The worst "bbq" I've ever tasted.

tgs2401

This is interesting to see the differences in chain restaurants across the country. I love the Dickey's brisket here in Louisville and Famous Dave's used to be great but the quality and portions took a nose dive a couple of years ago and I haven't gone back. I remember reading that the CEO was terminated and they brought Dave back to right the ship....... 

Cashfan

WeberWho said:

Too be honest most people here in the Midwest don't know what good bbq is. Typically Famous Dave's is some type of rustic building that makes you feel like you're in some type of bbq mecca. They sell it well and the customers buy it. They believe that's what bbq should taste like. Dave is actually a winner of all kinds of bbq championships. Hard to sell good Q when it gets franchised out to the hustle and bustle of the restaurant world

This is where I was at when I started with my egg. While not a Famous Daves fan for BBQ, they do make a really good burger there. We have a couple local joints here in Rochester that stay busy, one I went to a lot before getting the egg. I went there after the egg and was almost repulsed at the pulled pork that is used to drool over. No smoke ring, no smoke flavor, no bark. All the flavor is in the sauces. 

I ate at some small dive (i like small dives) bbq place in Galveston, TX and it was completely different than what we get here in MN for bbq. Was really good, but couldn't compare even because it was just different. Cant remember how really, it was along time ago when we ate there, well before becoming the food snob, but I remember thinking it wasn't bbq... But it was good. Perhaps that was real bbq....
 
I never had pulled pork that was moist and smokey, never tasted the bark until cooking my own on the egg. It was the second food I egged, (first being burnt/charred t-bones...). It was quite a first egg and bbq experience, and really got me hooked on egg cooking.

While back we went to Texas Roadhouse, and while the ribeye was good, it was no better than what I could make on the egg, and that was before I dry aged.

I rarely eat out, except grab a Culver's burger or pizza from time to time anymore. Pretty spoiled on egg cooking. I've used it at least once a week, sometimes three or four, for the nearly two years I've had it, and its just me and my dog! He likes egged food as well.

I remember growing up my mom would say we were having bbq and they would be sloppy joes. Maybe its a Midwest thing.

bhedges1987

Cashfan said:

WeberWho said:

Too be honest most people here in the Midwest don't know what good bbq is. Typically Famous Dave's is some type of rustic building that makes you feel like you're in some type of bbq mecca. They sell it well and the customers buy it. They believe that's what bbq should taste like. Dave is actually a winner of all kinds of bbq championships. Hard to sell good Q when it gets franchised out to the hustle and bustle of the restaurant world

This is where I was at when I started with my egg. While not a Famous Daves fan for BBQ, they do make a really good burger there. We have a couple local joints here in Rochester that stay busy, one I went to a lot before getting the egg. I went there after the egg and was almost repulsed at the pulled pork that is used to drool over. No smoke ring, no smoke flavor, no bark. All the flavor is in the sauces. 

I ate at some small dive (i like small dives) bbq place in Galveston, TX and it was completely different than what we get here in MN for bbq. Was really good, but couldn't compare even because it was just different. Cant remember how really, it was along time ago when we ate there, well before becoming the food snob, but I remember thinking it wasn't bbq... But it was good. Perhaps that was real bbq....
 
I never had pulled pork that was moist and smokey, never tasted the bark until cooking my own on the egg. It was the second food I egged, (first being burnt/charred t-bones...). It was quite a first egg and bbq experience, and really got me hooked on egg cooking.

While back we went to Texas Roadhouse, and while the ribeye was good, it was no better than what I could make on the egg, and that was before I dry aged.

I rarely eat out, except grab a Culver's burger or pizza from time to time anymore. Pretty spoiled on egg cooking. I've used it at least once a week, sometimes three or four, for the nearly two years I've had it, and its just me and my dog! He likes egged food as well.

I remember growing up my mom would say we were having bbq and they would be sloppy joes. Maybe its a Midwest thing.

Definently not a Midwest thing... Maybe a Minnesota thing. BBQ is serious business in KC. 

gerhardk

I find here in Canada you can't expect decent brisket at most BBQ joints, they seem to undercook it and slice it super thin on a deli slicer.  The result is dry meat lubricated by sweet BBQ sauce so you don't choke when you swallow it.  With the amount of calories that BBQ contains I would rather eat my own rather than eat something I don't enjoy.

Gerhard

NonaScott

Jeremiah said:

I've got you beat. This predates my cooking/bbqing hobby, but years back my wife and I went up to PA to visit my folks for a long weekend. We went to Hagerstown (MD) speedway on Saturday, and I got a BBQ sandwich. Sign on the concession stand said "best BBQ around"






it was a sloppy joe. 

Funny you say that. When I was little I thought bbq was sloppy joe. My aunt would always make her famous bbq for family picnics etc. she would put in in a large crock and light sterno  underneath to keep it hot. She would spend hours making it and the sauce. It was sloppy joes. They also were from and lived in PA.

epcotisbest

I have never heard of sloppy joes being called bbq. I can only imagine my surprise and disappointment if I went somewhere and ordered a bbq sandwich and got sloppy joes. Now, I like sloppy joes just fine, but did not know they were called bbq in some places.

johnkitchens

epcotisbest said:

I have never heard of sloppy joes being called bbq. I can only imagine my surprise and disappointment if I went somewhere and ordered a bbq sandwich and got sloppy joes. Now, I like sloppy joes just fine, but did not know they were called bbq in some places.

Totally agree. BBQ and Sloppy Joes have nothing to do with each other (at least in my mind). 

blasting

Worst I had was in Charleston SC a couple weeks back at Bessinger's BBQ.  Completely tasteless, and the sides were no better.  

I think I'll stick to making my own - then it's always the best I've ever had!

bgeaddikt

Im in the same boat, not sure if its the knowledge this forum has given me and knowing/tasting the difference at each and every restaurant i go to now, but im always dissapointed or its not up to my expectations regarding BBQ food

4Runner

For me it was a Boston Butt when I didn't use quality lump and didn't let time for the crap white smoke to clear.  Horrible!!!!!  I've never had bad retail BBQ.  knock on wood.

Killit_and_Grillit

Cashfan

bhedges1987 said:

Cashfan said:

WeberWho said:

Too be honest most people here in the Midwest don't know what good bbq is. Typically Famous Dave's is some type of rustic building that makes you feel like you're in some type of bbq mecca. They sell it well and the customers buy it. They believe that's what bbq should taste like. Dave is actually a winner of all kinds of bbq championships. Hard to sell good Q when it gets franchised out to the hustle and bustle of the restaurant world

This is where I was at when I started with my egg. While not a Famous Daves fan for BBQ, they do make a really good burger there. We have a couple local joints here in Rochester that stay busy, one I went to a lot before getting the egg. I went there after the egg and was almost repulsed at the pulled pork that is used to drool over. No smoke ring, no smoke flavor, no bark. All the flavor is in the sauces. 

I ate at some small dive (i like small dives) bbq place in Galveston, TX and it was completely different than what we get here in MN for bbq. Was really good, but couldn't compare even because it was just different. Cant remember how really, it was along time ago when we ate there, well before becoming the food snob, but I remember thinking it wasn't bbq... But it was good. Perhaps that was real bbq....
 
I never had pulled pork that was moist and smokey, never tasted the bark until cooking my own on the egg. It was the second food I egged, (first being burnt/charred t-bones...). It was quite a first egg and bbq experience, and really got me hooked on egg cooking.

While back we went to Texas Roadhouse, and while the ribeye was good, it was no better than what I could make on the egg, and that was before I dry aged.

I rarely eat out, except grab a Culver's burger or pizza from time to time anymore. Pretty spoiled on egg cooking. I've used it at least once a week, sometimes three or four, for the nearly two years I've had it, and its just me and my dog! He likes egged food as well.

I remember growing up my mom would say we were having bbq and they would be sloppy joes. Maybe its a Midwest thing.

Definently not a Midwest thing... Maybe a Minnesota thing. BBQ is serious business in KC. 

Could be just a MN thing. I tendancy to think of Kansas City as "south" and not "midwest".

mrs_story

Hub said:

McRib sandwich ...

My husband agrees with this.    

My personal worst . . . I don't know how bad it really was, but I was pregnant.  We went to a hole in the wall place in the middle of nowhere, and I got a pulled pork sandwich.  I was okay until I hit a big gob of gooey fat.  Normally I could spit it into my napkin and be okay.  But since I was pregnant it was just horrible. 

I know most of the folks here are men, but pregnancy really does change things.  We went to the movies and I got nauseated from the smell of everyone's popcorn.  (sorry for the tangent)

northGAcock

I have been fortunate.....never had bad BBQ, some better than others.

epcotisbest

northGAcock said:

I have been fortunate.....never had bad BBQ, some better than others.

That is fortunate. I have had some bad, but the stuff I mentioned in this post did not even resemble BBQ. Anyway, I have had lots more good BBQ than bad, by a long shot.

ThrillSeeker

Worst bbq I've ever tasted - Parboiled, overcooked, and had that lighter fluid taste.  I had that crap at almost every bbq I went to when I first moved to Nashville.

2nd worst bbq I've ever tasted - From my bass pro shops "R2D2 smoker" when I tried to make a brisket using Kingsford and my first experience trying the "minion" method.

Best bbq I've ever tasted -  A beer can chicken that I knocked out of the park when I first got my medium bge.  Had a couple of the guys over, and the chicken didn't even make it off the can before it was completely gone.

Funny thing is that I don't make beer can chicken anymore.

In retrospect, it was probably the adult beverages, the new grill, and the company that made it taste that good.