Keep It Coming Kenny!

How is everyone?  Been a while since I have written a blog so time to knock out a couple.  As everyone that reads my blog knows, I travel all over the US and I am always trying to find great BBQ and I have found a lot.  Well, it is always great to find a good place in DFW.  Truly good to great BBQ is kind of difficult to find in DFW so it is always fun to try a new place.

I was told about Kenny's Smokehouse by someone in Tennessee believe it or not.  I will say that I was skeptical when I saw the menu.  I mean what respectable BBQ joint serves an ahi salad?  Boy, let me tell you.  I had no reason to be skeptical.  Kenny's Smokehouse is some of the best BBQ in DFW.  I really enjoyed everything I had.  Every pork meat I had was moist and tasty.  They my have the moistest and tastiest pulled pork I have ever had and remember, I have had world championship pork in the Carolina's.  I am not a big fan of wet ribs but their ribs are really good.  Not too sweet and just enough heat.  The jalapeño cheddar sausage you can tell is homemade and is so juicy. Can you tell I liked this place?  The only thing that could be slightly better is they could cook the brisket a bit longer as the brisket had a little too much fat that had not rendered down.  But that is being hyper critical because the flavor was great.  The next time I went in, the brisket was much better. The test of good BBQ is the lack of a need for sauce.  You don't need sauce here.


A little side note here.  I made a comment on a comment card about the brisket.  Within 12 hours I had an email asking me about the experience and wanting my feedback and asking me to give them another chance.  Folks, customer service like that just does not exist anymore.  

If you want some great BBQ and you want to have a ton of choices in sides or maybe just a good grilled ahi salad, please give Kenny's smokehouse a try.  Trust me.  You won't be sorry.  Keep on Smokin!

Great BBQ in DFW? Yes Please!

Father's day was last weekend and it was a great day.  The day was filled with messages from the kids, a great movie, wonderful time with my wife and some great BBQ.  

If you read my blog, you know I am a huge fan of Central Texas BBQ.  Just love the way it is smoked and the simple flavors combined with excellent make it good enough to eat without sauce.  I think that is the best way to judge great BBQ.  Do I need sauce to make it good, if so then it may be good but not great. (note to sauce lovers out there.  Nothing against sauce just like it better if I don't have to use it.  I do love a good sauce though).

So let's talk about great BBQ in DFW.  Dallas/Fort Worth has some good BBQ but I think there is definitely a gap between D/FW and Central Texas.  Well I made a little adventure for Father's Day.  Shannon and I headed down to Pecan Lodge in the Farmer's Market in Dallas.  We walked in to see quite a line.  A 2 hour wait in line later revealed the wait to be worth it.  Pecan Lodge is a little unique in that they have things besides BBQ like fried chicken.  So to use Shannon's words (she got the chicken.  She is a huge fan of fried chicken and maybe I will get her to write a blog about Gus' in Memphis someday), the chicken was ok which is code for,"I should of gotten BBQ".  Now on to the good stuff.  The BBQ.  I will start with the brisket. It has a generous amount of rub on it to form a very nice bark.  This brisket is by far the best I have had in DFW.  The rub was almost a little too thick but it had great flavor.  I will say that Franklin's is better in my opinion but it was very good.  Now let's go to the ribs.  The ribs were spare ribs and they were phenomenal.  I really liked the ribs because they didn't have sauce on them and the flavor was outstanding with a lot of meat on the bone.  The rib sauce that is served on the side (nice!) was really good.  Vinegar based sauce with just a right mix of sweet and heat.  Really enjoyed that!  Last meat was the pulled pork.  Again, the meat was great.  They make their pork meat a little more salty and that taste is just so good with the pork.  The pulled pork was super tender and juicy.  I won't say much about the sides because honestly they were nothing spectacular.  Just your ordinary BBQ sides.

Summing it up, the food was very good and by far the best BBQ in DFW in my opinion.  However, the experience left a little to be desired.  I'm not talking about the wait.  That is expected with good BBQ but the overall experience felt a little cold.  I love watching the slicer slice my order up and serve it up. At Pecan Lodge, the order is placed and then sent to a back kitchen and produced through a door. You can't tell them  lean or moist or anything like that so you lose the experience somewhat.  Would I recommend Pecan Lodge?  You better believe it!  Great food and great BBQ in Dallas.  Finally!

Thanks and let me hear what you think.  Keep on Smokin!!!

Texas in Atlanta?! I Love It!!!

Ok, generally, when I see people say things like "just like Texas" or "authentic Texas Style BBQ or Steaks", I make a rude face and think to myself,  "see ya.  You ain't no Texas joint".  Well, I have to say that today in Atlanta, I was more than pleasantly surprised!

Fox Bros. BBQ is truly authentic Texas BBQ but with a twist.  Texas BBQ with southern style cooking.  You can get collard greens, black-eyed peas and fried okra.  I got mac-n-cheese for my side (sorry doc!)  The menu is definitely unique.  You can get your traditional BBQ items.  Pulled pork, (real) Texas Brisket, and smoked chicken.  No sausage, which was a little weird.  They also have smoked wings and tons of appetizers plus unique sandwiches.

I went a little bit different this time.  I usually do sampler platters but I always ask what they are famous for.  Fox Bros. is famous for something called the Fox Bros. Burger.  I had to bypass my usual sampler and try that.  I kicked off the lunch with smoked wings.  I have to tell you, those may have been the best wings I have ever had.  Sorry Plucker's but wow.  Those were awesome and not heavily fried, so even better. I finished off the wings and out came the burger.  Now understand.  The "burger" was actually chopped brisket covered with melted pimento cheese and peppered bacon with pickles, onion and jalapeno mayo.  The brisket was smoked perfectly and totally reminded me of authentic Texas brisket.  I can never find that outside of Texas so it was so refreshing (little note here.  The owners of Fox Bros. are from Fort Worth Texas so that answers how they know how to do their brisket so well!)  The "burger" was just amazing and it was huge, just like the wings.  Guess I have my dinner already in my hotel room with my leftover "burger"!!

Gotta tell you, if I gave out stars or thumbs up or whatever rating score other people use, I would give Fox Bros. BBQ my highest rating.  When you are in Atlanta, you have to try that place. You will be so happy you did!!!

Enjoy a great "burger" and Keep on Smokin!!!!!

Southern Soul is Southern Taste!

I have to say that I love Savannah and St. Simon.  I had to go there for work this week.  The geography here is just beautiful.  Quick side note, Savannah is a very cool town from the architecture to the history.  Could spend a lot of time in Savannah just studying. Luckily, the food is just as beautiful.  

I went to a well known place called Southern Soul.  It is in St. Simon and has just a cool and funky feel to it.  It has been on several food shows on TV so I of course had to check it out.  I went there this afternoon and tried the sampler platter.  I asked the young lady what they are famous for and she of course said, wait for it, ........the pulled pork!  I got pulled pork, ribs, sausage, fried okra and potato salad.  The food was all very good.  I think the sausage was best.  The pork was excellent.  Tender and juicy.  I will say, as with a lot of pulled pork, you need the sauce to really give it the kick you want.  The sauce was excellent.  They had a spicy mustard based sauce that was really good with just the right amount of kick.

Overall, I would say you can’t go wrong with some Southern Soul!!  Now, they do have some other things besides BBQ, like some very unique sandwiches.  If you find yourself in St. Simon, stop by.  You will be glad you did!!!

Keep on Smokin, ya’ll!!!

Birthday Bash!!!

Time to write up a little something different.  I know I usually write about BBQ places I visit but this evening time to write up a little bit different.  

I was invited to cook for a big birthday party last weekend.  It was a big b-day and they wanted something special to eat, so they called me.  I was quite honored to be asked to do this.  The evening started at midnight.  A good time to start a BBQ.  I got over and fired up the smoker and spent some good time talking to some folks from Iowa about how they did their BBQ.  I've found that when I fire up the VooDoo Child, people love to talk about hey they BBQ or grill and it is definitely fun and a good time to swap war stories.  I always learn something whether it is a seasoned vet or a rookie just starting.  Something my family taught me.  Look at every opportunity as an opportunity to learn.  You never stop learning.

So, eventually, everyone went to bed and it was just me and VooDoo doing our thing.

Now, we did have a couple of visits from some local coyotes and that was fun.  They got about six feet away and just wanted to say hello.

The product turned out pretty good and more importantly, everyone enjoyed the food.

So thanks for having us out!  We really enjoyed the evening and morning and so glad you enjoyed the food.  So Detlef, happy birthday and we at Trinity BBQ hope you have plenty more!!!

Tell us about your best birthday meal.  We would love to hear.  

Keep on Smokin!!!!

More Bama BBQ!!

I travel a lot for work and happily, I travel almost exclusively in the South.  You can't beat the people , the weather, the history and of the food.  Southern cooking is just different.  It puts some meat on your bones and packs such amazing flavor.  I am in the South again today.  I am in Crimson Tide country (which I just tolerate because they have good BBQ!)  I went to a place today called Saw's BBQ.  It was recommended to me by some customers of mine.  I of course had to try it!

The place is small and looks just like an old BBQ joint, even though it is only 4 years old.  The ambience is awesome.  The food is better.  I had smoked chicken with a white sauce.  Amazing. Now if the sauce had not been on there, it wouldn't have been as good but it was on there so it rocked!  The rib I had was perfectly cooked.  Not too long but perfectly moist and tender.  The pulled pork was super tender.  Again, as usual in the deep South, pulled pork has to have a good sauce on it and this did.  It was a sauce that was a blend of Carolina  and Bama Q sauce.  Very tasty.  I of course tried their sausage.  It was just ok.  It tasted too much like breakfast sausage.  It was good but I would have it with breakfast, not lunch.

Overall, I have to say I loved this place.  Some of the better BBQ I have had outside of the Lone Star State in quite a while.  If you are in Birmingham, give it a try.  You won't be sorry!

City Slickers!!!

Normally when I say that, I am making some flippant reference to someone who thinks just because I am from Texas, I am a country bumpkin...ok will stop because I don't want to get off on a tangent but feel free to ask me about that and I will be happy to share!!

City Slickers this time refers to a great event where the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce gets together music, auction, food and good times to raise money for charity.  The event is a lot of fun and good times are always at hand there.  I was fortunate enough to be invited this year and to bring some good ol' BBQ to the fray.  This was my first large event where I got to cook a lot of food for people that don't know me.  So to say I was nervous is an understatement.

Nervous makes sense though.  There were probably 800 people there trying all kinds of different food.  Great local restaurants were in attendance and I tried amazing pork belly sliders from NeXt Wood Fired Bistro and Vino Bar  (thanks for all of the great convo Mr. Martinez) , great crab cakes from Mac's, tasty brats from Red Dog Right and way too many salted caramel cupcakes from LaSera Cupcake Bar.  I was next to seasoned veterans who have been to this type of rodeo more than once and they were all great.  It was great to get to meet people and get advice from them and them eagerly providing and offers of help in the future.  

I had the smoker blowin' and goin' for 12 hours Sunday night and produced over 100 lbs of smoked meat.  Yep, 100 pounds.  Needed about 20.  We are giving meat to friends, family, work and if you want any, call me!  The food was very well received.  People came back 4 or 5 times to sample the brisket, chicken and pork.  People were asking me where they could buy my sauces and where my restaurant was because in the words of several "I would be there every day!"  The event was a huge success and I am so fortunate to have attended and met so many wonderful people. 

A special thank you to everyone who donated to the victims of the West Explosion. We raised $150 that was added to a special fundraiser hosted by Man Up BBQ.   A special shout out to two special ladies for helping me make this happen.  One I have known a lifetime and one I have just gotten to know.  Thank you to both for helping me get this business smoking!!!  Another shout out to my graphic designer Ms. Deborah Faitt-Esker.  She designed some beautiful menus and they were a hit as well.  If you need some graphic artistry done, contact me and I will get you in touch with her.  And of course I have to thank my partner in crime.  She got the table designed, made our signs, made sure everything we needed was packed and most importantly, kept me sane!  Love you honey!

Thanks for reading and I look forward to doing this much more often.

Keep on Smokin!!!  

Birmingham BBQ!!!

Faithful readers, you all know I travel for work, a lot.  The travel does get a bit old for a lot of reasons but there is one good thing about it.  I get to try a lot of BBQ!!  I am in Birmingham, Alabama today.  I spent this evening meeting with a bunch of CIO's and of course I wanted to find out where I should eat.  They definitely provided plenty of options but the leader was a place called Jim -n-Nick's.  So you can just guess where I went tonight.  Yep, McDo....I can't even finish that.  I made a bee line for Jim -n- Nick's.

One thing I love about eating in the "South" is the prominence of pimento cheese.  I love pimento cheese!  I mean really love pimento cheese.  I tried the appetizer plate they had and it was awesome!  I mean who wouldn't love pimento cheese, cheese biscuits and hot links?  The pimento cheese had big chunks of pimento peppers and the perfect mix of mayo and cheese.  The hot links were 2 full sized sausage links.  Biggest appetizer you can imagine.   I asked the bartender Chris what I should get.  He knew I was from Texas (is that really a surprise?) and suggested the brisket and I told him, "thanks but I would like to eat what you are famous for" and he immediately said two types of pig!  Score!  I got the pulled pork and baby back ribs.  The pulled pork was very good.  Very moist.  Very flavorful.  They put the exact right amount of sauce on the pork.  They didn't drown it, which was great.  The ribs were good with a good flavor.  They were a bit dry but the flavor was good.  I did like the way they put a couple of pickles on top of each piece of pork.  

Chris did a great job of selling the desserts and while I am sitting here typing this I really wish I would of got some of that banana pudding to go!

Jim-n- Nick's is a must stop when you are visiting Birmingham.  I really liked it and the service was awesome.  So if you are wanting some BBQ and a good time, stop by.  You will be so glad you did.  

Tell me about your favorite BBQ place on a road trip.  Thanks for listening and Keep On Smokin'!!!!!

A Smoking Gun!

I know in these times mentioning a smoking gun is not politically correct but it is exactly the right thing to say.  I was caught in Houston yesterday and decided to drive home instead of fly.  I decided to take advantage of that and grab some BBQ.  (you are surprised by that, right?)  Right there on the side of I-45 is a gas station called Woody's Smokehouse.  I have been there several times and like it every time.  Woody's being a gas station has a ton of stuff, like jerky, homemade canned goods, and bagged candy and nuts.  They do have a very unique smoker which I have pictured below.  They are famous for their smoker as it is literally, a smoking gun!  The BBQ is good and is always consistent.  I would not say the BBQ is remarkable but it is good. I just had a chopped beef sandwich.  The portion was a good size but they were a little stingy with the sauce.  I would say that Woody's is a great place to go to get a good BBQ sandwich if you are on the move.  It will definitely hit the spot.

Tell me what your favorite roadside BBQ place is.  Let's hear from you and keep on smokin'!!!

So I Guess It Is Time

Hello faithful readers (feeling my Stephen King today).  I have been writing this blog for a while now and by now you all know how much I love Austin Texas.  I have made so many trips there and been to one BBQ place many times but never have reviewed it.  I thought it didn't need it but it is finally time.  So let's go.

Franklin's BBQ.  If you haven't heard of this place, you must either not be a BBQ fan or living under a rock.  This place is epic.  There are two great things about this place.  The food and the wait.  The food is beyond good.  I usually say things like well this was god but the sides were just ok.  Not here.  It is really all great.  Brisket is what I strive to match with my own twist.  The pulled pork was the best I have ever had.  Sorry Carolina.  The sausage is amazing.  And the sides?  Amazing.  Try the Tipsy Texan.  It is huge and awesome.  A friend was with me and she said that the Tipsy was not only the best bbq sandwich she had ever had but the best sandwich she had ever had.  So needless to say, the BBQ can not be beaten.  

Now the line....the line is long.  Very long. If you get there much later than 10:30 in the morning, you probably won't eat.  They serve the BBQ until it is gone.  Was in line at 9am and got close to the front (thank you Ellen).  But even though the wait is long, they open at 11, the wait is worth it and fun.  I have met people from all over the world.  Everyone comes to Franklin's to experience the greatness. So come on, how fun is that?  Meet great people, eat great food, and most likely you will get to meet the man himself, Aaron Franklin.  So get out to Franklin's and enjoy the best BBQ and atmosphere you will ever have.

Thanks for listening and keep on smokin'!

Finally!!!

Finally means two things in this little blog.  First, it means I finally got to eat some BBQ again.  I had a friendly little reminder from a person in a lab coat that maybe I should slow down on eating (not making) BBQ. So I did for a while so I FINALLY had some BBQ last week.  FINALLY Frisco Texas has some good BBQ. 

Shannon and I went to 3 Stacks Smoke and Tap House in Frisco last Friday.  I have to say that it was very good.  The ribs were awesome.  Dry rub but nice and sweet with a bit of a kick.  The beef sausage was ok but the jalapeño cheddar was incredible.  The beef sausage was just a bit dry but that can be expected.  The brisket was cooked perfectly with a nice smoke ring but I thought it could use more flavor.  It did need sauce so if you are a sauce fan, rock on. And speaking of sauces. They have two. Regular and spicy. Both are good but spicy could be spicier.  The pulled pork was good but needed sauce too but that is ok for pulled pork. The creamed corn was awesome as was the cucumber salad.  The potato salad, something a BBQ place should pride itself on, tasted like it came from a grocery store. 

Overall, this place is a great addition to a very weak BBQ presence North of Dallas.  3 Stacks, thanks for stepping up to the plate.  Shannon and I will definitely be back!!

Time to Testify!!!

Last weekend was a big weekend for a little girl in my life.  Well, she is 24 so not so little but always little to Dad.  It was her bday and she was moving to a new apartment (which is an awesome apartment and when she gets done decorating, it will look amazing.  She is really good at that stuff that Dad just doesn't care that much about.  :)  ).  A birthday and moving weekend so what better way to celebrate some big days than with BBQ, right?  I decided to take her and Shannon to a world famous BBQ place, Mt. Zion Baptist Church BBQ in Huntsville Texas.  Nicknamed Church BBQ. I have eaten there several times and it has won several awards as best BBQ in the state and the country.  We tried all they had to offer.  They got a new smoker recently and we were the first ones there so maybe that explains the so so fare.  The food is usually top notch but today it left a little to be desired.  The ambience is always cool because you are in the followship hall of a church.  The food was in no means bad but just not, "Wow!! This is great.  GIve me more."  The sauce was great and you get plenty of it when they smother the meat in it.  So if you want some Texas BBQ history, give Church BBQ a try.  Here are a couple of pics for ya....

Let me know some other famous Texas BBQ places to try and always.....

KEEP ON SMOKIN!!!!!!!

Happy BBQ oh, I Mean Bday!

What better occasion for a BBQ than a Bday? Right?  Well we headed to Austin last weekend for a birthday party for a good friend.  We brought the BBQ house!  First, being in Austin and BBQ'n for the first time is a little intimidating.  I mean, come on, Austin and the Hill Country is where Texas BBQ if not born, it was certainly perfected there.  I expected a tough a crowd and prepared my best.  I will say I think it went great!  Aside from me needing to take trailer parking lessons, the weekend was awesome.  The Hill Country definitely represented with sunny blue skies and perfect weather.  The BBQ was great.  I broke out two new recipes with a new sauce  (we are cutting back to two sauces and I think you will like them both!) and a beef sausage recipe.  Great reviews on both.  Very happy! I have of course put some pics below.  A wonderful photographer took them (thank you Deborah!) and I hope you enjoy them.

So happy birthday Robert! I hope you enjoyed the grub as I definitely enjoyed making it!!  Tell me what other events call for a good BBQ.  I was told a wedding this weekend.  What do you think?

Thanks for listening and KEEP ON SMOKIN!!!!

Houston BBQ

Today I was and still am in Houston.  If you have been reading this blog for long at all, you know when I travel I look for BBQ places.  Today I decided to try Pappa's BBQ, yes the same people behind Pappadeaux's and Pappasito's.  I tried them a long time ago and I have to say I wasn't too impressed.  I wanted to give them another chance and I am glad I did.  I tried the lunch special.  A half-chicken, sausage, salad and beans (Only 8 bucks too!!).  I also added a bit of brisket as I always try that anywhere I go.  Everything was very good.  One of the best sausages I have had in a long time.  The chicken was simple but moist and flavorful.  Brisket was ok.  A little bland but very tender.  So you are probably thinking "Dude!  How much do you eat?!"  Well, I just tried it and had leftovers for dinner tonight.  I am trying to eat better and writing a blog about BBQ makes that tough but I am doing my best! 

So there ya go.  If you are in Houston or in Dallas, give Pappa's BBQ a try.  it is definitely worth it.  Check out this link so you can see where your closest one is and check out the menu.  Here is a picture for ya too!!

So I hope you give them a try and always....  KEEP ON SMOKIN'!!!!

The Q Card!!

Trinity BBQ is moving on up, just like the Jeffersons!  I have recently become an affiliate for the Q Card.  The Q Card is a great program where you can buy a Q Card and then get excellent discounts on BBQ all over the state of Texas.  Go check out TheQCard.com.  Here you can not only get great discounts but find excellent BBQ restaurants, equipment and caterers like me.  Please check out my page on the Q card website at http://theqcard.com/affiliates/trinity-bbq-allen-tx/  

If you want to buy a Q Card, let me know and I can help with that too.  If you get a Q Card, I am offering a 10% discount to any Q Card holder.  So give me a shout.  Check out theQcard.com and KEEP ON SMOKIN'!!!!

BBQ Time is All Year

Sitting here at the Gulfport Airport looking out the window at a dreary rainy day.  You would imagine I am thinking about having a nice hot soup or something like that.  You could not be more wrong.  Seems like a perfect day for BBQ to me!  So many people think that BBQ is only good for Spring time or Early Fall or tailgating but I think BBQ time is anytime.  Great food and great times should be had all year long.  No need to specify the month of May to be the best time for BBQ.  Ya want to know the best time for BBQ?  I will tell you right now.  ANYTIME!!!!  

So even if you have snow on the ground or are on a sunny beach in Florida (you know who you are and I wish I was with you!), dig a hole in that beach sand and drop down some coals or brush off that snow and use that fire to warm up.  Get your tail to cooking!  Anytime is a great time for smoking and BBQ so get to it!  I know I am.

Let me know what you are making this weekend.  Would love to hear.

KEEP ON SMOKIN!!!!!

I'm Back!!!

So I have been out of pocket for a while and now I am back.  Look for regular blogs from me. If I haven't traveled to  a new BBQ spot, look for opinions on BBQ tools or rubs or sauces or I just may ramble on about Texas.  You never know.  So let me know some things you want to talk about.  Let's see what kind of stuff we can't get going on this internet thing.

I did have a BBQ over the holidays.  Had a little soiree for my daughter who recently graduated from Sam Houston State.  It was definitely a good time and I have finally perfected my sausage recipe.  I think my menu is complete now.  Take a gander at what we did!

So anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics and I hope everyone had a great holiday!!

Talk to you again soon and Keep on Smokin!!!