Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Checking out the smokers at the Smokin' Possum Cookoff
Monday, May 23, 2011
Smokin' Possum Cookoff a character-building experience for the Posse
We had fun cooking just outside our cabins at Possum Hollow Resort on Possum Kingdom Lake over a nearly weather-perfect weekend.
As for our results, however, the best thing we can say is that it was a character-building experience.
Our first entry into the world of sanctioned barbecue competitions was a crash course in harsh reality. Cooking to maximize the impact of that one bite a judge takes of your food is not the same as cooking for friends and relatives in your backyard. And it's not the same as turing out good barbecue day after day at a joint.
We thought we knew that going in. Now, we really know.
There were about 17 entries in each of the three meat categories -- chicken, ribs and brisket. We didn't place in any, and the places went down to #10.
The really character-building part of the experience, though, came when the I.B.C.A. judge read the order of finish for the rest of the field. We were second to last in each category. That's consistent, if nothing else.
Thankfully, the judge read only entry numbers and not team names.
She also said that one of the chicken entries was raw -- NOT OUR's -- giving us the opportunity to instantly create a new team motto: "Better than raw."
The best part of the weekend was visiting with other cookers, like Brett Davenport of Burleson, who built his own giant smoker that can cook 32 briskets at once. The rig, complete with automatic awnings that shield cookers from sun and rain, weighs about 9,000 pounds.
Saturday evening, well after the judging, we visited with Troy and Amber King, married cookoff veterans from Wills Point who compete separately. Sometimes Troy does better and sometimes Amber, they said. Troy took first in chicken, Amber fourth in brisket.
They passed along some cooking tips and rub recommendations. And they both said that they wouldn't cook their competition barbecue for a meal at home. The taste is too loud, trying to attract the attention of a judge who takes just a nibble. That makes it difficult to eat much more than one piece.
"Competition is all about one bite," Troy said.
"You couldn't eat a whole sandwich made of my brisket," Amber said.
For now, we'll take some comfort in that.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
It's turn in time at the Smokin' Possum Cookoff
Marshall cooked three briskets to choose between for our entry. Out of that we'll enter just seven slices for the judges to taste test. Win or lose, we've had a great time last night and today. What an amazing day out here at the second annual Smokin' Possum Cookoff.
Fear & Loathing at the Smokin' Possum Cookoff at Possum Kingdom Lake
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.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Posse favorites: Beef ribs at Lockhart Smokehouse
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.
Monday, May 16, 2011
The first families of Dallas BBQ meet up at The Great Posse Smokefest
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.
