Barbeque!

Being surrounded by smoke all day Saturday at Grillin' On The Bay, waking up Sunday still reeking of it and wandering back into the school on Monday and being gobsmacked by the scent once again has worked its magic on my soul. Oh how I love the smell of wood burning! It brings me back to the campgrounds of my youth. There's something magical and mystical about watching fire burn. Add in the alchemy of barbecue and I'm one happy and content camper.

While I haven't been to every barbecue restaurant in the world, the closest I've ever come to experiencing that magic indoors has been at the bbq joints of central Texas.

In the book "The Only Texas Cookbook" by Linda West Eckhardt she describes how to identify a good barbecue joint...

1. "They serve only barbecue."
2. "A stack of wood is outside., and smoke is curling up from a large smokestack somewhere."
3. "When you walk in the door, you may see a sign that says, "Snickers in the cooler."
4. "More than likely there will be a picnic tables with loaves of bread still in the plastic wrappers, gallon jars of jalapenos and sliced onions. Maybe a pot of pinto beans."
5. "Look carefully at the other diners. They should be just-folks. They should be hunched over squares of botcher paper, chewing thoughtfully. Ideally, there will be no conversation other than murmurs of approval and considered belches."
6. "There are toothpicks besides the cash register. You meat order by the pound. The carver cuts it to order."
7. "You are probably in a small town west of a line running from Columbus and northward to Dallas-Fort Worth."
8. "You are eating Central Texas Barbeque - you lucky son-of-a-gun."

I don't have anything to add to that, except a trip to Austin would be nice right about now.

Photograph courtesy of Bookerweb.com. That's Cooper's BBQ in the photo!

Wood - An Essential Ingredient

City Market, Luling Texas

This is some of the best barbecue I've ever had. Watching this video makes my mouth water as I can actually taste that meat again.

BBQ Recipes: Jalapeno Potato Salad

My buddy Chris over at Inane Thoughts and Insane Ramblings (thanks for the photo!) is looking for a potato salad recipe for a surprise bbq party he's cooking and I thought I'd help him out. I hope he sees this in time.

This comes to us from one of my favorite books on barbecue, Legends of Texas Barbecue by Robb Walsh. Jalapeño potato salad is one of those no-mayo recipes that get better then longer it sits. With the additions of jalapeños, olive and feta cheese it stands out on the buffet table. It's easily my favorite variation on the traditional potato salad.

Jalapeño Potato Salad

Beverly Bundy is the food editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Here's her recipe for a spicy West Texas potato salad.

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (I use un-peeled new red potatoes.)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (I've used plain white, red wine, fig etc)
  
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I use Kosher)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• One 3 1/2 ounce can of pitted black olives, drained
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 6 ounces feta cheese crumbled
• 4 jalapeños, seeded and chopped

Place the potatoes in a 3 quart sauce pan or Dutch oven and pour in cold water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, drain.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the mustard, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil. Add the potatoes, while they're still warm, olives, scallions, feta cheese, and jalapeños. Toss to mix well.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serves 6.

My thoughts on this as I've been making it for a couple of years now...

I prefer the salad at room temperature or still a little warm. Being cold dulls the flavors a bit. This is best made at least a day before serving. It doubles or triples easily. I've played with different vinegars and like the subtle changes each brings to the party. I usually go with 1/2 red wine and 1/2 plain white vinegar. Go easy on the salt as the feta brings a lot of salt to the party. Other peppers can be used besides jalapeños. It all depends on how spicy you want it. Don't skimp on the quality of the feta. It makes a huge difference. Enjoy.

Ruby's Barbeque

This review of Ruby's BBQ on Guadalupe came into my mailbox today. Look at all that smoky goodness. That plate is pretty typical of what the barbeque places in Texas serve. Meat, bread, beans and pickles on a piece of butcher paper. No cheese? These guys must be on a diet.

I'm sure that plate has been cleaned up and staged a bit for the photograph, but no matter how much the "Texas style" places in NYC try, they can't compete with the originals. I can taste that food just by looking at it. Better yet, I can smell it. I'm ready to head back to Austin right now.

Damn. I must be feeling better, that photograph is making me hungry!

Photo Credit: Jim Merithew/Wired