Smoqued BBQ - Orange, CA

Smoqued BBQ
128 N Glassell St.
Orange, CA 92866

smoquedbbq.com

When you think of Southern California and being behind the Orange Curtain, one doesn't think of barbecue.  However, I've got to tell you that there is a place that has some really interesting things going on (aside from the spelling of the name) and that is Smoqued.

  The first thing that got my attention was the menu.  They have some really interesting items. Like this...

HANGOVER BURGER brisket burger topped with roasted red peppers, arugula, cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, a fried egg, spicy aioli and served on texas toast.

I went for the Pork Belly Sandwich with a side of Chili Mac which is their Texas Brisket Chili layered over with Mac and Cheese. 

The pork belly sandwich is sliced smoked pork belly, dijon aioli, fresh arugula and bourbon pickled peppers on toasted bun.

This was smoked well, tasty and delicious. I choose to eat the greens as a salad and the sandwich without all of the extra stuff.

That is one thing about California barbecue, is there will be a lot more ingredients on the food and more complex tastes going on.  Now I don't mind it if it's done well and this is a pretty good run.

Here is the whole plate as served (to go) but with the Chili Mac.  I wasn't quite so enamored with the Brisket Chili.  I find that brisket should be brisket and chili should be chili.  This melding of the two worlds didn't work as well as I hoped.  

Now for the sauces...

They have 3 different sauces there.

SMOQUED HOUSE SAUCE -traditional American BBQ sauce with smoqued seasonings and a hint of sweetness.

CALIFORNIA GOLD SAUCE - deep rich mustard flavor with a slight vinegar finish at the end.

HABANERO RASPBERRY - sweet and smoky with a spicy finish that will give you a small kick of heat.

The gold was my least favorite but the Habanero Raz actually had it's moments and the house sauce was pretty good too.

So if you are ever in the neighborhood of Orange, CA, don't be afraid to stop in to Smoqued BBQ.  You just might be surprised.

Hill Country BBQ Market - New York City

Hill Country BBQ Market
30 W 26th St.
New York, NY
212.255.4544

http://hillcountry.com/nyc/

Pete Wells of the New York Times says  
"The moist brisket, along with beef and pork ribs that carry a similarly peppery, crunchy top layer, show Hill Country’s rotisserie barbecue pits at their finest. The restaurant is a state-of-the-art Manhattan homage to the preindustrial craft of Texas barbecue."

While I'm always cautiously curious to claims of Texas style BBQ outside of Texas, they do hold true to the Texas approach to barbecue.  Dry rub, low and slow and served by the pound on butcher paper.

If you live in the NYC area and wanted to try Texas barbecue without getting on a plane, this would be a good place to start and find out if it's worth getting on a plane to get the real stuff.  Yes that means that I don't consider this top tier.  However, it is the right approach and they do a darn good job.  However it is pricey.  That at least stays true to what is expected of NYC dining.

I tried some brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork and ribs. Along with that their collard greens and beans. They serve you white bread by the slice (very authentic) and a glass of iced tea from the bar.

You request your portions by the pound (or by the rib count in my case) and the sides had different sizes.

The brisket was indeed moist, tender and flavorful.  The pulled pork was just as good. In a more Texas tradition the pulled pork is not pre-sauced.  A good choice for this pork.  The burnt ends were nice and flavorful if a bit salty but not too crusty.  The ribs had a very good smoke and were tasty if a bit tough.

My list would be...
Burnt Ends
Pulled Pork
Brisket
Ribs

Again, all of the meat was flavorful and tasty.  The beans had a good low/slow texture and the greens were just as good.  The sauce was good but a little strong with the flavors.

It's very typical for Texans to make individual sandwiches from a slice of white bread, some meat and sauce.  I found that the burnt ends had a briny bite to them so I made a little bit sized sandwich out of it.  This took away some of the salty edge but it also tamed the flavor a bit. It allows the sauce and meat to blend into a more subtler combination.  Now it did take away of little of the spices. However, you may find that you get more than you lose by doing this.

I found that I preferred their meats between some bread with a small amount of sauce. Any more sauce and it would have over powered the meat.

I think you'll find a good offering of Texas style barbecue here at Hill Country however it won't be cheap.  That paper full of meat that you see, with 2 medium sides and an iced tea was over $60.  Now this is enough meat for 2 at least...but still.  It's a bit steep knowing that this back home would be a lot cheaper.

Although, it's cheaper than a plane ticket to God's country.

Enjoy.