martins bbq joint, whole hog...

Holiday Horseradish Deviled Eggs... Maple Pecan Pie a la Mode

Recipe courtesy Aaron McCargo Jr.

Show: Big Daddy's HouseEpisode: Holidays Are Here!

• 4 slices bacon
• 6 eggs
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• Pinch salt
• Pinch cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the bacon on a sheet tray lined with a wire rack and bake until crisp, about 18 to 22 minutes Remove the bacon from oven, allow to cool and then crumble.

Put the eggs in a small saucepan and cover them with salted water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then cover, and remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the eggs to sit for 10 minutes. Remove eggs from pan and shock in ice water. Peel the eggs and cut in half. Remove the yolks to a medium-sized bowl. Add the mayonnaise, cayenne, mustard, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy. Put the mixture into a piping bag. Arrange the egg whites on a serving platter. Pipe a heaping tablespoon of the egg yolk mixture into each of the egg whites. Sprinkle each egg with some bacon and scallions. Serve.

*****************************************************************

• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
• Vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the butter, graham crumbs, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie dish, forming a shell, and bake until firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pie dish from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, corn syrup, maple syrup, sugar, flour, and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated. Add the pecans and mix until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Bake until the filling sets, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and cool completely before cutting. Slice into portions and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Jack's Peach BBQ Beans...

Recipe courtesy Jack's Old South BBQ & Grill

Show: Sara's SecretsEpisode: Old South BBQ

• 8 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 (#10 can, about 6 pounds and 10 ounces) baked beans (recommended: Bush's)
• 3 cups canned peach pie filling
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoons Jack's Old South BBQ Rub, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until somewhat crispy and its fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the fat in the skillet.

Add the pepper and onion to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large baking pan.

Add the bacon, beans, pie filling, barbecue sauce, and rub to the pan. Mix to combine and bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, about 1 hour. Jack's Old South BBQ Rub:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sweet paprika
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil

Myron Mixon: Jacks Old South BBQ Recipes...

Found this great little piece on the Web of some of Myron Mixon’s Jacks Old South Marinade, Sauce and Rub recipes. Enjoy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Jacks Old South Bbq Recipes

Jack’s Old South Meat Marinade Recipe

Ingredients

2 quarts apple juice
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup orange juice
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup salt

Preparation

Heat and whisk together until sugar and salt dissolve.

Jack’s Old South Competition Vinegar Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups cider vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne — (1 to 2)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper — (1 to 2)

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl, mixing until the sugar and salt dissolve. Taste for seasoning, adding pepper as needed.

Transfer to a clean, sterile jar and refrigerate. This vinegar sauce will keep for several months.

Jack’s Old South BBQ Rub

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil

Preparation

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

St. Simons Soul Dust/ DNT...

Test 1

turbinado sugar 1 cup
kosher salt 1 cup
morita red 1/2 cup
gbp 1/2 cup
pap cali sweet 1/4 cup
gran gar 1/4 cup
gran onion 1/4 cup
thyme leaves 1/4 cup
cumin 1/8 cup
dbs 4 1/2 cups

test 2

turbinado sugar 2/3 cup/ change to less

kosher salt 2/3 cup/ change to less

morita red 1/3 cup/ change to less

gbp ½ cup

pap cali sweet ½ cup/ change to more

gran gar ¼ cup

gran onion ¼ cup

thyme leaves ¼ cup

cumin 1/8 cup

dbs 3 ½ cups/ change to less

An instant classic: Texas Monthly BBQ Festival...

By David Gelin
bbqpeople@mindspring.com

Tell a Texan about a competition that will determine the best barbecue joint in the world and you will get an insincere, “That’s nice.” Tell that same person that Texas Monthly Magazine will invite all the best Texas joints together, open it up to the public and let them decide and you will get a stampede.

The Texas Monthly BBQ Festival was held on the patio of the Long Center in Austin. Those 918 lucky (and quick) enough to get a $15 ticket to the bash (tickets were snatched up in one day and were reselling for upwards of $200 on Craig’s List) got to sample and vote for who they thought was the best. Among the field were such heavy hitters as Smitty’s Market, Louie Mueller’s and Kreuz Market.

Since the early 70’s, the most anticipated Texas Monthly edition has been the semi-decade top 50 barbecue issue. In a state where barbecue is serious business, inclusion on that list is very, very good for, as they say “bitness.”

If your ‘que finds its way to the top of the heap, then the eyes of Texas will be firmly affixed upon you (which sets off a reaction of tongues awagg’n and teeth achew’n) as was the case with tiny Snow’s of Lexington in the last barbecue issue in ‘08 who held that coveted top position.

Food editor, Pat Sharpe, recalls the meeting when they were discussing hosting an event. “We were thinking of a Freetoe pie cook-off. Then someone mentioned how about a barbecue cook-off? A resounding ‘Duh’ swept across the room.” The first (and surly annual) Texas Monthly BBQ Festival was on its way to becoming a reality.

Being held in Austin, it was a given that there would be some first rate live music. There were also cooking demonstrations, but make no mistake, the belle of the ball was the barbecue.

Just in case you were wondering how the editors of Texas Monthly’s darling, Snow’s stacked up with the paying guests/judges. They were everything advertised, taking home a tie for best brisket with Buzzy’s of Kerrville. Other winners were Stanley’s Famous of Tyler in Pork Ribs and the biggest winner was Cousin’s of Fort Worth who took home best beef ribs and sausage.

Photo courtesy of David Gelin

David Gelin is the author of the book BBQ Joint, Stories and Secret Recipes from the Barbecue Belt. He and canine co-author, Buddy, are currently on the barbecue trail finding new joints. They feel that they are only telling half the story, hence they are gathering the other half of the story, not joints, but people with day jobs. If you would like to nominate someone as a future BBQ Person, send a brief description to bbqpeople@mindspring.com.

whole hog cook for christmas...

Jack's Old South BBQ Cooking School...

Schooled By A Legend: My 3 Days At Jack's Old South BBQ Cooking School By: William Wilson He’s bold, brash, and larger than life, but Myron Mixon isn't really the Gene Simmons of competition BBQ. The three-time World Champion and celebrity judge on TLC's BBQ Pitmasters admits as much: "Ain't nothin about reality in most Reality TV," says Mixon. "A lot of it is staged." Nothing is staged when Myron Mixon is behind the grill, and I was lucky enough to spend three days with this wizard of the pits. But, let’s rewind a bit here.
I first became familiar with Mixon during season one of BBQ Pitmasters. With a mouth that would make a sailor blush and the wisdom and experience to back it up, Mixon and his team, "Jack's Old South" (named after his father), were standouts in competitions chocked full of teams just itching to take him down a notch or two. When my online BBQ forum suggested that we attend the August, three-day, "Jack's Old South Barbecue Cooking School" as a group, I jumped at the chance. It would mean an eight hundred mile car ride (the JOS Cooking School is located in Unadilla, Georgia... roughly an hour south of Atlanta), but to me (living in Montgomery County, Maryland), it was worth the long drive. I should note: I’m not a professional chef. My first and only food service job was working for my local Dairy Queen when I was fifteen. That job lasted for about two weeks before the owner and I parted ways. It was one of those “meeting of the minds” moments you have with a boss when you both realize that you’re not very good at your job. I knew: employment in the ranks of the food service industry just wasn’t me. But working in the field, and having a love of the culinary arts are two completely different things.			TLC's Celebrity Judge: Myron Mixon Myron instructs students on what they will learn
You see, by fifteen years old, I was already three full years into my life-long addiction: barbecue. I’d come by it honestly. I inherited the family grilling duties at age twelve. And, it wasn’t easy. We had one of those $4.99 grills you bought on impulse at the local drug store. You might remember them. Worse, you might still be using one: no top… a mere aluminum charcoal grill with a grate supported by slide inserts that fit into pre-cut grooves and a stand made of legs similar to the ones you find on the cheapest TV dinner trays. Good for hamburgers and hot dogs, bad for anything else. Learn to cook on a grill like this and you can cook on just about anything. By fifteen, I’d learned. And, I was turning out some pretty tasty dishes. Fast-forward to the future: I’m age fifty-three, and I've been cooking barbecue for over forty years. The chance to attend the JOS Cooking School was a dream come true. It was August before I knew it, and soon, I was Georgia bound.
At first glance, Unadilla seems an unlikely home for Jack's Old South. A railroad-dependent town that ceased to be an important rail stop decades ago, the roofless buildings that make up much of downtown Unadilla have rendered this small, two-street village into a modern day ghost town. We arrived early Friday ("Meet & Greet" night). Parking was directed by Myron's nineteen year old son, Michael Mixon. Michael made sure that we were directed to the correct seating area, and was a great source of information. Some improvements have been made between the monthly classes. Gone are the large white tents in the parking lot, replaced by a built-in BBQ area with a fixed roof and concrete based foundation. This allows for permanent class seating and a large (nearly complete) cooking area: a dramatic improvement over the previous system. After a surprisingly good dinner of fried catfish, hush puppies, and his signature mayo-based coleslaw, everyone gets their chance to get their picture taken with Myron. It's at this point when the real man emerges from behind the wall of the myth: Mixon is an extremely nice person, and is happy to chat and have his picture taken. This became abundantly clear as we watched him make his way to every table, and speak with nearly every one of the sixty people attending the class. While we waited for our turn, our table used the time to get acquainted. From coast to coast, our group had travelled from all over America to attend this class. By the time he’d made his way to our table, the crowd had begun to filter out. We soon joined them. Myron warned us: day two was going to be a long, hard day, and we’d better be prepared. We'd find out the next day how right he was.			Downtown Unadilla, Georgia - A modern day ghost town Myron poses with students
Day 2: The Class Begins
Day two started early. After grabbing a quick breakfast (a basic breakfast is provided in the fee for the class, but it consists of honey buns, and your choice of coffee, or tea: we opted for a hot breakfast at the local Cracker Barrel), we arrived at class just after 7am. Although class was slated to begin at 7:30am, we wanted to arrive early to secure a table as close as possible to the speaker's podium.
Our first order of business was whole hog, and we began by creating the injection that we would be using. While I won't be divulging the actual recipe for this, a quick Google search will provide many good injection recipes and links to sites that sell commercial injections. After creating the injection, it was set aside to cool and the process of "fine butchering" began. Fine butchering is a term I coined to describe the special cuts Myron likes to make to augment the prep the hog underwent when it was cleaned and gutted at the butcher shop. To do this, several special cuts are made. This allows the various areas inside the hog to separate evenly while cooking and provides easy access to the meat upon completion. The most notable (and frequently imitated) cut made is the "rib" cut, which can be seen in the accompanying side image. The rib cut allows the pitmaster ease in pulling a completed rib for sampling, while providing a visually appealing sight line which enhances the overall presentation. From a student's perspective, watching this process is mesmerizing. Mixon moves around a hog like Fred Astaire worked a dance floor: no wasted motions, and a seemingly endless knowledge gained from decades of experience. The viewer is left to wonder whether there's anyone on the planet that knows as much about hogs as Myron Mixon does. After injection, the hog is foiled and set aside to allow the marinade to set in. It will ultimately spend twenty hours in the smoker, rendering the meat tender, juicy, and delicious. After a hot lunch (burgers, dogs, fries, and slaw), we moved on to pork butt, ribs, brisket, and the most controversial of Myron's dishes: his famous cupcake chicken. This part of class begins with note taking (you're given all of Myron's injection recipes and techniques), but transitions into the interactive, where students break into individual groups and prep the various meats. Classmates take turns practicing the butchering, seasoning, and marinating skills necessary to create these complicated dishes. After preparation, they're collected by Myron's crew and set aside to allow time for marination. During various intervals in the night and early Sunday morning, the meats are placed on the smoker by Myron and his crew to allow for mid-day Sunday completion. Students are invited to remain, or return during the night to observe the cooking process.			Injection recipe is shared with the class Whole hog after fine butchering and injection Students practice butchering and injection techniques
Day two concluded with a classic southern dinner: the low-country boil. This consists of shrimp, several different vegetables, and seasonings that are brought to a boil in a large pot. Students are invited to stay for dinner, and various soft drinks and beers are provided. We opted for a restaurant dinner: a bountiful peach crop had led to an over-abundance of repellent-resistant gnats, and our day-long battle against them had taken its toll on us. Sleep would bring welcome relief.
Day 3: Let The Feast Begin
There was a buzz in the air when we arrived on Sunday. Our lunch menu would consist of the various meats created the previous day, and the unique opportunity that sampling the wares of a World Champion presented wasn't lost on the class. But lunch would have to wait. We had a full morning of classes left, and the emphasis would be shifting toward subjects of interest to many in attendance: chicken, and competition techniques. For the record, chicken takes a very short time to cook. It's placed on the smoker late Sunday morning, and is easily done within the confines of other cooking times. The real challenge? It's texture: crispy skin, or bite-through. Myron's default? Bite-through. Worth the price of admission for many in the comp world was the after-cook butchering. Turn-in box examples are created for each competition category, and special attention is given to detail. Smart teams took multiple photographs of the boxes with an eye toward creating a laminated notebook that could be used in modeling their own during competitions. Finally, lunch-time arrived. Students are welcome to eat to their heart's content. Large plastic baggies are provided for those who wish to take some home. The tastiest dish? Most felt the chicken was a close second to whole hog. It took a mere forty minutes for sixty people to consume eighty pounds of whole hog. I was lucky to get two pieces of the chicken. I did slightly better with whole hog... but, not so much. I was able to secure enough for my wife and son to sample the next day. But hands-down, my favorite dish was brisket. There are no words to describe this amazing delicacy. By the end of the class, I began to recall Myron's euphemisms: Sage advice: "Barbecue is simple food. Keep it simple!" On taste: "Don't waste your time adding different things like star fruit and other fruits. It just throws your flavors off." On fat: "The fat I'm interested in is already 'in' the meat... not the fat you're gonna cut off." On judging: "Don't listen to judges. One told me my sauce didn't taste like the sauce he tasted that his Granddaddy made when he was ten years old. How the hell is he gonna remember what it tasted like when he was ten years old?" Favorite TV show: Cake Boss. Comment: "I think it's staged, though." Favorite butt to kick in competitions: Chris Lilley Class price: $750 per person. Group rate available. Website URL: http://jacksoldsouth.com			Myron demonstrates his cupcake chicken technique Myron pours his special after-cook sauce on the whole hog Myron creates his famous chicken turn-in box Myron Mixon's mouth-watering brisket

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Tipsy Pecan Caramel Sauce...

Reader Recipe: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Tipsy Pecan Caramel Sauce 2010 Holiday Recipe Contest Runner-up

This recipe was featured in a recent article: 2010 Holiday Recipe Contest

Rick Patrick

Left: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Tipsy Pecan Caramel Sauce.

Kay Batchelder of CoServ Electric won $500 for this recipe as a runner-up in our 2010 Holiday Recipe Contest.

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Contest sponsored by the Texas Pecan Board

Kay Batchelder, who lives in Lakewood Village with husband David, daughter Bryce and son Ford, says she experimented with several variations of her cheesecake recipe before hitting on the winning blend.

Ford, 11, and his friends became part of the development process, testing several versions of the recipe. “They would come over every afternoon, asking when I was making another,” she laughed.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Tipsy Pecan Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 cups ground gingersnap cookies (ground graham crackers can be substituted)
1 1/2 cups toasted pecans
1/4 plus 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups of canned solid pack pumpkin
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup, plus 5 tablespoons whipping cream, divided
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
Tipsy Pecan Caramel Sauce

Place cookies, pecans, 1/4 cup brown sugar and ginger in processer and pulse until finely ground. Add melted butter and crystallized ginger and blend until well combined. Press crust mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch diameter springform pan with 23/4-inch-high sides.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until light and fluffy. Put about 3/4 of a cup of mixture in small bowl, cover and refrigerate. Pat pumpkin with paper towels to remove moisture, then add to cream cheese mixture with flour, 1/3 cup of whipping cream, spices, salt and vanilla to cream cheese mixture and mix until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined. Pour filling into crust.

Place a large sheet cake pan on lower rack of oven and fill halfway with water (this will help prevent cheesecake from cracking). Place cheesecake on center rack of oven and bake about 90 minutes, or until cheesecake puffs, top browns and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken. (If top begins to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.) Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to sit in oven with door propped open for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

One hour before serving, take reserved cream cheese mixture out of the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Add 5 tablespoons of whipping cream and stir to combine. Carefully spread over the top of the cheesecake. Drizzle Tipsy Pecan Caramel Sauce over cake and swirl caramel into cream cheese mixture. Run knife around cheesecake to loosen and remove pan sides. Serve with extra sauce on side.

Servings: 16 (without sauce). Serving size: 1 slice. Per serving: 534 calories, 8.7 g protein, 33.3 g fat, 49 g carbohydrates, 2.4 g dietary fiber, 372 mg sodium, 31.2 g sugars, 129 mg cholesterol


Tipsy Pecan Caramel Sauce

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 pound pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup bourbon

Melt butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add heavy cream and brown sugar. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in pecans and bourbon and cook another 2 minutes. Let cool. Caramel will thicken upon standing.

Servings: 24. Serving size: 2 tablespoons. Per serving: 259 calories, 2.1 g protein, 20.4 g fat, 16.3 g carbohydrates, 1.8 g dietary fiber, 8 mg sodium, 14.1 g sugars, 23 mg cholesterol

Kay Batchelder, CoServ Electric

Best in DFW...

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BEST BARBECUE

By LESLIE BRENNER
Restaurant Critic
lbrenner@dallasnews.com

Eats Blog: Share your favorites
Get a map of the Best Barbecue locations
Photos: Best in DFW: Barbecue

Deeply smoked, seriously luscious brisket. Glistening, tender ribs that give up the deep, sultry flavor that comes from a long time in the pit. Sausage with a snap of skin, a lash of heat, a whisper of smoke.

Barbecue is one of the great perks of life in the Lone Star State.

OK, the brisket in and around Dallas and Fort Worth may not move you to tears, like what you find in Lockhart and Luling. But it can be awfully good, if you know where to go. And the ribs might just make you cry.

But contrary to popular opinion, it's not only about the meat. One of the great pleasures of hitting the barbecue trail is the people you meet along the way – for barbecue is almost as much about hospitality as it is about the smoke and the beef and the pork.

It might be the proud pitmaster in the rural outskirts of Fort Worth who stops at the table to chat because he hasn't seen you in his place before. Relax and enjoy your lunch, he says, and then I'll show you around. The family photos, his dad's collection of James Dean memorabilia, the pile of split oak – oak's expensive, but a friend supplies it in exchange for meals. And here's the old smoker in back ... .

Not far away, a banjo player picks a jaunty tune as folks in their Sunday best pass around platters of brisket and ribs. Did you save some room for house-made buttermilk pie? It's on the house today. Why? "Because we're in a good mood!" says the young woman behind the counter.

And right here in town, the owner's son at a spot with crazy good ribs tries to insist you take a half a rack on the house because they ran out of the smoked chicken you wanted to take home.

You might call these places bare-bones. After all, you order at the counter and the barbecue usually comes on a Styrofoam plate. Many are closed by dinnertime. And on Sundays. And often on Mondays. Most don't serve beer.

But beyond those screen doors lie some of the best dining experiences to be had anywhere in the country.

Here, in no particular order, we present the Best in DFW: Barbecue.

Bartley's Bar-B-Q

"Have you been to Bartley's before?" asked the server as I approached the counter at this unassuming spot in a Grapevine strip mall. When I told him it was my maiden voyage, he insisted I try some of the smoked meats before deciding what to order, then proceeded to carve me slices of no fewer than seven items. And that's not even the whole menu. The thin-sliced brisket could have been moister and smokier, but the super-meaty, well-seasoned ribs, done over oak with a lightly sweet glaze and deep, smoky flavor, were outstanding. Barbecue chicken was another standout, along with the sultry smoked sausages and smaller hot links. And hey – the ham rocked, too, and even the smoked bologna made a good impression.

Bartley's sides are some of the best around: classic collard greens that aren't too fatty, pinto beans spiked with lots of black pepper, super-fresh coleslaw with a crunch of diced apple, good chunky potato salad. I'll skip the peach cobbler next time, but the dinner rolls, made next door at Bartley's bakery, are a nice touch.

Tuesday-Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
413 E. Northwest Highway, Grapevine. 817-481-3212. www.bartleysbbq.com.

Longoria's Barbecue

The Longoria family's 14-year-old barbecue cottage has a Fort Worth address, but it's right on the edge of the town of Everman, and visiting there feels like a trip to the countryside. The house, barn-red with white trim, certainly looks the part, and the screen door slaps reassuringly when you walk in. The welcome couldn't be warmer, and a server will bring your order to the table when it's ready. Till then you might be joined by Danny Longoria, one of two pitmasters (the other is his brother David), who will be happy to regale you with the history of the place, along with a tour. Their father, Fidencio (Longoria's founder), is an ardent James Dean fan, and one of the back dining rooms is awash in Dean memorabilia.

The standout here is the unusual and irresistible brisket sausage, made by stuffing coarsely ground raw brisket into casings and long-smoking it over oak. It's profoundly smoky, with terrific snap. The other great surprise is the burger, an incredibly flavorful patty fashioned from smoked ground brisket. The bun might fall apart, it's cooked more well-done than I normally like and the condiments are afterthoughts, but this is one larapin good burger – terrific with a splash of Longoria's zesty barbecue sauce. (They sell it by the gallon, and smaller denominations too, if you want to take some home.) A big slice of sweet potato Bundt cake makes a fine ending.

Monday-Friday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
100 S. Christopher Drive, Fort Worth. 817-568-9494. www.longoriasbbq.com.

Off the Bone Barbeque

The Cedars neighborhood is home to some of Dallas' best barbecue, and that includes this friendly 2 ½ -year-old spot in a smart little space refashioned from a gas station. Pitmaster Dwight Harvey turns out terrific baby-back ribs – juicy, well-seasoned and redolent of pecan smoke. Haven't been there yet? You'll be offered a sample before deciding. But taste them, and the decision's a no-brainer. Take a seat on the patio or at one of the tables inside, and they'll bring out your ribs – and whatever else you choose. There's no sliced brisket, only chopped, and it's rich, moist, smoky and flavorful. And the fine-grained sausage is a snappy standout. Nothing needed sauce, but that sauce is quite good, with a welcome dusky note of molasses. The sides at Off the Bone have no shortage of personality. I particularly loved the coleslaw, enriched with blue cheese and topped with a bit of crumbled bacon. I tried to order a smoked chicken to go, but they were out of it. Must be good, and I'll be back. For dessert, don't miss the house-made lemon poundcake with its wonderfully bright, lemony glaze.

Good news for clubgoers: Off the Bone stays open Friday and Saturday till 2 in the morning. And once the NFL playoffs start, it may open Sundays, too.

Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
1734 S. Lamar St., Dallas. 214-565-9551. www.offthebonebarbeque.com.

Off the Bone BBQ

Unrelated to Off the Bone Barbeque in Dallas, this out-of-the-way spot not far from Fort Worth is the place for the best all-around selection of barbecue in the area. Pitmaster Eddie Brown Sr. uses a combination of oak and pecan, which gives all the meats a full, round, smoky flavor. The crust was cut off the brisket the day I sampled it, but the meat was superb: moist, juicy and smoky all the way through, with the fat well-rendered. It's the best brisket I've had this side of Taylor. Smoked chicken was rich, moist and super-flavorful; you can choose dark or white (I went for the dark). Pork loin, which can so easily turn out dry, was just as juicy. There are sassy hot links, but I liked the thicker, bias-cut smoked sausage even better. Big, lightly glazed, meaty, tender ribs, were smoked just long enough – fabulous. And the short ends at their best (some had gristle and unrendered fat) were even more of a treat: wonderfully crusty, smoky through and through. Let's call it pork candy.

Sides are outstanding: fresh, well-dressed coleslaw sharpened with celery seed; rich, eggy Texas-style potato salad balanced with a touch of vinegar; crisp, hot fried okra; exemplary fries. Only the underseasoned pinto beans fell short.

Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
5144 Mansfield Highway, Forest Hill. 817-563-7000. www.offthebonebbq.com.

Meshack's Bar-B-Que Shack

You can't see inside the mysterious shack when you order through the screened window at this to-go-only spot in a tumble-down part of Garland, but what's inside the paper bag that comes out a few minutes later is the stuff of dreams. Not the brisket necessarily (yep, it was dry). Not the barbecue sauce (hot or regular); it was way too sweet. Not the smooth-style, also too-sweet potato salad. Not the also too-sweet beans.

I'm talking about the links: super rich, wonderfully smoky, filled with coarse-ground pork. Their glistening casing offers such serious resistance to the tooth that you have to wonder whether it really wants to give up that fabulous filling. And I'm talking about the ribs, big and luscious but smoked long and slow enough to form a thick crust. These can make you cry. The menu posted outside is very limited; ask for a card, and you'll also find chicken and pulled pork. Definitely I'll try those next time.

Tuesday-Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., or until they run out of barbecue.
240 E. Ave. B, Garland. 214-227-4748. Cash only.

Angelo's

Much of the best barbecue in the area can be found on the outskirts of Fort Worth, but Angelo's has been serving up smoked meats right in the heart of Cowtown for more than half a century. The hunting lodge atmosphere adds to the fun, the restaurant's open for dinner, and you can get an icy schooner of beer with your combo plate. OK, so the brisket can be a bit dry and the sides are standard-issue, but the ribs have a nice crust and good smoky flavor. It's an all-around good place.

Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
2533 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth. 817-332-0357. www.angelosbbq.com.

Baby Back Shak

Baby Back Shak, which has been dishing out Memphis- style 'cue in the Cedars neighborhood since 1995, is hopping at lunchtime on a weekday, but orders come out in a flash. The ribs are extraordinary: highly seasoned, garlicky and peppery, with a good crust and just the right tug. I'd never put sauce on these, but the sauce here happens to be exemplary, tangy with a little heat. The brisket was moist, with superb smoky flavor, but it wasn't quite tender, and the fat wasn't rendered out. Combo plates come with two sides. "Shak beans" are tomatoey and chili-like; the sweet-pickle-studded coleslaw's dressed with a mustard vinaigrette.

Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
1800 S. Akard, Dallas. 214-428-7427. www.babybackshak.com/.

Baker's Ribs

Barbecue can be quite the variable art, and I've had luscious, smoky brisket and killer ribs at Baker's in the past, but they were less impressive on my most recent visit to the Deep Ellum location. I love the dining room, with red oilcloth on the tables, Lone Star flag motif booths, vintage pig art and Coca-Cola signs on the walls. You can grab a Shiner Bock from the cooler before you order – definitely a plus. The sleeper hit was the outstanding barbecue chicken and turkey – both smoky, moist and terrific.

Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
2724 Commerce St., Dallas; 214-748-5433; see website for other locations. www.bakersribs.com.

Smokey's Barbeque

A trip to Smokey's, on the southern edge of Fort Worth, is quite the event. Especially at lunchtime on Sunday: That's when you'll find Richard Don Simms strumming "Ain't She Sweet" or "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?" on his banjo, right by the front door. (That's a fine how-do-you-do!)

Order a combo at the front, then help yourself to the salad bar, where you'll find a fine-chopped coleslaw and eggy potato salad that's at once smooth and chunky. (Or get a family pack by the pound, with three sides.) Take a seat at one of the long communal tables, and they'll bring over your food. Pitmaster Paul Calhoun's brisket was almost wonderful the day I tried it, absolutely luscious, with just the right perfectly rendered fattiness, marvelous texture and a well-defined smoke line. Unfortunately, it was undersalted. Naturally, it benefited from a drizzle of sauce, which was served hot, a nice touch. The generous ribs more than made up for the flaw in the beef, with a light, slightly spicy, slightly sweet glaze and smoky, tender meat that took only gentle nudging to come off the bone.

Calhoun makes desserts, too, including a terrific velvety vanilla buttermilk pie with a tender, golden crust. Thanks to the good mood being shared by all, the pie, that happy day, was on the house.

Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
5300 E. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth. 817-451-8222. www.smokeysbbqrestaurant.com.

About the Best in DFW series

The Best in DFW series presents critics' and staff picks and asks readers to chime in with their favorites.

This feature started with a focus on the area's best restaurants and is expanding to include entertainment venues and other high-interest topics.

How we choose

The Best in DFW series presents critics' and staff picks and asks readers to chime in with their favorites.

Critics' picks are presented without ranking.

To view other dining features, check the Restaurants page at DallasNews.com.

charles in charge...

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Dickey's BBQ Invades North Carolina...

People in the Carolinas often debate barbecue styles -- vinegar-, tomato- or mustard-based.

But now Texas-style barbecue has come to Raleigh, just across the street from a traditional eastern North Carolina vinegar-based barbecue restaurant.

The News & Observer reported that Dickey's Barbecue Pit opened with Wednesday with a $1 sandwich special, just across the street from Clyde Cooper's Barbecue, which has been open since 1938.

Dickey's is a chain with roots in Dallas, Texas. Roland Dickey says his tomato-based sauce is not the only difference. He says beef is his big seller, while the North Carolina restaurants focus more on pork.

Randy Holt at Cooper's says he's not worried, since Dickey's style is so different.

Copyright Associated Press

First Published: Dec 2, 2010 8:38 AM CST

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