E
Elegant Bear
Guest
Yesterday, Sunday, I decided to let someone else BBQ for me, so I took a drive out to a farmer’s market in the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles in search of the man I had seen recently on BBQ Pitmasters; Neil Strawder, who operates Bigmista’s BBQ here in the Los Angeles area and posts on this forum as Bigmista.
When I arrived at the outdoor market, I followed the sweet smell of smoke to the Bigmista’s BBQ Booth where I was greeted by Mrs. Bigmista, Phyllis Strawder, who really runs the show and brings a new meaning to customer service. I ordered a Bigmista Sampler Plate which was a combination of a VERY generous portion of pulled pork, half a dozen slices of brisket. 2 full hot links and two pork spare ribs with the tips. The plate was topped off with a couple of slices of bread and several servings of sauce on the side. I could not resist an order of “Pig Candy” as well.
Although I have made all of the items that Bigmista served, I must say with an enormous amount of humility that I have a long way to go to catch up with the quality of Bigmista’s BBQ. The pulled pork was very moist and the taste of the pork and smoke was perfectly balanced with some great pieces of bark. The brisket was melt in your mouth tender with the perfect balance of spice, smoke and meat taste. The ribs had a very tasty glaze and were tender without falling off the bone. The links were spicy and smoky, but not overly so. I can still taste the Pig Candy in my mind. It is one of those tastes of sweet and spicy hot that you don't forget when you have had it for the first time. I did not need the sauce, but I tasted it anyway and it was a very smooth combination of sweet & spicy.
As a “backyard guy”, I aspire to BBQ of that quality. On a personal note, I hung around Neil’s booth for about 2 hours and he and Phyllis freely chatted with me between customers and gave me a taste of turkey breast that I saw Neil cut off a large piece that I know was cut off the whole bird (not flaked and formed). This turkey was so juicy that if I had squeezed it instead of popping the whole thing in my mouth, I know it would have dripped “turkey juice”.
Anyway, I will be going back soon and any of you who live in the Los Angeles area would do well to find Neil & Phyllis at one of their farmer’s markets and enjoy a real BBQ treat delivered by folks who could not be nicer.
When I arrived at the outdoor market, I followed the sweet smell of smoke to the Bigmista’s BBQ Booth where I was greeted by Mrs. Bigmista, Phyllis Strawder, who really runs the show and brings a new meaning to customer service. I ordered a Bigmista Sampler Plate which was a combination of a VERY generous portion of pulled pork, half a dozen slices of brisket. 2 full hot links and two pork spare ribs with the tips. The plate was topped off with a couple of slices of bread and several servings of sauce on the side. I could not resist an order of “Pig Candy” as well.
Although I have made all of the items that Bigmista served, I must say with an enormous amount of humility that I have a long way to go to catch up with the quality of Bigmista’s BBQ. The pulled pork was very moist and the taste of the pork and smoke was perfectly balanced with some great pieces of bark. The brisket was melt in your mouth tender with the perfect balance of spice, smoke and meat taste. The ribs had a very tasty glaze and were tender without falling off the bone. The links were spicy and smoky, but not overly so. I can still taste the Pig Candy in my mind. It is one of those tastes of sweet and spicy hot that you don't forget when you have had it for the first time. I did not need the sauce, but I tasted it anyway and it was a very smooth combination of sweet & spicy.
As a “backyard guy”, I aspire to BBQ of that quality. On a personal note, I hung around Neil’s booth for about 2 hours and he and Phyllis freely chatted with me between customers and gave me a taste of turkey breast that I saw Neil cut off a large piece that I know was cut off the whole bird (not flaked and formed). This turkey was so juicy that if I had squeezed it instead of popping the whole thing in my mouth, I know it would have dripped “turkey juice”.
Anyway, I will be going back soon and any of you who live in the Los Angeles area would do well to find Neil & Phyllis at one of their farmer’s markets and enjoy a real BBQ treat delivered by folks who could not be nicer.
