Culinary Tour - Jim 'N Nick's BBQ

Saving the best for last on the culinary tour was a trip to Jim 'N Nick's BBQ restaurant. If you have ever been anywhere in the South, you know that barbecue is one of the main food groups and it is a must try. It's divided up into different areas and each area is known for specific types of barbecue. In Texas, the focus is on beef (things like beef brisket and ribs) and the sauces is thicker and tends to be molasses based. However in Charleston, I found that pork was the meat of choice for barbecue and the sauce was a tomato and vinegar based, thus making a thinner sauce. Barbecue in the South is a hotly debated topic and every version has their die hard fans. I think that's what adds to the allure of the barbecue scene is how many different variations there are. At Jim 'N Nick's,  we sampled some of the staples of South Carolina barbecue.

Pulled pork was a given, topped with a healthy dose of barbecue sauce. The pork was super tender and you could taste the smokiness in the background, but it didn't overwhelm the meat itself. Pork is a more delicate meat than beef and sometimes it can be overwhelmed with other flavors. It was served with some bacon collard greens and a cheese cornbread muffin. I am not a huge fan of collard greens (mainly because of the texture and that they are more of a bitter green), but it's hard not to like something when you throw bacon in with it. The cheese cornbread muffin had a lovely balance between the sweetness of the corn and the touch of saltiness from the cheese. I tend to stay away from cornbread because it usually has an artificial corn taste to it, but I am going to attribute that to the fact that I have not had cornbread made the right way. In Texas, you eat barbecue with white bread and the sides are typically potato salad, cole slaw, and beans. It was fun to do a barbecue comparison and I have to say that the cornbread wins over plain white bread any day. The collard greens did not win me over, but I am sure glad that I got to sample the Carolina barbecue from Jim 'N Nick's. Though sadly the tour had to come to an end, it was a great way to sample you way through the cuisine of Charleston.

Farewell Rodeo Houston!

As I made one final trip to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, I thought about what I would like my last rodeo meal to include. There were so many choices and I kept finding new fried treats that it became very difficult. However, I opt for some barbecue because you can't go to the rodeo and not have some type of barbecue. I chose a chopped beef sandwich with some Texas taters. The chopped beef was good, but I wasn't really a fan of the sauce. I am very picky about the sauce as I usually don't like barbecue sauce. I know I'm pretty sure that I am one of a few people that says that and I will probably be outlawed because of it. The Texas taters on the other hand were really delicious. They were handmade, fresh, super thin potato chips. They were crunchy and crisped to perfection, with just a touch of salt. Honestly, they were so much better than regular potato chips you buy at the store, though I haven't quite figured out why. I am not sure if it is because they don't have to be made to withstand being on the shelf or what, but they were gone in an instant. I think perhaps that dessert at the rodeo is the thing that I think about the most. We walked past this stand that was all about chocolate chip cookies and I had had their cookie dough before which was beyond words, but it was the smell of the cookies baking that was so intoxicating. So we decided on an order of chocolate chip cookies. These literally tasted like the cookie dough that I had before! They melted in your mouth and were addictive. Though it wasn't something super crazy, it was a comfort dessert that just made you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my "rodeo season" this year. Thank you Rodeo Houston for another wonderful year.

Sauce on the Side

Everyone loves some good ole barbeque, especially in the South. However, there is always the sauce debate. Whether it's sweet, ketchup based, vinegar base, or the consistency is thick or thin, each area has it's own unique version. What you usually find in Houston is the smokier flavor that the meat is not only marinated in, but then also dipped in while eating. I am weird because I am not really a sauce person while eating barbeque. I don't like the meat drenched in sauce, but I do appreciate the meat that's marinated in the sauce. I found an interesting sauce recipe on Pinterest via The Black Peppercorn.

I have never made a barbeque sauce before and figured this would be the perfect time to try one. Father's Day is right around the corner and it seems like every weekend has the perfect weather for an outdoor gathering. This sauce is on the sweeter side and had a thicker consistency. I made a few modifications to the original recipe based on what ingredients I had. I had some difficulty with getting a super smooth texture, but it could be because my onions were diced not minced. You can definitely taste the sweetness of the brown sugar and it has a hint of of smoke at the end. Note*: I doubled the recipe and got about 42 ounces worth of sauce or about 3 of the containers pictured.

I haven't had a chance to try it on some meat yet, but I know it will be great. It will also be a great accompaniment to the dry spice rub I just made! What more could the father in your life ask for? Now you have all the essentials to create a perfect piece of barbequed meat. Try it out and let me know what you think! 

BBQ Sauce Recipe:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 onions, minced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 cup beer (I used Miller Lite)
• 1/2 cup vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar)
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (I used chili powder)
• 1 cup (8oz can)tomato paste

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion, and garlic to the saucepan and saute until they are tender and beginning to caramelize, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the molasses, beer, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper and cayenne . Bring to a boil. Let it cook with a low rolling boil for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the saucepan.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and lower the heat. Let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature.
5. Puree in a blender until smooth.

Wait, Come Back Food Truck!

Bernie's Burger Bus

One day I was driving along and was surprised to see a yellow bus parked on the side of the street. What caught my attention even more was the fact that it was actually a food truck, which have begun to revolutionize the industry and how people eat on the go. I admit I was not very keen on eating something that came out of a kitchen on wheels. Sadly, traffic started moving again and I didn't catch the name of this truck. However, I kept randomly seeing the bus and decided that it needed to go on my "places to try" list. Though, it seemed like it was evading me because we were never at the same place at the same time.

As I was driving down the freeway last year, I passed a parking lot full of people and what I saw to be food trucks. I later learned that this was a food truck festival, but unfortunately I missed this wonderful event. I made myself a promise that I would not miss out this year! What is this event? It is Houston's Haute Wheels Food Truck Festival.

I am so excited to be going this weekend and my tummy is already crying out for something new and delicious. I am a food truck newbie, so this will be the perfect opportunity for me to try them all out at once. These trucks serve every kind of food from barbeque to pizza to French cuisine and then of course desserts, including waffles. I cannot wait to finally try Bernie's Burger Bus and everyone else participating. This is a foodie event not to be missed!

For more information and to buy your tickets, visit www.hautewheelshouston.com. The website will also give you an in depth list of all the food trucks that will be participating. So head on over and join me as I sample my way through the day. If you get a chance to visit, make sure to post your must haves and check back for my favorites and the ones you need to try!