Texas Gluttony

[fifi]

chemprof... If you have not been properly welcomed to eGullet as of yet, let me extend that welcome.

Hey chefrodrigo... If you guys can actually bring real BBQ to Portland you are true heroes. It would be a real hoot to go to Portland and say that I had really fine BBQ. I am so glad that you did your "Tour of Texas" in your quest. All of my best to you on your new venture.

(But where are you going to get mesquite?)

[ExtraMSG]

Hey fifi, not to pick nits, but we have real Q in Portland, just maybe not great Q. But I'm eagerly awaiting their start.

Edited April 28, 2004 by ExtraMSG (log)

[chefrodrigo]

chemprof... If you have not been properly welcomed to eGullet as of yet, let me extend that welcome.

Hey chefrodrigo... If you guys can actually bring real BBQ to Portland you are true heroes. It would be a real hoot to go to Portland and say that I had really fine BBQ. I am so glad that you did your "Tour of Texas" in your quest. All of my best to you on your new venture.

(But where are you going to get mesquite?)

Oak

We're central Texans.

I hope you get to Portland. That would cause a great feast in the PNW.

Rodney

[ExtraMSG]

Several of us got a pre-taste of chefrodrigo's Q this evening. It was quite tasty and everyone seemed to enjoy it a lot. There was beef brisket, pork ribs, and.....wait for it, wait for it....lamb ribs. They're using great quality meat that I was a little suspicious of at first, but now I can see why.

I think they're already right at the top of the heap (and the meat is even re-heated, I'd love to have a chance to taste it right after it has rested). But the most promising thing was that Rodney wasn't satisfied with the results tonight. If he's planning on making it even better, we here in Portland are all going to have to go on low-carb diets for fear of becoming a town of weebles.

Anyway, thought you Texans that followed his thread might be interested in a few pics:

[franktex]

Looks like it could have been smoked right here in Austin! I'll bet there's some great, local micros somewhere nearby, too, eh?

[Holly Moore]

OK.

Let's say someone was so inspired by these photos that he decided to hop in his car in mid May and head to Texas.

The plan: Build endurance with a couple of days in Memphis, and three days in New Orleans and then devote a week to eating one's (my) way across Texas.

The goal: Return home overfed and well versed in barbecue, chicken fried steak and other Texan fare, with minors in hot dogs and hamburgers. And, of course breakfast. Good ol' down home breakfasts.

Following in chefrodrigo's footsteps is definitely a great start. But Texas is kinda big and kinda spread out. I'm looking for a plan of attack. Starting off from New Orleans and ending up somewhere in NE Texas seven days later.

Thanks for your ideas.

[Jaymes]

OK.

Let's say someone was so inspired by these photos that he decided to hop in his car in mid May and head to Texas.

The plan: Build endurance with a couple of days in Memphis, and three days in New Orleans and then devote a week to eating one's (my) way across Texas.

The goal: Return home overfed and well versed in barbecue, chicken fried steak and other Texan fare, with minors in hot dogs and hamburgers. And, of course breakfast. Good ol' down home breakfasts.

Following in chefrodrigo's footsteps is definitely a great start. But Texas is kinda big and kinda spread out. I'm looking for a plan of attack. Starting off from New Orleans and ending up somewhere in NE Texas seven days later.

Thanks for your ideas.

Step one: Buy a copy of Robb Walsh's book: Legends of Texas Barbeque

Step two: PM Robb and let him know you're coming.

We'll get to the rest of the steps after you've accomplished the first two.

[chefrodrigo]

OK.

Let's say someone was so inspired by these photos that he decided to hop in his car in mid May and head to Texas. 

The plan: Build endurance with a couple of days in Memphis, and three days in New Orleans and then devote a week to eating one's (my) way across Texas. 

The goal: Return home overfed and well versed in barbecue, chicken fried steak and other Texan fare, with minors in hot dogs and hamburgers.  And, of course breakfast.  Good ol' down home breakfasts.

Following in chefrodrigo's footsteps is definitely a great start.  But Texas is kinda big and kinda spread out.  I'm looking for a plan of attack.  Starting off from New Orleans and ending up somewhere in NE Texas seven days later.

Thanks for your ideas.

Step one: Buy a copy of Robb Walsh's book: Legends of Texas Barbeque

Step two: PM Robb and let him know you're coming.

We'll get to the rest of the steps after you've accomplished the first two.

Good plan. Robb was kind enough to give me some tips for my trip.

Rodney

[nessa]

Step three. Forget the car and walk :P Unless you have the metabolism of a hummingbird.....

In any case, I've been *Dying* for some good 'cue since reading and drooling over this topic. I'm new to Dallas so I'm not real sure where the good stuff is, and I HATE HATE HATE to be dissapointed when it comes to barbecue. I think its time to teach myself to *really* cook barbecue well, and to develop my own sauce. In my mind's eye, and stomach for that matter, the best barbecue ever was from this place in Roan's Prairie, on the left side of the road if you were headin' from Bryan to Huntsville. It was housed in a little gas station that changed hands and went downhill. We wept. Their sauce was what I grew up thinking that barbecue sauce was supposed to be like. It was thin, but not runny, spicy, vinigary and a touch sweet. Ambrosia. Grandma always wanted the sausage, Papa John always wanted brisket, but especially the beef tip end thingies.

I'd love to be able to re-create that flavor and wallow in the nostalgia again. Over the hill to Grandmother's house we go... But we HAVE to stop in Roan's Prairie on the way!

Chef Rodrigo, you will bring smiles to all the southern folk who have been missing some really good barbecue. And you will introduce the rest of them to a whole new world of goodness and obsession. I'm not knocking other regions' 'cue, but you tend to fixate on what you grow up with, and its reallllllly hard to beat good Texas 'cue. Lord knows I didn't have it in me to appreciate what they called barbecue up in Chicago. But then, I don't appreciate what they call pizza down here, either.

Edited May 1, 2004 by nessa (log)

[Jaymes]

Lord knows I didn't have it in me to appreciate what they called barbecue up in Chicago. But then, I don't appreciate what they call pizza down here, either.

Them's some true words. To be sure.

[chefrodrigo]

Well it's been 3 years. After working the local farmers markets with a trailer pit and one night a week at a friends restaurant I've finally opened my own restaurant. We've been open since November and so far it's quite a hit.

But, I've been working 80 hours a week for the last 5 months and I decided I need a break. So the wife and I are coming back for "mini gluttony part II" at the end of May. I say mini gluttony because I plan on sitting by the pool at the Austin Motel and drinking margaritas at Guerros for at least half of each day.

Any new places in town? I hear John Mueller shut his place down??

Can't wait to get back to Texas.

Rodney

[franktex]

First of all, you probably won't recognize the place. There's cranes all over downtown, erecting tons of high rise residential buildings to house God knows who. The Intel building is nearly gone (it got blowed up real good!), and The Austin Motel is now part of the up-scale SOCO (South Congress, just in case). But never fear, Guero's is still there, along with a few new places nearby:

Home Slice Pizza-gets rave reviews

Woodland-form the folks that brought you Starlight;

Enoteca (next to, and owned by Vespaio)-Italian deli/lunch/dinner spot-excellent.

Farm-to-Market-cool little 'convenience store' with so much more. Lots of food/beer/wines.

Mars-might be open in their new digs by then.

Continental Club-Thursday happy hour with The Mother Truckers-awesome!!

And that's just walking distance!

Edited April 1, 2007 by franktex (log)

[chefrodrigo]

Thanks Frank

One of my friends there has mentioned the pizza place. Is the Mars you mention the same one that was over by the university when I lived there? I used to really enjoy that place.

Rodney