A Smoking Vacation - need some ideas


 
even though I didn't think his que was all that great
Click to expand...

have you been to his place in the city? as far as bbq joints go around here, I put him and kentucky greg's in their own class.

I think his other secret was that the first time I saw him win there were only about a dozen teams there, I'll bet there were less the couple times he won before then.

He's won other places to, so I don't begrudge him.
 
Oh, I don't begrudge him .. He knows how to win bbq contests.
icon_smile.gif
Haven't been to his restaurant but I did try some of his vended food at the Oink. I think the 1st time or 2 that he won were the 1st couple years of that contest and they weren't KCBS sancioned. I met him that 1st year they were sanctioned and he did well, even though no one was monitoring his bbq site overnight. I got there EARLY and no one showed up at his site until around 9, as I recall. He's amazing!
icon_smile.gif
I need to check his rest. out.

Bill
 
he did well, even though no one was monitoring his bbq site overnight. I got there EARLY and no one showed up at his site until around 9, as I recall. He's amazing!
Click to expand...

Thats the kind of stuff I recall hearing about, that and the officials have no way of knowing what meat he's turning in if he's hauling stuff from his restaurant to vend.

He's got a lot of trophies at his place so he must know something about how to win.
 
I used to have a website and had a couple pages about the 2005 contest out there but it lapsed a few years back. Just check the web archive and there are no pics there, just the pages. DAMN! Well, here are the 3 pics I have from Donnies site on Oct 1st, 2005 when he finally got there... Really, he's a nice guy but quite vague in his conversation.



Bill
 
Well, here are the 3 pics I have from Donnies site on Oct 1st, 2005 when he finally got there
Click to expand...

Bill, excellent recon work!

I like how Donnie was wrapping up his EZup and it seems like most of the equipment were props. Now I know why everyone so suspicious of him.

Those pics look familiar, that might of been the first year I went, I bought the last of his brisket and it seemed like he was in that spot. It might of been the only brisket I've tried at the time and fell in love with it.
 
With all honesty, I honestly thought he was telling me the truth saying that the breeze was getting pretty strong, and it must have been in the low 60's at that point (beautiful day, with high close to 70º but breezy), and that he was trying to protect his prep area from that breeze. That was my 1st contest and I was naive as, well, poop! Everyone else has said the same thing you did. AND, I've learned ton's since then.
icon_smile.gif


Bill
 
Really, he's a nice guy but quite vague in his conversation.
Click to expand...

I've been to his restaurant 2-3 times, the second time I went was after we had our money in for the oink 2007. I asked him if he was going and he said yes and ask me the same. He started asking me about equipment, I mentioned the wsm, and he gave me some really good advice: he said we had to be careful because wind will kill you. I had only been running the wsm for a couple of months and had never competed, so I hadn't thought about what it would be like using it in an open field.

I ended up building 3 of these wind breaks and use them pretty much every time I smoke.
http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn455/jbiesinger/IMG_0942.jpg

They weren't much use at the comp because our site backed up to the barn/haunted house. But I still appreciated the simple suggestion.
 
jb and Bill,

Just got back from lunch over at Donnie's Smokehouse. Nice little place he has there. Four of us went, 2 (including me) got the brisket dinner. My buddy loved it. I found it good, but not spectacular (like 1st/2nd place in comps good, like all his trophy's say), but still probably the best in the Buffalo area I've had to date. Mine was over done (could just be from the re-heat) and I didn't like his BBQ sauce all that much.

Another guy got the pulled pork sandy and loved it, and last guy got the ribs. He didn't say much, but maybe that's because his mouth was stuffed with ribs!!
icon_smile.gif


Real friendly staff, even Donnie came out and said hi and asked how everything was. I'd go back, get takeout, or have catoring from his joint. But for real bbq restaurants in our area (or just a bit out of our area), my fav is still Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse/Rochester. Will try Kentucky Greg's next.

Todd
 
but still probably the best in the Buffalo area I've had to date. Mine was over done (could just be from the re-heat) and I didn't like his BBQ sauce all that much.
Click to expand...

right. his sauce is ok, and he uses too much, but over all he's got good bbq. The couple times I've had his beef, I've enjoyed it. did you get the cabbage and rice? I forgot to mentioned it. It's pretty good for an atypical bbq side.
 
Todd,

Thanks for the update.
icon_cool.gif
Guess I'm gonna have to try it out. I've heard mixed feelings about Dinosaur BBQ but mostly good. Gotta head over there too.

Bill
 
I've heard mixed feelings about Dinosaur BBQ but mostly good
Click to expand...

been to the rochester location once, it was decent. However, I highly recommend their cookbook. Just about everything I've made from it was worth doing again. From the book, it seems like their food should be great, guess they are stretching themselves too thin for any quality control. I've heard their place in nyc isnt spectacular either.
 
Originally posted by j biesinger:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I've heard mixed feelings about Dinosaur BBQ but mostly good
Click to expand...

been to the rochester location once, it was decent. However, I highly recommend their cookbook. Just about everything I've made from it was worth doing again. From the book, it seems like their food should be great, guess they are stretching themselves too thin for any quality control. I've heard their place in nyc isnt spectacular either. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Thanks jb .. I'll look into the book too. ROAD TRIP !
wsmsmile8gm.gif


Bill
 
Thanks jb .. I'll look into the book too. ROAD TRIP !
Click to expand...

amazon link

wow, I figured I'd see if you could purchase the book online since I'm not sure if you can get it at the restaurant. Anyways, it had 50 reviews (48 five stars and 2 four stars), that seems incredible. Guess others have had good luck with the recipes from the book too.
 
Since we're all local, I'd figure I'd ask this question here rather than start a new tread:

Does anybody know anything about the Smoking Eagles BBQ contest in NF. I just heard about it and started some research including emailing the organizers. They said all competitors need health permits (I guess the expect you to vend) and they are sanctioned by the National BBQ Contest with winners going to the "Best of the Best" Contest. Seems all foreign to me.
 
Thanks for the link, jb.
icon_cool.gif
I figured it would be at Amazon but was looking for an excuse to run over there. LOL. I need the Peace, Love & BBQ Book also.
icon_wink.gif


Bill
wsmsmile8gm.gif
 
Originally posted by j biesinger:
Since we're all local, I'd figure I'd ask this question here rather than start a new tread:

Does anybody know anything about the Smoking Eagles BBQ contest in NF. I just heard about it and started some research including emailing the organizers. They said all competitors need health permits (I guess the expect you to vend) and they are sanctioned by the National BBQ Contest with winners going to the "Best of the Best" Contest. Seems all foreign to me.
Click to expand...
I read about it a couple weeks ago on another forum and asked a few questions. They're still waiving the late fee but Don't know for how long. You only cook 3 out of 4 catagories, you pick which ones you want. You must cook 3 cat's in order to qualify for the money and trip to Atlanta. It's at The Summit, formally known as the Summit Park Mall, on Williams Rd. Here's a link I have but it's currently not working..

Bill

EDIT: Here's another link to some info I just found..
 
I'm not familar with the Eagle's contest.

About the Dino book, my brother-in-law has it and loves it also.

I work for SUNY, and we have at least one conference in Rochacha each year and the hotel we stay at is within walking distance of Dino. We have at least two conferences in 'cuse each year so I get to that Dino as well. Both places are always packed, doesn't matter what time of day or day of the week, so I can see how they could end up running into quality control issues pushing out that much food all the time. It has to be a challenge.

In comparing them to Donnie's, they just have a so much better presentation. Real plates, real silverware, much bigger portions of main course and sides (they might charge a bit more though, can't remember their prices off hand), and my favorite part is that they don't swamp the food with bbq sauce. But, they leave a selection of 3-4 different kinds of thier sauce on the table for you to choose from. I absolutely love their Habanaro sauce on pork and brisket. So good!!!

Todd
 
You only cook 3 out of 4 catagories, you pick which ones you want.
Click to expand...

I thought that sounded strange. Can't figure out why they won't let you do all four.

I wrote them back to find out why we need a health permit and how vending works. My team is down to 2 wsm and a 22" kettle, we're built to compete, not vend. I don't see how they expect us to vend. Sound like there's a similar set-up in Lake Placid but vending sounded optional.

I talked to my partner and we both agreed that it didnt sound like much fun spending a saturday in august in a mall parking lot.

I'm still pretty curious about the whole thing and might consider trying to compete next year if they run it again and actually publicize it outside of wheatfield.

If anybody goes, I'd appreciate the recon report. I cant imagine there will be more than a dozen teams, and few with any real comp experience (unless the Nat'l BBQ Fest is a circuit with tons of traveling teams trying to get to this "best of the best" thing), guess its why I'm so curious.
 
they just have a so much better presentation. Real plates, real silverware
Click to expand...

come on! we're talking about bbq. serve it to me on newspaper, just make sure its good.

Before my bbq teammate married my sister-in-law, I visited him (and her) a few times in KC. He took me to few bbq places, the best being one that was part of a gas station that serves cafeteria style. He also took us to Jack Stack, the originators of "high-brow" bbq. You want fancy bbq, thats the place, no paper plates there, but I preferred the gas station because, hands down their bbq was better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top