I found a recipe for Lexington Dip sauce by performing a
simple google search. If you have not read other posts about North Carolina
barbecue, I'll give you a brief explanation of the sauce. In Western North
Carolina, where the town of Lexington is located, the barbecue sauce contains
more tomato product such as ketchup compared to the vinegar based sauces of
Eastern North Carolina. Lexington Dip was created by a local barbecue
restaurant in Lexington and now has become world famous. I have provided a link to the
recipe below. It seems to have more vinegar than tomato, but hey, I am from
Georgia where we love tomato in our barbecue sauces.
This post is the final installment on what I learned about barbecue in the North Carolina mountains. I was watching a documentary on barbecue while chilling out in the cabin when I learned of the history of Kansas City barbecue. First, during the Great Migration, African Americans from the South moved to the city in large numbers and brought barbecue with them. Second, cowboys driving cattle from Texas to Kansas City would bring their Texas barbecue traditions to the Midwest. They were not shy about smoking and eating brisket while on the road. The people of Kansas City took note of the strange food the cowboys and African Americans were eating and a Tennessee native, Henry Perry, opened the first barbecue restaurant in Kansas City in the 1920s. He would smoke meat over an open pit and serve it wrapped in newspaper. Other men learned how to barbecue from Henry and soon restaurants opened throughout the city.
Today, there are over 100 barbecue restaurants in Kansas City. I would argue that the city has the most respected barbecue tradition outside of Memphis (the state of Missouri as a whole, not so much). If you are visiting Kansas City, I would encourage you to avoid a Kansas City Royals baseball game. That team usually stinks! Instead, visit a barbecue restaurant. Give strong consideration to dining at Arthur Bryant's. It has been in business since the 1920s and has a worldwide following. For more information about Kansas City barbecue, visit http://www.visitkc.com/mediaroom/news_release_detail.aspx?NewsID=36
The poll recently closed to vote on the state with the best barbecue sauce. The state of North Carolina received the most votes for having the best barbecue sauce. The interesting part about barbecue sauce in North Carolina is that it changes with the region. Eastern North Carolina is the home of vinegar based sauces while Western North Carolina is home to barbecue sauces which are more tomato based (ketchup, tomato paste, etc.). I have read that barbecue sauce in Western North Carolina, especially in the Piedmont, is often called Lexington Dip, named after a city in that region.
North Carolina
It is important to understand that North Carolina is similar to Tennessee in culture. The culture of the eastern part of the state was much more impacted by slavery, segregation, and all those things we learned about the South in fifth grade history compared to the western part of the state. The western part of the state, much like East Tennessee, is mountainous and relatively cool compared to other parts of the South. Obviously, geography and culture impacted the barbecue traditions of people in North Carolina.
Below I have listed a recipe for a typical Eastern North Carolina barbecue sauce. I have used this recipe, and it tastes great. I have put the sauce on pulled pork and ribs with equally tasty results. I also have attached a video explaining North Carolina barbecue and another video explaining Lexington Dip. I highly urge you to take two vacations to North Carolina, one to the eastern part of the state and one to the western part of the state. You will not only enjoy the barbecue but also the sights, sounds, and people.
The next poll question will be posted tonight. I encourage you to participate!
Place all of the ingredients in a
small, non-reactive sauce pan and bring to a boil. Whisk until the sugar
and salt is completely dissolved, remove from heat, and allow to cool
to room temperature.
Pour the sauce into a jar or squeeze bottle and let rest in the refrigerator one day before using.
Another barbecue fact I learned about in my visit to North Carolina was a brief explanation of the old school barbecue pits used when our grandparents and great-grandparents were around. Here is a picture of one of them:
I am not sure when this picture was taken, but it was supposedly taken in North Carolina. I also have pictures posted on the blog of similar pits taken in Georgia and another one in North Carolina. The setup for these pits was simple. A long, narrow hole was dug in the ground at three feet of depth. The hole was filled with an assortment of hardwoods which could burn long and slow. Remember, charcoal is a relatively new invention. Sticks were placed on top of the hole and meat was placed on top of the sticks. With this setup, a barbecue pitmaster could smoke a large amount of meat while additionally being able to baste the meat with the appropriate sauces. Fairly straightforward and efficient, is it not?
Also, the original pitmasters were slaves on the plantation. They would cook for the wealthy plantation owners and their family and friends. After the Civil War, many freedmen opened their own barbecue joints out of the back of their houses or on the side of the road. It was also after the Civil War when barbecue moved outside of the South to places like Kansas City and Whites experimented with being pitmasters.
I learned all of this barbecue history from a documentary I watched while I was chilling out in the cabin my family rented for the week. I am unsure of the name of the documentary, but I believe it came on the Food Network. Below are additionally pictures of old barbecue pits.
I have attached a link at the bottom of this post to a recipe for Brunswick Stew from Dreamland BBQ. I know most of you have probably either never heard of Brunswick Stew or have never tasted it. It is barbecue's version of vegetable soup and is popular in Virginia and Georgia. It differs from traditional vegetable soup in that it contains some sort of smoked meat and the vegetables are usually Southern in theme including a combination of corn, onions, tomatoes, lima beans, and okra. The most difficult part of this recipe is the pulled pork or barbecue chicken. It would, of course, require many hours of smoking. If you would rather avoid the arduous smoking process, cook some chicken on the grill and then cut it up and place it in the stew. That way, the stew would more quickly attain a somewhat smokey flavor.
I enjoy the Brunswick Stew at Dreamland, but my favorite is at Wallace BBQ in Austell, GA. I have heard that the folks there order from a stew house in a neighboring county. Regardless of where it is cooked, it tastes wonderful! Also, I have always found it interesting that Dreamland, an Alabama-based restaurant, serves Brunswick Stew. My guess is that the corporate guys are attempting to appease the appetites of the patrons at their Georgia locations. Anyways, give Brunswick Stew a try and let me know what you think of it.
I just got back from my vacation in North Carolina. I had fun, but unfortunately, I was sick during most of my stay there. I persevered and was able to learn a few things about barbecue during my stops in the mountains.
North Carolina Mountains
I have decided to discuss what I learned there through a series of posts which I will write over the next two weeks. The first little nugget of information which I learned concerns an aspect of the pioneer farm. When settlers in the North Carolina mountains built their farms by clearing tiny lots of forest, it was more complicated than most people are willing to acknowledge. What I mean is that farms today consist of a house, fence, a few barns, and maybe a greenhouse. Farms prior to the industrial revolution, which arguably did not arrive in most parts of the South until after WWII, were much more complex. Farmers could not reliably go to the store to buy products such as meat, pesticides, brooms, and horseshoes. The alternative? Produce them on the farm. For instance, tree branches were tied together for brooms and carved gourds were hung in strategic locations to house birds which ate insects. It was the ultimate use of vertical integration!
The tie in with barbecue becomes relevant when considering the farmers' techniques in producing meat. The meat of choice for farmers was pork. Hogs were cheap to buy, one hog could feed the entire family for awhile, and they did not require a lot of maintenance to keep alive. In fact, for much of the year, a farmer would free his hogs to forage in the woods. He would place a mark on their ears so he could identify them to round them up in the fall. When fall came, he would attempt to find each one of them, place them back in their pen, and prepare to slaughter them. Of course, he would not be able to find all of them, and these hogs would reproduce to the point that many Southern states have thriving feral hog populations.
Foraging saved the farmer money which would have otherwise been used for feed for the hogs. However, it made the hogs' meat tough and stringy. Barbecuing, or placing the meat from a slaughtered hog in the smoke house, made the meat more tender and juicy. It also was one of the best ways to preserve the meat. Keep in mind that there were no refrigerators before the Industrial Revolution. Hence, farmers across the South were contributing to the tradition of barbecuing out of necessity. Is it not impressive how hard working, innovative, and common sense focused our forefathers were?
Old Farm House
Smokehouse
A Cove Cleared for Farming in the Smokey Mountain National Park
I hope all of you have a happy Fourth of July. I will be in the North Carolina mountains spending time with my family. I plan on smoking ribs later this afternoon. I hope your barbecuing goes well, and I hope you find this blog helpful in trying new recipes and cooking techniques. I will not get back from North Carolina until late Friday, so I will pick back up with the posting next week. By the way, I have found a few cool things to incorporate into the blog while on my vacation. I will write more about them next week.
Also, here is an interesting fact about one of our Founding Fathers, George Washington, and his fondness for barbecue:
"George Washington, a notoriously terse diarist, actually recorded all
the barbecues he attended or hosted. For example, the entire entry for
August 4, 1769, reads: 'Dined at the [Barbecue] with a great deal of other
Company and [stayed] there till Sunset.' My favorite is another one-liner: 'Went in to Alexandria to a Barbecue and stayed all Night.' As our
first president, he was also responsible for our first presidential
barbecue."
I have picked Ed Mitchell, an Eastern North Carolina barbecue legend, to highlight during this week's segment of Legendary Pitmasters. This is the third installment of the weekly, 12 part series.
Positions: Former pitmaster of The Pit restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina; media personality; spokesman for Butterball; founder and regular participant of Big Apple Barbecue Block Party; participant of Food and Wine Festival in Australia
Still Living: Yes
Years in Business: Began barbecuing at age 14, education and military took him away from North Carolina barbecue but it was only temporary
Vitals: Originally from Wilson, North Carolina; started a restaurant in the 1990s which failed; turned The Pit restaurant into a world-reknowned success; left The Pit to open a new restaurant; became famous when he competed against Bobby Flay in "Throwdown with Bobby Flay."
*Unsure if he has opened his new restaurant. Does anyone know?
Specialties: Whole hog, smokes it with hickory chips and charcoal, will also add oak chips, hickory chips are flavored with cider vinegar and various spices; promotes healthy barbecue and smokes whole turkeys
Quote: In response to his decision to leave The Pit, Ed Mitchell stated, "“There were some other things I wanted to do to take my vision to the next level." kevinsbbqjoints.com
My wife and I ate at Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Cue on Tuesday. It is one of the few restaurants we can agree upon. I usually shy away from restaurants which have more than a few chain locations within a centralized area. I feel that restaurants with a lot of locations have become "commercialized" and have lost the originality and uniqueness which originally made them successful. I have already explained my disgust for Chili's in a previous post, but I also try to avoid O'Charley's, Olive Garden, and Outback Steakhouse. Red Lobster would be in this category, but it is the only seafood restaurant within driving distance from where I live. Remember, I reside in Metro-Atlanta, which is about four hours from the Atlantic and about five hours from the Gulf. I have additionally thought about dropping Applebee's into this category. However, it offers free kareoke on the weekends which makes for quality entertainment compared to the typically stale nightlife of the suburbs.
Jim 'N Nicks Bar-B-Cue
Sadly, the restaurants I have placed in the avoid category are not always avoidable. After graduations, little league baseball games, church functions, and random family gatherings, someone with no concept of what real food tastes like seems to always suggest that he and his associates extend their social outing by grabbing a bite to eat at an O'Charley's. Why did he pick O'Charley's? He saw a commercial advertising some type of 2 for 20 deal where he and his wife can share an appetizer and order two entrees for $20.00. If you have ever been caught in this situation then you know you have two options. You can lie and say your dog has pooped on your carpet and you need to go home immediately, or you can take the higher road and agree to attend because it would mean a lot for your distant fourth cousin who is visiting from Alaska.
I am an honest man, so I always take the higher road. I eat my food quickly so that it appears that I am enjoying myself. Truthfully, I am just trying to down the burger, which is the cheapest thing on the menu, because it is dry and tough to chew. Surprisingly, I occasionally walk away impressed with a commercialized dining experience. Sometimes I am so impressed with an experience that I make plans with my wife to visit that restaurant again. IHOP's all-you-can-eat pancakes fits this description. So does Red Lobster's all-you-can eat shrimp. As for barbecue, Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Cue tops the list.
When I go to Jim 'N Nicks, I always order the smoked wings as an appetizer. They have a spicy flare to them and come with carrots, celery, and blue cheese dressing. For the entree, I usually stick to the pulled pork. However, the brisket and smoked catfish are also solid choices. The menu offers a variety of sides, and one constant that I order is the collard greens. They have a smooth vinegar flavor and are cooked to just the right tenderness. Also, if you like sweet tea and lemonade, then order an Arnold Palmer. In my honest opinion, Jim 'N Nicks has the best Arnold Palmer I have ever drank.
Now I would like to hear from you. Do you agree with my assessment of Jim 'N Nicks? Are there other "commercialized" restaurants which I should try? If you disagree the "commercialized" concept, should I banish the discussion of these restaurants from the blog? Please let me know what you think.
The Infamous Collards from Jim 'N Nicks
Arnold Palmer
I do not know much about golf, but I am certain he created one of the most refreshing drinks in American history.
In a previous post I discussed a video in which an accomplished barbecue pitmaster explained that he marinated his ribs before cooking them. It is an interesting concept but one in which I was unfamiliar. Today, we will take a closer look at a more traditional technique for preparing ribs. I picked a video in which an average guy with a small backyard smoker uses a dry rub, baste, and homemade barbecue sauce to flavor his ribs. One of his many great points is that he explained that a barbecue sauce cannot be mopped on the ribs until the last hour to an hour and half of smoking. This is done because some of the ingredients in the barbecue sauce would burn if smoked for any longer. I hope you find this video inspirational and informative as you begin to prepare for your Fourth of July barbecue. I think a lot of people believe ribs are difficult to cook, but judging from my experiences, I believe even a novice can smoke up a decent rack of ribs. Look at the guy in the video. He is certainly not a barbecue expert, but he managed to successfully smoke ribs.
I encourage you to watch the video which I have inserted below before embarking on your upcoming barbecue adventures. Also, if you would like a quality recipe for a dry rub, baste, barbecue sauce, check out the post I wrote about Bobby Flay's recipe. Have a safe holiday!
Barbecue Sauce, Basting Sauce, and Dry Rub
Yummy! Ribs Done Right at Fat Matt's Rib Shack in Atlanta, GA
Once a month I will be posting a piece on barbecue happenings in print/media/music. It is my thought that barbecue has a profound impact on the everyday lives of Americans. This is just a theory, but perhaps my monthly updates will shed further light on this less than commonly held belief. For our first installment we turn to politics.
In 1992, Governor Rick Perry tasted a bit of Eastern North Carolina barbecue which was shipped to a convention in Houston. After a few bites, he remarked that it tasted worse than road kill. I fully understand that Eastern North Carolina barbecue tastes quite different from the traditional stuff in Texas. I could even foresee a newby to the whole hog concept finding the sauce to be too bitter and swine in general to be a less desirable meat compared to beef (for the record, I completely disagree). However, to declare that the barbecue tastes worse than roadkill is bold, uninformed, and over exaggerated. Governor Perry should have thought long and hard before he uttered those foolish words.
Anyways, almost 20 years later as Rick Perry campaigned for votes in North Carolina to become the Republican presidential candidate, his words came back to haunt him. A newspaper story was published, and it revealed that North Carolinians, most of whom are very prideful about their state and heritage, were still disgusted by the Governor's comments. The story even made it to the LA Times on the West Coast. Governor Perry dropped out of the race before the North Carolina primaries, but it is my guess that his decades old comment would have still negatively impacted his chances of winning the state's primary. Below the picture of Governor Perry is the link to the LA Times article.
Now it is your turn to chime in. Does barbecue have a tremendous impact on our everyday lives? Does it significantly impact politics and who people decide to vote for?
I hear First Lady Michelle Obama has also made a misinformed comment to the press. Apparently she stated that she was appreciative for her visit to North Carolina because, among other things, the barbecue was great. However, residents belief she was stretching the truth due to the fact that she only visited Charlotte. Apparently, most North Carolinians agree that Charlotte is the worst city in the state for barbecue. Funny, is it not?
As promised early this week, I have compiled a brief history of barbecue in Tennessee. This post is in tribute to Tennessee being voted by the readers of this blog as the state with the best barbecue tradition.
The State of Tennessee is Wide!!
Above is a map of the state of Tennessee. As you can probably tell, its land area lacks height, but its width certainly makes up for it. Tennessee sits on top of three states: Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. I mention this often overlooked fact because the unique shape of Tennessee greatly impacted the cultural development of its residents. You see, Tennessee has three distinct regions which are so different culturally that they may be viewed as three separate states. The three regions with their brief cultural descriptions are as follows:
1. East Tennessee: This region was too hilly to support large plantations before the Civil War. Although slavery was prevalent, the local economies did not heavily rely upon it like the people who lived near the Delta in West Tennessee. During the Civil War, the area was a bastion for Union support. Brothers literally did fight brothers as families were often split in their support for the North and the South. After the Civil War, many East Tennesseans differed politically with the rest of Tennessee by supporting and voting for Republican political candidates. The Solid South was not so solid in the hills and valleys west of the Cumberland Plateau. Today, East Tennessee is still mostly rural, but Chattanooga and Knoxville are bustling metropolitan areas with all the modern amenities a city slicker would expect.
The Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee
2. Central Tennessee: This region is a cross between the cultures of East and West Tennessee. The region is hilly like East Tennessee, but it closely resembles the gentle rolling hills of Bluegrass Country in Kentucky. Before the Civil War, large plantations were established to primarily cultivate tobacco. There were a handful of counties in Central Tennessee where the population was predominantly enslaved. Andrew Jackson's plantation is located in this region near Nashville. During the Civil War, Central Tennesseans were more homogenous in their support of the Confederacy, and after the Civil War, they aligned more with the Solid South. Today, Central Tennessee is home to the state's largest metropolitan area and state capital, Nashville, which is the world's epicenter for Country music. Vanderbilt University, arguably the South's most prestigious institution for higher learning, is also located in Nashville.
Tobacco Production in Central Tennessee
3. West Tennessee: Endless rows of cotton, wealthy plantation owners, slaves, and all of those things that Hollywood loves to mistakenly portray as the cultural heritage shared by all Southerners is typical of West Tennessee. The region borders the Mississippi Delta and sits across the river from the Arkansas Delta. Many of the region's early settlers became wealthy through cotton cultivation, and Memphis grew into a major city by aligning with the Cotton economy. West Tennessee was connected to the rest of the world through the Mississippi River. A steamboat ride could allow a West Tennessean to comfortably travel to New Orleans and beyond. The Tennessee legislature's decision to secede from the Union was largely a movement supported and promoted by the wealthy landowners of West Tennessee. Today, cotton is still a major player in the local economy, and Memphis has become a hub for Hip-Hop and Blues music and, of course, barbecue.
Cotton Producing Counties of West Tennessee
I highlight the diversity of cultures in Tennessee to demonstrate how culture has impacted barbecue throughout the state. Tennesseans, no matter what part of the state they come from, consider themselves Southern and view barbecue as a part of their heritage. Additionally, pork is the meat of choice when barbecuing throughout the state. However, how the pork is smoked and what else is smoked with the pork varies greatly from region to region. I'll start with the two most contrasting styles of barbecue and then finish with a culinary gray area.
Smoked Ham vs. Ribs vs. I'm not sure
East Tennessee is known for its pulled pork with a rich and thick tomato-based barbecue sauce. Smoked (or barbecued) ham with barbecue sauce is also common in this region. Furthermore, in my travels to East Tennessee, I have noticed that brisket is more likely to be consumed than in a place like my home state Georgia where a pink pig is even an amusement ride for kids during Christmas time. These are my own observations, but I attribute this to the abundance of dairy and cattle farms in the region. However, make no bones about it, pork is still the undisputed, heavy-weight champ in this region.
West Tennessee is also known for its pulled pork with a sweet, tomato based barbecue sauce but, in case you have been living under a rock, the ribs around there are pretty good too. Dry rub ribs are the craze in Memphis, and these rubs mimic traditional Cajun and Greek seasonings. As reported in a previous post about Charlie Vergos, the cooking traditions of New Orleans were easily accessible to Memphis due to the Mississippi River. Charlie combined the spices he saw Cajun chiefs use in New Orleans with the cooking techniques he learned from his Greek-American parents to create his world-famous ribs. It is additionally important to mention that before the Civil War, on plantations like those in West Tennessee, African Americans were experimenting with cooking techniques which tenderized tough meats, such as ribs, which were given to them by plantation owners who viewed the food as undesirable. And a quick FYI, Charlie Vergos mentioned that when he first added ribs to his restaurant's menu, they only cost $0.10 per pound, Now that people view them as more than a tough cut of meat, it is difficult to order a full slab of ribs for less than $18.00 (at least that is what I have noticed in my part of Georgia).
Central Tennessee: To be honest, I do not know much about the barbecue tradition of this region. There is not much literature written about, and I have not traveled extensively in this region. Perhaps it is because it is a mixture of the well-defined barbecuing traditions of East and West Tennessee. Could anyone fill me in?
I will post another poll question later today. Thank you to the readers who participated in the previous poll question. I encourage all of you to participate in the new one. I will keep the poll open for two weeks, and after the poll is closed I will post an article about the results. Thanks!
In keeping with the Tennessee theme for the week, I have picked a Memphis legend to highlight during this week's segment of Legendary Pitmasters. This is the second installment of the weekly, 12 part series.
Positions: Founder and former owner of Rendezvous Restaurant, background supporter and advisor to the happenings of downtown Memphis
Still Living: No, died in 2010
Restaurant: Rendezvous, Memphis, TN; Food can be ordered through FedEx and shipped to any location
Years in Business: Began barbecuing in 1948, found a coal chute in the basement of his diner and eventually expanded from serving ham and cheese sandwiches to ribs, his restaurant is now run by his kids
Vitals: Second generation Greek American, brought the concept of a dry rub to Memphis which is similar to traditional Greek and Cajun seasonings; One of the first restaurants to offer barbecue through FedEx shipping to any location in the United States; Unique in that only charcoal is used to smoke meats
Specialties: Ribs!! Although a rub is put on the ribs, the folks at Rendezvous consider their ribs a cross between wet and dry ribs. They discourage people from referring to their ribs as dry. Also, they still offer ham and cheese sandwiches on the menu as an appetizer or entree. Most people do not know that Charlie Vergos was serving ham and cheese sandwiches before he was serving ribs.The most interesting item on the menu is the barbecue shrimp. It is cooked in a skillet and requires 24 hours of advanced notice to order them.
Qoute: “People want to get into too much philosophical detail about barbecue.
From my perspective, there are two things that make barbecue special—and
two things only. One, it tastes really good. And two, it never goes out
of style,” John Vergos, co-owner of the Rendezvous and the son of Charles Vergos, menshealth.com profile of restaurants in the Southeast
Our first pole for the blog has closed. The question was "Which state has the best barbecue tradition?" The results were close, but Tennessee narrowly defeated Texas for the title of "State with the best Barbecue Tradition." Although I am a native Georgian, I voted for the Volunteer State because of Memphis. I feel that no other city has a history and culture which is interwoven with barbecue like Memphis. What I plan to do is later this week write up a brief history on barbecue in the state of Tennessee. Next week, I will create another pole question for readers to answer. Thank you for all those who participated. Until then, I leave you with a familiar victory song which, if you have ever watched a University of Tennessee football game, is played every time the Volunteers score. Also, I have included a video which briefly explains the history behind Memphis barbecue and some of the city's most famous restaurants. I hope this wets your appetite until I post the full report.
I came across this recipe on the Internet today. It is one of Bobby Flay's rib recipes, and I find it intriguing because it received solid ratings from readers. I was unaware that Bobby Flay knew anything about barbecue outside of hamburgers and hot dogs until I saw him on TV participating in a rib cooking competition in Richmond, VA. He lost the challenge, but I was impressed with his ability to think outside of the box to make Asian style ribs.
I have attached a link to the recipe below the picture of him. Also included in the link are the ratings left by readers and videos of him preparing ribs and other food. The recipe includes a dry rub for the ribs, a mop sauce to baste the ribs while they are smoking, and barbecue sauce to use for basting in conjunction with the mop sauce towards the end of the smoking period. Please note that prep time is 19 hours. He recommends letting the ribs marinate in the dry rub for upwards of 13 hours and then use the other 6 hours for smoking. Lastly, I have attached a youtube video with Bobby Flay describing one of the best things he has eaten. It just so happens to be (drum roll)...beef ribs at Salt Lick Barbecue in Texas!
Bobby Flay is certainly not a barbecue genius. I do though respect his culinary skills and trust that anything he promotes online or on TV is solid.
A Couple weeks ago my father and step-mother offered to take me and my wife out to eat. One to never turn down free food, I consulted with my wife, and we both agreed that it would be enjoyable to take them up on their offer. I had no idea where we were going, but I was delighted to learn that we were going to dine at This Is It! Barbecue and Seafood. It is arguably the most popular barbecue restaurant in Atlanta, and President Obama even ate there on a visit to the metropolitan area.
There are a number of This Is It! locations throughout Metro-Atlanta, but we decided to eat at the one off Camp Creek Parkway near the airport. When we pulled into a parking spot, I was surprised to see that it was packed. We arrived at about 4:30 PM, an awkward and undesirable time to eat by most peoples' standards.
The atmosphere inside of the restaurant was hectic. People waited patiently in a cafeteria style line while workers scurried about cooking and plating orders and serving drinks to people seated at tables. It reminded of a lunch time rush in a typical high school. Students race to the front of the lines because they only have 20 minutes to eat. Those students at the ends of the lines may be in line for the entire 20 minutes and are subsequently forced to eat while walking to their next class. My family and I steadily inched our way forward to place our order, but waiting in line was just as uncomfortable and miserable as I remember it being in high school.
Due to the long wait to place our orders, I had plenty of time to pick what I thought was the most flavorful and thus intriguing item on the menu...rib tips! I am not the type of person to usually order rib tips at any type of restaurant because they are relatively expensive and do not come with much meat on the bones. However, I looked around and saw other people ordering rib tips and I was pleased. They were receiving large plates full of rib tips which appeared to be tender and were covered with a rich barbecue sauce. Unfortunately, my keen observations were not keen enough. I overlooked something which I consider a big No, No in cooking.
When I placed my order, the server dropped two big scoops of rib tips on my plate. My mouth began to water as I began to fantasize about eating every bit of beef off the rib tips and then wiping my plate clean of leftover barbecue with a piece of moist and buttery cornbread. I held my anxious hands out to receive my plate when BAM- it happened. My dreams came tumbling down. The server turned her back to me and proceeded to place my rib tips in the microwave.
Pause...take a deep breath...and realize that I am not lying or sensationalizing this story. I am Christian man, and I do my best to be honest in life. My rib tips were placed in the microwave in plain view of the 70 or so people eating in the restaurant. They were heated for about one minute. What was even more disturbing is that the microwave was placed on a table 10 feet behind the plating area in a location convenient for the workers to access. Also, I could tell it had been used a lot throughout the day. Why? because there were dried food stains on the inside and outside of the microwave. This turn of events was devastating, appalling, inexplicable, and a whole bunch of other adjectives which are not presently flowing through my frustrated finger tips.
There are a couple things I find disgusting about using a microwave while cooking in a professional manner, i.e. offering barbecue for eleven or twelve dollars a plate to hard working and honest customers.
Number One: A microwave zaps the moistness and freshness out of any type of food, but especially barbecue. Anyone can throw a hot dog in a microwave, press the express cook button, and then wait a minute and a half for the food to be heated. That hot dog might be edible, but it lacks the smokey flavor that it would have received if it was cooked on a charcoal grill.
Number Two: After food has been cooked, it must be kept at a certain temperature so that bacteria does not grow in it. If it falls below a certain temperature while waiting for customers in the plating area, bacteria will grow in it and people who eat it will become sick. Having to microwave food to heat it up is a good indication that the food was sitting at a temperature which was too cool to kill bacteria. I ate my food to be polite to my father and step-mother who took time out of their busy day to hang out with me and my wife, but it became unsettling in the abdominal region when I realized I could have been eating bacteria infested food.
I wish I could tell you that This Is It! Barbecue and Seafood is worthy of the high praises which it promotes. However, the microwave incident is too incriminating to overlook, and frankly, I dumbfounded when I try to understand how the place got such a great reputation. My suggestion is that when you are visiting Atlanta, try other barbecue restaurants. My hometown has a great barbecue tradition and there are countless barbecue joints which serve quality food. Also, my cornbread tasted like cardboard. Have you ever had cornbread made from a Jiffy box? Well, that is exactly what the cornbread tasted like.
