Cooper's Bar-B-Q

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.

I scored Cooper’s Bar-B-Q an 80 out of 100.  This is Regional Texas BBQ.

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.

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.

Ribs:  Good.  Near perfect tender spare ribs with clean bite and clean bone.  Not much on flavor, just smoke and pork.  Use the sauce.

Sausage:  Very Good.  Course ground pork/beef links with bold traditional spice and a bold after taste.  No sauce needed.

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.

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.

Pit-Master Bar-B-Que Cafe

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.

I scored Gas Cooker a 73 out of 100.  This is Regional Texas BBQ.

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.

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.

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.

Sausage:  Good.  A fine ground link with mild traditional spice. Faint aftertaste and little smoke.  Use the sauce.

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.

 



Hill Country BBQ

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.

I scored Hill Country BBQ an 87 out 100.  This Reserve Grand Champion Texas BBQ to the max.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

A must stop for all meatheads.    

Demeris Bar-B-Q

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.

I scored Demeris a 70 out of 100.  This is classic Houston Bum Steer BBQ.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

 



Spring Creek Barbeque

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.

I scored Spring Creek BBQ a 76 out of 100.  This is Regional Texas BBQ.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Country Bumpkins

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.

I scored Country Bumpkins a 78 out of 100.  This is regional Texas BBQ.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sauce:  Good.  A simple tangy thick tomato and vinegar sauce.

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.

 

Stockyard Saloon

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.

I scored Stockyard Saloon a 93 out of 100. This is Grand Champion Texas BBQ

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!