Texas BBQ Trip, May 2018 - Day 1

Early on a Saturday morning in May 2018, I once again found myself on a plane headed for Houston. As in the past, this was a work trip, but I had planned to go down a day early in order to get in some barbecue before my 4 days of customer meetings.  When I booked the trip, the early morning flight that got me into Houston just before lunch seemed like a great idea, but arriving at the airport at 4:00 am after a near sleepless night didn't feel like my best plan ever!

I managed to get a little shut eye on the plane and arrived in sunny, hot & humid Houston around 11:00 am.  I recovered my luggage, picked up my rental car and headed straight to my first barbecue stop, Tejas Chocolate and Barbecue in nearby Tomball.  It was about a 30 minute drive from the airport and when I arrived there was a lineup about 10 or 12 deep out the front door.

Tejas was ranked number 6 in the Texas Monthly Top 50 last year.  Last summer after the issue came out, I was able to get a copy delivered to me in Calgary which included the Top 50 Passport. 

First stamp!

I'd been hanging on the the passport for close to a year waiting to get some stamps in it and this was going to be my first one!

The line moved at a decent pace and once I'd made it onto the patio I grabbed one of the Lone Star beers they keep in a cooler outside for their customers.  I was in Texas after all and Lone Star is the National Beer of Texas!  The restaurant is located in an old house in Tomball with a large front patio.

My first Lone Star!

Once inside the doors, I was able to take stock of the decor.  They have Stewart's Soda on tap and the line takes customers past perhaps the most unique feature I've seen in any barbecue restaurant...the chocolate counter.  Tejas started out as a bean to bar chocolate craftory and when they realized that chocolate alone wasn't going to pay the bills, they decided to add barbecue to the mix.  I for one am glad they did!

So much chocolaty goodness!

It had been requested that I bring some chocolate home, so I scoped out the display while waiting to order my lunch.  I was posting to Instagram while in line and I received a reply from them inviting me to come back to the pits after I'd eaten to say hello.  Very cool!

When it was my turn I ordered some brisket (moist, of course) and a jalapeno cheddar sausage with a side order of their famous carrot souffle and a shot of the mole barbecue sauce.

You order and pay at the counter here and they give you a number.  I found a table on the covered patio outside and it was only a couple of minutes before my number was called.  I went inside to get my tray and grabbed some pickles before heading back to my table.

A tray of pure barbecue gold!

That first bite of brisket was pure heaven!  I'd been away from Texas for too long and I was so glad to be back.  The Tejas brisket easily ranks up there with the best I've had...Franklin, Louie Mueller..anywhere.  The fat on the moist brisket was perfectly rendered and the pieces of meat easily pulled apart and melted in my mouth.  The sausage was equally good.  Cheesy with just the right amount of jalapeno kick and flavour.  I had been hearing about the carrot souffle for a while and was eager to give it a taste.  The piece of souffle in a small cup appeared cake-like, with a golden orange colour and a deeper orangy-red top.  I put a forkful in my mouth and was delighted.  It was light and creamy in texture and the flavour was excellent.  Perhaps the most unique side I've experienced, and definitely a treat. The mole sauce was a nice addition as well.  They used to provide it for free, but it complex and costly sauce to make with a lot of different ingredients and they found that it was being wasted.  Now for $1.00 you can get a small cup of it.  All around, this was easily one of the finest trays of barbecue I've eaten.  Once I finished enjoying every last bite, I made my way back to the pits and was greeted by co-owner and pitmaster Scott Moore.  We chatted for a few minutes and Scott showed me their large Moberg offset smoker, Dude. 

Dude Abides

I recalled seeing pictures of it being craned into place on social media when they took delivery of it shortly after the Texas Monthly Top 50 rankings came out last year.  In an ode to The Big Lebowski, the nameplate on the firebox reads "Dude Abides".

Two dudes!

After visiting with Scott I went inside to pick out some chocolates to bring home and added another t-shirt to my growing BBQ joint collection. 

From there I headed into Houston and made my way to Roegels.  I'd had the opportunity to enjoy Roegels on my last Houston trip and it was excellent.  They are also another Top 50 joint, so that meant another stamp in my passport and it was an chance to get a couple of entries into the Tales From The Pits podcast big giveaway.  Brian & Andrew from the podcast have placed one of their stickers at 10 bbq joints around the state.  To get an entry into the contest, you need to take a selfie with yourself and the sticker in the picture, and you get a second entry if you also include a picture of your food from that restaurant.  The prize is a Yeti cooler stuffed full with t-shirts, hats, coozies, stickers and some gift cards and other swag.  I managed to get 6 out of a maximum 20 entries while I was in Texas.  The draw is at the beginning of July...fingers crossed!

Getting into the contest!

I ordered some brisket, a boudin sausage and some Texas caviar to go. 

When I was at Roegels last year, I ate lunch at the restaurant and got an order of their Bourbon Banana Pudding to go.  By the time I got around to eating it at the airport, it had warmed up and was a little runny.  This time around, I ordered my food to go and ate the banana pudding fresh and cold while I was there.  I was once again served by Bruce, one of the friendliest and most helpful barbecue people I've come across.  Once I got checked into my hotel I stashed my to go box in the fridge and when I ate it cold two days later it was still excellent!  Clearly a quality product.

After my day of travel and eating, I was done for the day.  I packed it in for the night, ready for another day of barbecue starting the next morning!

Paddy's Barbecue & Brewery

Address: 3610 Burnsland Rd. SE, Calgary, AB
Smoker: Southern Pride
Wood: Oak, Maple & Cherry
Pit master: Paul
Head Slicer: Kevin
Instagram & Twitter: @paddysbrewbecue

A friend let me know about this relative newcomer to the Calgary BBQ scene early in February and we quickly made plans for a visit.  Before making it there though, I started following them on social media and enjoyed seeing the joint's namesake, Paddy, document his travels to some of the Texas barbecue spots I have been fortunate enough to visit.

It was a nice February afternoon when Andrew, and I visited Paddy's along with our youngest daughters and Andrew's friend Scott who was visiting from Hong Kong.  We had worked up an appetite playing laser tag and we were ready to eat!

Snow capped sign!

Paddy's is located just off Macleod Trail on the south side of downtown Calgary, in a bit of an industrial/commercial area.  Parking can be a bit tight, but once all the piles of snow are melted that should free up a few spots.  The interior is clean, modern and welcoming.  They have clothing and hats for sale that decorate the walls, along with an awesome bison (or is that buffalo?) head mounted near the entrance.

Just inside the entrance is the ordering counter where you get a numbered sign to take to your table.  The back of the restaurant houses their beer brewing area and a bar where you order your drinks.  They brew a number of their own beers here and also feature guest brews on tap.  They also feature a house made root beer for the younger crowd or those not wanting beer.  Unfortunately, besides a self serve water jug, the root beer is the only non-alcoholic option.  If you like root beer, it is worth a try for sure though!

We determined that the Family Feast was going to fit the bill for our group and ordered it up.  The feast comes with 1 lb of brisket, 1 lb of turkey and 1/2 lb of pulled pork along with 3 sides.  We opted for the baked beans, cheesy mac and fries.  They serve white bread, pickles and pickled red onion on the side.  The 3 adults ordered up a flight of 8 mini sizes glasses of an assortment of beers.

The Family Feast

A few minutes later our food arrived and toasted our laser tag accomplishments and dug in!  The meat comes out the way it should in my opinion - that is without sauce.  They have a couple of sauce options in bottles on the tables.  I found the brisket tasty with a nice peppery bark, but it was a little dry and tough and didn't pass the tear apart test.  The pulled pork was excellent.  It was nice and moist with a slightly tangy flavour.  My favourite meat on this day was the smoked turkey.  It was incredibly moist and tender with just the perfect kiss of smoke.  I haven't had a lot of smoked turkey at barbecue restaurants, but this was easily the best.

For the sides, I enjoyed the baked beans and the cheesy mac.  The fries were excellent and I liked the pickles and pickled onions.

I found myself back at Paddy's a couple of weeks later, this time with my wife and youngest daughter.  It was about 6:00 on a Saturday evening and we decided to stop in to see if they were open.  Not only were they open, but the place was packed!  A great sign!  We went for the 1/2 family feast this time around which featured brisket, ribs and a 1/4 smoked chicken with two sides.  The brisket was considerably better this time around.  It had the same excellent flavour and bark as on my previous visit, but it was far more tender.  I really enjoyed the ribs.  Like the brisket, they had great flavour and seasoning and they were cooked right to my liking.  For me, that means not quite falling off the bone, but when you bite into them and pull with your teeth, the meat comes off clean.  I had the chance to meet Paddy on this visit and he mentioned that they were tweaking their rib recipe.  I'd say they are on the right track!  The chicken was excellent and was easily my wife's favourite protein.  Much like the turkey on my earlier trip, it was moist and juicy and had just the perfect amount of smoky flavour.

Our sides were the beans and the coleslaw.  The beans were great once again and I liked the coleslaw as well.  The dressing was a little bit on the vinegary side.  I generally enjoy more of a creamy slaw dressing, but this was nice and refreshing.  The vinegar is good for balancing off the heavy meats as well.

Paddy's is an exciting addition to the growing Calgary barbecue scene and it is great to see a joint doing it right.  Get over there and support Paddy's, you won't be disappointed.

Big Sky BBQ Pit

Address: 306016 15th St. E, Okotoks, AB
Smoker: Backwoods
Wood: White Oak, Red Maple, Apple, Cherry & Peach
Head Pitmasters: Rob Bolton & Ryan Lumbao

Imagine realizing that perhaps the best bbq joint in the area is nearly right in your own backyard and you've only been there twice in the last year.  That was the conclusion I came to recently after my second visit to Big Sky BBQ Pit in Okotoks, AB.

My first visit was just over a year earlier in January 2017 when our family was south of Calgary and we met my boss and his kids at Big Sky for lunch.  The big, spacious dining room right away reminded me of a Texas bbq restaurant, as did the communal style tables.  A good first impression!

Texas Style BBQ in Alberta

There is a counter that you place your order at, and then they call your name when your food is ready.  Next to the order counter is a self-serve table with a selection of sauces, including apple and root beer varieties.

I ordered a two meat plate with brisket and sausage, while my family opted for pulled pork sandwiches.  Our sides were cole slaw, cornbread and the signature smoked beans.  The brisket had great flavour and was pull apart tender.  The sausage was also excellent with a good spicy kick to it.  I had a taste of the pulled pork and it was also very good.  The southern slaw was good, but the beans stole the show as far as the sides went.  They were cooked in a thick, sweet sauce and complemented by chunks of smoked meats.

All of our meals were excellent and my only complaint on this visit was the fact that you paid for your food at the counter when ordering, and then paid a server separately for your drinks.

Fast forward a year and I made the trip south again to meet up with a couple of co-workers for lunch on a Sunday afternoon.  They were there when I arrived and they had ordered a Fired Up Pig Tail appetizer already.  I ordered a beer and the appetizer arrived shortly afterwards.  It was a cream cheese stuffed jalapeño wrapped in bacon and a caramel sauce.  We cut it into 3 pieces and each had a bite.  For our tastes, it was beyond spicy.  I enjoy a little heat, but this was too much in my opinion.  Our server suggested we may have got one with some of the seeds left in it which would explain the burning in our mouths!

I was pleased to see that they had fixed the ordering process that I wasn't a fan of from a year earlier.  You now order everything from a server and there is one bill for both food and drink together.  We ordered up the Piggy Chick Platter to share between the 3 of us.  The platter consists of 4 lbs of ribs, 8 chicken thighs, a tub of beans and cornbread.

The Piggy Chick Platter...a mountain of smoked meat!

Another couple that joined us ordered the Carnivore Platter with pulled pork, chicken, ribs and sausage.  It normally also comes with brisket but they were sold out when we were there.  They also ordered sides of the scalloped cheddar bacon potatoes and bacon jalapeño mac n' cheese.

The ribs were outstanding and cooked perfectly.  They serve them dry with just a rub cooked on.  I detected a bit of sweetness in the rub, maybe some brown sugar.  The meat wasn't fall off the bone, but had a great bit and pulled away with little effort.  The smoked chicken thighs were also very good, but were overshadowed by the ribs!  The bone-in chicken was juicy and tender and the skin was well seasoned and had a bit of crispness to it.  The beans were as good (or better) than I remembered from a year ago and the cornbread was also excellent.  It had a smooth, dense texture and great flavour.  Everyone at the table appreciated the fact that there were no chunks of corn as you sometimes find.  The Piggy Chick platter fed all 3 of us and left enough to take home for 2 or 3 lunches.

The friends with the carnivore platter said the pulled pork was good, but they especially enjoyed the sausage.  The server said it was a new variety they were making with maple syrup and cheddar.  The scalloped were potatoes were a hit, but they found the jalapeño mac n'cheese too spicy.

I have been back two more times since that visit in January and I continue to be impressed.  Both times I have had the Hungry Man Platter which comes with 3 meats and a side of those excellent baked beans.  My wife and daughter each went with the pulled pork sandwich with the scalloped potatoes and corn bread.  The pork was served on a delicious herb bread.

Pulled Pork sandwich, scalloped potatoes and corn bread

Between my 3 recent visits I've been able to try all of their meats with the exception of the beef ribs.  Everything has been excellent, but I did find the brisket a little dry on one of my trips, but that will happen.

The Hungry Man Platter, Texas Trinity Style

The maple & cheddar sausage is some of the best I've had anywhere and the pulled pork has great flavour to it, I particularly liked it with a touch of the root beer sauce.

Big Sky boasts a huge outdoor patio and they host a number of special and community events.  One of the things I love most about barbecue is the sense of family and community.  These guys seem to get that and embrace it.  I strongly encourage you to make the short drive from Calgary out to Okotoks to try it for yourself.  I'm certain you won't be disappointed!