I'm amazed at how BBQ flavors are permeating the food scene in America, especially at the supermarket. Whenever I go grocery shopping, I walk down each aisle looking for the latest, greatest (or not so great) product featuring barbecued meat or some sort of barbecue flavor, whether it's a frozen pizza, a salad dressing, or more often than not, a snack food.
While visiting Penn Valley, CA to judge BBQ at the Grills N Grilles contest, I walked into a gas station/mini mart and saw a display of TGI Fridays Potato Skins Snacks. I think I've seen them in the supermarket...but this bag jumped out at me.
What the?!? Baby back rib flavored potato skin snack chips? I figured at least I had to take a photo to share with all of you. But as I walked away, I realized that if I posted the photo, someone would inevitably say, "Well, did you try them, and how did they taste?"
So, I went back and bought a bag. The things I do for you people.
First, I had a hard time finding a bag that was not covered in dust. Either they recently had a dust storm in Penn Valley, or baby back rib flavored chips are not very popular. I suspect it's the latter.
I finally settled on a bag and checked the expiration date to make sure there was still some shelf life left in these suckers.
You'll notice that the snack chips look dull and gray on the front of the bag...not very appetizing looking.
Also, note that a bowl of BBQ sauce with brush is prominently featured on the bag, so I guess I can expect those flavor notes.
Well, let's get right into it and crack open the bag.
Here's a closer view of the contents.
They look a little less gray and a little more tan than on the bag. I guess that's a good start.
Upon closer inspection, they look like a thick Pringles that's been toasted more on one side to give the impression of potato skin color.
Coming out of the bag, they smelled like barbecued potato chips, but with something extra...something I couldn't quit put my finger on. I ate a few...they were thicker and crunchier than a thin potato chip, and they tasted pretty good. I turned over the bag to look at the ingredient list.
Surprisingly, there are no baby back ribs in TGI Fridays Baby Back Ribs Potato Skins Snacks. Scandalous! More corn and corn meal than potato, lots of starch holding it all together, lots of oil for frying, of course. And then the usual suspects when it comes to barbecue flavor: tomato, paprika, garlic, onion, molasses, vinegar, smoke flavor, and MSG for good measure to amp-up the flavor intensity.
BOTTOM LINE: Not too bad, actually, if you eat processed snack foods and are not opposed to indulging in the occasional engineered Pringles-like potato crisp product.
This concludes another episode of "Latest BBQ Oddities". In case you missed it, here's another:
Bucket O' Ribs: The end of the world as we know it...
While visiting Penn Valley, CA to judge BBQ at the Grills N Grilles contest, I walked into a gas station/mini mart and saw a display of TGI Fridays Potato Skins Snacks. I think I've seen them in the supermarket...but this bag jumped out at me.
What the?!? Baby back rib flavored potato skin snack chips? I figured at least I had to take a photo to share with all of you. But as I walked away, I realized that if I posted the photo, someone would inevitably say, "Well, did you try them, and how did they taste?"
So, I went back and bought a bag. The things I do for you people.
First, I had a hard time finding a bag that was not covered in dust. Either they recently had a dust storm in Penn Valley, or baby back rib flavored chips are not very popular. I suspect it's the latter.
I finally settled on a bag and checked the expiration date to make sure there was still some shelf life left in these suckers.
You'll notice that the snack chips look dull and gray on the front of the bag...not very appetizing looking.
Also, note that a bowl of BBQ sauce with brush is prominently featured on the bag, so I guess I can expect those flavor notes.
Well, let's get right into it and crack open the bag.
Here's a closer view of the contents.
They look a little less gray and a little more tan than on the bag. I guess that's a good start.
Upon closer inspection, they look like a thick Pringles that's been toasted more on one side to give the impression of potato skin color.
Coming out of the bag, they smelled like barbecued potato chips, but with something extra...something I couldn't quit put my finger on. I ate a few...they were thicker and crunchier than a thin potato chip, and they tasted pretty good. I turned over the bag to look at the ingredient list.
Surprisingly, there are no baby back ribs in TGI Fridays Baby Back Ribs Potato Skins Snacks. Scandalous! More corn and corn meal than potato, lots of starch holding it all together, lots of oil for frying, of course. And then the usual suspects when it comes to barbecue flavor: tomato, paprika, garlic, onion, molasses, vinegar, smoke flavor, and MSG for good measure to amp-up the flavor intensity.
BOTTOM LINE: Not too bad, actually, if you eat processed snack foods and are not opposed to indulging in the occasional engineered Pringles-like potato crisp product.
This concludes another episode of "Latest BBQ Oddities". In case you missed it, here's another:
Bucket O' Ribs: The end of the world as we know it...
