Judging a BBQ Joint BEFORE you walk in

[ecowper]

Hey GirlpoweredBBQ I promise I am not making it up. CD's in Moscow, ID gives you a 10% discount if you come in with a firearm open carry. How do I know this, you may ask? Well, my son is a sophomore at Univ of Idaho in Moscow, and I spend some time there :-) ... and the BBQ is pretty good.

As far as cooking tri-tip goes ... You have a pretty good rig for cooking it now. The key is to cook the the tri-tip slow at about 275 indirect until it hits an internal temp of 125 ... Then throw it over the direct side of the SnS for about 3 minutes per side ... Gets it up to 130'ish and seared nicely. Then you bring it in the house and slice immediately ... Serve with crusty bread and salad ... Happy to help ... Tri-tip is the ultimate California BBQ

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

Ok! I'm gonna try it! How big a trl-tip should I get? I believe you on the weapons discount. But (I know everyone is probably laughing at my naivete) why? Why do they want people to bring weapons into their establishment? I mean..most places I know discourage people bringing weapons in. ☺

[Potkettleblack]

Second amendment advocacy. But it's hardly a reason to favor or disqualify a Q joint, imho.

[ecowper]

Guest I normally buy Tri-Tip at Costco, in a 2 pack. Each tri-tip roast ranges from 2 to 3 lbs. I haven't noticed any difference in outcome based on size. I'd say focus on it being Prime and well trimmed so that you aren't paying for a bunch of fat you are going to trim.

[DWCowles]

If there is a big pile of wood, a lot of smoke and the smell of BBQ in the air a least 1/2 mile away then I might stop. I don't stop at BBQ joints very often. It's been over 2 years since we have been to a BBQ joint.

[swong13]

Sometimes when I hear about a barbecue restaurant that I haven't tried, I go online to look at their menu. A good sign is if they list Burnt Ends. That's how I found The Smoking Pig in San Jose. Small parking lot. Place was packed. Smokers and wood pile in back. Not bad! OH...The Pig also has Potato Grenades! They stuff a jalapeno with cheese and sausage, wrap it in bacon, and smoke it. They call this a "Wolf Turd". Then they stuff a Wolf Turd into a baked potato, fill it with mac n' cheese, wrap THAT in bacon and voila! A Potato Grenade. I saw Potato Grenades and Burnt Ends and I knew that I had to give this place a try.

[EdF]

Holy Moly!

[Atalanta]

I think a potato grenade would make my heart explode LOL.

[scottranda]

Bump.

If I’m in an urban or suburban area, and there’s absolutely no way to fit a wood fired (or any pit) nearby (or around the restaurant), I pass.

[THE Humble Texan]

if you can smell it 1/2 block away on a still day you might give it a try. Another tell is the lunch run traffic. A big pile of wood is a possible sign.

[Steve R.]

I don't need to know how long you smoke your meat. Or read that everything falls off the bone (I even read that about brisket once ) And don't try too hard to "look" like a BBQ joint.

[jfmorris]

Wow! Amazing to see a bump to a 4 year old discussion thread!

I think seeing beef on the menu is a regional thing. Here in Alabama, several actually good BBQ joints I know of around here don't sell brisket or beef of any sort, as pulled pork and pork ribs are more commonly considered BBQ here. A small few have brisket, like Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur. I've never had it there though - just the pork and chicken. I don't think it was on the original menu back in the day either.

I have to agree with Meathead that seeing a pile of firewood is a good indicator as well.

[Dan Deter]

Yep, the places that have brisket around here are the newer places. The older ones are all pork, and maybe chicken (probably fried).

[jfmorris]

Dan Deter no BBQ place around here sells fried chicken - it will be smoked for sure.

[smokin fool]

I'll give any place a go once, just because BBQ joints are few and far between up here.
And as others have mentioned under the guidance of all you AR people my skills are getting better day by day so why go buy milk when ya got the cow at home.
If there flying the banners and shining the trophies I'd better be impressed, if not I don't mind telling them it blew.

[mrteddyprincess]

In my area (Indiana), I am suspicious of BBQ places that "offer it all." Because usually "all of it is awful." I have become accustomed to driving around the place looking for signs of smoke. No smoke, no smells, I'm not going.

My daughter and I were in Anderson, IN on Saturday and we got to have lunch at The Pitt. Mom and pop BBQ for 35 years or something like that, and you could see the smoke coming up around the building. Outside pits. Wonderful smell! Great food.

[surfdog]

Not to slam anyone...but I was recently at a place in El Paso... They also have a place in Waco...actually several places in Texas...and at least 2-3 in Arizona if I recall. Edible (mostly)...but certainly NOT "award winning."

Kind of the McBBQ if you will.
When I'm just passing through and want to reach my destination ASAP, my choices are sometimes limited by time. When a company/NASA/whomever says, "We need you here..." that's what I do. Food be damned.

Anyway...at this place, I was watching this guy slicing up a brisket...it really did LOOK good...and then he sliced off the bark! O_o
I kid you not!
Sliced it off & tossed it aside.
"What the *&^(%$% is he doing that for?!" To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

What in the name of all things holy would possess ANYONE to lop off the bark?!
Now it's just "roasted" meat. Big deal. Edible, but not BBQ.
Why bother?

If that is anyone's first introduction to BBQ...well, hopefully they'll like it, understand it could be better, and move on.
If that is anyone's idea of "good" BBQ...well, I feel sorry for them because they don't know what they're missing.

Other "chains" are the same. One of my brothers had his wedding catered by some "Famous" guy ;-) ...unremarkable is the best I can do and remain polite. His parties, which regularly host 100+ people are ALWAYS catered...the past several, before & since, by company serving Mexican food. Now THEY serve good food. I guess they were busy on that weekend. LOL

[Steve R.]

Maybe go to that one place and ask for an order of bark. 😀

[smokin fool]

Another no-no for me has become Ribfests.
Every weekend, save this year because of the plague, there’s a ribfest and people swarm and pay outrageous amounts for ricks of ribs, pulled pork sometimes brisket.
And absolutely rave about how good it tastes. In reality the food is in some cases mass produced then put on the obligatory "wood fire" to reheat.
If they only knew what you know and I have learned real BBQ happens in your own back yard with a little time and effort.
Some creativity goes a long way too.

And my apologies for commenting on the older threads didn’t read the dates....another one of my many short comings