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Another TV Show With a Local Connection: BBQ Pitmasters

According to Full Custom Gospel BBQ, dfw.com is reporting a new TV series showcasing “the high-stakes world of competitive barbecue.” BBQ Pitmasters begins on Decemeber 3 at 9:00 p.m. on TLC. Three folks in the series are from around here: Jamie Geer, owner of Jambo Pits a Fort Worth company that sells custom smokers, Paul Petersen, execuchef at Rick’s Chop House in McKinney, and Johnny Trigg  from Alvarado. The eight-episode series follows competitive barbecue events around the country.

BTW, has anyone been to Rick’s Chop House in McKinney? I’ve heard nothing but great things.

Beef Ribs vs. Pork Ribs in Dallas

Had a brief but interesting conversation over dinner last night about ribs. My rib-loving friend swears by pork ribs and casts off beef ribs as too dry. The last time I ate beef ribs was at Big Al’s Smokehouse on Lemmon Ave. How about you? Beef or pork; why and where?

Cobb Switch BBQ Announces Launch of Catering Division

Dotty Griffith Ranches Up!

Just when you think the going is tough, the toughest open a catering company. As a recovering caterer, I identify with the “need to cater.” It makes people happy. It makes you happy to make people happy. Catering is an affliction, an addiction that should not be exposed to rookies or people without strong resolve.

Which brings me to the veterans behind Cobb Switch BBQ in Carrollton: Blair Black, Janet and Phil Cobb, and switch hitter, former DMN critic, Dotty Griffith. These people have schlepped a few meals to various locations. So, without further ado, the envelope with the press release please:

Jump. (Oh, and Kirk get out your red pencil!) (more…)

New State Fair Chow: Stuffed BBQ Wings

Just found out that the sweet folk at Thai-rrific — great Thai food in Northwest Dallas — are serving their popular stuffed chicken wings at the State Fair this year for the first time. For the fair, they’re serving a barbeque variation, stuffing the wings with beef, potato, onion, and noodles and then smoking them. You can find them at Smoky John’s BBQ booth.

Mini-Review: Hoppin’ John at Peggy Sue Barbecue in Dallas

The first time I had a bowl of Hoppin’ John was a zillion years ago in South Carolina. Now I get my fix at Peggy Sue Barbecue. Say what you want about the ribs (love ‘em), brisket, and onion rings, but this dish, made with black-eyed peas, medium grained rice, bacon, diced onion and garlic, gringo peppers, and juicy smoke-flavored pulled pork and caramelized red onion is smashing. Simply smashing.

Dallas Observer 2009 Best of Dallas® Food List: What do You Think?

Please don’t sue me for using your cover art.

I’m stuck at home in my little glass house. I see a few pebbles on the floor and I think I will toss them.

I just scanned through the Dallas Observer’s 2009 Best of Dallas® Food list. It reminds me of that Who song. What is it, Kirk? Something about the new boss and the old boss? YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Bomp, bomp, bomp. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Dave Fairies, I have a quick question: Does the Observer repeat “Bests” if, when the next year rolls around, no one else  fills the category as “Better®?” (That’s mine, dude.)  This is a serious question and I ask it because I have to deal with the beast of ‘Bests” and understand the difficulty at uncovering them. So, Mr. Fairies, do you roll over “Bests” from year to year by moving them into different categories or because they are the “Best” of their original category? Let’s go through the list together and see. Jump with me. It’s not far. (more…)

Dallas Firemen Set the State Fair Ablaze with Barbeque

September 30th four Dallas firehouses compete for bragging rights, and a donation to their favorite charity, in the fourth annual Firehouse Grill-off For Charity at the State Fair of Texas.  Sponsored by the Texas Beef Council, the event will feature four different firehouses grilling steaks from their own rubs and marinades (no cook books allowed.)  Fair goers get to determine the winner by voting on the best steak.  The event is from 2pm-4pm in the Food and Fiber Pavilion at the fair.  Should be a fiery good time.

Very Short Non-Review Of Opening of Smoke Restaurant

As Zac mentioned on Frontburner,  we both attended the opening of Smoke, the new restaurant at the Belmont Hotel, on Friday night. I arrived around 9 pm, and the place was incredibly packed. As soon as we arrived, we said hello to chef Tim Byres, who was looking cute in a cowboy hat, and to Stephan Pyles, who was there supporting him. Then they ran off to do their thing and we ran off to try and find some food.

Alas, there wasn’t any left. So, there’s not too much to say here, because that’s what you guys want to know about. When we got there we saw pigs being roasted in front of the restaurant, but by the time we got inside (we went up to BarBelmont for a drink when we got there because we heard it was less packed), all the food was gone. I was definitely bummed about that. The interior of the restaurant was designed by Mike Thompson, and it is very chic–especially in comparison to other barbeque restaurants.  Like Zac mentioned, I also liked the back door entrance to the bar, which makes it feel like a speakeasy.

There were around 1 million people there, so surely, a Disher can help with a food description. Please?

Where There is Fire, There Will be Smoke Restaurant at The Belmont Hotel

This announcement comes from the copy and paste press release department:

Belmont Hotel Debuts New Restaurant “Smoke”
Serving Hardwood Cooking From Scratch

DALLAS, TEXAS (August 31, 2009) – A slow burn thick with Southern style arrives in Dallas this September with Smoke. Fresh from a renovation and concept overhaul, the Belmont Hotel’s restaurant reemerges as a homage to an old fashioned smokehouse, with hardwood cooking from scratch and authentic southern flavors. Led by Chef/Co‐Owner Tim Byres, inspired by his recent travels to America’s smokehouse roots, Smoke will offer patrons a culinary experience that satisfies both the palate and soul. Employing time‐honored cooking techniques and recipes with a commitment to local ingredients, Smoke is down‐home cooking done right. JUMP!

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Big Fatty’s Flaming Foods In Valley View: Are You Ready For Your Close-up?

I parked on W. Lovers next to this car last night. I’m placing an order today. Cranberry Cayenne Hot Biscotti and Mistress Karlita’s Spanking Rub will be mine. Anyone?

Comfort Food In Dallas: What Comforts You

I am getting a little uncomfortable with the direction comfort food is taking. Can I blame it on the Gen Y population? Sure, why not. They don’t read SideDish. Gen Y’ers are more Britney than Julia.

While the overall trend in dining today is to eat sloooowly, the Gen Y’ers I know are more content to snack quickly. What happened to the good old days of turning on The Thorn Birds (before you knew Richard Chamberlain was gay), grabbing a spoon and a half gallon of ice cream, and eating the whole thing? Once, after I got turned down for what I thought was my dream job, I went back to my apartment, made a three-layer German chocolate cake, and ate every last crumb. Did I feel better? You betcha.

What is comfort food? At home it is one thing, but now restaurants are trying to comfort us in public. Take Kent Rathbun. (beat, beat…) He has gourmet comfort food. He isn’t alone; there are lots of folks making their mortgage payments by selling upscale mac and cheese. Isn’t gourmet comfort food an oxymoron? If you agree, then WTF is healthy comfort food? A lie? You betcha.

I was curious to see if there were any distinctive differences between generations when it came to constant cravings. I didn’t have to Google far to find this little salty tidbit. Jump with me. (more…)

Southwest Foodservice Expo: Richard Chamberlain, Recipe of the Day

Chef Richard Chamberlain.

Go Texan. Go Richard Chamberlain. Go to the store and make this recipe: Texas Beef  Brisket with Texas Tomato Peach Barbecue Sauce. Jump for it.

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Cobb Switch Barbecue is Having a Party

Sent to you via me: “Phil & Janet Cobb, Blair Black, Dotty Griffith and Chris Andrews invite you to join them in celebrating the grand opening of Cobb Switch Barbecue.”

The soiree takes place this Saturday, June 27, from 11a.m. to 4:00p.m. There will be live music, $1 margaritas, and raffle drawings to benefit the North Texas Food Bank. Current DMN dining critic, Leslie Brenner, will demonstrate how to make a perfect aioli at 2:00 p.m. If you are still reading this, that last line was not true. Head up to 2625 Old Denton Rd. (Northwest corner of George Bush Turnpike) in Carrollton. 214-483-3600.

Price Check: Rotisserie Chicken in Dallas Roundup

Too hot to cook or just plain lazy? Either way, these places can ease your pain. Thanks to our editorial intern, Jonathon, for his roundup of ready-to-eat chicken. Around the world flavors in alphabetical order.

Ali Baba Café
Multiple locations.
$10.00. Whole Middle-Eastern rotisserie chicken served with garlic sauce, rice, and pita bread.
Each bird cooked 1 hour and fifteen minutes
Garlic, olive oil, Middle-Eastern spices.

Central Market
Multiple locations.
$7.99 whole.
Each bird is cooked for about an hour.
Flavor options: Classic, Beijing (seasoned with fiery and pungent spices such as sugar, garlic, salt, ginger, cayenne, star anise), Citrus Peppercorn, Herb, Sonoma, Spice Trade, Spicy Thai, Tuscan, Vanilla Pepper.

Chic from Barcelona
$14.95 for whole chicken with roasted apples
Family special pick-up:
$39.95. A whole chicken, a half chicken,
a quarter gallon of gazpacho,
choice of two salads
“Secret chicken recipe” (more…)

Cousin’s Barbecue in Fort Worth Loses “Good Morning America Weekend’s Barbecue Challenge”

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse, New York beat out Cousin’s Barbecue in Fort Worth Texas, Woody’s Smoke Shack in Des Moines Iowa, and Archibald’s Barbeque in Northpole, Alabama to win “Good Morning America Weekend’s Barbecue Challenge.” According to this report, only 7,500 viewers voted and 4,000 went to Dinosaur. IJS.

Full Custom Barbecue Blog Gets Mention on CNN.com

Anyone around here remember this?  Barbecue blogger Daniel Vaughn was asking you, dear Dishers, if you would accept his Full Custom Barbecue on the blogroll of SideDish. You voted him in. Today comes this. How long before he has his own show? Daniel, don’t forget us. (Say hi to Anderson Cooper.)

Cobb Switch Barbecue In Carrollton Announces Soft Opening

“The aroma of hickory smoke wafts over the city Monday as Cobb Switch Barbecue co-owners Blair Black and Chris Andrews begin serving slow-cooked barbecue for lunch and dinner.” Translated: Cobb Switch Barbecue, the new spot in Carrollton with a lengthy pedigree of owners, is open. Sort of. Accordint to co-owner Brian Blair the “casual eatery’s fun, tongue-in-cheek atmosphere” doesn’t go hard until the grand opening on June 8. A lot of you have wondered about the name. Drawing on lore from East Texas and the small community of Cobb Switch (about 40 miles east of Dallas) the name comes from “Nearly Lost Legend of Cobb Switch Barbecue.” Listen.

This barbecue joint is dedicated to the smokin’ memory of Cary Cobb, wrongly accused barbecue bandit of East Texas. You won’t believe how he became famous.

One day as a Texas & Pacific train chugged along the railroad siding or “switch” named after him, Cobb pocketed three lumps of coal that fell from the locomotive. Two weeks later, he was facing a $5 fine for “stealing” coal.

Back in the late 1800s, five bucks was a lot of money. “Prove it,” said Cobb as he served a couple of railroad detectives slices of fork-tender beef brisket, mouth-watering dry-rubbed ribs, and melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork…all cooked over coal-fired hickory wood.

Soon the story of Cobb’s delicious destruction of evidence spread all over Kaufman County and the legend of Cobb Switch BBQ was born.

Amazingly, Cary Cobb is absolutely no relation to Phil Cobb, co-owner of Cobb Switch BBQ. Phil just liked the Cobb Switch name. However, co-owner Chris Andrews believes his family’s East Texas farm may have been purchased from the Cary Cobb family. No kidding.

*This story is the rural equivalent of the urban legend. Very little is true. In the mid-1800’s there really was a Cary Cobb. Today, there’s still an East Texas community and rail siding named after him. The part about the coal is a bunch of crap from the Internet. We totally made up the part bout the barbecue.

I like tongue-and-cheek barbecue. It sounds very European. Jump for the menu, location, and hours.

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Cobb Switch Barbecue Set to Open in Late May

‘Memba Chris Andrews from Holy Smokes? He’s back in business as “the barbecue expert” at Janet and Phil Cobb’s Cobb Switch Barbecue in Carrollton. Also on board is Janet’s son, Blair Black, and former DMN dining critic, Dotty Griffith.  Dotty is reviewing the restaurant before it opens. KIDDING. Dotty, author of Celebrating Barbecue, is consulting on recipe development and marketing. Full details below. (more…)

Phil And Janet Cobb Will Open A Barbecue Restaurant With Dotty Griffith

Yow. Zah. Teresa Gubbins has major scoopage: Longtime restaurateurs Janet and Phil Cobb (Slave whoopsie, Salve, Mi Piaci) are teaming up with former DMN dining critic Dotty Griffith to open a barbecue joint. Cobb Switch BBQ will be in Carrollton and will debut  in June.

Ladies And Gentlemen, The Best Onion Rings In Texas: Hickory House In Frankston, Texas

Hickory House in Frankston, Texas.

Okay BillUSA, Google away. Here is another top secret barbecue spot in East Texas: The Hickory House in Frankston, Texas. It’s a wee little spot on Highway 155 just north of Highway on 175 on the outskirts of Frankston. The family owned and operated Hickory House is only open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays until 8:00p.m. The ribs are boiled too much before smoking for me, but the brisket melts in your mouth and the sauce is vinegary and sweet.

Sweet yellow onion rings will steal your heart.

The real star here—onion rings. The onions slices are thick and lightly breaded. I have asked the owner what the batter is so many times she laughs in my face. (My guess is finely ground corn flakes or corn meal.) Plus you can get a free copy of the Constitution with every meal. Pat Sharpe, get there fast. (Two hours SE of Dallas)

Free copy of the United States Constitution with every meal.

Barbecue “King” Dallas Green Arrested

Last week Daniel Vaughn of Full Custom Gospel BBQ sent me this note about Dallas Green of Cowboys BBQ & Rib Co. in Colleyville:

Dallas Green is a competition winning BBQ man from Aledo, TX. His website states that he has won countless BBQ cook-offs throughout the country, and many of his awards are so-called “People’s Choice” awards. His previous business partner in Illinois contacted me and disputed that there is even a “People’s Choice” award at many of the events listed.  He has now partnered up twice with naive business partners who no doubt pay him to use the Cowboys name.

Whip me for not looking into the story. Today comes word Dallas Green has been arrested. Here’s a hot link to Vaughn’s report.

Easter In East Texas: Secret Barbecue Joint Revealed

If you’re a barbecue junkie and want to take a half-day road trip to East Texas, I’ve got  two under-the-radar joints for you to try. Today I tell you about one–Shep’s Bar-B-Q in Palestine. Google all you want, you won’t find any write-ups.

Pay no attention to the cracked Naugahyde booths oozing upholstery foam, head straight to the cafeteria line and step up to the nice man behind the red heat lamp. His chopping block is surrounded by huge slabs of juicy brisket, sausage, hot links, chicken halves, and ribs. All of the meat is smoked out back in a rickety old smoke house surrounded by piles of wood.

 The sausage is Eckridge so we skip it and go straight a two-meat platter with ribs and brisket. I’m telling you the ribs at Shep’s are some of the best I’ve ever eaten. The tender beef is covered with a deep red crust and once your teeth piercethrough it your mouth is filled with smoky meat that slides off the bone. The brisket is equally juicy–we  always have the carver make us a sandwich the way Sonny Bryan used to make them on Inwood Road–half chopped, half sliced and doused in tangy, slightly sweet and smoky sauce.

 There is nothing special about any of the sides or cobblers. This is a place to eat meat.

McClard’s Bar-B-Q Hearts SideDish

Timmy’s review of McClard’s Bar-B-Q made it through cyber space to owner Scott McClard. He sends an update.

I really can’t thank enough for the awesome article about us.  We do not take these things lightly, this is family business, still run by family members only. We work very hard at what we do, so when we hear something like this, it confirms what we’re doing is worth every bit of it !!!!!!!!

Just to let you know “Playboy Magazine” was here for 4 days doing an article about us also “we are very excited about that too” it will be in the June issue.

I bet you’re excited Scott. And I’m sure Timmy is sorry he missed the photo shoot.

Road Trip Report: McClard’s Bar-B-Q

D executive editor Tim “Timmy” Rogers has been on vacation with his family for a week. He must really be bored. He sends a restaurant review, with pictures, for your enjoyment.

The family and I are in Hot Springs for spring break. Driving back to our hotel, we spotted this tiny white stucco BBQ joint by the side of the road. It exuded authenticity, so I whipped in for dinner.

The lore of McClard’s Bar-B-Q is that the McClard family used to run a small hotel. In 1928, a guest didn’t have the money for his $10 bill and instead offered to pay with the recipe for the best BBQ sauce in the world. This story would be very difficult to fact check. But I can confirm that the sauce is worth stopping for. Maybe even worth ordering from their website. (Jump for the good part.)

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This Dude Claims Best Barbecue Braggin’ Rights

Okay Dishers, here is your assignment today. Check out Full Custom Gospel BBQ and let me know what you think. The producer of this site writes:

I’ve eaten at every bbq joint in Dallas, and I’m looking to conquer the rest of the metroplex. 76 down…a couple dozen to go.

He wants to be added to our blogroll on the right. You ‘cue cats decide.

UPDATE: Comments link fixed.