Real Texas BBQ (Stockton, Walnut Creek, San Rafael: university, club, vs.)

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by G Grasshopper

I misspoke on this one. Its Roadside BBQ (not Texas Roadhouse) at Northgate Mall.

Thanks for clarifying this! I was in disbelief that you considered Texas Roadhouse Real Texas BBQ!

Roadside is one place I have not heard of. I work in SF so I will have to try them out.

[G Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by TVC15

Texas BBQ sides are just as important as the BBQ.

Well, BBQ is frequently discussed on the Austin thread of C-D, and there have been numerous comments from people that no one cares about the sides, they just judge a place by the meat. I can't think of any BBQ place I have been to that has fresh veggies, well prepared or any other really good side. They just serve up potato salad like one would get at the grocery store, blah beans, maybe offer a baked potato, and throw on a thick slice of white bread, and call it good. Yuk. Roadhouse BBQ has great sides as well as fall-off-the-bone, delicious meat. Wish I could find that in Texas.

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by G Grasshopper

Well, BBQ is frequently discussed on the Austin thread of C-D, and there have been numerous comments from people that no one cares about the sides, they just judge a place by the meat. I can't think of any BBQ place I have been to that has fresh veggies, well prepared or any other really good side. They just serve up potato salad like one would get at the grocery store, blah beans, maybe offer a baked potato, and throw on a thick slice of white bread, and call it good. Yuk. Roadhouse BBQ has great sides as well as fall-off-the-bone, delicious meat. Wish I could find that in Texas.

You can find that in Texas...not sure where you are looking. What places have you tried in Texas?

The sides at my favorite place in Houston are very yummy.

I find it amusing a person who lives in Texas making the claims that you are making.

Perhaps you have never tried good Texas BBQ or good sides.

If you ever make it to Houston try this place.

http://www.goodecompany.com/images/p...rvice-Menu.pdf

[silverkris]

So have any of you expatriate Texans tried Armadillo Willy's, which is a local chain but says they're Texas style?

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by silverkris

So have any of you expatriate Texans tried Armadillo Willy's, which is a local chain but says they're Texas style?

Yes I tried them and the ribs were excellent and the smoked chicken was so so. The sides were not fit for a dog.

I went there a few weeks ago thinking that if I ordered a BBQ chicken sandwich it was going to be the smoked chicken. To my disgust it was a hammered out chicken breast coated in some nasty smoked flavored seasoning and grilled. The sides were so gross that I just took one bite of everything and left thoroughly disgusted.

Good BBQ is so easy to make if you have the right tools. Also sides are very easy to make. So it just baffles me how they do it so poorly here in CA.

[TR95]

Originally Posted by TVC15

Yes I tried them and the ribs were excellent and the smoked chicken was so so. The sides were not fit for a dog.

I went there a few weeks ago thinking that if I ordered a BBQ chicken sandwich it was going to be the smoked chicken. To my disgust it was a hammered out chicken breast coated in some nasty smoked flavored seasoning and grilled. The sides were so gross that I just took one bite of everything and left thoroughly disgusted.

Good BBQ is so easy to make if you have the right tools. Also sides are very easy to make. So it just baffles me how they do it so poorly here in CA.

If you would have posed this question on the Houston forum you would have been told to go home. I really haven't figured out what is so special about Texas BBQ. Been to the Franklin's, Lockhart's, Kerlin, the roadside places between Houston and Austin. While it is good I don't comprehend waiting in line and the many famous places. I will try this Good Co. place next time in Houston, but really can't imagine it is worth paying $15-$20 per pound. It's funny to hear all the banter that there is nothing like Texas BBQ and Carolina is "yuck". Isn't it all just a matter of taste and preference anyway. I find that all types of BBQ are fine and there isn't anything really fantastic about any of them.

Not sure why Ca can't make good bbq. Maybe it's just not worth it financially for places to take the time to prepare it with the high costs of retail space. Better to just crank something out that people can enjoy.

[dalparadise]

Originally Posted by TR95

If you would have posed this question on the Houston forum you would have been told to go home. I really haven't figured out what is so special about Texas BBQ. Been to the Franklin's, Lockhart's, Kerlin, the roadside places between Houston and Austin. While it is good I don't comprehend waiting in line and the many famous places. I will try this Good Co. place next time in Houston, but really can't imagine it is worth paying $15-$20 per pound. It's funny to hear all the banter that there is nothing like Texas BBQ and Carolina is "yuck". Isn't it all just a matter of taste and preference anyway. I find that all types of BBQ are fine and there isn't anything really fantastic about any of them.

Not sure why Ca can't make good bbq. Maybe it's just not worth it financially for places to take the time to prepare it with the high costs of retail space. Better to just crank something out that people can enjoy.

Texas BBQ is nothing really special. She is right to say that Goode Co. is tasty, but it's just simple smoked brisket, sausage, and ribs. There are better places in Houston, but she'd have to venture into black neighborhoods like Acres Homes in Houston to find those. Those BBQ joints lean more toward the KC and Carolina styles, like they do in East Texas. Goode Co. is as white bread as their Texas Toast.

California does Tri-tip amazingly well. It is superior to brisket in my opinion. I had never had it until moving here and Texas does not seem to prepare it as a roast, or serve it as is done in California. Tri-tip is nicely marbled and tender-perfect for grilling. I'm not sure why it hasn't ever caught on in Texas. Just a cultural difference, I suppose.

Much of Texas BBQ is wrapped up (pun intended) in smoked sausage. This comes from a strong German and Czech influence in Central Texas. There is some amazing smoked sausage there.

California, particularly Northern California, tends toward broader European and Wine Country influences in its sausage recipes. Again, cultural differences. I can see how someone would crave one or the other's style. There isn't a lot of crossover between the two.

Simply stated, people's tastes are different in different regions. Texas, as a culinary influencer, is not as big outside its borders as California is. It's not that it's so hard to smoke meat for 15 hours until it tastes like "real Texas BBQ,"--the OP purportedly does it with a simple ceramic smoker and a few chips of wood-- it's that there not a huge market for it in California.

[clongirl]

Anyone ever try or hear of these guys--(Texas style)? I think they're opening up a place in Lafayette---they apparently used to do catering only. I don't know much about bbq since I try to avoid a lot of meat, but they look pretty good and I'm excited to have something decent in town.

Bonehead's Texas BBQ Catering, Ribs, Brisket, Pork, Chicken, Bay Area

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by TR95

If you would have posed this question on the Houston forum you would have been told to go home. I really haven't figured out what is so special about Texas BBQ. Been to the Franklin's, Lockhart's, Kerlin, the roadside places between Houston and Austin. While it is good I don't comprehend waiting in line and the many famous places. I will try this Good Co. place next time in Houston, but really can't imagine it is worth paying $15-$20 per pound. It's funny to hear all the banter that there is nothing like Texas BBQ and Carolina is "yuck". Isn't it all just a matter of taste and preference anyway. I find that all types of BBQ are fine and there isn't anything really fantastic about any of them.

Not sure why Ca can't make good bbq. Maybe it's just not worth it financially for places to take the time to prepare it with the high costs of retail space. Better to just crank something out that people can enjoy.

It is special in the unique way that it is cooked and the type of wood used and the spices that creates a nice smoked flavor. It is also special due to it's tradition in Texas and the fact that BBQ is uniquely American.

The history of Texas BBQ is also interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue_in_Texas

Not liking it does not equate that is not special. People from all over the US and parts of the world are interested in trying Real Texas BBQ.

I disagree as to why CA can't make good BBQ. There sure are a lot of places selling it and claiming it to be Texas Style when indeed it is not even in the same league. Why not make it right if you are putting in the effort to make it and call it Texas Style BBQ?

This thread was created when I was new to the area and in search of Real Texas BBQ.

I grew tired of all of the disappointing places and then my sweet partner bought us a Big Green Egg that smokes to perfection...just like they do it in Texas!

My neighbors are very impressed with how it tastes. They claim to have never tasted smoked chicken that good in their entire life!

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

Texas BBQ is nothing really special. She is right to say that Goode Co. is tasty, but it's just simple smoked brisket, sausage, and ribs. There are better places in Houston, but she'd have to venture into black neighborhoods like Acres Homes in Houston to find those. Those BBQ joints lean more toward the KC and Carolina styles, like they do in East Texas. Goode Co. is as white bread as their Texas Toast.

Goode Co also offers smoked chicken and turkey. And about venturing in the 3rd and 4th Wards in Houston...I am very accustomed to those areas as a tutor for poor children and my brother's band house was located in the 4th Ward. I have ventured into those neighborhoods for over 20 years.

Originally Posted by dalparadise

California does Tri-tip amazingly well. It is superior to brisket in my opinion. I had never had it until moving here and Texas does not seem to prepare it as a roast, or serve it as is done in California. Tri-tip is nicely marbled and tender-perfect for grilling. I'm not sure why it hasn't ever caught on in Texas. Just a cultural difference, I suppose.

I think it has more to do with the fact that tri-tip is a muscle...and you don't slow cook or smoke muscle meat. Tri-tip is usually used in roasts or to grill. Simply grilling something is not what Texas BBQ is about.

Originally Posted by dalparadise

Much of Texas BBQ is wrapped up (pun intended) in smoked sausage. This comes from a strong German and Czech influence in Central Texas. There is some amazing smoked sausage there.

Much of Texas BBQ is not wrapped up in smoked sausage. Much of Texas BBQ is mainly seen in the form of brisket and chicken.

Originally Posted by dalparadise

the OP purportedly does it with a simple ceramic smoker and a few chips of wood-- it's that there not a huge market for it in California.

Not chips but 7-8 wood chunks soaked overnight in water. And depending on what meat you are using there is a bit of prep for that as well. There certainly is a market for BBQ here because I tried out a lot of places when I moved here. Only to be disappointed over and over and over.

Glad we have the Big Green Egg!