I apparently don't understand what makes great BBQ

[jonfromjersey]

Six of us from NJ took a trip to Austin for 3 days for fun and food. Needless to say BBQ was high on the list and seeing that what is supposedly considered by some/many/most to be "the best" BBQ in Austin was closed due to a fire, we were forced (haha) to go to what those same people think might be the second or third on the list. Got there around 11:00 am and waited on a very friendly line for an hour or so, biding our time going into their little grocery store. Once inside we ordered a lot of food because...well...their reputation is so good and you never know when you'll have another chance to eat GREAT BBQ. The pulled pork had good flavor but was very soft and has little texture and NO crunchy bark (I know this is Texas and pork isn't big in Texas). The beef ribs were sold out, the pork ribs were very good. Big and meaty, not falling off the bone.
The brisket.....I don't know....again, very little texture or "bite". There were no burnt ends but we got point meat still attached to the flat. Again, no bite to the bark and the flat was almost as "soft" as the point but with very little flavor.
Mac and cheese...okay, the pickles were spicier that I had anticipated, The sausage, both spicy and not were outrageous! They had a great snap to them...just the best.
Okay, I don't smoke on a stick burner....actually I use a WSM and one of the other two guys that were with us also smokes his own BBQ but we really expected and epiphany while we were there and lets just say we missed it.

 

[Lomey]

Next time come to Kansas City, the BBQ capital of the world. You won't be disappointed.

 

[16Adams]

Sausage and sides Sausage and sides Sausage and sides

 

[Highlife4me]

I can understand what you are feeling. I would have to say I have never had great BBQ at a restaurant. But restaurants are cooking to please a crowd and not everybody likes there BBQ the same way so most things are prepared what I would call mediocre. That's why many places have a variety of sauces or sides so you can somewhat customize your plate to your liking.

 

[chambersuac]

There is only one really good BBQ place in Austin. For the rest, you have to travel to Lockhart, Luling, or to the original Saltlick. Sorry you didn't get good food.

 

[Stlsportster]

Next time come to Kansas City, the BBQ capital of the world. You won't be disappointed.

Or come to St Louis which has better BBQ than KC.

 

[Rockinar]

You never said where you ended up at. Sounds like LaBBQ new location. Everyone has their own opinion, but ribs are not supposed to fall off the bone. Brisket is not supposed to be crunchy with deep creosote flavor. I think you are just used to garbage commercial BBQ and confused on your expectations.

The tourist always complain:

1) "Prices too high I can get a BBQ plate back in California for $4.00"

2) "Not smokey enough, I could not taste the smoke"

3) "The ribs did not fall off the bone"


Someone complaining that the flat is too tender is a new one to me.

 

[JS-TX]

Where did you go? Please don't say salt lick! Everybody's idea of good BBQ is different that's for sure. It's a very personal thing.

 

[pjtexas1]

The way you described the sausage leads me to believe you went to LA Barbecue. If so, brisket there was the same as Franklin but that was when John Lewis was still there. I think expectations are hard to meet the way everyone describes some of these places.

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[16Adams]

Actually, the best brisket in Texas was cooked today, on my patio. Private Stock- just me and The Bride. I’d tell you the rub, but even I don’t know what’s in it.

 

[Czarbecue]

I haven't been to LaBBQ since John Lewis left. Did he take his smoker too?

 

[Czarbecue]

Actually, the best brisket in Texas was cooked today, on my patio. Private Stock- just me and The Bride. I’d tell you the rub, but even I don’t know what’s in it.

For some reason I thought you were in Florida.

 

[JS-TX]

LA bbq.. that's what I was thinking too. I was there a few months ago.. it's still very solid but perhaps Lewis took a little bit of his brisket mojo with him. The pork ribs were pretty good, they had a little bit of sweet glaze covering up the peppery bark.

 

[gtr]

Can't speak to La Barbecue, 'cause I haven't been there, but if you'd have gone to Snow's (probably my favorite), Black's, Kruez, Louie Mueller's or John Mueller's Black Box I doubt you'd have been dissappointed. Stiles Switch is really good too - but I haven't had their brisket. Also - even the great spots have the up and down moments, so that's worth taking into consideration.

 

[BillN]

The best BBQ is the one that makes you happy and satisfies you. BBQ is like homemade pasta sauce the best is the one your mom or grandma spent 8+ hours making for Sunday dinner and the other 10,000+ variations are just that variations.

 

[Garyclaw]

Actually, the best brisket in Texas was cooked today, on my patio. Private Stock- just me and The Bride. I’d tell you the rub, but even I don’t know what’s in it.

Damn Adams! I think you're right! Very nice!

 

[jonfromjersey]

You never said where you ended up at. Sounds like LaBBQ new location. Everyone has their own opinion, but ribs are not supposed to fall off the bone. Brisket is not supposed to be crunchy with deep creosote flavor. I think you are just used to garbage commercial BBQ and confused on your expectations.

The tourist always complain:

1) "Prices too high I can get a BBQ plate back in California for $4.00"

2) "Not smokey enough, I could not taste the smoke"

3) "The ribs did not fall off the bone"


Someone complaining that the flat is too tender is a new one to me.

No, I think you misunderstood regarding the ribs. I was happy, hence I felt that they were one of the best offerings at the restaurant/

As far as the brisket, I feel that there's a difference between tender and mush....this was closer to mush.

I like bark. I don't like creosote, and there is a difference.
My wife and I had some very good BBQ in Houston...better than the place in Austin.

 

[jonfromjersey]

The way you described the sausage leads me to believe you went to LA Barbecue. If so, brisket there was the same as Franklin but that was when John Lewis was still there. I think expectations are hard to meet the way everyone describes some of these places.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Yes....and agree! :clap2:

 

[jonfromjersey]

:clap2:

Actually, the best brisket in Texas was cooked today, on my patio. Private Stock- just me and The Bride. I’d tell you the rub, but even I don’t know what’s in it.

 

[Jason TQ]

Jon it boils down to this.....take what you do at home and consider good/amazing bbq.......now scale that effectively to feed 500-1000 people a day/every day........and keep the same consistency in every single piece of meat/slice of brisket that goes out of the kitchen.......then you'll get why it's hard to find the "epiphany"......:becky: