Fear & Loathing at the Smokin' Possum Cookoff at Possum Kingdom Lake

It's less than 11 hours til our first check in time at the Smokin' Possum Cookoff. This is the second year for the competition, which has been named as a Texas state championship by the I.B.C.A.

We're missing two members of our cook team, Bryan Gooding and Gary Barber, who were key members of the award winning run at last year's Blues, Bandits & BBQ Festival in Oak Cliff. This is our first cookoff since then.

We're cooking ribs, chicken and brisket against a tough field of seasoned competitors. We'll be live blogging during the day, for better or for worse. Either way, the Posse is having a great time being part of the Texas BBQ competition circuit.

Photos by Chris Wilkins

Posse favorites: Beef ribs at Lockhart Smokehouse

Beefed Up Wednesday is something you're going to want to check out at Lockhart Smokehouse in Oak Cliff. Posse member Jim Rossman came back after a recent lunch raving about the beef ribs, a menu item available only on Wednesdays. And Jim eats there one or two times a week.

Not a lot of joints serve beef ribs, though I've tried them at several places including Louie Mueller BBQ, Gonzales Food Market and Smoke in Dallas. The ribs from Louie Mueller have been amazing every time I tried them and Gonzales was really good as well. I probably won't order the beef rib the next time I dine at Smoke, it was underwhelming compared to Mueller and Gonzales.

A group of ten from the DMN headed over the viaduct today to find out for ourselves. Arriving at 11:30 am, the line wasn't long yet and we got down to business.

The rib is giant, almost making you think of prehistoric days. They normally cut if from the bone for you, throwing some sweet pickles and white bread on top. It looked great.

Irwin Thompson ordered his "animal style," ie: still on the bone. It was fun to watch him devour one-plus pounds of meat off that big rib bone.

Bottom line, most of us have been here numerous times and this is one of the best things we've ordered at Lockhart. It was cooked perfectly, with good rub, texture and smoke. One rib could easily feed two people, unless you come in with a huge appetite.

Open only three months, Jeff and Tim are understandingly still knocking out some of the kinks of starting a BBQ joint from scratch. However, Beefed Up Wednesday will keep you coming back for more......

Lockhart Smokehouse, 400 W. Davis, Dallas, 214-944-5521. Open every day from 11am till they're done.

Photos by Chris Wilkins

The first families of Dallas BBQ meet up at The Great Posse Smokefest

A spouse of one Posse member likened The Great Posse Smokefest this past Saturday and Sunday to a sleep-over for 10-year-old boys.

Yes, I did take my pillow and, thankfully, got to use it for an hour and a half.

The smoking of meat started Saturday evening, continued all night, and culminated in a party for Posse members and friends, totaling more than 50 people.

The highlight, other than the fellowship around the pits, was early Sunday afternoon when the owners of the Pecan Lodge -- Justin and Diane Fourton -- met the owners of Lockhart Smokehouse -- Jeff and Jill Bergus -- for the first time.

Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins took a wonderful photograph of the new First Ladies of Dallas BBQ.

The food got strong reviews. Justin's brisket -- he smokes with mesquite wood -- had a rub with some pop. The Lockhart sausages were great.

Posse pitmaster Marshall Cooper's brisket -- he uses hickory wood -- was as solid as ever, although now, thanks to Justin, he is thinking about trying to add some more kick to his salt and pepper rub. My chicken turned out well but my ribs were mushy.

Wilkins' pork butt wasn't ready when we started eating at about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday so we left it on the pit. Four hours later, he pulled it. A dozen or so people, each armed with a fresh fork, dug in for samples. It was excellent.

Oh, yes, Suzi Woo's strawberry pie was terrific. She is the wife of Posse member David Woo.

The first Smokefest was a wonderful time. We plan to do it again.

Photos by Chris Wilkins, Suzi Woo, Mike Gibson & David Woo

Myron Mixon may conquer the world, but there's no way it's real Texas BBQ

Gotta love the title of Myron Mixon's new book, Smokin'. One word that conjures a thousand pictures.

And the self-proclaimed "winningest man in barbecue" even weighs in on our recent debate here about wood versus gas.

"Can I smoke food on a gas grill?" Mixon asks rhetorically midway through his opening chapter.

"You bet your ass you can," he answers.

Mixon's credentials are impressive, as he lets you know in a short section called: "How Much Have I Won?" No self-esteem issues with Myron. Of course, anyone who has watched him on TLC's BBQ Pitmasters already knows that.

He cites more than 1,800 total barbecue competition trophies, 3 world championships, 11 national championships and 30 state championships, singling out Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Virginia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Illinois, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Notice anything missing? Yep, no Texas.

Mixon does offer many good tips and interesting recipes in his 170-page book. Don't open your smoker unless you have to, he says, because of the problems it causes in trying to maintain a constant temperature.

I'm going to try his bacon-wrapped chicken breast soon, though I'll skip the Coca-Cola marinade.

I'll also pass on his "world-famous cupcake chicken," no matter how many contests it has won. Chicken thighs in an aluminum cupcake pan? It just ain't right! And I'll skip the MSG he slips into some recipes.

His brisket recipe -- "preferably wagyu" -- is most revealing. Cook at 350 degrees for about 4 hours, covering with foil just past the midway point. Then let the it rest at room temperature for another 3 or 4 hours. Pour the saved, re-warmed juices over the meat before serving.

Low and slow, the Texas way? Forget about it. For Mixon, it's all about playing to the judges' taste -- maybe that's lack of taste -- and winning.

We love the smell of hickory smoke in the morning

It's 11 a.m. on a beautiful day for The Great Posse Smokefest in Dallas.

Everyone has had a nap -- some longer than others -- and we feel rejuvenated after a night of fellowship around the pits.

Most of the meat is done and resting. Chris' pork butt still has some time to go. Justin's brisket, which looks absolutely beautiful, is finishing.

We just loaded the chickens on the Jambo.

For now, we can relax and enjoy the smell of hickory smoke.

Photos ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse

Justin Fourton of Pecan Lodge is in the house

It's now 4:49 a.m. and Justin Fourton, owner and pitmaster of the Pecan Lodge has joined the party at the first Great Posse Smokefest.

Justin and his wife Diane, aka: The Boss Lady, serve what many consider to the the best brisket in Dallas. We started with a tour of his awesome mobile pit as he got the fire up to temp.

It's now 5:30 a.m. and we're talking BBQ technique and getting as many of his secrets as we can. Brisket and biscuits for breakfast before too long.....

Photos by ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse