Gotta take this opportunity to recommend a custom built option. This guy hooked me up with a real nice one for the casual user. http://www.texasbestpits.com/ http://www.texasbestpits.com/fullsizepits.htm he's even shipped a couple of these to Aussie-land (want a pit Smeg?)
Hold it, hold it, hold it right there. I am a smoker, the best there is. I do add a little sauce at the very end to add a little flavor, but my brisket can stand alone if you prefer. Get your facts straight, HP As for the smoker, it's the cook, not the cooker that makes a difference. Before I bought the hondo, I smoked dozens of briskets on my Weber kettle.
That's pretty sweet Rockets2K. It saddens me to know that I had a bigger one in college and sold it for only $450! What a moron! Oh well....I had bought it for $400 and I sold it to a friend, so I guess I shouldn't complain. That bad boy there is $3,500....... a nice grill to be sure, but that's a pretty stiff price tag.
Behad - I miss my old Weber, kind of like my old Schwinn with the fat tires and comfortable seat. HP - Walsh is one of my favorite food writers, so it is disappointing (but not too surprising) to learn he is a snob. Oh well ... I loved the book, and there were some great pics. Speaking of East Texas style brisket, have anyone made it to Thelma's yet? I didn't go after Walsh wrote about her last summer, and now I am reluctant to go because I understand that (after two tv specials on her place) the lines are out the door. Brings to mind something about "nobody goes there anymore, its too crowded." I will also agree with HP about contest cooking. I wish I could throw my gimme cap into the ring and claim to have a prize winning brisket, but, like my golf game, I very rarely have the time to smoke a brisket properly. My wife's oven brisket is also a killer, which saps my motivation to smoke all day. Nobody complains about my smoked chicken or ribs though. My speciality is a grilled dish. Chunks of chicken, onion, red pepper, pineapple, asparagus and mushroom, marinated in pineapple juice, balsamic vinegar and Wishbone Italian with a variety of secret herbs and spices (in other words, whatever floats your boat). Serve it over rice pilaf. Ymmmmmm. Any other favorite grilled/smoked dishes out there? Give it up, people.
true, I think the only reason it is that much is because of the thickness of the metal he uses..also it's harder for an independent builder to beat the prices of companies. but still.. you can get an independent builder to custom make one to your specifications whereas I don't believe you have that option with the better known companies. red, it really doesnt matter what you use..as said before..it is the cook, not the equipment that determines successful meat smoking.. I use to cook up some real hum-dingers with just a webber kettle and a bullet shaped water smoker. one other thing...real cooks dont need a bunch of stinkin sauce...I prefer to do without...just use a nice spice marinade to soak the meat in for a few hours beforehand.
Forgot one key ingredient in the marinade. Molasses, lots of it. You can use honey if you don't have molasses.
Anybody want to put their money where their smoker is? I don't mean just a simple BBS contest, but instead, come to the League City Village Fair and enter. The link is for this year's event, but the BBQ link on that page has not been updated. I'll be there in the brisket and ribs categories.
There are 2 places thought that have contest caliber ribs. Wy wife is originally from Longview, and Bodacious BBQ has unbelievable ribs, and the other place (the name escapes me now) is in Tyler.
"The Country Tavern" is the other place. The lady who is one of the owners was killed in a car accident last week. FWIW, "The World's Most Dangerous Bull" in bull riding history as of 2 years agao had only 6 rides completed on him out of 135. It was named "Bodacious" after the resturants.
thanks everyone for the advice. i think ill stick with the hondo. now i have to find me a reliable butcher down at the market place. and thanks for the book recommendation pipe. i think ill order it today. in a couple of years when i get my resturant up and running you are all invited to visit seattle and have a free meal.
Pole, Have you ever gone or tasted contest fajitas? I haven't. While I like mine, I don't know much what other people do versus what restaurants have. Some of them seem to have a Worchestershire/steak sauce flavor. What would you consider a prize fajita? Does anyone smoke it versus grill? What I want to do is enter the Austin hot sauce contest that Robb Walsh founded. I have a plan for the red-division that I'm going to start testing as soon as the homegrown tomato season begins. Here's a tip: Robb say that the smoked-flavored ones are the only ones with a legitimate chance to win. And of course, everyone uses Heirloom tomatos. Some guy has been winning every year, and under blind tasting rules. If I were a judge, I wouldn't be selecting a "smokey" salsa, as I think it's like letting a stout take away grand prize honors in beer making every year. Making a perfect 4 ingredient salsa is easier said than done, like making a prized pilsner. The smokiness can border on cheating to blend up a bunch of extra spices. If that wins, well...I got some French secrets to sneak into that salsa. Clear the table!! hehe another Robb questionable comment: He said he thinks they add a chipotle to their salsas, besides smoking the ingredients. Anyone ever add an entire chipotle to a quart of salsa?
I went to the New Braunfels website but there doesnt seem to be an option for buying one, just descriptions on products. Where can I buy it.
In Houston, you cannot get ribs that are any better than the ones at Williams Brothers Smokehouse in Acres Homes. I would stack those ribs up against any BBQ ribs in the country. Thelma's in the 3rd Ward is pretty awesome as well, but their ribs aren't as good as Williams Brothers. Plus, you can get a whole rack of ribs at Williams Brothers for $13.
