Super Bowl XLVI Party

Super Bowl Sunday is one of my favorite days of the year.  The Super Bowl is my second-favorite sporting event as a sports fan; second to NCAA Basketball March Madness.  Here are a couple of Super Bowl Sunday facts. 14,500 tons of chips are consumed. 8 million pounds of guacamole is consumed. The most popular choices of takeout or delivery items on Super Bowl Sunday are pizza, chicken wings and subs or sandwiches. The average number of people at a Super Bowl party is 17. Here's an even better fact: My smoker will be purring come Super...

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Andy Nelson's Southern Pit Barbeque - Cockeysville, Maryland

You know you're at a real BBQ joint when you arrive and see and smell the wood out back!  Andy Nelson's BBQ is AWESOME.  It's one of the better BBQ joints I've ever eaten at. I ordered a meal for lunch - chopped turkey sandwich with two sides (mac & cheese, beans) along with a 1/4 lb. of brisket.  The turkey was good but my only gripe about the sandwich was that the turkey was smothered in BBQ sauce.  I wish it was...

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Harborque - Baltimore, Maryland

Harborque is a small BBQ spot in South Baltimore. The joint tries hard to look like a real, old-school BBQ joint. But it doesn't feel that way.  It feels like more of a "fast-food" BBQ joint than anything.  Harborque has a nice deck/patio to eat on during the warm months and about six tables inside.  They have four sauces. Pig pickin', a Carolina sauce. A sweet BBQ sauce. A red buffalo sauce "spicy BBQ" and a "tangy gold" mustard...

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Dreamland BBQ - Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Dreamland BBQ was on my list even before I arrived in Alabama.  After all, this is the South we're talking about here.  And what better to do than to eat good ol' BBQ when in the South? The Dreamland in Tuscaloosa (near University of Alabama - ROLLLLL TIDE) is a rustic-looking place.  I opened the door and immediately caught a wiff of smoked goodness.  It got me even hungrier than I was before walking in. I went with a pulled...

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Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint - Nolensville, Tennessee

I was staying in Nashville (at Vanderbilt University) and this place was on my list for dinner one night. It's out in the countryside but worth the drive if you are staying in Nashville.  It isn't very big (maybe 15 tables) inside, which is kind of cool, as it does not look commercial at all! I ordered brisket and a pulled pork sandwich with fries.  Their sauce was awesome (not the hot sauce) and the brisket and PP were very smokey...

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Bobby Q's - Westport, Connecticut

Bobby Q's is probably the best BBQ place in Southern CT.  I've been to a newer BBQ place (Wilson's BBQ) just down the road in Fairfield, but it doesn't compare. I had pulled pork nachos as an appetizer and burnt ends (brisket) for my entree.  The burnt ends tasted good.  My friend had the pulled pork.  That was very tasty, too.   This restaurant offers a variety of sauces, but guess what, none of them are vinegar-based....

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Wilson's BBQ - Fairfield, Connecticut

When I found out this place existed right on the Post Road, I was all about making plans to go and eat there.  This place was later featured on the Food TV show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri. When I walked in, the first thing that struck me was how small the restaurant was.  Seriously speaking, I'd be shocked if 30 people could fit inside of this place and eat comfortably.  I say 30...but even with 25 people, this...

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Rudy's BBQ - San Antonio, Texas

Plain and simple.  This place rocks.  Rudy's is one of the top-three BBQ joints I've had the pleasure of eating at.  I love this place. I walked in and was greeted by a big cooler to the right of the food line that contained many ice-cold beers.  What do I normally do when I eat BBQ in Texas?  I accompany it with a Shiner Bock - one of Texas' own fine beers.  The employees gave me a sample of the smoked turkey....

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The Pit - Raleigh, North Carolina

One word - overrated. If you're looking for good, traditional, and REAL BBQ, this isn't the place. For as much of a bad rap "Holy Smokes" gets in Raleigh, I enjoyed it much more than The Pit. The Pit is a commercial restaurant.  Very commercial.  Nothing like the "authentic" BBQ joints I've been to across the country. The bar is your typical, fancy bar.  The decor is modern.  The lighting is that of a Manhattan restaurant....

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Holy Smokes BBQ - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place was a lot better than I thought it would be after reading many reviews about it on the Internet. If you want smokey BBQ, this is the place. This place looks like a 50's diner inside and out.  Very cool.  I talked to the owner when I walked in, as he knew I wasn't from the area and began asking me where I had come from.  (The Bronx accent is hard to get rid of.) He mentioned his son used to work at Rudy's (a popular...

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Jackson's Big Oak BBQ - Wilmington, North Carolina

This place was awesome - especially that gigantic oak tree out back!  Hence the name "Big Oak" BBQ. It has an old school, rustic look to it, both inside and outside.  Take out and eat in. I ordered the sampler for $11.99, which consists of: 1/4 chicken, ribs (4), pulled pork, and Brunswick stew with a side of veggies and candied yams.  The candied yams here were REALLY good! Four ribs, a healthy portion of chicken (two pieces),...

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Casey's Buffet & BBQ - Wilmington, North Carolina

This place has everything, seriously. You will eat until you feel sick here.  Tons of food available. This place is a hole in the wall.  It looks very rustic inside.  The buffet is toward the back of the restaurant.  It's like heaven when you walk into it. I had tons of food, from fried chicken, to the pulled pork, to fried okra (for the first time ever).  There are mashed potatoes, corn, ribs, rice, gravy, mac &...

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Cowgirl BBQ - Santa Fe, New Mexico

I arrived at Cowgirl's on a Tuesday night around 7pm.   The atmosphere was cool. Very Southwestern feel. Just what one would expect. Dining area We were greeted by many of the waitresses upon entering the restaurant.  We were then asked what we wanted to drink. I went with a Porter which was very tasty...I loved the roasted flavor.  Dark beer is my thing.   One of my friends ordered the same Porter and really enjoyed it....

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Wholly Smokes - Tampa, FL

I pulled up to this place and immediately smelled the smoke.  Mmmmmmmm. I ordered a turkey platter with two sides; mac & cheese and beans. The meal came with two slices of garlic bread. The beans were fantastic. Sweet and smokey with bits of meat in them. The Mac and cheese was homemade and had the perfect texture. I was in love. The turkey had a perfect amount of smoke flavor. I ordered it sliced ($8.95 platter) and my chopped beef...

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Conway's BBQ - Marion, Ohio

I think I know good BBQ when I taste it.  And this place didn't deliver. I looked through the menu and went with the "Choose 2" combo for $13.99. I ordered the brisket and Carolina gobbler (turkey). The meal came with two sides so I went with  the mac-n-cheese and baked beans. The restaurant has ample space but did not see many cars parked outside and saw 4-5 people in the establishment (only at the bar).  Oh yeah, the tap water...

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Smoke and Bones - Derby, Connecticut

Smoke and Bones is a new barbeque joint located in Derby, Connecticut.  I always support local food joints, so I went to try this one and here's what I thought. Three-meat combo - Ribs, Brisket, & Chicken The BBQ places I have eaten at will foil meats and slice a la carte.  Smoke & Bones preps the food and stores food in heating trays.  Something I have not seen at BBQ restaurants. I ordered the three-meat special with...

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Smoked Macaroni & Cheese

We've all had macaroni and cheese.  Mac-n-Cheese dishes are a classic here in the United States.  But what some people may not know is this dish, otherwise known as a "Cheese and Pasta Casserole," dates back to the 14th Century. If you can just close your eyes and imagine what your favorite mac-n-cheese tastes like, well, try to imagine what mac-n-cheese tastes like with smoked cheese!  It's even better! For this dish, I will use...

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Smoked Cheese

One may think this is rather crazy.  But, no, it's definitely possible to smoke your own cheese.  "Doesn't the cheese melt when you smoke it?"  The answer is NO.  Smoking cheese doesn't mean the smoker should be chugging-along at 225F. In order to smoke cheese, you will need to get your smoker between 60 and 90 degrees.  Upwards of 100F, your cheese will begin to "sweat" and possibly melt.  The goal is to get some smoke...

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