TX: An Idea Whose Time Has Come...

[NKBJ]

Down south on the coast areas the grocery store competition to HEB was Stanley's. One time in Bay City I needed to scrounge up a case of malt for brewing and when I went to the corporate offices O. B. Stanley regaled me with the tale of having to push his date through her bedroom window when he took her home 'cause they'd got beer from the guy down at the sand pit that made home brew (it was during prohibition). Then O. B. ordered my malt and personally called me when it came in. Now that was service.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I was just thinking... finally a high school sport I could excel at refereeing....

 

[Alamo]

Stop.

<oink oink etc>

Bless your heart!

 

[Cameramonkey]

Bless your heart!

Yep, Rhino, them's fightin' words.

Do what I do... If you want beef BBQ, go to TX. If you want pork BBQ, go elsewhere. And if you want both? DIY in your own backyard!

I too am partial to pork BBQ, but I wont turn down a good TX beef (or chix) BBQ. Variety is the spice of life!

The best ever BBQ was at a skydiving convention back a couple years before 9/11. At these things (also known as "boogies") you would camp on the airfield and there would be free beer and a party every night. (and one night, free food) I was working editing videos for customers and had been SLAMMED that day with work. So much so I couldnt do my usual jump, edit, deliver, jump, edit, deliver, etc. I had to do all my editing at the end of the day so I could shoot the next tandem passenger as fast as I could repack my parachute.

That night was free dinner, which was BBQ. Whole hog slow cooked in a pit for 20 hours. By the time I finished my edits it was WELL past chow time. (and dark) To the point he was starting to clean up. I got there and the foil trays were empty of meat, and the carcass appeared to be picked clean by the masses at first glance. The pit boss (who I knew, and knew why I was late) motioned me over and told me there was plenty left and to start picking. OMG, I have never eaten better meat than straight off the bone. I had to separate a lot of fat but damn that was the tastiest meal Ive ever eaten in my life. Could be I was STARVING, could be how grateful I was to be fed after such a long day. (too exhausted to drive 15 mins to town to find something to eat) Either way I dont think I'll ever eat such a succulent meat again in my life. No sauce or seasoning required.

But I digress...

 

[hoosierdoc]

Do you know schools have meat grading teams?

 

[rhino]

That night was free dinner, which was BBQ. Whole hog slow cooked in a pit for 20 hours. By the time I finished my edits it was WELL past chow time. (and dark) To the point he was starting to clean up. I got there and the foil trays were empty of meat, and the carcass appeared to be picked clean by the masses at first glance. The pit boss (who I knew, and knew why I was late) motioned me over and told me there was plenty left and to start picking. OMG, I have never eaten better meat than straight off the bone. I had to separate a lot of fat but damn that was the tastiest meal Ive ever eaten in my life. Could be I was STARVING, could be how grateful I was to be fed after such a long day. (too exhausted to drive 15 mins to town to find something to eat) Either way I dont think I'll ever eat such a succulent meat again in my life. No sauce or seasoning required.

A lot of the best flavor originates from bone marrow. The closer the meat to the source while cooking, the more of that taste is going to be in it. That's why cooking a ham with the bone in it is so much better!

 

[rhino]

Bless your heart!

Why, you! I oughtta . . .

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

*Originally Posted by*Alamo*

Bless your heart!*

Why, you! I oughtta

Uh oh! Them dern Yankees done figured out the code! Consarn you, Facebook!

 

[KLB]

Let's not overcomplicate it.

Cooking BBQ has got to be one of the top volunteer organization fund raisers in Texas. My VFD does an annual fundraiser on first Saturday in November, and several of the guys spend all night Friday night preparing the brisket right at the fire station. Several of the other VFDs in the county do the same thing, as well as other non-profits. Some of the local coops, like the electric company, keep smokers and grills and refrigerated trailers for loan to non-profit fundraisers.

Plus there are several BBQ joints in town, and even the National Grocery Store Chain of Texas, HEB, has a BBQ restaurant in it (and it is GOOD). These boys are learning a life long trade skill!

HEB is by far my favorite grocery store. Their store brand products were always awesome. Their 1905 vanilla ice cream is probably the best vanilla ice cream I've had short of actual home churned.

Their stores are one of the things I really miss about Texas.

 

[rhino]

Uh oh! Them dern Yankees done figured out the code! Consarn you, Facebook!

Dude, I'm half Kentuckian!

A rhino divided against itself cannot post!

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I just came here to announce that rhino owes me a box of .45acp AND a rack of ribs.

 

[rhino]

DAMN IT!

 

[two70]

Stop.

Too many of You People in Texas seem to think it's somehow acceptable to not have pigs involved when engaged in the act of barbecuing. If you savages continue this unholy practice of beef-only (or worse . . . chicken!) outdoors grilling and smoking, I'm going to have to bar you from calling it barbecue or BBQ. When you ensure that a whole hog or park ribs or something pig related is always over the heat, I will consider a probationary release.

Would you go to North Dakota for fresh Seafood? No, of course not. Then why would you go to TX for good pork BBQ? Sure they normally have pork BBQ but they do a lot better job with brisket, largely because they raise beef not pork. Much like seafood in North Dakota, the pork that has to be trucked in from several states away is just not going to be as good as the locally raised beef. In the end, Texans should get a pass, despite the lack of pork, for focusing on the meat instead of the stupid sauce. I'm with you on the chicken though... smoked turkey is far superior to chicken.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Would you go to North Dakota for fresh Seafood? No, of course not. Then why would you go to TX for good pork BBQ? Sure they normally have pork BBQ but they do a lot better job with brisket, largely because they raise beef not pork. Much like seafood in North Dakota, the pork that has to be trucked in from several states away is just not going to be as good as the locally raised beef. In the end, Texans should get a pass, despite the lack of pork, for focusing on the meat instead of the stupid sauce. I'm with you on the chicken though... smoked turkey is far superior to chicken.

Doesn't Texas have a feral hog problem? Seems like supply wouldn't be an issue.

 

[two70]

Doesn't Texas have a feral hog problem? Seems like supply wouldn't be an issue.

Typically not a lot of fat on the wild ones plus the males would taste like uncut boar. Even if you could readily purchase the meat there is not a lot of market for dry pork and even less for pork that reeks and tastes like testosterone. Now, if someone could guarantee a steady supply of young hogs and slow smoke them whole, that would definitely up the TX pork BBQ game.

 

[KLB]

Typically not a lot of fat on the wild ones plus the males would taste like uncut boar. Even if you could readily purchase the meat there is not a lot of market for dry pork and even less for pork that reeks and tastes like testosterone. Now, if someone could guarantee a steady supply of young hogs and slow smoke them whole, that would definitely up the TX pork BBQ game.

I would take good smoked brisket over any kind of pork every day.

 

[two70]

I would take good smoked brisket over any kind of pork every day.

It is a close call for me but I think if I had to choose one and they were of equal quality, I would go with brisket over smoke pork. It has been my experience that very few places do both well so I usually try both and then go with whichever one a particular place does best from then on. There are too many great ways to eat pork to say I would choose brisket over any kind pork though.