Seize the 'Que!

Barbecue War!

2006-08-23T21:04:00.000-04:00

I just flipped past the Travel Channel's show Food Wars and caught the last few minutes of an episode on barbecue. In the segment I watched, the producers pitted (no pun intended) the four major barbeque regions in the United States against each other. They had a group of Californian "cowboys" (and cowgirls) taste 'que from Texas, Kansas City, Memphis, and North Carolina. It was supposed to be like the Olympics, and they had to rank the types of 'que from 1 to 4. The maximum number of points possible was 70.

Readers, a terrible travesty occurred! These tasteless cowpokes not only ranked Carolina 'que last, but they gave NC 'que a total of only 15 points! This is made only slightly less shocking by the fact that the "winner," Memphis barbeque, got only 45 points. Texas came in second with 30 points, and Kansas City followed closely behind with 27.

I protest! Clearly, these Californians don't know good 'que when they taste it. Just working with cows doesn't make you a good barbeque judge.

Hummmmph!

--Sarah

Cooper's Mail Order

2006-08-12T21:03:00.000-04:00

'Que Fans,

I don't remember if I mentioned it before, but my mother-in-law sent Lars and I a mail order package from Cooper's BBQ in Llano, Texas. She didn't just send us a brisket or a couple pork chops. She sent us the Texas Spread Gift Pack:

Approx. weight - 11 to 12 lbs

4 lbs. of mouth-watering BBQ Beef Brisket is just the beginning of this spread. Add 2 of our World Famous "Big Chops", a rack of the President's Favorite BBQ Pork Ribs (2 1/2 - 3 lbs), 1 lb. of Smoked Sausage, 1 1/2 lbs. of Jalapeno Cheese Summer Sausage and two 15 oz. bottles of our dipping sauce. This is a true feast of our best sellers. Make a wonderful impression on someone special with this fabulous selection of meats. Corporate and Holiday gift giving discounts available. Please call us at 877-533-5553 for details.

You read that correctly--that was 11 to 12 pounds of meat ready for our freezer.

Always the generous couple, ready to share, we invited Sarah and David over for some of the brisket. All we had to do was defrost and reheat the meat and serve with a side of sauce. With a little Texas Toast, some onions and pickles, strawberries and ice cream for dessert, we were set for dinner.

From the freezer, reheated in our oven, this brisket was still far, far better than any brisket I've had since my actual dinner at Cooper's. The live version, fresh off the flame, was better. The frozen brisket was a little too salty for all of us at dinner. Okay, it was a lot too salty. But, the meat was still extreemly tender and juicy. The sauce is wonderfully flavorful and aa good compliment to the rich, fatty meat.

If you can't make it to Llano ever in your life, but still want to experience great Texas 'Que, you can't go wrong with Cooper's Mail Order.

My rating--

--Jennifer

Alton Disappointment

2006-08-12T20:19:00.000-04:00

On Episode 2 of Alton Brown's new Food Network show, Feasting on Asphalt, he stops by the Carolina Smokehouse in Cashiers, NC. This is one of two stops he made in North Carolina, but the other was a hamburger place in Charlotte (in Episode 1), and therefore unrelated to 'que.

I have to say that I was disappointed by Alton's treatment of 'que. I know this is not a barbeque show, but the segment felt very short and nothing profound was said. I'm a fan of Alton's other show, Good Eats, and I like the Feasting premise, but the show has not been up to Alton's usual standards. Still, it was good to hear Alton sing the praises of Boston butt!

--Sarah

Texas 'Que

2006-07-02T16:55:00.000-04:00

Readers, Jennifer and I are so sorry that this blog is beginning to look like it has been abandoned. The truth is, we haven't been eating as much 'que as before, and well, life got complicated for awhile there. But I am pleased to report that I recently had some 'que at a place in Austin, TX, called Iron Works. This place was recommended by my friend Dan, a foodie who has been living in Austin for a few years. I had limited time to try 'que and had been thinking of trying Stubb's, but Dan thought Iron Works would provide a better experience.

Not being able to decide which kind of meat to try for my one bbq meal in Austin--this is never a problem in NC, of course!--I ordered the sampler. This comes with brisket, sausage, a beef rib, bread (not Texas toast), baked beans, onion, and pickle slices. I washed the eats down with a Shiner Bock, which I had been drinking throughout my visit. (It's a Texas-brewed beer that is cheap and good and available in most states.)

I was really glad I got the sampler, because I loved the sausage--a bit spicy, juicy, and just a tad greasy--and loved the rib. It was definitely the tastiest, meatiest beef rib I've had in years. The brisket, on the other hand, had decent flavor but was rather dry, even when squirted with some bbq sauce. I would have ordered the brisket alone if I hadn't decided to go for the BIG plate, and then I would have been disappointed. But the truth is, I don't really like bbq brisket very much. I've tried it several times, and the only time I've liked it was when I tried some sent to Jennifer from Texas classic Cooper's. Jennifer probably didn't heat it up as dry as it's usually served.

I went to Iron Works, which is housed in (surprise!) an old ironworks near a pretty dry creek (Austin is HOT!), with some people who had eaten at Stubb's the day before, and they liked the brisket at Iron Works better. But if you're in Austin, you still might give Stubb's a try, particularly if they have a good band playing that night--Sonic Youth was playing the week I was there. Another option I didn't have time to try is Kreuz Market. This place, which is in Lockhart, about 40 minutes from Austin, features an "authentic" experience that involves no forks, sauce, or plates (the meat is wrapped in paper and handed to you). I'd love to try it next time I'm in Texas.

--Sarah

P.S. We will be trying some new 'que and posting within the next few weeks! Promise!

Eeep! We are really behind!

2006-05-08T09:52:00.000-04:00

'Que fans,

Sarah and I really apologize for being so behind on our posting. We've got some reviews coming out soon, including one for readers in Chicago. Keep checking and we'll be back soon.

--Jennifer

Mmm....Beer (oh and 'que at the Brewery)

2006-03-27T20:28:00.000-05:00

As Sarah wrote in her post, we have been working diligently on our master's papers, trying to get jobs, and fitting 'que into the time cracks. We went to the Carolina Brewery on Saturday for dinner on the advice Sarah had gotten from some random English PhD candidate that it was the best in Chapel Hill.

I ordered the 'que plate, which came with 'que, slaw, hushpuppies, and stew. Lars ordered the Tarheel burger.

For my 'que--ditto what Sarah said.

The sauce was tomatoey, sweet, and not "authentic" Carolina 'que (East or West, there just wasn't enough vinager). The slaw had too much mayo and not enough vinager, so it couldn't cut the richness of the pork. The meat was decent. Not the best, but not the worst. It was okay, a little fatty but it did have some outside brown. The stew was actually pretty tasty, rich with big peices of corn. The hushpuppies were pretty good. They had sugar in them, so you anti-sugar puppy eaters, stay away.

I want to describe a Tarheel/Carolina burger for those who have never had such a thing. It is a burger with yellow mustard, chili, slaw on it. It might sound kind of nasty, but it is really tasty. The combination of creamy, tart, spicy, and meaty is practically perfect. You can even get a hot dog made up with the same fixin's at some restaurants. That is even more tasty and I recommend that any Carolina visitor try one. Don't get the Tarheel burger at Wendy's--go local.

The beer at the Brewery was quite good. I had the Altbier, a style I don't think I've ever had before. I think it was served colder than it should have been, but it was still refreshing. Lars had their IPA.

Loyal readers will know I usually inflate the rating of a 'que place that serves beer, but the Brewery doesn't qualify for that. They are a brewery that serves 'que. If I had a beer blog (what a good idea!), they would probably get a better rating for having 'que, but it doesn't work the other way around.

Rating--

--Jennifer

Carolina Brewery

2006-03-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in a long time, largely because I haven't eaten 'que in a long time. The reason for that can be stated succinctly: school. Jennifer and I are less than two months from graduation, and our master's papers are due on April 12. So, between that and looking for a job, I've been pretty busy!

Tonight, however, the 'que drought ended. Jennifer, Lars, and I went to the Carolina Brewery, conveniently located on West Franklin St. I've been there before, but long before the 'Que Quest was underway. Jennifer and Lars hadn't had barbeque at the Brewery either, so since we are pressed for time these days and can't afford to drive far for our 'que fixes, we figured it was high time to review this place.

My good friend Susanna got me this shirt as a present. Thanks, Sue!

I ordered the 'que sandwich, mostly because I didn't want the Brunswick stew that came with the plate. As you can see, my sandwich was large, and it came on a kaiser roll as promised. Now, normally I'm fine with a kaiser roll, but this time it just didn't seem to suit the sandwich. It's an interesting thing about 'que sandwiches...they're popular and common, but I've heard a lot of grumbling about the bread they come on. Kaiser rolls are not the traditional choice; instead, it's usually some kind of very soft roll. I didn't think I loved how those went with 'que, but I realize now that they are a better match than the kaiser.

Anyway, along with a generous portion of meat, my sandwich came with a large slathering of slaw, which was unfortunately rather too mayo-ey to be legitimate Eastern NC slaw. A small cup of sweet, tomato-ey sauce came on the side. The sauce contained a lot of onions, and was definitely more tomato-ey than barbequey. Not smoky in flavor.

Instead of hushpuppies, which came with the 'que plate, I had a large portion of thin French fries. These were, in fact, probably the best part of the meal--very tasty. As for the sandwich, I discarded the bread to focus on the meat, which was passable, but not easy to appreciate because of the slaw. All in all, I'd say that despite what someone told me (can't remember who), Carolina Brewery is not the best place to eat 'que in Chapel Hill. On the other hand, for burgers, fries, and beer--and to watch the game, if that's your thing--it's a good option.

My rating:

Bonus: A friend and I went to the Duke Gardens a couple of weekends ago to usher in the spring. I took a few photos I'd like to share--I know they're not 'que-related, but they're pretty!

--Sarah

Foreign 'Querrespondent--Tiki Hawaiian BBQ

2006-03-25T08:22:00.000-05:00

Imagine this scene if you will:

We are driving to my mom's house in Salt Lake City from the airport, having just entered a cold, snowy world after leaving the warm, sunny North Carolina. I am contemplating where I will find 'que, Lars is contemplating not dying on his 5th day of skiing (or 6th, or 7th, or 8th, or 9th). We are deep in thought when we spy

Awck! Crisis.

So far, Sarah and I have concentrated on Southern 'que and all of it's delights. It's even in our blog intro, "the biggest culinary challenge the South has to offer." What do I do with 'que that is not from the South?

But, the more I though about it, Hawaiian 'que was the perfect 'que to eat in Salt Lake. SLC is a white, white city, but one of it's largest minority groups is Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders at 1.89%. If that doesn't sound very big, it's as large as the African-American population. There are probably more Pacific Islanders in SLC than Southerners, so Hawaiian 'que is more native to SLC than southern 'que. Plus, where in North Carolina would I find Hawaiin food?

Whew. Crisis solved.

You may be skeptic about the existence of Hawaiian 'que, but it is luau food. When Lars and I were on our honeymoon on the Big Island (awesome!), eating our kalua pig, we commented on how, with a little vinager sauce, this would be North Carolina 'que. Kalua pig is traditionally slow cooked in the earth, which makes it 'que.

Lars, my mothe,r and I walked in, ahead of two Pacific Islander women and gazed at the menu. My mother had no idea what to order, so she started talking with the two women to see what was good. Lars and I just revelled in a menu that brought us pack to our honeymoon. There was kalua pig, lomi salmon, and laulau. Lars nearly giggled when he spied Moco Loco on the menu. The only thing missing was poi, and I didn't think I'd miss it.

Lars ordered the Moco Loco, my mom ordered laulau and some chicken, and I ordered a two meat combination, kaluha pig and ribs, plus a little lomi salmon on the side.

Mmmmmm. It was pretty good stuff. Lars didn't let me try any of his Moco Loco (he guards his food with a fork), but mom let me try her laulau and chicken. Both were very tasty. The sauce for the chicken had the right mix of sweet and savory to set off the nicely fried chicken. The laulau was a little eggy, compared to what I remember from Hawaii, but good nontheless.

The lomi salmon was very, very good. For those who don't know, lomi salmon is a raw salmon salad. This was a little salty, but the salmon was rich on the toungue, set off nicely by the onions. My ribs were very, very good. They were Asian style ribs, so not the whole rib you get in a southern 'que place but rather a slice of the whole rib cage. They had a sweet teriyaki sauce on them and nice texture, not overcooked, but no tough.

Onto the main dish, for me--the kaluha pig. My scoop of pig was a little fatty (oily) for my tasty, not as smokey as I'd hoped, and very salty. That said, it was very good. I think the thing about pork 'que (besides ribs, which are a little different) is it is so rich, it needs something to cut the fat. For the luau Lars and I had on the Big Island, this was the poi and the lomi salmon. Here, I only had the lomi salmon, which was also very rich. So, I actually missed the poi. There was rice, but the flaverless goo of poi works better.

We also tried dessert--macadamia nut cookies. These cookies were a bargin at 2 for $1. They were fabulous. There's not much else to say about them other than, "if you go to Tiki Hawaiian BBQ, you must have some cookies."

All in all, Tiki Hawaiian BBQ is `ono.

One more photo before I go, this lovely woman took our order at the counter and was very gracious when my mom insisted I take her photo for my blog.

My rating---

Aloha

--Jennifer

Temptation...

2006-03-23T20:38:00.000-05:00

I was shopping at my local King's Red & White grocery store (it's the best grocery store in the Triangle--don't let any of the Weaver Dairy Co-op folks tell you any different) when I spied this delicious treat:

Would you have been able to pass up the butt nuts?

I didn't think so.

--Jennifer

My Kind of Student Group

2006-03-19T08:55:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine sent me a fabulous article from the Herald Sun, the local Durham paper. According to the article, there is a student group on campus dedicated to The 'Que.

Who would want to join a sorority is there was a 'que group?

--Jennifer

PS: Look for my upcoming post on Hawaiin 'Que from Salt Lake City.

'Que is the new Tapas

2006-03-04T23:36:00.000-05:00

According to Cosmo magazine (Feb. 2006), 'que is the new hot food.

Sarah and I are trendsetters! Whoo-Hoo!

--Jennifer

PS: Go Heels!
UNC 83--Duke 76

My Olympic Spirit

2006-02-23T16:44:00.000-05:00

After watching some ice dancing, curling, and Snowboard Cross (awesome!), I decided to google "BBQ Olympics" to see what came up. Just random, sitting at the reference desk, curiosity.

While not all of the results were fabulous, this one was. The title:

"The carnivore Olympics"

How could you not want to read that?

--Jennifer

Bon's Bland Cookin'

2006-02-22T20:14:00.000-05:00

Hmmm, do I have to say more about what I thought of Bon's? I guess the title of this post is a little harsh, but I was looking for "attention-getting" and it's not too far off the mark.

The decor was very bland. Of course, 'que joints are not Michelin star-rated French restaurants and decor is generally not their strong suit. However, this usually means that the wood panelling has been there for 50 years and will be there for another 50 years, along with the floral curtains. Bon's was white. The walls were white. The tables were white. The waitress wore a white shirt.

Even more importantly, the ribs were white.

Or maybe cream. Or vanilla. I'm not sure what color Benjamin Moore would call the ribs, but it's not good. Ribs should be dark--from the sauce, from the rub, from the smoke--from SOMETHING. The whole picture is just a variation on one color. Lars tends to order cream food (mashed potatoes, mac&cheese, beans), so maybe it's not Bon's fault.

To compare:

This is my plate: ribs, 'que, slaw, and greens. A little more color, but still lacking in zing. The ribs were disappointing. It wasn't just the color; they were tough and bland. The greens were okay. They were very...hmmm...greeny. Normally, this would be a good thing, but this is the South, where greens are porky. They were probably healthier than the greens made with hocks, but they were also less tasty.

Of course, this blog is about the pork and it is the pork reviews you all tune in for. The pork was okay. Again, it was missing the zing I expect from my 'que. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't very good.

Sarah is right; if you are on campus and needed 'que, Bon's is an acceptable Band-Aid, but it's like slapping a stick against a broken leg and wrapping some rags around it. It'll get you down the mountain, but eventually you'll have to get a cast to fix the problem.

My rating--

--Jennifer

Bon's Home Cookin'

2006-02-12T09:35:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, Jennifer, Lars, and I had lunch at Bon's Home Cookin', the new restaurant owned by Mama Dip's daughter Bon. Bon used to have a restaurant called Bon's BBQ at Carrboro Plaza, and I ate there several times and enjoyed it. It had a homey feel, with family photos on the walls and better prices than Mama Dip's.

The new place is in a fresh, clean space in University Square. The menu is fairly similar to that at Bon's BBQ, but the prices seem to be higher (I'm sure the rent is higher on Franklin St.). The decor, sadly, has lost its charm--it's so new-feeling that it seems almost sterile.

I ordered a 'que plate, which came with two sides. One of my favorite things about Bon's restaurants is the number of sides to choose from. This time, I had slaw and sweet potato souffle. The 'que portion was generous (for some reason it doesn't really look it in the photo, but it was), the slaw was fine, and the sweet potatoes were sweet and good. Nothing stood out too much, but it was all tasty. At $7.95, this wasn't the cheapest 'que meal I've had, but you do get the two sides.

You also get hush puppies. Now, I always liked the 'que and fried chicken at Bon's BBQ, but perhaps my favorite thing was the hush puppies--they were some of the best I have had. Unfortunately, the hush puppies at Bon's Home Cookin' were not as good, and they were not as plentiful, either. A basket of round puppies was brought to the table for the three of us, and we made short work of it, but it was never refilled. The old Bon's had the long kind of hush puppies and there were always more than enough to go around.

Overall, I would recommend Bon's to people near campus who are craving 'que. Its location is convenient. It's a small place, so I suppose it could get crowded if it proves popular, but we went on a weekend shortly after the restaurant opened and it was pretty quiet. Now, you could also walk to Mama Dip's from campus, and she serves excellent 'que. And there's always my old favorite, Breadmen's, which also serves 'que and delicious sides, in a homier, diner-like atmosphere. So, it looks like there are plenty of good options for 'que fans at Carolina seeking a quick fix. But if you have the time, I'd go further afield, especially for dinner.

My rating:

-Sarah

Jim's 'Que Part Deux

2006-01-21T16:05:00.000-05:00

As Sarah said in her post, the four of us went out to Jim's Famous BBQ in Chapel Hill. Lars and I beat Sarah and David there by twenty minutes and we occupied our time with some tasty beers (Sam Adams, personal favorites) and crosswords puzzles at the bar.

When we were seated and given our menu, I was struck by the choices. Now, the famous Bullocks has a menu that reads like a Russian novel, but they only have two kinds of 'que, chopped and sliced, and two sauces, one for the ribs and one for the 'que. Jim's offers chopped and pulled 'que and many different sauces, both on its 'que and its ribs. As Sarah suggested, this leads to a lack of focus on the meat for which the dinner suffered.

I had the pulled 'que, which came with Jim's Original Sauce, and ribs, split into the original sauce and dry rub.

As you can see, the sauce was just plopped on top of the 'que--it is not what the 'que was cooked in. This is a problem. First off, despite the fact that Sarah found the pork too dry, I thought the pork was very good. It had good sweet, smoky flavor and I don't mind it dry. However, I do mind having my pig lacquered in sauce. I tried a bit of Sarah's chopped 'que (same meat, vinegar sauce) and was immediately jealous. The pork was good, not perfect, but definitely better than average; it was the sauce that was the problem. By itself, with a little vinegar sauce, this would have been tasty 'que.

The ribs--I didn't find mine to be as fatty as Sarah did, although they were small. But again, I was put off by the sauce. I expected the sauced ribs and the dry rub ribs to be different. Instead, the same four ribs were topped, half with sauce and half with dry rub. In my limited experience with dry rub, it is a method of cooking the meat (no sauce, just spices) rather than a topping added later. It wasn't bad (the dry rub ribs were better than the sauced ribs), it was just odd.

Everyone sigh at how cute Lars and I are...

Jim's also has brisket on the menu, and this was what Lars got. Of the 'que choices, I think the brisket is the best bet. It wasn't dry (a problem some 'que places suffer from) and had a nice smoky, beefy flavor. Normally, I'm a pork girl, but this brisket was much better than the pork. It was also the best brisket we've had in the area.

Onto the rest of the meal. The beans were too sweet for me. The slaw was too mayo-y. The tea was good. The cobbler was really good. That's it to the right, with the ice cream on top. Lars and I shared peach cobbler, ala mode (is there another way to have it?). I wish it hadn't been served in the tall sundae dish, the dessert was a pain to get out, but it was delicious. The ice cream was rich and cool to the sweet-tart hot cobbler. Very tasty and the best part of the meal.

In total, I don't think Jim's lives up to the promise it made on TV. In the commercial, Jim told me that reading was like 'que--addictive. I agree with half of that statement. I find reading addictive and am currently juggling four books. I don't think I will be rushing back to Jim's Famous BBQ anytime soon. However, they did have beer, which automatically raises their rating in my view. If you go, get either the chopped 'que or the brisket and don't forget about the cobbler.

My rating---

--Jennifer

Jim's Famous BBQ

2006-01-16T18:07:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, the 'Que Gang decided to try another 'que joint in Chapel Hill. We went to a relative newcomer, Jim's Famous BBQ, which is located in Village Plaza on S. Elliott Rd. Local readers may remember that this location used to house another barbeque restaurant, Red Hot & Blue, which is a Memphis-style 'que chain. Jim's is new to this location, but has been around the Triangle for quite a while, as its list of awards testifies.

The thing about that list of awards that gets me is that several of them are for chili or ribs. Indeed, the Jim's homepage says "Jim's Famous Ribs" on the title bar, though not on the page itself. So, I have been a bit skeptical about the quality of the NC 'que at Jim's, given this seeming lack of focus in the kitchen.

As it turned out, my skepticism did not appear unfounded following our meal. I ordered a combination plate so that I could sample both ribs and Carolina 'que. The menu, which was very nice, allows you to choose your sauce and your type of ribs or 'que. So, I chose St. Louis-style ribs, half with dry rub and half with the standard sauce, and chopped barbeque. The plate also comes with baked beans and slaw.

As you can see, the portions were generous, especially when it came to the 'que. Of course, this meal cost quite a bit more than I usually pay for 'que. First, the ribs. Regardless of the sauce, they were small, dry, and fatty. The dry rub was fine, and the sauce did not make much of an impression on me either way. But if I want to go out for ribs, Jim's won't be my first choice.

Next, the que. It was rather dry for my taste, kind of like Bullock's, but probably a little less. The flavor didn't move me, but it was okay. I tried adding the vinegar sauce that was on the table, but still wasn't quite satisfied. This opened up a discussion at our table about the fact that I like my Eastern NC 'que wet when I get it, while Jennifer and David don't mind it being drier and adding lots of sauce themselves.

Finally, the sides. The beans were sweet and good, and I really liked the slaw, which was a bit chilled. I should also mention that the sweet tea was quite good--clearly homemade, sweetened with honey, and not too sweet. I didn't get dessert, but Jennifer did, so she can tell you about that.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience more than the food. As you can see from the photo below, there were some hijinks at this meal.

As for my rating, I give Jim's:

--Sarah

The Power of 'Que

2006-01-14T07:56:00.000-05:00

My husband has weird dreams. Often, they involve him either hunting or being hunted by various unknowns. But last night, Lars had a powerful, life-changing dream that speaks to the very heart of this blog.

In Lars's dream, many people from our past were moving to North Carolina for various reasons. Unfortunately, bad things kept happening to them. It was like an epidemic of bad luck for all of our friends.

Then, Lars realized...

none of them ate barbeque.

As soon as he realized this, he rushed to the deathbed of a friend of ours and, with shaking hands, spooned 'que into her weak body. She quickly began to recover.

The message in this is obvious.

'Que is Good Medicine

--Jennifer

'Que at the Cheesecake Factory?

2006-01-07T17:38:00.000-05:00

A little bit ago, Sarah, some friends, and I had a girls' night out. We went to the Cheesecake Factory and to see the new Narnia movie.

First, a review of the movie. It was very good. Entertaining, true to the book, exciting and the young actors did a great job. I hadn't realized just how utterly creepy it was for a young girl to wander off in the woods with a shirtless half-man until this movie. Even though I knew Mr. Tumnus was harmless, I wanted to yell "No Lucy! Don't do it!" Fortunately, everything turned out fine in the end. In other creepy news, I found the actor who plays Peter to be very attractive. Fortunately for me, William Moseley is over eighteen, so it's less creppy than it might have been and it's definitely less creepy than those women lusting after Daniel Radcliffe!

Okay, on the the "B.B.Q. Pulled Pork Sandwich."

According the menu, the Cheesecake Factory 'que sandwich is:

B.B.Q. PULLED PORK SANDWICH
Roasted Pork Tenderloin Covered with Our B.B.Q. Sauce on a Brioche Bun. Served with Cole Slaw and Fries

When I ordered the sandwich, our waiter was kind enough to warn me that this was not Carolina 'que and the sauce was Texas based. I guess he'd had enough complaints from Tarheels about the sauce. I accepted this warning and persisted. These are the sacrifices I make in the name of 'que.

Onto to the tasting...

The description, both from the waiter and the menu, had a couple of misnomers. First off, the sandwich was not on brioche. According to the food dictionary on epicurious.com (and my own personal experience):

brioche
[BREE-ohsh, bree-AHSH]
This French creation is a light yeast bread rich with butter and eggs. The classic shape, called brioche à tête , has a fluted base and a jaunty topknot. It also comes in the form of small buns or a large round loaf. Special fluted brioche molds, available in metal, glass or ceramic, are necessary for the brioche à tête. Brioche dough is also used to enclose foods such as sausage or cheese.

My sandwich was on a hoagie roll. It was not a "light, yeast bread rich with butter and eggs." The hoagie was fine, but they should serve it according the menu. Someone picker than I might have complained.

Secondly, the sauce was, by no stretch of the imagination "Texan." It was added post-cooking which is, according to the Central Texas Barbecue Assoiation rules of 'que cookoffs, not allowed. The Lone Star Barbecue Society goes even further to say "In Texas we judge meat only! Absolutely NO garnish or sauce is allowed." Moreover, the sauce was very, very sweet--like Kraft brand BBQ sauce sweet. The sauce I had at Cooper's was not sweet and if any place would know Texas 'que, it would be Cooper's.

Of course, the sauce and the bun is all secondary to the 'que experience. 'Que is about the meat. If the meat ain't good, the 'que ain't good. This meat was, well, it was pork tenderloin. Besides the obvious problems that Texas 'que is generally beef and tenderloin is not a 'que cut, it was okay. It wasn't barbequed. It was roasted and there is nothing slow about roasted pork tenderloin, which is why it's one of my favorite weeknight meats--it cooks quickly. But, the meat was fine. Not as flavorable as you would expect 'que meat to be (all that slowcooking and smoke, yum, yum), but it wasn't tough and tasteless either.

The sandwich comes with a side of slaw and fries. The slaw was basic, mayo slaw. There was nothing exciting about it either way. It was pretty bland. The fries were okay. In my opinion, if you want fries in Durham, you need to go to either The Federal or Joe and Jo's Downtown. Of course, if you want 'que in Durham, you shouldn't head to the Cheesecake Factory either.

The highlight of the meal was definately the booze. I had a "Georgia Peach" and it was good. Normally, I don't get mixed drinks (I'm a beer kind of gal), but this was a girls' night out, so it felt right. I didn't get cheesecake. Frankly, I'm not that much of a cheesecake fan. It's too rich unless done perfectly. Plus, I was trying to save room for popcorn.

The final verdict: get something else, especially in North Carolina. It wasn't a bad sandwich and it was definately filling, but there are much better food items with 'que in their name to be had in North Carolina. I'm sure that many of the items on the Cheesecake Factory's menu are better.

My rating--

--Jennifer

Allen & Son Debate, part 2

2006-01-04T22:11:00.000-05:00

So, clearly Jennifer wasn't too into Allen & Son's barbeque. It doesn't come as a total surprise to me, but that is just because I was with her when she ate there. David and I both enjoy eating at Allen & Son. I'm not sure we fall into the camp that sings the restaurant's praises all over town, but we haven't had the reaction Jennifer did on any of our visits.

I kind of like the atmosphere at Allen & Son. You cross some railroad tracks, pull up into a gravel parking lot, and there's a freestanding structure—a nice change from the strip-mall locales of some other joints. Inside, there are plastic checked tablecloths, friendly waitstaff, and some attempts at cute decor (as noted by Jennifer). David hates the soft rock playing, but I am able to ignore that.

The food is acceptable, if not always exceptional. I have not had the problems with tough, undercooked ’que that Jennifer has had. I can't say the sauce is memorable, but my ’que has always been tasty and comes in a good-sized portion. The coleslaw is also fine. It's true that the hushpuppies are fairly mediocre, but that's true in half the ’que joints you go to. Not that I'm excusing it!

Last time, I ordered fries with my meal, and they made even Jennifer's coconut pie look dry—they were soaked and shimmering with grease. Oddly, I ate most of them anyway. They were fresh, at least!

I had heard that the desserts at Allen & Son were worth saving room for, but I have to agree with Jennifer on this one. The menu board always presents a tempting list of options, but so far, the ones I've tried have been very disappointing. The cherry cobbler was piled with literally dozens of cloyingly sweet cherries; I couldn't finish it. This last time, I decided to play it relatively safe and order key lime poundcake; it was radioactive green and tasted just OK. You've heard about Jennifer's coconut pie. So, I think it's safe to recommend getting dessert elsewhere.

Considering the national press it has received (e.g., in a 2002 article in the New York Times), I do think Allen & Son is probably overrated. On the other hand, I think it's a pretty good option for Chapel Hill or Hillsborough residents who want a laid-back dinner in a decent, authentic-feeling atmosphere. Maybe they're inconsistent—after all, Jennifer liked her catered Allen & Son ’que—but then, supposedly Don Murray's is, too, and we are all glad we tried that ’que joint!

My rating:

—Sarah

'Que from Allen and his Son

2005-12-27T09:19:00.000-05:00

A little bit ago, Sarah, the boys, and I went to Allen and Son's Barbecue in Chapel Hill. To many in the Triangle, Allen and Son's is the epitome of eastern style Carolina 'que. Those folks sing the restaurant's praises at every opportunity and take throngs of visitors to sample the delights of this Chapel Hill landmark. To others, Allen and Son's is completely overrated, with half-cooked, tough 'que, mediocre desserts, and ridiculously high prices.

I fall in the latter group.

Sure, the place is filled with many charming touches, like mounted deer and random pigs, peeking out from the foliage.

But you don't go to a que restaurant for the ceramics pigs, you go for the 'que and here Allen and Son's falls short. I got the large 'que and 'stew plate with slaw and hushpuppies (not in photo).

Complaint #1: Hushpuppies are not free. Sure, you get some with your 'que plate, but if you want more that the 6 or so they slop onto the plate, you have to pay for them. Okay, so you don't get free hushpuppies at the Q-Shack (here and here), but they don't pretend to be an old-timey 'que place. The Q-Shack is 'que for yuppies and it makes few pretenses otherwise.

Complaint #2: The expensive hushpuppies were half-fried. Lars and I shared a basket and many of the hushpuppies were still doughy in the middle. Bad, bad, bad. Normally, I would want more hushpuppies, but I REFUSE to pay money for half-done, fried cornbread.

Complaint #3: My 'que was tough. Not all of it. There were pieces that were tender and delicious, but there were many chunks that were tough, chewy, and under-cooked. If I wanted to gnaw on my meal, I'd go out for dim sum and order chicken feet. I go to a 'que joint for tender pieces of meat.

Complaint #4: Dessert.

That thing sitting in its own grease is coconut pie. It might have been good, if I didn't have to soap out my mouth to cut the oil slick that coated my tongue with each bite. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but the sheen you see on the filling is oil and there was a slick of it on the plate. I've baked enough pies in my lifetime to know that you can prevent the Exxon Valdez with a good recipe. Homemade desserts are all well and fine, so long as they are good.

What I don't understand is that Allen and Son's was the caterer for the free 'que I had a while back (Surprise 'Que) and that 'que was fabulous. There were no chunks of nasty meat, no under-cooked hushpuppies. The 'que I had for lunch that day was really good. But I've been to Allen and Son's a couple of times and always been underwhelmed. How can their catered 'que be so good and their restaurant 'que be so bad? I guess that's just one of the mysteries of life.

I do fear this review will spark some debate between Sarah and myself. But, diversity of opinion is the spice of life.

My rating--

--Jennifer

Because TV Tells Me So

2005-12-22T17:17:00.000-05:00

Some of you readers might wonder at the combination of librarians and 'que, but I just watched a commercial that proves Sarah and I are on the right track.

While Lars was channel flipping, we came upon a commercial where a teacher asks a high school student what he read over the summer. The student replies with a long list of books whereby everyone looks very impressed with his summer activity. The commercial ends with the lesson that you should read for fun and read respect.

The best part of this commercial was the after bit where Jim, from Jim's Famous Ribs, comes on to say that reading is like his 'que--once you try it, you'll want more.

Sarah and I must try this place where reading is so important. We are both big readers, being librarians, and I think I can speak for both of us when I say we will support any business that supports reading (so long as the 'que is good).

--Jennifer

Barbecue Joint Sides

2005-12-18T21:26:00.000-05:00

I posted on the Barbecue Joint way back on October 2. Since then, I have been there a number of times, as it's probably my favorite nearby ’que establishment—and definitely David's favorite. I thought I'd mention a few of the sides offered at the Joint, because they can be excellent.

I have had the brussels sprouts with bacon and garlic, which is almost always on the menu, and they are excellent. On the other hand, the sauteed asian greens, which I was very excited to try, were a big disappointment to me.

The other night, I tried the collards, and I was so impressed that I had to take a photo to share with y'all:

I apologize for the quality of the image, but you should still be able to see the huge chunks of pork mixed in with the greens. I basically order collards or other greens whenever they're on the menu anywhere I eat, and they are often cooked with pork, but I have not seen such big chunks anywhere else. In addition, these collards are fresh-tasting and not soupy—not that I dislike soupy greens, but this is a newer, fresher take on a classic recipe.

There are still plenty of sides that I'd like to try, and I will continue to sample them. The Barbecue Joint's desserts are also good (and homemade, like everything there), but I rarely have room for them after eating the 'que.

—Sarah

Murray's from Jennifer's POV

2005-12-16T10:04:00.000-05:00

The only review I had read of Don Murray's Barbecue and Seafood was the in Bob Garner's Guide to North Carolina Barbecue, which had very positive things to say. I was a little worried when Sarah email me with her concerns about everything from inconsistant to downright bad 'que. But, those worries were all for naught.

Don Murray's is easy to spot. Just look for the dollhouse perched on a pole. It's how we found it. Drive away from downtown on Capital Blvd until you see the dollhouse on your left. You're there.

Sarah wasn't kidding about the stuffed bit. I love barbeque and think it should be eaten on a regular basis, but a 'que buffet is something best saved for an occasional indulence. It's like eating an entire chocolate cake, apple pie, and bag of potato chips--the experience in really good while your having it, but as soon as that first button on your jeans pops, you begin to doubt your sanity. I think the proper term for this experience is the Thanksgiving Effect. But, enough about our disgusting display of decedance, onto a review of the food.

First, the sides. I ate a lot of them. I had (ahem) several helpings of the lima beans and greens. They were just really, really good. Really good. They managed to walk that wonderful Southern cuisine line between distinct pieces of vegetable and baby food. I don't know how Southern cooks do it, but the vegetables manage to be both mushy and whole pieces of vegetable all while being tasty. It's like some sort of trick. Mine are always either tasty, distinct, and "al dente" or mushy, baby food, and nasty. Besides biscuits, it's something I need to master while I'm down here.

I only tried very little of the other foods (and yes, at a barbeque restaurant, the fried chicken is, in my opinion, a side). I had enough of the chicken and dumplings to say they were good (though soupy) and enough of the salsbury steak to say it was very tasty. I didn't have enough to take away from the other important parts of the meal though.

Secondly, the slaw. This is different from a side in that it is an integral part of the 'que expereince in the way the greens are not. This slaw was slightly sweet, finely chopped and very good.

Thirdly, the desserts. Good. The nana pudding isn't the stuff of Hog Heaven, but it is still leaps and bounds above Bullocks. And, while the cobbler wasn't up to Lexington Barbecue standards, it was still quite good.

Saving the most important part for last--the 'que. Maybe Murray's has bad days, but this wasn't one of them. The que was perfectly spicy and vinagery, with great texture. It wasn't soupy or dry, just moist, like it should be.

My rating--

--Jennifer

I'm writing this review at work, without access to my photos. The pictures I took of Murray's will be up later this evening.

12/18/05: I added the photos today and realized that we didn't have any good ones of the 'que. We only remembered to take photos after our plates were half emptied anyway. Oh well, just another excuse to go back

Don Murray's Barbecue and Seafood

2005-12-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, The ’Que Gang (me, Jennifer, Lars, and David) made its first Raleigh ’que trip. We decided to try Don Murray's, which Citysearch calls “hands-down some of the best barbecue in town,” but another blogger speaks of disparagingly. I was a little nervous after reading the bad review, and was hoping we were going on a good night. To my delight, we did go on a good night, at least as far as I'm concerned.

First, the decor. There isn't much. It's pretty low-key, with the buffet up by the door and some plain tables and chairs. The waitress was pleasant and brought us good sweet tea by the pitcher. Then we hit the buffet...and kept hitting it until we were all STUFFED. Besides the ’que and slaw, there was fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, salisbury steak, some kind of fried fish (catfish?), greens, lima beans, macaroni and cheese, hushpuppies, banana pudding, and cobbler. Probably a few more items I can't remember.

The pork was tender and tasty, and the yellowish slaw was quite good. David and I also enjoyed the fried chicken. I was nervous about the hushpuppies after reading the other review, but they were fine. The greens and other vegetables were also tasty, and I love it when a ’que joint has greens. You need to balance out the meat and fried food a bit (which is also where the slaw comes in).

The chicken and dumplings was a bit soupy for my taste (I know it should be a little soupy, but this was too much), but it was edible, and there were certainly other options. Finally, although the banana pudding wasn't the best (but better than some I've had at other ’que restaurants), the apple cobbler was very good.

All in all, we were pleasantly surprised by Don Murray's. I would definitely go back if I was in the area, but I'd have to try not to eat quite so much. Both David—who estimates that he ate two pounds of ’que plus chicken and sides that night—and I regretted not stopping sooner. But hey, that is probably one sign of a good ’que joint. And as a grad student, I feel any place where I can happily stuff myself to a step away from nausea for about $10 is a pretty good place!

Rating:

—Sarah

Veggie Tales Part Deux

2005-12-08T16:24:00.000-05:00

Some of you more dedicated readers may remember my post about vegetarian 'que "Sowee! That's some Carrot!" Well, I have been continuing to do some research and was delighted when Sarah pointed out that they now sell vegan 'que sandwiches at the Student Stores. Always willing to sacrfice my taste buds to food science, I set off to buy myself a sandwich.

Stick with the pork. As you can see from the photos, this sandwich was $4.25, plus tax which got me a kaiser roll topped with a thin smear of "vinager" sauced tofu.

First off, I thought the price was a rip. Say you buy a bag of kaiser rolls. There are usually 6 in a bag for about $3 (at most). That's 50 cents per roll. Then, there is the sauce. Vinager is cheap and there can't have been much in the sauce. And lastly, the tofu. There was MAYBE a fourth of a container on my sandwich. If you add in the plastic container and the delivery, this should at most be a $2 sandwhich. Aren't vegetables supposed to be cheaper than meat?

Secondly, and most important, the taste. It tasted a lot like cheap kaiser roll, which I think was due to the niggardly amount of tofu on the actual bun. What little tofu/sauce I could taste tasted more like tofu Sloppy Joes rather than tofu 'que. The sauce definetly had more tomato than vinager in it and it was quite sweet.

However, all it not lost. It shows me that dear Marilee need not be left out of Sarah's and my quest, just that more work needs to be done to provide her with some 'queish item to eat.

1) I think the sauce needs MAJOR work.

2) The tofu should be grilled before being chopped and sauced. I think that might help mimic the smokey taste you get from even the most mediocre 'que.

3) Fill the bun with stuff man! There is no need to be a miser with the goodies. 'Tis the season for Scrooge to reform!

4) Include the coleslaw. I know they make vegan mayo and it's not bad. Give the poor person the whole experience. Vegans already have to miss out on cheese, why punish them more? Plus, no self-respecting 'que sandwich in NC would come without the slaw. Plus, think of all that added fiber from the cabbage.

My rating--

WAIT FOR SOMETHING BETTER

With hope for better,
--Jennifer

Please excuse our absence....

2005-12-06T21:07:00.000-05:00

It's the middle of finals for Sarah and me. As library science students, we don't really have finals, just a ton of projects meant to recreate real life.

We have been eating 'que. We just have put the 'que into words for all of our readers and that hasn't happened yet. We haven't forgotten about you. Everything is due Friday (except for the ONE actual test we have, but that's nothing).

Please bear with us. In the meantime, please enjoy this photo and know that we care for you:

For your edification, this is a Super Loco. It's a version of the popular Hawaiian meal the Moco Loco. We have here spam, Portugese sausage, a hamburger patty, gravy, two scoops of rice and--it's not macaroni salad, it's not potato salad--it's macaroni-potato salad. It's not 'que, but it is a cultural experience.

--Jennifer

It's Bisonic

2005-11-28T09:35:00.000-05:00

While not getting into the conversation that led me to this line of questioning, last night Lars and I wondered about bison or buffalo barbeque. As bison have become domesticated animals raised for meat (mmmm....buffalo burger), has anyone made the leap to bison barbeque?

A simple Google (buffalo barbecue and bison barbecue)search revealed these results:

These folks in Vermont have been grilling buffalo and beefalo ribs. While it's not really barbeque, and not where I expected to first find my hit (I expected Montana or Wyoming), it's a promising start.

On the other hand, these folks in Nebraska really know what barbeque is and they look like they know how to host a dance program. The Hastings Museum is had a barbeque (bison picking?) and hosted the Kevin Locke Native Dance Ensemble.

In July, Grand Lake, Colorado will be having their 59th Annual Buffalo BBQ Celebration. There is no indication whether the bison is actually 'que (barbecue is a noun, after all)or just grilled bison burgers, but it sounds exciting all the same.

In Missouri, there is Bison Fest scholarship fund raiser. Again, not indication of whether the barbeque listed is the slow-cooked variety or just the kind tossed on the grill, but it's a hopeful sign.

And, this ranch in Wyoming had more of what I had in mind--a restaurant in bison land specializing in bison barbeque.

From American Gourmet, you can get bison simmered in their barbeque sauce. While this sounds tasty, I think it is a call to arms to all those folks who live where Rocky Mountain Oysters and Buffalo Jerky are plentiful--bison is ripe for the 'que and there is a hole in the market.

We need bison barbeque! I expect there to be a restaurant like Bullocks or Lexington Barbecue somewhere in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, or Idaho next time I'm out that way. There are already restaurants with a Southern leaning (the number of fish farms in Idaho make Southern-style fried catfish and hushpuppies popular), the 'que is clearly the next frontier!

--Jennifer

PS: I do know the difference between bison and buffalo. Technically, those hulking beasts that Europeans used to kill for their skins, leaving nasty rotting carcusses littering the plains, are bison. Buffalo are the water variety found is more exotic places than the Great American Plains.

SEIZE THE BIRD!!!

2005-11-24T11:28:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

--The 'Que Girls

Local 'Que Name Checks!

2005-11-22T19:53:00.000-05:00

I just read an article in Paste magazine called "Running the Barbecue Belt: A Multi-State Search for the Perfect Pig." Unfortunately, this article, written by Stephen Beaumont, is not posted online, but you might want to check out Paste on the newsstand anyway, because it's pretty cool. Anyway, the article mentions Bullock's (and here) and Lexington BBQ (and here), listing the latter as one of "The Country's Best 'Cue Joints." It also talks about how "at...northern establishments, you can only get an approximation of the regional styles, and as far as the experience goes, it's not the same." I quite agree. Finally, Beaumont discusses "what may be the fiercest rivalry in barbecue": Eastern-NC style vs. Western-NC style.

On an unrelated note, I came across this page from the Barbecue University TV show Web site. It's related to Jennifer's recent post about grilling vs. barbecuing. I have never seen that TV show, but it looks rather ersatz to me. The site claims: "At BBQ U, you'll learn to push the envelope, grilling everything, literally from soup (grilled gazpacho) to desserts." Um, no thanks.

--Sarah

Sowee! That's some carrot!

2005-11-21T15:59:00.000-05:00

In reference to a friend of mine's closing on an email regarding this blog ("Keep up with fine appreciation of the slaughter . . ."), I decided to search out vegetarian barbeque options.

So many problems...

The first is that most of the websites did not seem to understand that there is a difference between grilling and barbeque (especially if you are in the South, which I am). The sites referred to tasty vittels such as "Marinated Tempeh & Vegetable Kebabs" and "Spicy grilled eggplant".

While I LOVE grilled eggplant, folks, this is not barbeque. This is grilling. You will notice the distinction made between "fine grilled vegetables" and barbeque in this interview from the folks at the Lexington Collection. In barbeque, you cook something over low heat for a long period of time, grilling uses (generally) high heat and quick cooking times.

As Smokey says about vegetarian barbeque "Ain't no such thing. Cooking a bunch of carrot over wood coals for a day or two don't improve them like it would a pork shoulder or beef brisket. All you will get for your efforts is overcooked carrots."

Marilee, I tried. I really did. I even searched NoMeat.com. And, while there is a vegetarian option for those cannibals out there who have decided to go veg, the manufactured food products folks just do not seemed to have figured out a way to make vegetarian pulled pork.

When they do, I will be the first in line. Until then and, honestly, probably after then, I will continue stopping in at places such as Pete's Piggy Palace for the culinary wonder that is barbeque.

However, if you still eat chicken the next time you are in my neck of the woods, I will treat you to some of the best fried chicken there is. Just don't eat the greens. They're probably made with lard.

--Jennifer

Jennifer and Sarah: Athletes Extraordinaire

2005-11-20T15:24:00.000-05:00

I just learned that barbeque is a sport! This is according to the Barbecue News Web site (see the top of the page). It may be that they are referring to cooking barbecue, but I choose to interpret it differently. I wasn't too athletic as a child (Jennifer was a track star), so this may be my chance to shine in the world of sports. All the more reason to Seize the 'Que!

--Sarah

Q Shack

2005-11-19T11:06:00.000-05:00

I could tell right away that Jennifer and Lars were more into the Q Shack than I was. After all, it was the first place Jennifer recommended to me, months ago. We ate there then with Beth, and I wasn't too impressed, although I had a good time. So, it was not with high hopes that I ventured to the Durham location a second time. (And this is with me blocking out terrible stories I'd heard about the Southpoint location.)

Let's start with atmosphere and decor. Jennifer seems to like it. I don't, because while I like a "clean, modern decor" (if you know me, you know I like clean!), that's not quite how I'd describe the Q Shack. My description would be more along the lines of "characterless." The paper towels on the table that Jennifer and others seem to find cute is about the only character there, besides cutesy signs, which can also be found at Cracker Barrel (a place I DO like, but that's another story). Nor do I particularly want to hang out with young professionals while eating 'que--if they're there, fine, but if not, I won't shed any tears.

Now, on to the food. As Jennifer explains, this is not a Carolina 'que restaurant. But where she and Lars enjoy the variety, I think the quality of the food suffers. I had the brisket the first time I went there, and I won't comment much on it, because I don't think I like barbequed brisket much. (The only reason I had it that night was--horror!--they were out of pork.)This time, I had a 2-meat combo: pork and ribs. My two sides were greens and mac and cheese.

First, the sides. The greens were OK, and you had a choice of having bacon on them or not.

That was cute, but shouldn't they be cooked with the pork? Maybe they do that, too.

As for the macaroni and cheese, it was pretty bad. Everyone agreed. And let's not even discuss the hushpuppies.

OK, the meat. Basically, it was all too sweet. This seems to be coming up a lot lately, and it's funny to me because I have a major sweet tooth and Jennifer doesn't even like most desserts. And yet, I keep finding the barbeque and accoutrements too sweet and she doesn't! I like sweet in my desserts and occasionally in bread products or things like carrots or potatoes, but not in my proteins. And not in my cole slaw (see my Lexington BBQ review).

David had pork only and got beans and slaw, and he liked his meal more than I liked mine. He especially likes the beans there, but feels no need to to the Q Shack when there's better 'que and sides to be had in lots of places with a more genuine atmosphere. I agree, but try it if you live nearby or really crave variety and care less about authenticity. Or if you're looking to pick up some DINKS....

My rating:

--Sarah

Surprise 'Que!

2005-11-18T13:53:00.000-05:00

As I was sitting in the SILS lounge today, eating my lunch of a ham sandwich and Goldfish crackers, I was interuppted by the entry of two fellow library science students coming in to get chairs. More importantly, they were followed by a man in a red apron with an Allen & Son logo.

Before I could even think about the consequences, I opened my mouth to comment on what a wonderful sign it was to have an Allen & Son employee at SILS. My two fellow SILers, dressed in nice business garb and wearing nametags, invited me down to room 208 where there was indeed Allen & Son's 'que--along with a small conference on electronic records research.

I admit, I felt a little trepidation. I do like 'que, but I was raised in a culture that still expects women to look like Twiggy and 'que does not fit with the Twiggy image--especially when you walk into a room filled with your peers discussing electronic records, grab a plate full of 'que, and get out.

So, there was a crisis of conscious. Do I demure and get no 'que or do I rise to the challange Sarah set out so many months ago and seize the 'que?

Images ran through my mind...the embarassment of walking into a room, getting food and escaping...the delicious Allen & Son's 'que on a fork about to enter my mouth...pretending to look like I belong when everyone in that room will know I'm only there for the food...the delicious Allen & Son's 'que on a fork about to enter my mouth...the delicious Allen & Son's 'que on a fork about to enter my mouth...the delicious.....

Okay, I think you get the idea and know what image won in the end.

Boy was it tasty. I got 'que, slaw, hush puppies and beans.

And, I can now tell Sarah that when faced with a challenge, I won't faulter. I won't fail. I rise rise to the occasion and folks, I will...

SEIZE THE QUE!!!

--Jennifer

The 'Q Shack--Jennifer's View

2005-11-17T19:05:00.000-05:00

Sarah, David, Lars, and I took a trip to The 'Q Shack in Durham. Don't believe the website. They actually have TWO locations in Durham, one off of Business 15/501 and one at Southpoint Mall. I have no idea why they aren't listed on the website. No idea, esp. because I think the one off of 15/501 was their first.

It was 7 pm on a Friday night and the place was packed.

I'm not surprised, really--and it's not just about the food.

1) The 'Q Shack has a kickin' pig/Q logo. Frankly, I'm just jealous.
2) The 'Q Shack serves beer AND Cheerwine, a truly Southern soda from North Carolina.
3) It's got a great patio for those steamy Southern summers.

and...

4) It's the clean, modern looking restaurant that young professionals and DINKS prefer--while still pretending to look like an old 'que restaurant--without having the very used, dingy concrete look of most other 'que restaurants.

Notice I haven't yet mentioned the food?

I knew you would. Sarah and I have the smartest readers.

The 'Q Shack is NOT a Carolina 'que restaurant. It attempts to satisfy every 'que palate and comes so close to succeeding. Case in point--my dinner.

Being the greedy hog (snicker, snicker) I can be, I ordered the three-meat combo with pulled pork (eastern style), ribs (St. Louis style) and brisket (where else--Texas style). It comes with hushpuppies and two sides. I got slaw and greens (with bacon). Because I got the brisket, I also got some Texas toast and pickles. It all comes piled together in a basket. There are two sauces on the table--his and hers or vinager for the pork and tomatoey for the ribs. There is also (nice touch) a roll of paper towels on every table.

To be scientific about this, I shall deal with each meat seperatly.

THE PORK

It's okay. Not great, not bad. Better than Hog Heaven, worse than Bullocks. It's very moist, but I think that has more to do with the amount of sauce on the pork before it's served to you. Pretty good, but you can do better.

THE RIBS

I've only been to St. Louis once (and I had alligator for dinner), so I can't say with any authority whether or not this is authentic. They are good. I enjoy them and get them everytime I come to the 'Q Shack. They're tender and the sauce is nicely sweet without being cloying.

THE BEEF

This is the reason my husband and I eat at the 'Q Shack pretty often. Lars loves the brisket. He never gets the pork ("I can get better elsewhere") or the ribs ("too messy"). When Lars wants beef, 'que-style, we come here.

So, it's good. It's probably the best barbequed brisket you can get in the Triangle (I'm not sure if anyone else even has it). But, for all of those that say this is just like you can get in Texas--it's not. It's about as good as the Salt Lick, which is where people will tell you to eat if you visit Austen, but not as good as Cooper's, which is the only thing President Bush and I agree on. It's where you should eat if you are anywhere NEAR Llano, Texas.

My biggest complaint: at the 'Q Shack, they cut all the fat off the brisket. At Cooper's we got asked if we wanted the fat. Yes, yes we did.

As for their sides, their slaw is pretty good. It's got a lot of celery seed, which I like. Their mac and cheese doesn't have enough cheese, though it is very creamy. I think their beans are too sweet, but I like nothern, Boston style beans rather than the sweeter, southern version. The greens were good. They have fried pie for dessert, though I've never had it.

The 'Q Shack is a bit expensive for barbeque. I mean, this is poor people meat, made out of the toughest cuts on the quadreped. Dinner should not be so expensive.

They do have beer though, and that makes up for a lot.

My rating--

--Jennifer

It's the pork, baby

2005-11-17T19:00:00.000-05:00

A bit of wit and wisdom from my husband:

"What kind of house doesn't have bacon, 'cause it certainly ain't a home."

This, in response to the news that we might not have bacon to make bacon and green beans (fortunately, we did--it was close).

--Jennifer

A Bit Off Topic--The Vendy Awards

2005-11-14T16:28:00.000-05:00

For those of you who remember my post on road food and 'que, you may also remember that there is a special place in my heart (and stomach, most certainly) for street food. While I have never seen barbeque in street food form, I have high hopes that it can be done.

With that in mind, I was tickled pink when I heard this article on Weekend Edition--Sunday. I really miss living in a city with good street food. While I love the hot dog man who hangs outside of Lowes on weekends, it's just not the same.

So, Rose and Mona, if you are reading this, I expect you to head out the door right now and eat some street food for those of us who can't. Just let me know how good it was--try to underplay it a bit though, my heart aches for food from a cart enough as it is.

--Jennifer

Another Point of View on Lexington Barbecue #1

2005-11-10T21:19:00.000-05:00

I wasn’t able to join Jennifer and co. for the zoo and Lexington outing, but to my delight, they brought the ’que to me! I don’t know if it was friendship, dedication to the blog, or just plain niceness that inspired them, but Jennifer showed up at my door with a huge container of ’que, a smaller one of red slaw, a container of sauce, and some cobbler.

It’s clear from her review that Jennifer, Lars, and the family enjoyed Honey Monk’s very much. Sadly, I can’t quite say the same. The meat (mine was coarse-chopped), I agree, was excellent—some of the finest I’ve had. Moist, smoky, tangy, chewy, delicious. It needed no additions, including the sauce, which was thin, red, tomatoey, and tangy, but not in a particularly interesting way.

Far worse than the sauce was the slaw. Folks, I hated the slaw. It’s not because it was red slaw, because I liked what I had at the Barbecue Festival. But this slaw, which was pleasantly crunchy, was so cloyingly sweet it was almost inedible. I threw most of it out. It in no way complemented the meat the way Eastern slaw does with Eastern-style ’que.

The cobbler was fine, I thought, but it didn’t impress me the way it did Jennifer. Of course, I didn’t have any ice cream to go with it (it probably wouldn’t have traveled well).

I think I need to explore Western-style barbeque some more to get a better sense of how much I like it. I’d like to try the sliced ’que and also some of the other Western-style places (in Lexington and elsewhere). For now, though, I’ll have to give Lexington Barbecue #1 a split rating to be fair. So, here it is:

Q:

The rest:

—Sarah

Oh Honey, it's Honey Monk's

2005-11-08T18:36:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Lars, his parents, and I went to the North Carolina Zoo with my Cultural Institutions class.

While there, we walked some of the many miles of trail at the zoo. This made us hungry as a

Fortunatly, being clever like a

(that's an Arctic Fox)

we had planned ahead. With our directions from Jane, we drove down Highway 64 until we hit

I ordered the large sliced tray and some pork skins

while my husband had the large coarse chopped tray, his mother had the small coarse chopped tray, and his father had the chopped tray.

The most important thing about this 'que is that the pork is fabulous. It's perfectly tender and moist, even without sauce. This was, by far, the best pork I've tried in our 'que quest. If it's pork you want, Lexington Barbecue is the place to get it.

The red slaw was interesting. It's just chopped cabbage with the kethcup/vinager sauce on it--no mayo. It's pretty good, because the sauce is pretty good. Because of the lack of mayo, the vinager provides even more of a contrast with the sweet, smokey pork. I think I like the mayo/vinegar sauce on my cabbage better, but this was interesting and I'm glad I got to try it.

Lexington provided two sauces: the regular sauce in a styrofoam cup and a hot version in a bottle on the table. The hot stuff was okay. The regular was quite good. It was sweeter, with the addition of tomato that the Eastern style is lacking, and that went well with the pork. I still like the mustard in the Dillard's sauce best, I like the stronger flavor.

Somehow, I managed to find the space (and because Jane told me I had to have it) for the peach cobbler with ice cream.

Ahhhh, heaven in a bowl with a square of vanilla ice cream. The cobbler was hot and the ice cream was sweet, rich and melting on the warm cobbler. I've had good 'que in many places and while this is probably the best 'que I've had, it was definetly the best cobbler I've ever had.

One last note on the 'que, this is wood-cooked barbeque, more common in the Western part of the State then the Eastern style you get around Durham. There is even a large wood pile out in the back.

My rating--

--Jennifer

Cook-Out Burgers and 'Que

2005-10-31T19:40:00.000-05:00

A caveat--Cook-out is not a barbeque restaurant. It's a fast food restaurant in Durham that serves very good hamburgers and shakes, along with some barbeque. But, in keeping with the spirit of this blog, I decided to forgo my burger, Cook-out style (cheese, chili and slaw), and get a plate of 'que.

It wasn't so bad. I mean, the sauce was just Texas Pete's, nothing fancy, but the pork was decent and it came with slaw, hushpuppies and fries. Considering how close Cook-out is to my home, it is a convenient 'que joint. On the otherhand, Cook-out's burgers are so good that it seems silly to get their decent 'que when you can get an far better than average burger?

My rating--

--Jennifer

Dillard's from Jennifer POV

2005-10-31T18:06:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure how Sarah and I decided to go to Dillard's, but I'm sure glad that we did. As Sarah said, us and the menfolk went there for dinner. It was an early, Southern dinner, about six--since Dillards closes at 7 pm. What greeted us was the wonderful mural Sarah has pictured on her review and, inside, a cafeteria-style layout from 'que to cobbler.

I had 'que, greens, slaw, and hushpuppies. My only complaint is that the hushpuppies were bit cold for my taste. Other than that, it was all fabulous. Tasty. Delish. Marvey. Insert your favorite adjective for "tastes very good" here. The greens and the slaw were everything you'd hope they would be and the 'que was fabulous.

A bit of a digression about myself and my husband. We have a lot of mustard in our house. Not just French's and Dijion, but also Creole, Brown, Horseradish and any other bottle of non-honey mustard my husband can find. Lars loves mustard. I probably like it more than the average person.

So, when we took a bite of the mustardy 'que at Dillard's, we were thrilled. It was slightly spicy, with a good bite that matched the sweetness of the pork perfectly. Technically, this is South Carolina style 'que, but Bob Garner informs us in his Guide to North Carolina Barbecue, "it's [his] observation that barbecue among North Carolina's African-American's often cross or ignore the established boundaries between eastern- and Piedmont-style barbecue" (2002, p. 46). What this really means for the virgin Dillard's patron is that he or she must be prepared for a 'que sauce with more of a kick than the average Carolina 'que place.

I do have one more complaint about Dillard's (beside the hushpuppies and ridiculous hours--who eats dinner out before 7 pm!). For dessert, I had peach cobbler. All the reviews I'd heard about the cobbler told me to expect cobbler perfection. It was okay. I've had better. I've had worse.

But the 'que made up for it.

My rating--

--Jennifer

References:

Garner, B. (2002). Bob Garner's Guide to North Carolina Barbecue. John F. Blair: Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Try This at Home!

2005-10-30T07:20:00.000-05:00

It occurred to me that some readers may not just want to try NC 'que at one of the many restaurants that serve it. You may even consider attending one of the many BBQ cookoffs in the state not doing enough to get to the heart of what makes North Carolina barbeque so special. No, there may be many of you clamoring to cook your own pig! If so, the NC Pork Council kindly provides instructions under the heading Pig Pickin Secrets.

So now, fire up the pit! And don't forget to invite me and Jennifer!

--Sarah

Dillard’s Bar-B-Q

2005-10-29T14:43:00.000-04:00

Jennifer, the menfolk, and I had dinner at Dillard’s in Durham not long ago. It was the first time for all of us, but it won’t be the last! Here’s what I knew about Dillard’s before we went (based mostly on the Citysearch page):

• It has been around for over 50 years
• It’s one of very few African American–owned ’que joints in the Triangle
• It feeds the Durham Bulls and their fans (which means I have eaten Dillard’s ’que before!)

All of this sounded good, so we headed over to the family-owned cafeteria-style joint with the Deuteronomy quote on the marquee. The fabulous mural on the outside promised good things, and we were not disappointed. Each of us got ’que, which came in a little styrofoam dish, but our choices of sides varied. I got turnip greens and macaroni and cheese, as well as the obligatory slaw and hushpuppies. The friendly (as promised by other reviewers) cashier told us to help ourselves to a drink, and when he rang up my meal and David’s (he had a larger portion of ’que and similar sides), it only came to about $15.

This seemed like a great deal, and when we started eating, we knew our meals were worth every penny! Everything was delicious, from the ’que and slaw, which came in generous portions, to the hushpuppies, which were definitely some of the best I’ve ever tasted. I particularly appreciated being able to have traditional Southern—but not traditional ’que—sides, because I love greens and the mac ’n cheese fit in well with the barbeque.

Everyone else saved room for dessert, and it looked pretty good, but I felt no additions to my meal were necessary. (Those who know me well know that me passing up dessert is a rare occurrence.)

I can’t wait to go back to Dillard’s, and I recommend everyone head over there when you can. Be careful about when you go, because Dillard’s has the somewhat inconvenient hours common to BBQ joints—that is, it’s closed on Sundays and not open very late the rest of the week.

Just for fun: NPR taped a feature at Dillard's

Rating:

—Sarah

Need some road food?

2005-10-27T10:34:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make. I've never been able to say that Italian/Chinese/French/Polish/etc food is my favorite. I know many people who differentiate food by country, but that's not my style. My two favorite kinds of food are:

1) Street food: hot dogs from a vendor outside of Lowes, those fabulous lamb kebabs the Urumuchi (Muslims who come from western China) make on the street of China, donner kebabs from the streets of Oxford, those tasty bubble teas venders sell in Hong Kong--you name it I love it!

and

2) Road food: casual, yummy, inexpensive eateries that you only know about if you're a local or an adverturous traveller willing to eat at someplace other than Denny's on your road trips. 'Que is most definetly road food.

You can get street food in any country, but road food is distictly American. It must have something to do with how much we drive and the nostalgia of the family road trip. If America is a nation of road food, Jane and Michael Stern are our heads of state. Together, they run the website roadfood.com.

Imagine how pleased I was to find a debate about Carolina 'que on this site. There are hundreds of raging discussions about 'que on this website. Check some of them out to see where to get good 'que in your neck of the woods.

The next time you drive from here to there, remember that there are thousands of wonderful, locally owned eateries around the country where you will have the best pie, chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, etc you've ever had. Applebees and that ilk just can't compare.

--Jennifer

Barbecue Festival—Sarah’s Take

2005-10-26T20:29:00.000-04:00

Jennifer and I certainly agree on some things—like the fact that the Barbecue Festival was really fun—but we don’t agree on everything. Case in point: the “World Famous” ’que at the Festival. My expectations were low for a couple of reasons. First of all, I didn’t think I’d like the western NC style of barbeque as much as the eastern style I love, because the idea of a tomato-based sauce didn’t appeal to me. Second, after experiencing Sykes BBQ at the State Fair, I didn’t have high hopes for festival ’que. On the other hand, Hog Day had great ’que, and this was supposed to be a festival dedicated to ’que.

When we arrived at the Festival, we quickly realized that ’que was not as central as you might expect based on the name of the event. However, as Jennifer said, we had a good time anyway. I must say that the entertainment (all free) was far more varied than at most festivals or fairs of this size that I’ve been to—5 stages of free music is 5 more than I saw at the NC State Fair!

Now, to get to the barbeque! I enjoyed my sandwich, and I think the photo shows that the layer of meat was not SO thin. It’s true that the bun/meat ratio wasn’t the best, but that has been true every time I’ve had a ’que sandwich, including at Hog Day. That’s why I normally get “trays” or plates of ’que (my boyfriend likes his by the pound). At the Festival, you could pay twice as much for a tray with two scoops of meat and two buns on the side, so another option was provided. Anyway, I liked the taste of the slaw and I was happily surprised by the tomato-based sauce. My main disappointment was that there wasn’t more pig- and barbeque-related stuff (the pig races were there, but most of the rest of the Festival had nothing to do with BBQ). It would have been nice to have had some of the many individual BBQ joints in Lexington have separate booths, so you could compare the ’que.

I took lots of photos, too, but they are mostly of the same subjects as Jennifer’s, so I’ll only post a couple.

Rating for the Festival ’Que:

—Sarah

My 'Que Weekend--The Festival

2005-10-26T09:49:00.000-04:00

Part Two of Jennifer's BBQ Festival Coverage

The Festival

Whoo Baby was this a good time! Did I mention the stages? We saw Scearce & Ketner(Carolina Pirate Rock--and the folks in the photo), Eddie Miles (Tribute to Elvis), and Band of Oz.

We also saw a lumberjack competition which was thrilling. Apparently, this was a very close race where both teams were neck and neck (teeth and teeth?) until almost the last stroke where both teams hit a snag and had to recover. In the end, the team on the right of the photo won, but only by a splinter.

The festival also offered many useless yet irresitible items for purchase. I bought my dear husband a t-shirt (they actually gave me last years, but since they charged me for a short-sleeved and gave me a long-sleeved, I'm not complaining), a pig cupcake, and a tin sign with Ted Williams advertising Moxie soda. I resisted buying anything for myself, but also splurged on gourmet dog treats for Seamus the Wunder Mutt.

I did have a delicious treat from the "Monkey Nuts" stand. I had a from pina colada (sadly, no rum). Very tasty, though I passed on the "monkey nut" drinking vessel, even though it could later serve as a coin bank.

All in all, the festival was a really good time. Sarah and I definetly could have stayed longer. As it was, we barely had time to browse through a couple of the stands to see if there were more items we could spend our hard earned money on. And, we missed the "Pig Tales" so that we could get cash to buy our t-shirts before they ran out of the appropriate sizes.

My verdict on the festival--

--Jennifer

My 'Que Weekend--The 'Que

2005-10-24T09:30:00.000-04:00

Part One of Jennifer's BBQ Festival Coverage

On Saturday, Sarah and I went to the Lexington BBQ Festival on Saturday. The event ran from 8:30 until 6. We got there about 2 and left about 5:30. First off, it was very fun. I recommend that everyone go if they get a chance. There were 5 stages of music including country, bluegrass and even an Elvis impersonator.

But, the 'que was only so-so. Because of the extreme difference between the 'que and the festival, I will deal with them seperatly.

The 'Que

Big disappointment. Jane did warn me that the festival was fun and Lexington 'que is fabulous, but the two do not go together. She said that the 'que at the festival has never been very good. Sarah and I each got a sandwhich with 'que and coleslaw on it. Again, to quote Jane, "it wasn't very good and there wasn't enough of it." I thought the 'que and slaw were both flavorless. Or, maybe there was flavor in the 'que, it was just that there was a very thin layer of 'que and slaw on the bun, so all I tasted was bread. Moreover, there seemed to be more emphasis on "fair food" than on 'que. There were more stations selling turkey legs than 'que sandwiches. For shame!

I'm going to give Lexington 'que another chance this Saturday when I go to the zoo for my Cultural Institutions class. Lexington is near Ashboro and I plan to go to Honey Monk's for dinner. It's supposed to be the best 'que in Lexington and Lexington is supposed to have the best 'que in the State, so my hopes, and expectations, have been set pretty high.

My verdict on the 'que---

--Jennifer

The Great 'Que Debate

2005-10-20T16:19:00.000-04:00

Some of you out there might think that all of this fuss over a plate of shredded pork is sheer nonsense and there is no reason for 'que to play such a large part in anyone's life.

First off, y'all who think that are all stinkin' Yankees! (Okay, so Sarah and I also hail from the northern reaches of the country, but that isn't my point.)

Secondly, please allow me to relate a conversation I had for thirty minutes yesterday while at work. I think it will prove why Sarah and I have embarked on this adventure.

I got to work 15 minutes early, as usual. There at the reference desk was Jane. Jane asked what I was doing this weekend. I proudly told her that this weekend was the Barbecue Festival in Lexington. Jane is from western North Carolina and proceeded to look at the festival website to tell me which places were good. She also told me that I must try Lexington BBQ #1, know by locals as "Honey Monk's" after the owner Wayne "Honey" Monk. Jane then told me about the importance of red 'slaw (made with ketchup and vinager) and why it was so much better than coleslaw, along with western style 'que being better than eastern style 'que. On the other hand, if I was going to have eastern sytle 'que, Wilbur's in Goldsboro was acceptable. They did not put such nastiness as sugar in their hushpuppies.

At this point, Paula, another reference librarian, came up to the desk. Jane told her what I was doing on Saturday and Paula wrinkled her nose. She hails from eastern Virginia and has no use for that tomato-nastied western-style 'que with the red slaw that accompanies it. She recommend a place on the coast as one of the best. (Sadly, I forgotten the name of the place and Paula is at the dentist's right now.)

The debate proceeded with these outcomes:

1) Carolina 'que is ruined (both parties agreed on this) by the time you get to the mountains. The mountain folk slather their 'que with ketchup and it might was well be Tennessee-style 'que.

2) Hushpuppies should not be sweet.

3) Paula is a strict whole hog fan, while Jane much prefers pure shoulder meat (each sticking to their 'que traditions laid out at the beginning of the conversation). They also stuck to their guns about the type of slaw they prefer and whether the sauce should be pure vinegar or have some tomato in it.

4) Grocery stores should carry country ham in the deli area so that it can be sliced paper thin at the patrons' request. Okay, so by now we were off the 'que debate and onto other food items.

That's right folks--ask any two Southerners about the 'que and you are bound to get a conversation started. It may be better than asking about the weather or what that person does for a living in terms of an ice breaker. Of course, this is all as it should be. Frankly, 'que is much more interesting than the weather anyway.

Barbecue Festival here we come!

--Jennifer

(10/27/05) Paula again told me what the place near the Outer Banks is--Saul's BBQ. A little extra research has revealed that they also have fabulous banana pudding.

Reading Material

2005-10-19T23:22:00.000-04:00

Today, I made a serendipitous discovery in my Collection Development class. While the prof was meandering around the Web and I was clockwatching--I mean, paying close attention--I noticed an article in the table of contents of the latest issue of Southern Cultures, a journal published by the UNC Press, on the screen. The title of the article is "Beyond Grits and Gravy: Queuing Up for Q in London's East End," and it is an essay about a barbeque joint called the Arkansas Cafe in the Spitalfield market.

I've actually read about this place before, but it's a fun article and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in London, 'que, or people named Bubba. The proprietor has a great story. The article can be accessed several ways through the UNC Web site if you're a student, but I think the link to Project Muse won't work if you're not. Here it is anyway.

It's good to see BBQ getting press, and I'm glad Londoners are getting to sample some. And, well, it's not often that you get to see this subject heading (remember, Jennifer and I are library school students): Barbecue cookery -- England -- London.

More Fair Fun

2005-10-19T09:18:00.000-04:00

Dear readers, I'm terribly sorry that I'm late with my fair post. Hopefully, the information I provide will prove to be worth the wait.

First and most importantly: the fair 'que. I didn't remember there being 'que at the fair the other years I went, but then I wasn't as concerned with the 'que, being more interested in the fried and on a stick foods. I was pleased to see that the fair had 'que. On the other hand, if the fair is going to have 'que, it should have the best damn 'que in the Carolinas and Sykes was definetly not the best. I agree with everything Sarah had to say about that 'que. The stew was especially disappointing and I'm still left wondering where the slightly tinny flavor came from. I assume it was out of a can, but I thought they treated cans so you didn't get the tin flavor.

The 'que was acceptable and exceeded our low expectations (while the 'que should be the best in the State, neither of us expected it to be). The sauce was strange. It didn't seem to be anything other than vinager. At first I thought it was for the greens they were serving, but then I realized they weren't serving any greens. Since there was no other obvious sauce, it had to have been for the 'que. The slaw was fabulous though. It might be better than Bullock's slaw, which is saying a lot.

The other food higlight of the fair was the fried banana pudding. It was large bites of breaded and fried bananas with a vanilla dipping sauce. While it was messy, it was defintely worth it. It tasted only remotely liked banana pudding, in the way that anything with bananas tastes like banana pudding, but I'm willing to forgive the misnomer because it was so good. The fried bananas were hot and squishy in your mouth and the sauce was just sweet enough. It was excellent and I highly recommend trying it. Next time I'm at a fair, I'm going to look for the booth again. I might also try their other treats: fried banana pudding on a stick (I don't know how they manage this), fried strawberries, and fried pinapple with a coconut dipping sauce. There's nothing like fry to make healthy fruit a heart attack in a wax paper to-go dish. The photo above is of Sarah (another one), Beth, and me trying to negotiate this delicious delicacy.

Sadly, Sarah and I missed out on what would be a grand food event at the fair--The Grilled Cheese Eating Contest, which took place on Monday. I didn't even know it was coming until I heard about it on our local NPR station. I'm not sure if watching a bunch of people stuff their face with grease would make me gain or lose my appetite. It's better to watch that sort of thing after eating.

Sarah only briefly mentioned one of my favorite fair activities--the TRACTOR PULL. We only got to see the modified trucks, but they also have tractors with jet engines that shoot flames into the sky. It's noisy, it's stinky, it's awesome. You can hear the tractor pull from any part of the fair grounds and, frankly folks, it just makes my heart race.

Now, comparing fairs. I've been to the California State Fair and I agree with Sarah, this one doesn't compare. But, no other fair compares with that one. Simply the size of California means it's going to have a bigger fair than North Carolina's. On the other hand, this is an excellent fair. I do wish it had better craft exhibits. That's my one complaint. My county fair growing up, the Jerome County Fair in Jerome, Idaho, had better crafts and the population of Jerome County doesn't even compare with the number of students at UNC-CH.

My rating for the fair:

The 'que is not what it should be, but the tractor pull makes up for it.

--Jennifer

The State Fair

2005-10-16T17:40:00.000-04:00

Last night, Jennifer, some library school friends, and I went to the North Carolina State Fair. I had been warned by Jennifer, a Fair regular, that there would be no ’que available, which I thought was a shame, since it's so central to NC food culture. Happily—pretty much—she was wrong! As we discovered in our extended tour of the midway, Sykes Bar-B-Q was on offer at a large tent with seating. Not wanting to deprive ourselves of other Fair treats, Jennifer and I decided to split a $7.00 barbeque plate, which came with Brunswick stew, a roll, ’que, and slaw. Our expectations—at least mine—were low.

As it turned out, the ’que wasn’t too bad. The sauce we assumed was meant for it seemed to be made with balsamic vinegar, an odd choice, but the meat itself had a decent taste despite its slightly pre-masticated texture. The slaw was actually good. It had a nice, fresh taste, and it was chilled, which made for a nice contrast with the hot barbeque. As for the stew, it tasted kind of like it came from a can—except I’ve had Brunswick stew from a can, and it was better.

If you’re going to the Fair—and I highly recommend that you do, especially if you’re new to NC or haven’t been to other state fairs—I have to admit that bbq is definitely not the best food you’ll find there. For one thing, it does not come on a stick—which means it loses points in the fair-food world. Also, the other culinary treats on offer are often quite tasty. Members of our group ingested the roasted corn (excellent), the turkey legs (extremely popular), the corn dogs (always a hit, although not my personal favorite), and the funnel cake (messy but good as always). Given more time and bigger appetites, we might have sampled the ostrich, apple fritters, tractor-made ice cream, pork-chop-on-a-stick, or any number of other treats. In a nod to our ’que fetish, we did try the fried banana pudding, which was excellent. (Jennifer will no doubt post about that.)

The non-culinary aspects of the fair were fun, too—we saw the tractor pull (see photo); the pig, goat, and duck races; the Village of Yesteryear, etc. Overall, though, I don’t think the NC State Fair quite compares to the only other state fair I’ve been to, the CA State Fair, which has lots more exhibits and entertainment. But you should definitely check it out and judge for yourself!

My rating:

—Sarah

Need a Second Opinon?

2005-10-14T09:05:00.000-04:00

As clever as Sarah and I are, we are not the first to attempt a climb of the behemouth that is Carolina 'Que. We also recognize that our dear readers might like a second opinion of the 'que we sample. With that in mind, here is a summary of our competition:

NC Barbecue Musings

Not sure who this fellow is, but he write brief reviews of 'que in the area, providing a list of his recommended, acceptable, barely acceptable, and avoid 'que restaurant, along with a list of restaurants that serve good 'que but are not 'que restaurants themselves.

Kent's North Carolina-Style BBQ Page

The fellow from NC 'Que Musings and I agree on at least one thing--Kent's page is the gold standerd for a Carolina 'Que website. Kent provides readers with a pig rating from four pigs being the best to one pig being something you wouldn't insult your dog with. Kent has obviously lived in North Carolina for a long time and spends a lot of his time eating pork.

Pittstops Along the Barbecue Highway

The folks at Pittstop seperate their 'que ratings into restaurants who cook with hardwood coals, restaurants who cook with logs and everyone else. This makes for interesting reading and strong opinions.

The Shinola N.C. Barbecue Page

Sadly, this site hasn't been updated sine 1996, so the reviews are a little old. On the other hand, they provide a clever chart for those who want to know if the 'que is worth the drive. If they give it five pigs, it's worth a 500 miles drive, four pigs is worth a 200 miles drive and so on.

And in print...

Bob Garner's Guide to North Carolina Barbecue

Please don't forget about the reliable print resources out there! (I'm a librarian-in-training, I have to stress this) Bob Garner has been eating A LOT of 'que for a LONG time, if his size is to be any judge. He's got good, solid reviews and you don't need a wireless connection and a laptop to take his reviews with you.

Stay tuned for some fair updates. While not exactly 'que ('que doesn't easily fit on a stick for frying), the fair is a cultural experience that deserves comment and review. Sarah and I are going tomarrow night. Bring on the fried Snickers!

Happy Eating

--Jennifer

Another Take: Bullock's BBQ

2005-10-09T20:36:00.000-04:00

You can't write about barbeque in the Triangle without writing about Bullock's Bar-b-Que. It's a Durham tradition, and a very tasty one at that. Sarah and I had the great privilege of going together with our respective men (David and Lars). Since we had four people, we got the family dinner: BBQ, Brunswick Stew, fried chicken, green beans, fries, and slaw. Of course, we got hush puppies just for sitting down. Good hushpuppies too.

First and foremost, the BBQ. It's delicious. You can get it chopped or sliced and it's served dry, with no sauce. Now, I like the dry 'que, although Sarah has a different take on it. Back to my opinion, right from the first taste, you know it's going to be good. The meat is smoky and not too sweet. The sauce is deep red and spicy. There is good vinegar flavor, but it's the spice that hooked me. It's not hot in the same way as a good salsa, but just pleasantly piquant.

The slaw is also one of the pluses of Bullocks for me. It's slightly sweet, with good vinegar flavor and not too much mayo. It compliments the BBQ perfectly. Plus, it's chopped so fine you barely have to chew it. For husband Lars, that is a big plus. He think that the less you chew, the more you can eat.

The fried chicken is fabulous. Now, I knows it doesn't quite fit into this blog, but it was in our family dinner. The coating was crisp and pleasantly spiced, covering juicy chicken. It might, just might, be better than the BBQ--which tells you how good the chicken was.

Sadly though, the banana pudding is terrible. I had high hopes for it, but was very disappointed. The meringue was just plopped on top of a mess of pudding, bananas and wafers. Next time I go I'll have to try another of their desserts. Hopefully there will be better news for you devoted dessert eaters.

For those of you readers who don't like BBQ but need to take visitors to a good joint so they can try it, this is the place. Besides the 'que, stew, and chicken mentioned in this review, there menu is extensive with a wide range of Southern foods. Of course, if you're a vegetarian, nothing on the menu is safe. The green beans had bacon in them. But then, if you're a vegetarian, I'd be wary of Southern food in general. You never know when the flaky biscuits you are enjoying were made with lard.

If nothing else, the Bullock's patron can enjoy a night figuring out celebrities various celebreties on the wall. We saw Dave Thomas, Connie Chung and some random Yankees (Go BoSox!!! You'll get it next year!). Perhaps someday, Sarah and I will have our pictures on that wall too. Librarians are the next movie stars (or as it said in Bust magazine--the new It Girls).

Rating:

--Jennifer

Bullock’s Bar B Que

2005-10-09T12:45:00.000-04:00

I’ve only eaten at Bullock’s once, with Jennifer, who had already had the Bullock’s experience several times. When you walk into the place, you can feel the 50+ years of history immediately. The walls are covered with photos of past customers, including numerous celebrities. (I enjoyed seeing photos of an old Yankees team from the 1970s.) The dining room is large, with a sort of glassed-in patio area, which is where we sat. Since the group was hungry, we ordered the Family Style meal, thereby avoiding long minutes of agonizing over the extensive menu. For under $10 each, we got unlimited bowls of ’que, fried chicken, Brunswick stew, slaw, string beans, french fries, and hush puppies. The men in the party were determined to get our money’s worth, and I’d say we did—we went through several bowls of ’que and slaw.

It turned out to be a good thing that we had gotten the food Family Style, because unfortunately, I found the ’que to be far too dry. The reddish sauce did not impress me, and overall, this was one of my least favorite ’que-eating experiences. On the other hand, the fried chicken was very good, the slaw was tasty, and the fries and hush puppies were also good. The string beans were about average, but who goes to a ’que joint to eat string beans? I enjoyed the Brunswick stew, but didn’t eat too much of it—no room! Finally, the sweet tea was very good.

After a while, family-style eating can get oppressive unless you have a really big appetite, so if I go back to Bullock’s, I think I’ll order à la carte. But with so many other options in the Triangle, I’m not sure how soon I will be back there. I’d say if you live nearby and have a hearty appetite or don’t want only barbeque, Bullock’s is a good choice. The staff was friendly and most of the menu items we tried were quite good. But if it’s ’que you want and only the best will do, try one of the other options in the area.

Rating:

—Sarah

The Barbecue Joint

2005-10-02T21:37:00.000-04:00

I’ve eaten at The Barbecue Joint four times now, and I’ve been impressed by the quality of the food on each occasion. The Joint’s ’que is some of the best in town. You can order it in a sandwich or in a small or large tray. The tray comes with slaw, cornbread, and pickled cucumbers. You can also order the meat by the pound. It’s tender, smoky, and sometimes a little fatty. There are two types of sauce on the table, and the vinegar one is very good. I got the tray twice, and really enjoyed the pickled cucumbers. Like everything else on the menu, these are homemade. (The changing menu often includes a cheese and pickle plate that is excellent and includes several types of homemade pickles.) Unfortunately, the slaw lacks flavor (although it tastes very fresh) and the cornbread is mediocre at best. But The Barbecue Joint’s tasty ’que makes it well worth the trip. The sweet tea is also tasty, and unlike most BBQ restaurants, this one sells beer.

While The Barbecue Joint’s ambience isn’t particularly interesting, most of the tables are booths (a plus) and the staff is pretty nice. It can get crowded at times, so you might have a little line to wait on, but that usually moves pretty quickly.

A note about the other food on offer at the Joint: I have tried the ribs, and I found them to be some of the best pork ribs I’ve ever eaten. I’m not a huge rib fan, as I mentioned in my initial post, because of the messiness factor. These ribs weren’t messy or swimming in sauce. They were just plain delicious! The Barbecue Joint also has interesting options for vegetarians, like an eggplant muffaletta sandwich.

My rating:

—Sarah

Hog Heaven--A Review

2005-09-30T09:30:00.000-04:00

When you walk into Hog Heaven Barbecue you are either greeted by a very obese man waiting to take your order or a cute college/high school girl in a tight T-shirt. It gives a bit of color to an otherwise very beige interior.

I ordered a plate of ’que and stew (brunswick stew for the uninitiated) with slaw and the veg of the day—lima beans and corn. I also ordered some sweet tea and banana pudding. Now, remembering that any ’que is better than no ’que at all, I was still a bit disappointed with my meal. First, the pig. It is freshly chopped, making the texture delicate and soft. But, there is no smoke flavor to the pork. I was left wondering why it was so sweet.

Then I tasted the sauce. The sauce is a bit too sweet for my taste. As I said in my introduction, I love vinegar and have come to appreciate how it complements the sweet pork. In this case, the sauce was almost as sugary as the bottled sauce you can buy at a grocery store anywhere in America. Normally, this could have been saved by the vinegared slaw but there was little to no vinegar in the slaw, leaving nothing to cut the extreme sweetness of the pork and sauce.

Still, Hog Heaven did make one compelling argument for me to return--the banana pudding. Where does one start when talking about the banana pudding at Hog Heaven? Perhaps with the newspaper article framed on the wall. It says almost everything you need to know about the banana pudding at Hog Heaven—the custard is homemade and the bananas are perfectly ripe. Add in vanilla wafers, and this is the best banana pudding you are ever likely to find.

If you are a Northerner and have not experienced banana pudding, please read this excerpt from The Splendid Table by David Rosengarten or see this recipe from Texas Cooking for a homemade custard. Oh, and don't try to improve this with kiwis or strawberries or any other such nonsense. You'll just mess it up. Trust me. It's better this way.

All in all, the food was good, but not great. It is still better barbeque than you are likely to find north of the Mason-Dixon line, but it needs to be compared to its local competition and in that case, it’s a JV player in a varsity league.

My verdict:

--Jennifer

A Theme Song

2005-09-28T18:33:00.000-04:00

Like every worthy enterprise, seizing the que deserves, needs, a theme song. In this case, the song is obvious--"Barbeque" by Robert Earl Keen Jr. from his album The Party Never Ends. Keen even uses the same alternate spelling of this illustrious meal. Even though this song is about Texas barbeque, the important message is the same, "If you're feeling puny and you don't know what to do, treat yourself to some meat. Eat some barbeque." We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

For those of you dear readers who do not know Robert Earl Keen, permit me a moment to rave. Robert Earl Keen is my favorite musical artist. Anyone who can write a great song about a plate of slow-cooked-over-low-heat meat is a genius. He has many other fabulous songs including one called "Copenhagen" (yes, the song is about the chew) and my favorite "Feeling Good Again."

Back to the topic at hand--barbeque. Sarah and I will be posting more of our thoughts and reviews about this delicious meat. Until then, listen to "Barbeque" to hold yourself over.

-Jennifer

Hillsborough Hog Day: A Reminiscence

2005-09-26T19:45:00.000-04:00

Even before the BBQ challenge—to seize the ’que—was made, I had been feeling the need to experience more barbeque while living in Carolina. Over the last several months, I had been somewhat hampered in my attempts to meet this need by my relationship with a man who had never tried Carolina ’que and didn’t seem to want to. Finally, I convinced my boyfriend that he had to give pulled pork a try, and to that end, we went to Hillsborough Hog Day .

If you’re not from the Triangle—or even if you are—you may not have heard of this fun annual event. This year’s Hog Day was on Saturday, June 18 (with a preview the evening before), and it featured entertainment, booths selling crafty items and other items, a classic car show, and even a rock-climbing wall. But the main event was, of course, the ’que. It was sold mainly at a big central tent and came in sandwiches or by the pound. Since my boyfriend had never tried Carolina ’que, we started with sandwiches.

Readers, he fell in love. The man ate 2.5 sandwiches and only a lack of funds kept him from eating more. The only part of the ’que sandwich he didn’t like was the bun, and since that day, he has consistently ordered his barbeque by the pound.

I didn’t do so badly myself, eating 1.5 sandwiches and also some homemade ice cream made using John Deere motors to spin the freezers. The barbeque at Hog Day was some of the best I’ve had, and it was complemented by the slaw, which was delicious. There are few things as disappointing (when it comes to Carolina ’que) as eating delicious barbeque with mediocre slaw.

Stuffed to the gills, we left Hog Day with a cute limited-edition stuffed pig (official name: Oink) purchased for my niece. My boyfriend was tempted to buy a Confederate flag do-rag from the Rebel gear booth, but he resisted….

I recommend Hog Day to anyone who loves barbecue and enjoys community gatherings (I do!).

My rating:

—Sarah

The Rating System Explained

2005-09-23T18:06:00.000-04:00

The Rating System

We chose to rate our 'que on a sweet tea scale as sweet tea is the traditional drink with the barbeque. Plus, a pig scale was already taken! The 'que gets rated on a five sweet tea scale with 5 sweet teas being the best and no sweet teas being a place you just don't want to get caught at. Of course, each of us has different ideas about what barbeque should be, so every rating will be accompanied by a detailed explanation, with pictures if possible.

A Bit of an Introduction--from Jennifer

2005-09-22T09:37:00.000-04:00

I'm a little (ahem) more longwinded than Sarah, so please bear with me as I talk about one of my favorite subjects--the 'Que:

Why Barbeque?

Besides the obvious “why not barbeque?” the real answer is that barbeque is a uniquely Southern experience. Before I moved to North Carolina, I (like so many other non-Southerners) thought that I barbequed chicken when I slapped a sweet, tomato-based sauce on some chicken breasts and tossed it onto a gas grill in my mother’s backyard. I soon learned that barbeque is slow-cooked and it is a social experience. Even if you are alone at a BBQ restaurant, you are surrounded by families and waited on by a woman who calls you “sugar” and uses the word “y’all,” making you feel like you are a part of the community of diners around you. Eating boeuf bourguignon in a fancy French restaurant, no matter how good the food, just doesn’t compare.

Barbeque is also a taste of where you are. Even within the state of North Carolina, barbeque varies by region, making the term “Carolina Barbeque” a bit of a misnomer. If you want to know about the Carolina town you are in, go to the local barbeque restaurant and indulge. You’ll learn more about the town there than you ever would at the local tourist center.

Of course, neither of these reasons come even close to the biggest reason—the taste. Barbeque, in every real form I’ve had it, is fabulous. Ranging from sweet to vinegary, there is a smoky flavor and aroma that, along with the sides (the sides, while not the starring role, play important supporting roles), are a taste that you can not get outside of that one moment in time, in that place you are in. This is not fast food, where you expect every hamburger to be exactly the same; this is a dish that will be slightly different every time you have it and always good.

Why Carolina ’Que?

Well, I live in North Carolina. That’s the easiest reason. The other reason is that barbeque here in North Carolina is nothing like I expected. Ribs and brisket are not on the menu. There’s no sticky, sweet sauce nor is there a rub. North Carolina ’que is about the pork and the vinegar. As we established in our profile, Sarah and I love pork. More than that, I love vinegar and almost anything vinegared. I like ribs and I like brisket (more on that later), but I fell in love with the vinegar sauce on the slightly sweet, pulled pork from the first bite. Moreover, most people don’t seem to know that there IS a North Carolina style of barbeque. The world needs to be educated and this is as good a reason as any.

The Quest for the ’Que

While watching Bride and Prejudice, Sarah commented that this could be our last year in North Carolina and there were experiences that we need to have. She said we need to make sure we go to the fair, go to the small festivals around the area and, most importantly, seize the ’que. So the quest was begun. This is not just a quest about food, but also a quest to experience the great state of North Carolina before we may need to seek out employment elsewhere. Barbeque is a tasty way to explore our state, and the other areas of this country that recognize the need to seize the ’que.

Remembering Those Formative ’Que Experiences

Well, the first experience that comes to mind is a date I had when I was 18. I believe it was my third date with the gentleman and he took me to Red Bones (now called Sugar House Barbecue Company) in Salt Lake City. It’s Memphis-style and I don’t remember what I had. I do remember that I was so nervous I threw away my tray with trash and then was so embarrassed that I tried to reach into the trash can to get it out. While formative in my relationship with the gentleman, it is not the experience that first sent me on my quest. It's good 'que, but my mind was on other things.

When I moved to North Carolina, my husband (who had been here for a year before I moved down) gave me a little lecture on what barbeque was and what Carolina barbeque was. Then he took me to Bullocks. As I said above, it was love at first bite. First, there was the pungent vinegar sauce with the smoky pork and then, then there was the slaw. I’ve never liked coleslaw before, but here the slaw was not a mess of cabbage and cabbage hidden in a soup of mayo but rather delicately sliced cabbage with the tang of vinegar, perfectly designed for the barbeque. I was hooked and have never looked back.

For those folks who think I am giving other types of ’que the short stick, my other most formative barbeque experience was at Cooper’s Barbeque in Llano, Texas (see photo at beginning of post). You drive up and there are barbeque pits almost as far as the eye can see. To order, you line up behind all the other hungry folks to wait for your turn with the ’que master in front of the pit. There, you choose the meat from the pit and the master plops it in on the tray for you. My mother and I had brisket (they were out of the goat, which is a local specialty). On the table, there is a bit more sauce and bags of sliced bread. There’s a buffet of beans and onions on the far wall. This all leads up to the best brisket I’ve ever had. Ever. Did I say ever? While I disagreed with President Bush on many things, there is this one we see eye to eye on. Cooper’s is great barbeque. The brisket was so tender and moist it just fell apart at the touch of a fork. Together with a bottle of Lone Star, this is a meal my mother and I talk about even a year later. I'd probably have a standing mail order if the shipping cost wasn't almost as expensive as the 'que.

Needless to say, when Sarah directed that we "Seize the 'Que," I jumped at the chance. I hope you enjoy our blog and our reviews.

A Bit of Introduction--from Sarah

2005-09-21T09:45:00.000-04:00

Sarah’s Formative ’Que Experiences

Between the ages of about 7 and 26, I wasn’t a big fan of barbecue. For my family, living in a region where barbecue was not indigenous (the Northeast), barbecue meant ribs, and it generally had to be obtained from a chain restaurant like
Tony Roma’s. As a rather prissy child, I found the fatty, greasy, pork lurking under the buckets of sweet, red sauce not worth the mess that eating ribs entailed. (An exception was the somewhat less messy barbecued spareribs we ordered in Chinese restaurants, which I loved.)

When my family moved from Brooklyn to California, I got to experience the backyard barbecue. Now barbecue meant burgers and hot dogs, or maybe chicken with some sauce. It was okay, but nothing special. I still wasn’t too into barbecue, although I enjoyed the social aspect of a cookout.

As an adult living in New York again (after college), I noted the rise of newer BBQ chains, like Dallas BBQ. This chain, which I didn’t realize until now is only located in New York, purports to be “NYC’s best!” It advertises “Texas Size Famous Frozen Drinks,” but the menu doesn’t really focus on traditional Texas BBQ; although brisket is on the menu, most of the options involve ribs (beef and baby back), chicken, and burgers—and also steak and fish, which are not traditional barbecue menu items. According to their site, Dallas BBQ now has “new” options including “Carolina Pulled Pork”—served with cole slaw and fries, baked potato, or yellow rice!—but I’d venture to guess it’s not “legit,” as a friend of mine always used to say.

Some of the people I worked with in NYC used to lament the dearth of legitimate BBQ in the city. The best option was supposed to be a place called Pearson’s, but it was tucked away in a bar in Queens, or closed, or something. However, we did work right by a place that served about the best BBQ I’ve had in the New York area, Virgil’s. The food at Virgil’s is pretty good, and I had my first pulled pork sandwich there. But Virgil’s is apparently the result of a great deal of research; the site says, “After close to 10,000 miles and visits to 100 barbecue joints from Memphis to Dallas and points south and east, a clear vision for Virgil's developed.” Many styles of BBQ are represented on Virgil’s menu, from Memphis Pork Ribs to Smoked Maryland Ham. They also have “New York’s finest frozen margaritas.” All this is well and good, and must appeal to Virgil’s Times Square customers, but it doesn’t quite smack of authenticity to me.

Which brings me to Carolina and the real deal. It wasn’t until I moved down to Chapel Hill for graduate school that I became a BBQ fan. I had my first adventure with pulled pork when I attended my former department’s annual pig pickin’ in the fall of 2002. I had never heard the term before, let alone seen people I knew engaged in the act of pulling shreds of pork out of a pig’s carcass. I told my friends back home that it had been a little off-putting, but oddly compelling.

At that first pig pickin’, I didn’t even have the guts to try the pig. But pretty soon I was eating free ’que at Pantana Bob’s during happy hour; surprisingly good ’que at Breadmen’s; and, finally, venturing to my first real ’que joint, Allen & Son. Over time, I’ve become such a big fan of Carolina BBQ—for reasons that I’ll go into in another post—that when I realized how soon we might be moving away from this part of the country, I challenged myself and Jennifer to seize the ’que this year. Thanks to her ingenuity, this blog was born. We hope you enjoy reading it!