Poll: What item disappoints you most often at BBQ Restaurants

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

Picked up a to go bbq plate last night. Weather was really bad so cooking outside was out of the question. Had them add a bbq rib to the plate. Rib was extremely fatty (like 1/2 inch of fat on the exterior before you could taste any meat). Got me to thinking, there is maybe 1 bbq place I have ever eaten at where I had a really good rib. Most of the time they are not only not "good" but pretty bad. So what item is it that lets you down most often at BBQ joints.

 

[bschoen]

White bread? eep:

 

[Mikhail]

Since I am by and large uninterested in anything but the meat.....

 

[redchaserron]

Too often "BBQ PULLED PORK" comes out of a crock pot and is shredded pork tossed in an ungodly amount of cheap Kraft BBQ sauce or similar.

 

[cpw]

I chose brisket, because it's rarely any good. But I think pork is what kills me at a bbq restaurant. It's so easy to get right and make it good but so many times it's either cat food consistency or so dry no amount of sauce will help it.

 

[keeperofsecrets]

Got me to thinking, there is maybe 1 bbq place I have ever eaten at where I had a really good rib. Most of the time they are not only not "good" but pretty bad.

Here is Georgia, the pig is king, and most BBQ joints deliver on the ribs. Spiced Right BBQ in Roswell GA is one great place for ribs. That said, I've also had some pretty dry ribs and ribs that are almost mush by the time they sit in the warmer all day waiting for the next sucker to buy them. I ate at a joint in Vegas that delivered really well on brisket, but it is the only place I ever threw away a smoked rib.

 

[keeperofsecrets]

Too often "BBQ PULLED PORK" comes out of a crock pot and is shredded pork tossed in an ungodly amount of cheap Kraft BBQ sauce or similar.

That is the reason I don't eat BBQ at a restaurant unless it is a BBQ restaurant. I still have nightmares about the Applebees ribs I ordered 15 years ago.

 

[ModelMaker]

Went with friends to a small town BBQ joint and had a $9 burnt end sandwich, had to chew and chew and the flavor wasn't all that. Waitress stopped by to ask how things were and I told her to pass on to the cook to taste one of his ends. He was at the table in 30 seconds and I told him his ends needed at least another hour in the heat.
I suffered through it because I didn't want to embarrass our friends, but if it was just us it would have been sent back and traded for smoked turkey.
Ed

 

[Nuco59]

I'll normally go with sausage and sides. They are usually the safer bets.

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

I chose brisket, because it's rarely any good. But I think pork is what kills me at a bbq restaurant. It's so easy to get right and make it good but so many times it's either cat food consistency or so dry no amount of sauce will help it.

This is spot on. Brisket is a challenging cut of meat so I have had several places where it's good but not great. Pork is really forgiving and easy to make pretty good and yet several places have no taste. We may feel this way because of where we live, but I think it's factual.

Here is Georgia, the pig is king, and most BBQ joints deliver on the ribs. Spiced Right BBQ in Roswell GA is one great place for ribs. That said, I've also had some pretty dry ribs and ribs that are almost mush by the time they sit in the warmer all day waiting for the next sucker to buy them. I ate at a joint in Vegas that delivered really well on brisket, but it is the only place I ever threw away a smoked rib.

Same thing with pig here in SC, even more reason why the ribs keep surprising me. It may have something to do with the fact that when we do them ourselves we put so much effort into them. What is even more head scratching is a lot of the bbq buffets around charge extra at night when ribs are available, yet still just meh...

 

[Shiz-Nit]

Brisket - always dry and stiff
Ribs - over done or just taste a couple days old
Mac n cheese - clumps together and not creamy

But usually the sweet tea is good at least

 

[Bob C Cue]

I don't think polls should be allowed on this site, but I chose brisket since it is hard to get right.

 

[Stlsportster]

Other people are there and it isn’t my bbq.

 

[Whumpa]

I chose ribs. Since the Seattle/ Tacoma area is not exactly a hot bed of good BBQ I very rarely order anything other than ribs. Other than one place that I have found brisket is pretty much a no deal, so I just don’t even bother to order it. But I figure ribs are a bench mark of good or bad Q that is generally what I order. I figure if I can make a good rib most anyone can. But it seems I am wrong.

 

[SMOKE FREAK]

I don't think polls should be allowed on this site, .

I think we need to start a poll about this.............

 

[RickAllen]

Too often "BBQ PULLED PORK" comes out of a crock pot and is shredded pork tossed in an ungodly amount of cheap Kraft BBQ sauce or similar.

For me as well. All I need to do to judge a BBQ place is eat the pulled pork sandwich. Often it's tasteless. No smoke flavor, no rub flavor, no injection flavor. I swear they most likely just use a crock pot.

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

For me as well. All I need to do to judge a BBQ place is eat the pulled pork sandwich. Often it's tasteless. No smoke flavor, no rub flavor, no injection flavor. I swear they most likely just use a crock pot.

Great point! You can tell a HUGE difference in pork cooked with wood or gas. A lot places use gas because it's easier, but there is a huge difference. To be honest there aren't a lot of places where I ate brisket that have had much wood flavor. Lewis' brisket was great, but I didn't taste much if any smoke on it. Now at Fox Bros. in Atlanta I thought they had too much smoke on their brisket I got.

 

[SlickRockStones]

Bunny and I rarely eat out at bbq joints but when we do it’s always Buddy’s BBQ $6.29 Tuesday special. Meat, two sides, bun or hush puppies and a drink. She gets pulled chicken or piggy back tater. I get smoked half chicken. It’s budget bbq to be sure but always consistently good compared to more expensive hipster joints downtown. Ribs and brisket top my “Most likely to be disappointed list”.

 

[blackdogbbq21]

It used to be brisket but I've learned when not to order brisket and seem to be disappointed less often. Now i'd say it's pork ribs. The last two times I've had bbq out the brisket was great but the pork ribs were nowhere near tender or completely overcooked. I think its tougher to keep pork ribs fresh than briskets or butts also.

 

[aks801]

Potato salad.

Maybe I'm too picky with it, but usually it is just not good. Buy I keep on trying! In Houston, Roegels' and Goode Company make great potato salad. Gatlin's too.