Hinze's BBQ Fire Destroys Wharton BBQ Institution

A Wharton icon has been destroyed. Hinze's BBQ has been a staple in the community for 40 years, but on Monday night a fast-moving fire gutted it.

The fire started Monday at around 7 p.m. as a grease fire in one of the pits. Employees tried to put it out but their fire extinguisher ran out and the fire spread. read more on Hinze's BBQ fire...

THE TEXAS BBQ AESTHETIC

Texas-style barbecue seems to be taking over the world, and that doesn’t just mean you can find smoked brisket on the menu in Seattle and New York. There’s an aesthetic to presentation that has permeated these places deeper than post-oak smoke... (

http://www.tmbbq.com/the-texas-bbq-aesthetic/)

Metro Port A Pit BBQ Chicken at Keller Farmer's Market

I heard this purveyor at the Keller Farmer's Market was cranking out some proper que in the form of half and whole smoked chickens. Rumor had it they often sell out before noon. I decided a visit was in order for Metro Port-A-Pit.

Arriving about 10:45am, what I found was a large, portable, stainless steel pit wrapping up from the morning's cook. Under a small tent, three people were pulling chicken halves out of coolers just about as fast as they could. The chicken looked well smoked but I was cautious - how many times have you thought "this chicken looks beautiful" only to find something inside akin to rubber?

The chicken appeared to have been oiled and then rubbed with a dry rub that was savory and salty. I would imagine their blend of spices was something close to a poultry spice mix. The taste profile was pleasing - not too salty, not too smokey. The skin was cooked till it was tender but didn't pull away from the chicken completely when you bit into it (that's a good thing per KCBS BBQ rules). 

While the dark meat was juicy and tender, the breast definitely suffered from the time spent in the cooler. It was dry and a bit rubbery. However, it was definitely edible and there was not a morsel of meat left on the bone after we devoured the entire chicken.

I definitely recommend this place if you happen by the Keller Farmer's Market. They also cater which might be an interesting option.

Salt and Pepper Brisket

Black and white, dalmation, zebra. What ever you call it this simple BBQ rub is beautiful! 1.5 cups Kosher salt to 1 cup coarse ground black pepper. 

Applied to a 15lb. Prime whole packer. 

Smokercycle

What BBQ is in your shopping cart?

Looks like chicken and ribs!

Weekend BBQ: Mayo BBQ Smoked Chicken

When I attended the  Foodways Texas Barbecue Summer Camp (review coming soon!) held at the Rosenthal Meat Center at Texas A&M University this summer (June 6-8, 2014) their esteemed poultry expert Christine Alvarado from the Department of Poultry Science showed us a recipe using chicken legs and wings dipped in mayonaise and BBQ'd in a smoker. I'll admit - I'm not a huge chicken fan to begin with and the thought of chicken being plunged into mayonaise turned my stomach a bit. However, after trying the final product I can vouch for this cooking technique - it produces a delicious, juicy and flavorful product that I'd be proud to serve me friends and family.

So, this recipe is on the roster for TCU Football tailgating for the 2014 schedule. I'll be executing a practice cook this weekend to make sure I have the recipe, cook temperature, cook time and holding times right.

Mayo BBQ Smoked Chicken Recipe:

Ingredients:
4 lbs chicken legs, wings or thighs
4 cups of mayonnaise (or enough mayonaise to provide a thick coat on each piece of chicken)
Spices to coat

Instructions:
1. Select your spices in advance and place in a flat dish. We tried two versions at BBQ Camp: jerk and salt/pepper. Both were excellent. The jerk spices were not as hot as I expected - I think a majority cooks off so go heavy on the application of spices. Basically, anything that goes well with chicken should work - but something with a little salt will be better.
2. Take each piece of chicken and apply a thick coating of mayonaise. When I say thick, I'm talking thick! Basically - submerge each piece of chicken in mayonaise and pull it out. Whatever sticks is how thick it should be - don't scrape anything off. Remember, most of this will cook off in the smoker.
3. Once coated in mayonaise roll each piece of chicken in the spices you have selected until there is a good coating.
4. Once your chicken has been dipped in mayonaise and coated in spices it's ready for the smoker.
5. Heat your smoker to about 225 - 250 degrees, apply your favorite wood for smoke, and wait for the TBS ("thin blue smoke") to appear.
6. Cook till internal temperature is 165 degrees as measured with a thermometer. (I swear by my Thermoworks Thermopen in TCU purple!)