BBQ and music

I just heard the music line-up for the Texas Monthly BBQ fest in October.  Jimmie Vaughan is one of the acts so I am a very, very happy camper.  The event is completely sold out, more than 2 months in advance.  I am looking forward to having some Snows BBQ without having to get up at 7 am!!

The great burnt ends experiment!

8/10/11

Brisket was on sale cheap again this week ($1.49/lb) so I decided to experiment a bit.  My favorite part of most brisket is the burnt ends.  That's the part with plenty of bark, some crispy fat, and always the most delicious smoke flavor.  As we only use a little bullet smoker, we have always had to cut briskets in half to make them fit.  I started wondering, what would happen if you actually cut the brisket up into little brisket "steaks", then go through the same smoking process?  The reasoning went, more exposed surface area, more burnt ends, more good eatin'!  I figured the main risk was it would come out too dry.  However there was an added bonus that it should cut down the cooking time A LOT!

I started out with a 14 pound brisket and cut it up into 11 portions, trying to keep them about equal weight of a little over a pound.  The fatty end slabs had to be a little thinner because the brisket is thicker there.  As always, I arranged the brisket fat side up, where possible.  Most of the lean end went on the bottom rack, the fatty end went on the top rack. 

After about a 2 hour smoke (using the usual go-by of 1-1 1/2 hours per pound on brisket "steaks" that were a little over 1 pound) I opened the lid and grabbed a piece to sample.  It was cooked, but still very tough, so after a couple of sample bites, back it went on the top rack.

Based on my sample at 2 hours, I was torn on whether to continue on the smoker, or pull some slices, wrap them, and finish in the oven.  I decided to just let things run for another 4 hours, re-stoking the coals and adding wet pecan wood every hour or so. 

After a full 6 hour smoke this is what I found on the top and bottom racks. 

A quick sample piece confirmed good tenderness and smoke flavor, as well as a pretty nice smoke ring.

After that sample I pulled all the meat and let it rest for about an hour before cutting it up.  Well, except for one piece that I ate!

As I feared, the lean end of the brisket was a bit dry, but the fatty end was very juicy and flavorful.  As usual, there was not as much smoke flavor as my wife seems to get, despite my adding lots of pecan every hour.  She just has the magic touch.  I don't.  The fatty stuff was perfectly tender but the lean could be a bit chewy at times.  However the chewy bits usually had the best smoke flavor, a nice bark, and crispy fat bits. 

By cutting the brisket into elongated "steaks", it meant the slices were weird little square bits. However every little bite had a bit of bark or crispy fat attached to it, all the way around. 

After carving everything up, I have quite a bit of smoked meat to enjoy over the next week or so.  I hate to say it, but some of it may need sauce.  However some of it won't!

I think if I try this again there are several variations to the experiment I'd like to try.  First, smoke it extra heavy for 3 hours, pull all the meat, wrap in foil and finish in the oven.  Second, pull the lean brisket half way through, wrap and finish in the oven and leave the fatty brisket on the smoker.  Just to see if there is a difference in smoke taste.  Third, cut into fewer pieces, maybe 4-6 brisket "steaks", then smoke and oven as usual. 

I will say this technique does cut down the cooking time substantially.  A 14 pound brisket cooked in the usual way would probably be 20 hours combined cooking time to finish properly.  I got some pretty good meat in just 6 hours by chopping it up.

More cheap ribs!

7/31/11

Pork spare ribs were on sale cheap this weekend, $1.77 a pound, so you can guess what we had for dinner!  As usual we chopped up two racks, smoked them for 4 hours, then ate til the meat coma set in.  Plenty left over for warming up this week.  Yum!

BBQ Benefit for the Stone Family, Sunday, August 14th

Daniel Vaughn, The BBQ snob over at Full Custom Gospel BBQ, sent me a note about an upcoming BBQ benefit for the family of the young father who recently died at the Texas Rangers game.  BBQ from the Pecan Lodge and and Lockhart Smokehouse is part of the proceedings.

info is here:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1940775913

Upcoming KCBS BBQ judging class

As part of the Bedford Blues and BBQ Festival KCBS (Kansas City BBQ Society) is once again offering their offical BBQ judging class in Bedford, Texas on September 3rd.  I took the class last year and enjoyed the experience. Info on registration can be found here:  

http://www.bedfordbluesbbq.com/bbqinfo.htm

I will not be attending the class, but I am signed up to judge the contest again.    Rancher's Reserve has added a top sirloin contest to the festivities so I am looking forward to some good eatin'!!

Hard Eight BBQ, Coppell, Texas

visited 7/2/11 about 7 pm
http://www.hardeightbbq.com/

This is a small but expanding chain that I have heard mostly negative reviews about.  Hence, the lack of a previous visit.  On this night they had booked a good blues performer and that added just enough oomph to spur a trip to nearby Coppell through the tortuous DFW Connector construction project.  Many folks had complained to me that this place was very overpriced but I found their meats to be very competitively priced at $11.99/pound.  I think the trick is to watch the portion size.  Two slices of brisket was easily 3/4 of a pound tonight.

This is a big joint and it was hopping.  We had to park around on the back side and walk around to the pits in the front.  It is laid out like a central Texas BBQ place with the pits and warming pits up front.  You choose your meats and hot sides from the warming pit, pay by the pound, then move inside for cold sides and drinks.  They even have a separate bean pot in the back with complimentary pinto beans.   We loaded up with brisket, pork ribs, jalapeno sausage, and "brush poppers", plus a side of tater salad and some beans. 

Our bill was $31 for the tray you see below, plus extra for beer. The meat is served hill country style on butcher paper on a small tray.  The place was very busy but my Mrs found a spot down front by the band while I wrangled some beverages.  The brisket was crumbling apart and would not hold together at all.  It was also very salty and there was zero smoke flavor.  A few stringy bits were overcooked to the consistency of beef jerky and almost unchewable, probably outside bits.  All signs of overcooking.  The brisket basically had the taste and consistency of crock pot roast beef.  It would have been great with some brown gravy.  I had hopes the sauce would help, or at least cut the salt, but found it thin, and a heavy taste of vinegar and mustard, almost like East Coast sauce. 

The ribs were a bit better.  Still salty and little flavor from the bark except salt, however they were well cooked, left a nice bite mark and were plenty tender and juicy.  The jalapeno sausage had a nice bite and good spicey flavor.  Not bad at all.  The highlight of the meat was the "brush poppers".  These were chicken strips wrapped around jalapeno and onion with bacon around the outside.  Those were excellent.  The chicken was still tender and juicy and the flavors just popped in your mouth.  If there had been some good smoke flavor they would have been a stone home run.  My Mrs is already planning on working her magic on this concept. 

The sides were better than your average fare.  The tater salad was skin on with bits of onion and a mustard base.  The pinto beans were perfect consistency, not mushy, not chewy, and had plenty of spicy flavor with bits of ham and peppers.  The beans ranked right up there with the best of central Texas joints.

I would be happy to go back if they book some more good blues, but I'll be sticking with the brush poppers instead of the BBQ. 

2011 Texas Monthly BBQ fest

I missed out last year, but I already have my VIP ticket to this BBQ festival for 2011.  22 BBQ joints participating, many of whom I have tried, some I haven't!  I am looking forward to an EPIC meat coma!!

http://www.texasmonthly.com/bbqfestival/