Pellet Fan

All Things Considered => General Discussion--Food Related => Topic started by: Bar-B-Lew on February 05, 2025, 04:03:48 PM

Title: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 05, 2025, 04:03:48 PM
More to follow when I get back home, but I think I just ate the best brisket I have ever had at Truth BBQ.
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bentley on February 05, 2025, 05:27:18 PM
This will be fun to hear about!
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 06, 2025, 03:30:07 PM
They were making sausage while I was there.  I bet a 5# plus ring took the guy less than a minute to case.  The other guy pricking and twisting into links couldnt keep up.
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 06, 2025, 03:31:59 PM
I will most likely make it to five locations assuming i get to the last one for dinner with a former co-worker tonight.

The Pit Room
Demeris
Truth
Pinkerton
Goode
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bentley on February 06, 2025, 04:27:56 PM
I think I have seen Truth on youtube, but not sure. 
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 06, 2025, 04:43:04 PM
The Pit Room

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Elote - sour cream, cheese, hot sauce on top. Got better as mixed together but not as good as Chicago probably better without the hot sauce
Green beans - very tender, mixed with roasted tomatoes, very good but a little too much tomato flavor for me in my green beans
Brisket - very tender with salt and pepper rub .  Very good not quite as good as Dallas
Pork Sausage - good snap, moist, and nice balance of cheese and jalapeno with excellent jalapeno flavor and heat my favorite item on the plate
Pork Ribs - very moist and tender bite off the bone with same salt and pepper rub and decent smoke flavor but too much cartilage and fat for my liking what meat there was on bone and in between the cartilage was very good
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 06, 2025, 04:44:06 PM
Demeris

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Green beans - standard canned green beans cooked low until tender with onions and very little bacon... average
Jalapeno corn - heavier on cream than pit room but can't taste the jalapeno and needs some pepper
Wings - slow smoked and good smoke flavor with a little BBQ sauce but skin not crisp and seemed like they have been sitting in a warmer for a while
Brisket - decent smoke flavor can't taste any rub and not very tender.  Almost like sliced roast beef
Jalapeno sausage - good snap more black pepper flavor than jalapeno

No need to eat here
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 06, 2025, 04:46:26 PM
Truth BBQ

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Mac and cheese - very creamy and cheesy with a bread crumb type crust...very good
Tater tot casserole - tater tots, dried onion rings, cheese and heaven
Jalapeno cheddar sausage - good snap but a little tough to chew thru skin.  Lots of jalapenos and nice cheese balance would be excellent if not for tough skin
Brisket - fork tender melt in your mouth with nice bark.  Standard salt and pepper and garlic rub.  Excellent.  Might be best I've ever had.
Pork ribs - beyond competition tender but not sloppy fall of bone.  Same rub as brisket.  Very very good and more meat on bones than other places I've been so far

https://www.insidehook.com/food/tater-tot-casserole-recipe-truth-bbq-texas
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 06, 2025, 04:47:26 PM
Pinkerton

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Arrived at 10:50am and was about tenth in line for doors to open about 11:05
Bacon Mac and cheese - kinda like kraft but creamier and less salty flavor..average
Turkey - tender, nice smoke flavor, lighter side of moist
Jalapeno cheddar sausage - nice snap and a little on tough side to chew thru skin, lots of spicy cheddar cheese and nice heat profile and probably best I had this trip
Brisket - fork tender with nice salt pepper garlic rub and smoke flavor on lighter side of moist
Pork ribs - small st Louis trimmed with nice mellow smoke and slightest sweet rub and competition tender passes bite test

Overall good place but pricey pay by the pound instead of three meat plate
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 06, 2025, 04:48:17 PM
If I have time, I will update more details and pics for places and the 5th location I plan to get to for dinner tonight. If not, it will probably be over the weekend.
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bentley on February 06, 2025, 06:49:45 PM
Thanks Lew!  My only issue is I don't want my sausage cut for me!
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 06, 2025, 09:52:13 PM
Goode

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Mac and cheese - large noodles and creamy cheese sauce slightly above average
Green beans - great garlic and onion flavor and not overpowered by the tomato
Czech sausage - nice pepper flavor and tender
Pork ribs - pepper type rub that met bite test very good
Brisket -tender but not fork tender nice smoke flavor slightly above average
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Kristin Meredith on February 07, 2025, 08:22:41 AM
Nice reviews and pics.  Thanks.
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: pmillen on February 07, 2025, 10:37:23 AM
Excellent reports, Lew.  Thanks
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: urnmor on February 07, 2025, 09:21:58 PM
enjoyed reading your impressions of the BBQ
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 07, 2025, 11:16:53 PM
Thanks for the comments.  I just got home about an hour ago.  I may post some more pics and some additional comments and ranking this weekend.  I would recommend eating at 3-4 of the 5.
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 08, 2025, 05:31:17 PM
Additional pics from Truth BBQ

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Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 08, 2025, 05:34:38 PM
Additional Pics from The Pit Room

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Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 08, 2025, 05:41:01 PM
Additional pics from Pinkerton's

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Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 08, 2025, 05:43:05 PM
Additional pics from Goode

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Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 08, 2025, 05:44:25 PM
Let me know if anyone wants to know anything else about these places.  Thanks for looking.  It was a fun part of my trip even though the original reason for going was to see a Paul Gauguin exhibit at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.

I tried to be pretty consistent in what I ordered from place to place so I could compare them to each other.

Here was the line at 11:30am at The Pit House
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When I got to Truth at 1:30pm probably had 10+ people in line in front of me

Demeris had no line and only two others eating there at 5:15pm.  I should have known better to order at that stage and I couldn't see the meat I was receiving either.

I tried getting into Pinkerton's a few days earlier, but could not get into the parking lot.  I was smarter a few days later and got there about 15 minutes before they opened.  I got the last spot.  By the time I got in the door there were close to 10 people ahead of me and probably 20 after me.

Went to good about 7pm and there was no line and about 3-4 people eating inside.
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bentley on February 08, 2025, 08:06:26 PM
Wow!  It looks good, but those are not workin mans prices!  Thank you for sharing this!  I think I will stick with the $15 Cheese Steaks, never though they would be a bargain!    :pig:
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on February 08, 2025, 08:17:13 PM
Amazing how beef is expensive even in TX!
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: ylr on February 08, 2025, 09:54:58 PM
I'm with Bentley on the prices! ??? Nice touch with the butcher paper menu !
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: BigDave83 on February 08, 2025, 10:46:14 PM
 A lot of good looking food, hope you get to write some of it off as business related.

That sausage from the pit room looks pretty good, I like jalapeno sausage with out the cheese and that looks a little light on cheese compared to the others.
Those beans look good also, about the only way I will eat green bean is sauteed or roasted, the tomato part threw me though.
Title: Re: 2025 Houston BBQ Tour
Post by: urnmor on February 23, 2025, 07:52:21 AM
Just remember everything is bigger in Texas and I guess that also goes for  :bbq: prices.   :cool: