing and dirty bone. Mild faint smoke. No detectable rub left. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sausage: Fair. A course ground beef link with herb seasoning. It was like combining Central Texas, East Texas and Czech. It did not work. It was very dry. No after taste. Little smoke. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sauce: Good. A thick tomato base mild sweet sauce. It was buttery. It was served warm and developed a skin like queso cheese. Nice. Everything thing here needs sauce so just have them drown the plate.<br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/1788959/restaurant/North-Loop-West/Demeris-Bar-B-Q-West-Loop-Houston"><img alt="Demeris Bar-B-Q- West Loop on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1788959/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com01702 West Loop North Freeway, Houston, TX 77008, USA29.8005874 -95.44826639999996628.0386239 -98.030053399999971 31.5625509 -92.86647939999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-59246224031262413952014-03-16T15:09:00.003-05:002014-03-16T15:09:52.381-05:00Spring Creek Barbeque<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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3/13/14 1:16pm - I did not have a lot of time for lunch, so I decided to hit up on some franchise BBQ places I have been avoiding. As I was going through the cafeteria style line it felt a lot like Luby's. The jello next to the cash register confirmed my deja vu. The Barbecue Fiend blog also confirmed my out of Luby's body experience as he wrote about the very same. Luby's meets Texas BBQ. With 31 locations across Texas this chain is huge.<br />
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I scored Spring Creek BBQ a 76 out of 100. This is Regional Texas BBQ.<br />
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Smoke: Hickory. As I walked up to the front door, I got excited when I spotted two large smoke stacks. However, inside were two large black steel cladded Ole Hickorys on full display. We use gas and we're proud of it! Oh well as least you know what your getting.<br />
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Brisket: Good. Standard gasser 1/8in smoke ring beneath a paper thin bark. Spring Creek definitely understands how important tenderness is for good BBQ. My slices were near perfect tender. No knife needed. Smoke was mild to faint. No noticeable rub. Use the sauce.<br />
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Ribs: Very Good. Once again near perfect tenderness but slightly on the overcooked side. Soft cake bite with clean bone. They throw the rack on a grill for a nice char flavor. There was a faint rub seasoning. I liked these ribs. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Poor. I just don't like this style of sausage and its not Texas style sausage. A very fine ground pork link with no traditional spice just salt. No after taste unless salt counts. Its greasy bologna. Use the sauce or skip all together.<br />
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Sauce: Excellent. They sell this stuff by the jar and I bet sales are good. A very sweet tomato based sauce with a little bit of smokiness. This stuff was so good I dipped my fresh baked yeast roll in it. I thought about buying a jar but knew the wife would comment about the 6 other bottles of unopened sauce.<br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/777205/restaurant/Bear-Creek/Spring-Creek-Barbeque-Houston"><img alt="Spring Creek Barbeque on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/777205/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com05935 Highway 6, Houston, TX 77084, USA29.8627708 -95.64513299999998729.8627168 -95.645211999999987 29.8628248 -95.645053999999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-10585966084155315522014-03-08T14:52:00.000-06:002014-03-08T14:52:42.256-06:00Country Bumpkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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3/7/14 11:39am - You know how I complain that Houston is a BBQ desert. Well Northwest Houston/ Harris county literally is a BBQ desert. Good luck finding a BBQ lunch without driving 10 miles. And good luck finding real pit BBQ. Good news, I just found the oasis. A Ma and Pop joint serving great barbecue and burgers with a lot of charm and a smile. Everyone was so friendly I thought it was Sunday morning instead of Friday afternoon.<br />
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I scored Country Bumpkins a 78 out of 100. This is regional Texas BBQ.</div>
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Smoke: Oak. A double secret steel barrel pit for real slow smoke wood fired BBQ. I say double secret because I was denied a picture. But I did spy a screened in smoke house in the back. Maybe after reading my post they'll send me a picture so I can testify and share the real pit glory.<br />
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Brisket: Good. A great seasoned bark over a 1/8 in smoke ring. It tested tough of tender but had great smoke flavor. Sliced with the fat cap so you get a little indulgence of the smokey goodness. No sauce needed.<br />
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Ribs: Fair. This rib had all the markings a great spare rib but it was little tough. The seasoned rub was flavorful and it had great smoke flavor. However, the bite required tearing and left a dirty bone. No sauce needed but a toothpick is a must.<br />
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Sausage: Good. A fine ground pork link with mild traditional seasoning and little aftertaste. Good smoke and tight casing. A little greasy. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sauce: Good. A simple tangy thick tomato and vinegar sauce. <br />
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PS: They have a great line up of burgers like their Bumpkin burger and Ring of Fire. They also serve brisket tacos. They have hand cut fries and homemade peach cobbler. The only thing missing is cold beer.<br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/1569502/restaurant/Houston/Country-Bumpkins-Tomball"><img alt="Country Bumpkin's on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1569502/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
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texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com018929 Telge Road, Tomball, TX 77377, USA30.046823 -95.6610759999999828.280496 -98.242862999999986 31.81315 -93.079288999999974tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-60256640188210604312014-03-01T20:09:00.000-06:002014-03-01T20:09:30.368-06:00Stockyard Saloon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vJDPYjJ3ecTLtuLeaKXiFAkeMx5m0qUmIDCkcR2FQUuX5RxX7F6JAbI0xkbJWeNEHehLVENBKI5Yj_1GFlG8X5Y-gmQMVjJRfsB47-8HM2XjA0iCS8Zr3sl2Qi7XDHyzytVauLoMZ2k/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vJDPYjJ3ecTLtuLeaKXiFAkeMx5m0qUmIDCkcR2FQUuX5RxX7F6JAbI0xkbJWeNEHehLVENBKI5Yj_1GFlG8X5Y-gmQMVjJRfsB47-8HM2XjA0iCS8Zr3sl2Qi7XDHyzytVauLoMZ2k/s1600/040.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxNu3qWiUzf6CImNQY_ySTlWe54fS4CjmsnZT37jG5EjNhR9P0XmUogZlWNpb6i_oTmTa0vtZcAk88-pA9eMdWZa4WGI_LAWRhGOVKrN1EYHWuOUUiNWYfOfoB4SdfeuXT3QvLz9ZxTs/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxNu3qWiUzf6CImNQY_ySTlWe54fS4CjmsnZT37jG5EjNhR9P0XmUogZlWNpb6i_oTmTa0vtZcAk88-pA9eMdWZa4WGI_LAWRhGOVKrN1EYHWuOUUiNWYfOfoB4SdfeuXT3QvLz9ZxTs/s1600/032.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXXF0Op5s96RFkbJXlfsC8-09BE3poZEHB0xCLZuEXcwY3mBdCcxPTGLgdSmjcN1VaOYzKLwtd0uVyG8ukbjwVykJypjOc6y67xoRht3BirjSpuB0bui4CJB2mTCvjz8rd6ugb_G77as/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXXF0Op5s96RFkbJXlfsC8-09BE3poZEHB0xCLZuEXcwY3mBdCcxPTGLgdSmjcN1VaOYzKLwtd0uVyG8ukbjwVykJypjOc6y67xoRht3BirjSpuB0bui4CJB2mTCvjz8rd6ugb_G77as/s1600/027.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>3/1/14 2:00pm World Championship BBQ Cookoff - This is the 3rd year for Stockyard Saloon. It is hosted by the Steer Auction Committee. This is my rookie year on the committee. The Chairman Sam Ayers has put together a first class booth. Overhead are three elk horn chandeliers, underfoot is a decked and carpeted floor and real auction steer hides adorn the walls and tables. The cook team might as well be professional caterers not only serving up fabulous Texas BBQ but also steak and quail. Three full time bartenders keep the spirits flowing. This years live entertainment was none other than country artists Rick Trevino and Dough Supernaw. Stockyard Saloon is a real first class experience. My wife is now spoiled and I can no longer take her to any of my friends booths.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">I scored Stockyard Saloon a 93 out of 100. This is Grand Champion Texas BBQ</span></div>
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Smoke: Post Oak dry and seasoned. A monster goose neck trailer mounted black steel barrel mounted smoker with a fire box as big as a refrigerator. A primal sight for these eyes.<br />
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Brisket: Superior Excellent. A big bright red 3/8 inch smoke ring beneath a black crust. That is a rare sight. The slice tested perfect tender, very moist and fat render to silky goodness. No knife needed. Bold smoke flavor and a great seasoned rub. With willful purpose, I was on the serving line the day they submitted their meats for the contest. I made sure to hand pick out the burnt ends for myself. No sauce needed at all.<br />
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Ribs: Excellent. Large meaty spare ribs cooked to fall off the bone perfection. So tender and moist, most bites were as soft as cake. A delightful rub really made these ribs stand out. I am sure its well guarded secret so why ask. Rosy pink and full smoke flavor. They did not last long. They went so fast, I have no picture of them. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Good. Small 6 inch link course ground pork sausage with mild traditional spice and a faint after taste. Casing was snappy and smokey. They were a little greasy for me. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sauce: Very Good. A thick ketchupy sweet sauce with chunks of onions. Lots of flavor and was good by the spoonful. This stuff could make the asphalt taste better. So not needed and hated to see so many patrons drown their meats. Get on the side people! texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com08400 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77054, USA29.6847238 -95.40900334.1626893 -136.7175973 55.206758300000004 -54.100409299999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-47220667375835250802014-02-21T18:01:00.003-06:002014-02-21T18:03:54.502-06:00Post Oak Ranch BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2/20/14 11:57 - What a find, an authentic Texas BBQ joint! Don't know how long this place has been smoking 'que, but carbon dating suggests since the 1970's. Its doubtful they have ever spent one dollar in renovations. This only adds to the charm, when you park and walk through the door you fell like you are in an Urban Cowboy movie. An awful rock masonry facade with window AC units, tin roof, faded overhead sign, and busted up parking lot. There is an ancient long forgotten dusty beer can collection inside. For Pete's Sake, they have a velvet painting of Clint Eastwood from the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Vintage! Love this place.<br />
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I scored Post Oak Ranch an 83 out of 100. This is Reserve Grand Champion Texas BBQ. It restored my hope in Houston, Tx barbecue.<br />
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Smoke: Hickory. Wood fired BBQ in an ancient Black Olyer. I love how the smoke stack in the back is rusted and leaning to point its looks like it will fall over. The staff described the smoker as "one of those old style pits with the racks that turn around".<br />
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Brisket: Good. A 1/4in smoke ring beneath a beautiful thick black bark. I got the lean cut and it tested dry of tender. It had good smoke flavor and could not detect any rub seasoning. It started dry and finished dryer. Use the sauce. <br />
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While I was waiting on a picture of the pit, the manager cut me a slice of fatty brisket. Oh Mah Gah, that was so good but it was too late to score. If you go you must request the fatty slices. No sauce needed. I will have to come back for an updated score based on that slice.<br />
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Ribs: Very Good. Near perfect tender big meaty spare rib. Nice rosy pink smoke ring beneath a thick bark. They are glazed with the BBQ sauce so they are slightly wet which makes for good finger licking. Smokey and delicious. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sausage: Very Good. A course ground beef link with bold traditional spice and strong peppery after taste. Casing was smokey and snappy. After eating truck loads of grocery store quality links, this was a nice treat. No sauce needed.<br />
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Sauce: Very Good. A simple thin super tangy red tomato vinegar sauce with great flavor. This sauce works well to add flavor to the meat but not mask the smokey goodness. Don't forget to get it on the side, but if you forget so what!<br />
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They offer a beef rib, but I'll have to come back that also. Maybe one of my fellow meatheads can review.<br />
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/115139/restaurant/Greater-Southwest-Houston/Post-Oak-Ranch-Bar-Bq-Houston"><img alt="Post Oak Ranch Bar-Bq on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/115139/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com0Southwest Houston, Houston, TX, USA29.679701222948996 -95.42587280273437529.624510722948997 -95.506553802734373 29.734891722948994 -95.345191802734377tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115562123627736611.post-50421311111825589992014-02-15T10:23:00.004-06:002014-02-15T10:23:48.560-06:00Central Texas Bar-B-Q<div>
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2/10/14 11:30am - Some places are just pass their prime. The barbecue that made Central Texas successful for four decades (1969) was not the barbecue I had today.<br />
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I scored Central Texas a 76 out of 100. This is Regional Texas BBQ.<br />
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Smoke: Hickory. Actual central Texas BBQ joints prefer Oak, but who am I to judge. Real wood fired brick ovens! I love how the smoke stack chimney is painted with the Texas flag. Brick pits are rare around Houston so this was a real treat to see one. After lunch is was real disappointment my barbecue was smoked on these pits.<br />
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Brisket: Good. A nice 1/4in smoke ring under a thin black bark. Tested dry of tender. Overcooked to point it fell apart just by touch. The fork could not pierce and hold the slice. A spoon would have been a better choice. The bark had a slight bitter smoke flavor. I could not detect the presence of a rub. Use the sauce.<br />
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Ribs: Fair. Once again overcooked and dry of tender. The ends were burnt. There was a the presence of a rub but it's flavor was long gone. Bitter smoke and burnt were the dominate flavors. Use the sauce or skip all together.<br />
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Sausage: Good. An average run of the mill grocery store quality link sausage. Mild traditional spice flavor and very little after taste. A pleasant link for the dinner table but not for a BBQ joint. Use the sauce.<br />
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Sauce: Very Good. Call it mighty mouse sauce because it "saved the day". A tangy tomato vinegar based sauce. Served warm its a citrus tangy sauce with cider vinegar, lemon. They serve their BBQ covered in the sauce, just let them do it. Its OK.<br />
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Decor: I do not write nor care about restaurant decor but it would be an omission error not to mention this place. I do not know how to describe it. The words that come to mind are quirky folksy bad dream but not quite a nightmare. The interior resembles a junky antique mall with interesting one of a kind pieces. All the dining tables are actual home furnishings covered with cut glass. Beneath the cut glass are pictures of family?, friends?, locals?, strangers?, rednecks?, psychopaths? Anyway they are hard not to notice and every customer leaves with the question "Who are these people?". There are interesting carnival type one of a kind antiques that will bring a smile or a laugh. The decor is so strange that it is a masterpiece to itself. I would never recommend going some where just to check out the decor, but this is the one exception. </div>
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<a allow_ssl="true" class="image" href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/8/111043/restaurant/Houston/Central-Texas-Style-Barbecue-Pearland"><img alt="Central Texas Style Barbecue on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/111043/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
texasbbqrangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110890019835840187noreply@blogger.com04110 Broadway Street, Pearland, TX 77581, USA29.5634662 -95.2879191999999764.0414317 -136.59651319999998 55.0855007 -53.979325199999977