4 Wall NJ BBQ - Moonachie, NJ

4 Wall NJ
35 State St.
Moonachie, NJ 07074
https://www.4wall.com/

No your not seeing things and I haven't gone crazy.  4 Wall NJ does an annual open house and serves barbecue.  I didn't start off with the intent of reviewing this spread but it's a real industry event and I just couldn't resist as the quality of this food needs to be shared.

Brian Dowd is the pitmaster and has a lot of support from many lighting industry folks that all share a passion for the pork...or chicken or beef or whatever you want to cook up.  A tent goes up 2 days and houses several different smokers and cookers. It's an amazing operation as Brian and the crew cook for 36-40 hours straight! 

This is a chicken cooker from Meadow Creek that sandwiches 1/2 chickens in between grates and gives the cooker the ability to flip the rack on a center pivot to evenly cook the birds.  This is very popular in the Maryland / Delaware area for beach / backyard cookouts.

This picture is mid "flip" when Brian was rotating the birds.

Brian had a full pig being cooked in the La Caja China cooker.  It simulates cooking a pig in the ground as many cultures do.

Brian and company cooked 1 whole pig, 10 pork butts, 72 racks and ribs and I don't know how much brisket.  This was a lot of meat folks.

Brian would partially cook the racks the night before and then do a finishing smoke before being served.  It helps move the process along.

Now for the finished goods...

These ribs were top notch.  The are smoked in a dry rub but finished with a glazing. 

The chicken had a very good flavor.  Twangy but not overpowering.  Very evenly cooked in that Meadow Creek griller.

You can see the full smoke ring on the ribs. They were tender and tasty.

 

Brian did a few batches of burnt ends.  This is not your typical cut off from the brisket, these are cubes of smokey marinated goodness.  They were absolutely amazing.

 

And now for the pig.  

Brian took the pig and pulled the meat for serving.  Excellent flavor and smoke.  

This is an amazing event that 4 Wall pulls off every year.  My hat is off to Brian and the crew that make this such a successful event.  Now for the order...

Burnt Ends
Ribs
Pulled Pork

I already can't wait for next year.

Mission BBQ - Columbia, MD

Mission BBQ

6270 Columbia Crossing Circle

Columbia, MD 21045

http://mission-bbq.com/ 

 

Mission has only been around since 2011 but they are doing something right as they have good barbecue, lots of locations and are expanding fast.

 

 

I've had good experience with Mission.  Every place looks the same but the quality of the cue maintains a high standard.  They also have a passion for supporting the military.  

 

 

 Now down to business...the cue. There is a lot of good energy at Mission.  Workers are busy and seem to be happy to be there.  The energy is almost like that of In and Out.  There's a sense of urgency here and everyone is there to make sure you have a good meal.

 

 

 

There are lots of options here and I got a 3 meat sampler of ribs, brisket and sausage along with green beans, beans and cornbread. Everything comes served on a tray without any worries of cross-flavoring.  The sausage was a step above normal.  Very good indeed. Brisket was good and tender with the proper amount of smoke.  The ribs were nice and smokey.  More cured than cooked and mighty tasty.  The green beans were flavorful and the beans were reminiscent of a cowboy bean and very good.  Cornbread was a little sweet but good as well.

 

The interesting thing about Mission is the sauces.  They have 6 different flavors of barbecue sauce here.  It's an amazing offering.

 

 

 The heritage of the sauces stem from the south and midwest.  There is influence from Kansas City, Texas, Memphis, Maryland's crab world and Mississippi.  Nothing is too mustardy or vinegary leaving out the Carolinas in this barbecue road trip.

 

 

 There is Texas Twang (good tomato based sauce), Smokey Mountain (very smokey), Memphis Belle, (definitely on the sweet side)...

 

 

 ...KC Classic (layered flavor), Bay-B-Cue (crab boil influenced), and Tupolo Heat/Honey (sweet heat).  

 

All of the sauces had their highs and lows.  As I was tasting them with different meats I realized that I was drifting toward parings.  Trying to find the right sauce to go with the right meat.  Now if you want to make a career out of barbecue, spend the time trying to get that right.  I will need several more meals here to identify the correct parings of barbecue sauce with Mission's meats.  Now just because I didn't get it done in one sitting doesn't mean I didn't enjoy trying.

 

The list is as follows...

 

Sausage

Brisket

Ribs

 

Again...this place is good enough that just because the Ribs are at the bottom of the list, doesn't mean they are not bone lickin' good because they are.

 

So find the nearest Mission BBQ, drop by and enjoy.  You'll be glad you did.    

  

 

Sonny Bryan's BBQ - DFW Airport

Sonny Bryan's BBQ
DFW Airport - Terminal E
http://www.sonnybryans.com/

By now, most of you probably understand that there are different levels of barbecue.  Airport barbecue is often a whole different level of low quality food.  I've had the pleasure of eating Sonny Bryan's barbecue at different locations, including the original on Inwood Rd in Dallas.  That smoker has been there since the beginning and it's well worth it.  Once you get away from the original, it's not the same.  And this airport location is definitely the worst of Sonny Bryan's locations.  But that's if you judge it by Texas barbecue standards.  If you judge it by airport barbecue standards...well...it does fair a bit better but this is nothing more than the low side of average.

 

I got the combo plate with ribs, brisket and sausage.  The sides were beans and okra.  Now to be fair,  grabbed the cue and boarded the plane so I didn't eat it right away.  I waited until I was at 30,000 feet to sample this airport fare.  While that didn't help much, I get the feeling that it didn't hurt much either.

 

The ribs were just okay.  The brisket was lacking in flavor and a little dry.  The sausage was pretty commercial and just average.  The beans were better than most and the okra was probably better hot. The sauce was good and even tasty soaked up in the roll which was the best thing on the plate.

Based on what I ate, the order would be...

Sausage
Ribs
Brisket

I hope there were no real surprises here in this review.  It was worth trying it but it's just possible that my next trip to DFW, I'll get airport chinese instead.

Bedlam BBQ - Oklahoma City, OK

Bedlam BBQ
610 NE 50th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105

http://www.bedlambarbq.com/

The name Bedlam comes from the intense rivalry of Oklahoma University (OU) and Oklahoma State University (OSU). This restaurant has been around since 2003 and is in a location central to the forgotten homes of many founding pioneers of this community. Bedlam BBQ is well known within the OKC community and is deserving of a taste test to see if it is worthy of it's heritage.

The parking lot was packed at lunch and that's always a good sign.  When you walk up to the front door, you are greeted with this custom mosaic at the entrance.

One only hopes that local flavor in the decor translates into the care and feeding of it's customers.

Once inside, you order at the register, get a number, fill up on iced tea and have a seat.  The inside is rustic and they have a fabulous outdoor seating area.

We waited patiently while our food was prepared. Every time the waitress walked by I looked for that gleam in her eye as she located our number. I was disappointed several times as she delivered lunch to others. But the wait was finally rewarded when she headed straight toward us with a couple of heapin' plates of barbecue just for us.

  

This is how my 3 meat combo arrived.  All the meat piled under the Texas toast with collard greens and beans adorned with a pickle, onions and a pepper.

Removing the bread exposed the treasure awaiting my consumption.

They have several meat options to choose from.  I selected ribs, sliced brisket and hot links.  They do have turkey and sausage (different than the hot links).  So now I dig in...

I started with the hot links since most places don't have hot links, I was very curious as to how they would stand up to my comparison to sausage.  The consistency of the meat and flavor were good and fairly typical for a barbecue sausage.  However the spice level was solid.  I would say that it was a little too hot for my taste.  I usually judge hotness by one criteria...does it get in the way of enjoying the meal.  And this did for me.  Not terribly but again, it was hot enough to get in the way.  Not my preference.  The brisket was solid.  Good smoke ring. Good flavor.  Not quite as moist as some brisket but I won't knock it down for that.  The ribs were very very good.  Great smoke ring as you can see.  Tender...solid flavor and very enjoyable.

The sauce they had was good as well. Traditional tomato base.  I actually had a hard time determining the level of spice in the sauce as I used it to cut the spice of the hot link.  I have to admit, because the hot link flavor was so good, I kept popping the links and adding more spice so I kept adding sauce to compensate and there I was in this dysfunctional epicureal loop.  Not a bad way to spend lunch.

The sides were not disappointing.  The greens were good.  Straight up flavor and not to overcooked.  They still had some body to them.  The beans.  Definitely smokey and full flavored.  

My order of preference would be...

Ribs

Hot Link

Brisket

Even with the extra hotness, I found the hot links hard to put down.  Again the brisket was good and I feel that it's a bit unfair to place it at the bottom but don't skip the brisket because of that.

A solid lunch and exactly what the doctor ordered.

Rudy's BBQ - Allen, Texas

Rudy's BBQ
1790 N. Central Expy.
Allen, Texas 75002
(214) 383-5353

www.rudysbbq.com

Rudolf Aue opened a country store in Leon Springs, Texas (in the Hill Country) several decades ago.  In 1989 he added barbecue to the offering and Rudy's BBQ was born.  I've been to the Leon Springs location several times and it's a special place.  An oasis of meat NW of San Antonio in a desolate landscape of highway extending into West Texas.

 

With the success of the original location and a budding online sales counter, Rudy's began expanding.  San Antonio, Austin, Waco, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque and others began appearing.  One of the Dallas locations is in Allen and it's one of my favorites.  Not only holding true to the history of Rudy's by having a gas station, but the barbecue trucks give it that extra special lift.

After entering, you go thru the serpentine line with loads of open and iced soft drink cases. Pull out your favorite long neck of Shiner, Dr. Pepper or Big Red and get in line to order up some good grub.

We selected moist brisket (you have your choice of moist or lean), ribs and sausage (either regular or jalapeno cheese) with beans, corn and macaroni salad.  There is a menu but it just mostly telling them what items and how much you want.  For Texas barbecue, this is the way it's supposed to be.

The order taker calls out your meat order (much like an old diner waitress calling out to the short order cook), only this goes to the meat cutter.  He pulls the meat out of the smoker, cuts off what is ordered and the order taker serves it up on butcher paper inside a plastic tote.  The last thing is selection of white or wheat bread.  White bread is the traditional choice and is just God's napkin for getting every drop of Rudy's barbecue flavor when sucking down this fabulous meal.

On your way to the dining area where there are tons of picnic tables, you stop at the drink counter for iced tea or fountain drinks as well as the relish counter where you get pickles, onions and peppers.  Napkins are in wall dispensers on your way to the table.  On the table resides whiskey bottles of Rudy's barbecue sauce with speed pours for shooting.

There are two kinds of Rudy's sauce...regular and "Sissy Sauce". It's a bit milder than the regular although I would not call their regular sauce "spicy".

Now let's get down to the barbecue.

Everything and I do mean everything here is above average.  The moist brisket is outstanding.  Exactly what it is supposed to be.  The ribs are exceptionally flavored and done just right.  The sausage is firm yet tender and smoked just right.  I'm more of a fan of the regular sausage over the jalapeno.  My mouth is watering just looking at this picture of the brisket and remembering how it tastes.

Not only is the meat exceptional but the beans...ah...the beans.  This is what it's supposed to be.  These are not baked, sugary, sweet navy or white beans.  This are pinto beans cooked with pork.  Straight up Texas beans.  The creamed corn is also very good but I can't stop thinking about those beans...

So here is my list in priority order of favorites...

Moist Brisket.  Absolutely outstanding.  Just exactly what Texas barbecue should be.
Pork Ribs.  These are straight up some of the best ribs out there.
Sausage.  Very solid...very good.
Beans.  Can't say enough about the beans.

So if you are ever near Allen, Texas, or San Antonio or Austin for that matter, do yourself a favor and have lunch or dinner at Rudy's BBQ.  It will be one of the best barbecue meals you will ever have.

The Salt Lick BBQ- Driftwood, TX

The Salt Lick BBQ
18300 Farm to Market Rd 1836
Driftwood, Texas 78619
http://saltlickbbq.com/

If you have read my previous posts you will see my diatribe regarding City BBQ vs Country BBQ.  The Salt Lick is the real deal and is Country BBQ.  They have an absolutely gorgeous location in the heart of the Hill Country down south of Austin and it's sprawling and spectacular.

A hostess meets you outside and walks you in (assuming there is not a waiting list). When it's very busy they often have a band playing outside and drinks available (sorry, it's BYO...) to make the time pass easier.

When you walk inside the first thing you pass is the warming rack.  It's chocked full of quality meats.  Ribs, sausage hanging like icicles and briskets just staked up like cord wood. It's quite a site.

There is never a reason to look at the menu here.  They have an all you can eat option that I call..."Bring it". That's all you need to know (until we get to desert...more on that later).

When the platter of meat arrives, this is what you get.

 I'm telling you that this is likely to be one of the most satisfying barbecue experiences that you will ever have.

The sausage is firm and tasty.  The brisket is lean, meaty and fresh regardless of the time of day that you arrive.  The ribs are fall of the bone good.  While they dry rub the ribs they do apply a bit of sauce late in the process which gives them a very tasty glaze.

 The sides come with beans, cole slaw and German potato salad along with fabulous pull-apart bread, pickles and fresh onion.  This may sound simple but true bbq lovers understand having lots of raw onion on the table with the meal.  The German potato salad speaks to the true heritage of South Texas settlements and the cole slaw is not too mayo-ee or too vinager-ee.  It's just right.

It's really hard to place the meats in any order as that would mean that #3 is being treated unfairly.  However if I must, I must..

Ribs.
Brisket
Sausage

Others might disagree with that order and I would have to say yes...you are right with whatever order you assign to the priority of the meats.

Now let's talk about the sauce.  Their sauce is unique and off the charts.  It's definitely got more mustard in it but it's NOT a Carolina mustard sauce.  It's also not a traditional heavily tomato based Texas sauce.  It totally works and compliments the meats without overwhelming anything it touches.

The pull apart bread is great dipped in a bit of their sauce.

And the best part is they just keep bringing more food as long as you request it.  It's absolute bbq heaven.

Now for desert.  They had pecan pie and 2 kinds of cobbler.  Blackberry and peach.  I got 1/2 and 1/2 of each cobbler.  Again just heaven.  It's truly what my Momma would have made.

If you are ever within driving range of Austin, get down to The Salt Lick in Driftwood (or Dripping Springs or Buda...whatever your map or GPS says....do yourself a favor and take the opportunity to put a smile on your face.  It's thoroughly sorenthifying. 

The County Line Barbecue - San Antonio, Texas

The County Line Barbecue
111 W. Crocket St. #104
San Antonio, Texas
http://www.countyline.com

While in San Antonio recently, I had the pleasure of grabbing lunch at the County Line, one of San Antonio's chain barbecue restaurants.

Since it was lunch I went for a simpler choice.  A sausage sandwich and a side of corn on the cob.  I've eaten here many times before and found the experience and quality of the food to be consistent. This is city barbecue and not country barbecue.  I'll explain...

City barbecue is based around a desire to make good quality food but make it accessible and to make money at it.  If you can't make money at it, then it won't happen. Now I'm all about making money but that's the top priority.

Country barbecue is born solely out of the love of the meat.  This is about the passion of cooking and sharing what you do.  If others like it...great. If that don't...that's their problem.  Country barbecue has more heart, flavor and character.  Now city barbecue isn't limited to the city and country barbecue limited to the country. It's not about location, it's about the core of the idea of the meat.  It's about the owner of the restaurant answering the question, why are we here?

City barbecue can be just fine for a quick lunch to break up your day but it's not going to curl your toes.  The County Line is good barbecue. It's just fine.  The sausage had a good feel and taste. It wasn't mushy and had good flavor.  The corn had a little paprika sprinkled onto it and was slightly overcooked. The sauce was pretty okay too.  Nothing really memorable but straight up.

However I will likely find myself eating here again the next time I'm in town, on the Riverwalk and hankerin' for some cue.

The Real Food Company - Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Real Food
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Houston, Texas

The Real Food Company is a cafeteria style restaurant inside the terminal of George Bush Intercontinental Airport.  It serves freshly made foods of many different styles.  As usual, I tend to steer towards the barbecue.  Today is no exception.

Not unexpected, there were several people in line waiting for 'cue and the viewing of the meat and sides behind the glass IS appetizing. Watching the server pile up the meat, sides and sauce would get any meat lovers juices flowing.

 Now I'm not going to say this is the best part of the experience but I will say that I've learned to temper my expectations based on the location, style and environment.

1st of all...I'm in an airport.  Airport food has a history of being quick, cheap and bad. Things are getting better...slowly but there are fewer chains at many airports and more regional offerings.  This is definitely better although it usually comes at a prices.  Airport food is more expensive because it can be. They have a captive audience. But back to the BBQ at Real Foods.

The server is not of the BBQ world.  He/she is just an airport worker and they only detract from any sort of real BBQ experience.  They are slopping food on a tray like an Army Corporal in M*A*S*H.  I opted for the 2 meat plate.  Ribs and sliced brisket.  Then sides of beans and mac & cheese.  These were just slopped on top of one another AND on top of the brisket.  Sauce was liberally applied to both meats prior to the addition of the sides.

The ribs were actually real food barbecue. Not the best I've had but it was definitely barbecue. So wa the brisket.  Not much smoke flavor but that could have been all of the beans/sauce/cheese getting in the way.  Good smoke ring though.  The beans were comparable to canned beans and the mac and cheese was typical for catering. The sauce is no better than grocery store Kraft bottled sauce.

Maybe I'm too lenient but being in an airport, I don't really expect much.  This is better than many chain barbecue places but not nearly as good as most spots you would find in Houston off airport.

So if you find yourself flying through Houston and have a real hankerin' for barbecue, go ahead and dive in, just understand that it's still in an airport.