(might cater if you ask nicely)
https://outoftownbbq.crd.co/ My BBQ journey starts in St. Louis. And not as a child. I was averse to barbeque sauce as a kid and my parents' idea of a good steak was Applebee's. (it was, but that's besides) I didn't have my first real BBQ till Sugarfire Smokehouse, sometime during or after college. It was eye-opening. That smoky flavor differed completely from meat
I'd ever had before. It was so good, my wife and I had BBQ catering for our wedding day, and Sugarfire's Saint Louie Sweet sauce was brought in by family. Now I was no stranger to a grill. I sizzled up a steak every Friday after college. I challenged myself to learn to grill. But I was on a propane burner. Five years of this, I finally met someone with a pellet smoker. Their product was amazing. I had to do it myself. Time to retire Ol' Propane anyway. Two years with the cheapest pellet smoker I could find, I had the basics pretty well figured out. I took particular care with what wood I'd pair with what meat. After upgrading the smoker to a bigger model, I got serious. I finally chose to tackle: The Brisket. This wasn't the first time I'd done brisket. It WAS the first time I took it very, very seriously. Aaron Franklin has been my main source for instruction. I followed his plan (not his recipe, just his plan) to the letter. It came out... PERFECT. The best thing I'd ever smoked before. And I could tell there was still room for improvement. But I knew then and there, I had a hit. After that, I made a point to visit every BBQ joint I could find. A fascinating conclusion I've arrived at is: the more BBQ you've had, the less confident you are a new place will be good. The first is always The Best. After the fifth or sixth, you start to realize there's room for improvement at some of these places. By Joint 12, it's easy to be cynical. The biggest thing for me is Wood Pairing. The species of wood you use is the most important thing to me. When I ask a pitmaster what they're smoking with, the answer is always very telling. So what do I smoke with? Oak, with some Mesquite. I learned to BBQ in the desert, but I live in Hickory country. I do not believe beef belongs over hickory wood. Full stop. That is the hill I will gladly Go Alamo on. Oak brings out a satisfying, complementary flavor to beef, it pairs too well to not use. And mesquite! Mesquite is that tangy kick to remind you you're still on Earth. My seasoning is very simple. Salt, Pepper, and Onion. This is a trick I learned from my Grandma: she did brisket in the oven, always a blessing around the holidays. The flavor of cooked onion and juicy beef is spectacular and a secret too few know about. Can I do other BBQ? I can. Absolutely. Pork ribs, Chicken breast, Lamb chops, Steak, Ham, Salmon, Bread. I have a huge list I can do. For now, though, the menu is just Brisket. There is no reason to overcomplicate the menu. And there is DEFINITELY no reason to use the wrong smoke for the wrong meat. I'll do these things as one-off experiments. But don't expect to see them as new staples. "The proof is in the pudding," as the saying goes. I implore you to be skeptical. To not be so sure. To doubt my claims that my BBQ is among the most spectacular eating you could want. This skepticism is wise; I welcome it wholeheartedly. Come, see, taste for yourself.
