Have we spoiled ourselves?

[defib]

I am still very new to this BBQ game. I have grilled for years and ruined many a cut of meat. In the past 2 years I have really improved and continue to strive to do better. I get multiple compliments on my food and enjoy seeing it eaten.

Now for the questions? I have gone out with family to chain and independent restaurants. I seem to find a lot of them lacking to what I cook. Is it because I cook to my tastes or have I ruined myself to eating at these places? I tend to order things I don't cook. Last time it was the tri tip and it was very good. ( I have never cooked it)

I had a good friend that went out with family the other night, she told about this BBQ that she always loved to eat. No I get told that mine is better and I have ruined it for her. :biggrin1: she was smiling when she said it, then said " when are you cooking again"? This is not the first time this has happened from many different people.

I take it as a compliment but feel sad as well. I enjoy this hobby but understand what it's like sitting in a restaurant and eating food that you know doesn't taste as good as what you can do.

The other thing I have noticed that on the days that I cook, my senses become dulled to the smoke. So I don't really notice how smoky the food is until I have leftovers, the next day or so. Does this happen to anyone else?

I have found places that still make BBQ that puts mine to shame and make me strive to at least get as good as them. Plus I see what everyone here makes; talk about raising the bar!

What say the opinion of the Brethren?

 

[fnjay]

A. I prefer my food at home over just about anywhere.

B. I also prefer being served and not doing cleanup/dishes.

Alas I can only choose one of those things for each meal so 90% of the time it's option A.

I agree on the smokiness really coming through on leftover days though.

 

[Yendor]

I won't order a steak anywhere, it just isn't the same, Spoiled. Most restaurants are not that great, even when they are good, they aren't that great.

You get desensitized to the smoke due to what stays in your sinuses and on your clothes. It is often recommended that you shower before you eat and irrigate your sinuses with a neti pot so you can start with a clean slate when you go to eat your meal. Its common for people to be disappointed that their meat has "no smoke flavor" to them while others rave, it is because of this.

 

[Fwismoker]

In fairness to BBQ joints they are serving the masses. It's much easier to make good BBQ on a small scale typically. (not talking about catering events)

 

[THoey1963]

We used to go out to dinner for all special occasions until I got better at grilling and smoking. Now, I'd rather stay home. Better food, cheaper, get exactly what I want, no crowds or rude people, etc... We still do go out every once in a while, just to get away.

As far as the smokeyness, try taking a quit shower and blowing your nose right after you are done cooking.

 

[code3rrt]

Certainly, in part, it is due to cooking to your personal taste, and part of it is also due to the simple fact that your skills improve over time, resulting in a better finished product. As your skills improve, you'll find fewer and fewer places that "put mine to shame" as you say.

I know that I too, try to stay away from ordering entree's at a restaurant that I can prepare myself at home. If I go out to eat, I'm usually looking for an experience that I don't, or can't, get at home, and as fnjay says, being served and no clean up, a little pampering from time to time is fun!

As to the smoke issue, I've heard that from many of the brethren here, very common.

Oh, and a direct answer to your question..............yes!

KC

 

[Lighter-Fluid]

In fairness to BBQ joints they are serving the masses. It's much easier to make good BBQ on a small scale typically. (not talking about catering events)

I think this is one of the biggest problems at restaurants. If they cooked like we do at home we wouldn't be happy with the wait time and the price we'd have to pay. We eat out fairly often but as far as steaks, grilled chicken and bbq in general we prefer home cooked.

 

[defib]

When I go on motorcycle rides I try to eat where the locals eat. No rules I just look for non chain restaurants with full parking lots. That is how I discovered how well I like BBQ. I have eaten some really good and not so good while riding.

For the most part though I cook at home. I find that I cook a large cut of meat in a universal way. We have had pulled pork / brisket / ribeye roast plus smoked turkey / chicken as tacos, omelettes, pot pies, pizza. Sandwiches etc.. Plus they are good as the entre as well. I love the versatility of this way of cooking.

Thanks for the idea of rinsing my sinuses. I do that quite often but haven't before dinner. I do shower before if there is time. Hmm something to do while letting the meat rest. :clap2:

 

[4ever3]

Yep, you have officially ruined eating out!

We rarely eat out anymore and when we do we're shocked by the prices and disappointed with the food, but when your eating with a group it's a go along to get along thang.

 

[Bludawg]

Take a shower & change your clothes while your meat is resting, it'll taste better.

 

[Smokin J's PIts]

I pretty much agree with everyone else. I prefer to cook my own food, but being in a house of 2-1/16, me, wife and a ankle biting dog, and currently the wife is MIA taking care of her ailing father I have often found that a lot of times when I want BBQ I will just go to a restaurant, one restaurant here locally and I will buy it and bring home to eat. I know it won’t be as good as mine, or exactly the way I cook it but it’s still good and if I go into knowing what to expect then I’m not let down that much. And generally its cheaper for me and less of a hassle. Now I do enjoy cooking a brisket, but again its everything that comes after cooking it that I’m not a big fan of. Generally when I do cook one, we will package it up and freeze it and may eat on it for two or three months off and on.

 

[cheez59]

I travel for a living so I am forced to eat out about 60 to 70 percent of my meals annually. When I get home all I want to do is cook and drink some beers. I am definitely spoiled to my cooking. Ms Gwen likes to go out because she sits at home every night when I'm gone. I'll take her out occasionally but only to places that cook stuff that I don't. I cook and we eat on paper plates most of the time so the only cleanup is utensils and some beer glasses.

I have not thought about washing the smoke off of me when I'm done cooking. I think my food does not have enough smoke quite often while everybody else thinks it is just right.

 

[blazinfire]

I won't order a steak anywhere, it just isn't the same, Spoiled. Most restaurants are not that great, even when they are good, they aren't that great.

You get desensitized to the smoke due to what stays in your sinuses and on your clothes. It is often recommended that you shower before you eat and irrigate your sinuses with a neti pot so you can start with a clean slate when you go to eat your meal. Its common for people to be disappointed that their meat has "no smoke flavor" to them while others rave, it is because of this.

I have noticed this! My tastes are pretty different compared to everyone else. Everyone raves about my food but to me I don't get the same satisfaction everyone else gets. I guess this is the cause!

 

[Nuco59]

My food is better, my beer is colder, both are cheaper...why in the hell would I want to eat out? :-D Is there better out there? Yep- certain of it- I'm no fool...but why drive until I find it? Honestly- cooking at home, I have a huge advantage over a business. I can cook what I want and how I want it... I cook because I love it- NOT to pay the bills- big difference.

 

[BillN]

I like eating out because someone else is cooking, serving and doing the dishes. With that said I prefer to eat out at places that make food I typically don't make at home.

 

[NightRogue]

In my case I drive a truck all week and eat out every day so I enjoy getting home because it is the best.

 

[DjPorkchop]

I ruined my wife and kids to bbq places. The 2nd to the last time the wife and I went to a bbq joint was about 2 years ago. They set my plate of ribs down in front of me and they were grey like they had been boiled and had what appeared to be liquid smoke on the plate. My wife actually tasted hers and looked me in the face and said never again!

Fast forward to a few months back, we stopped in a new place that was the talk of the town. I literally watched a guy cut a brisket and then took it and slapped it on a grill. I cringed real bad because it was my order he was making. That was the worst brisket I have ever had in my life! Once again, the wife said never again. lol so I suspect in 2 more years she will find a new one to stop at.

I just think we cook to our own liking at home. I know what I like, and I surely know what my wife and kids like.

And I totally agree on the smoke part. I notice it more on leftovers.

 

[The Wookiee]

most anything i've spent energy cooking well is ruined at restaurants. i order things and go to places that do things i have yet to focus on... thai, indian, chinese, ramen, sushi etc. pretty much anything that is carnage-O-centric i avoid on menus... and caesar salads (my homemade caesar is a game changer). still always love a good local greasy spoon breakfast, burger, or & really good italian that makes their own pasta.

but yes, many things are indeed ruined at restaurants.

 

[Jason TQ]

Unless it's one of the top bbq joints the food just won't be as good. Restaurant bbq is tough. I had the pleasure of running the pit and kitchen at a q joint the first year my friend opened a place and it was an eye opening experience. If you think you food is awesome try scaling it to feed hundreds every single day and keep the quality at a level of just cooking 1 rack of ribs and avoid having one bad Yelp/Facebook review because the kids you hired to help are like watching newborns. Except those newborns don't have your standards, have knives, handle hot food and aren't extremely reliable on top of keeping health code standards at all times (because each time you see someone touch their face you have to remind them to deglove and wash their hands) on top of dealing with the special customers you know come in just to complain to get a free meal. Do that and you will truly appreciate/understand those who run good bbq restaurants :becky:.

I do enjoy the occasional restaurant, but like others it is normally for something I don't cook. I can't even remember the last time I ate at a bbq place though I do want to get out and try some of the well spoken about ones around Atlanta. Each time we almost try to go out though it's just so easy and inexpensive to cook at home and I really like doing it.

Steak is another good example someone pointed out. Last time the wife and I said lets go out for a date night for some thing different I had to stop at Costco on my way home to get something. As normal I wandered by the meat section for fun and when I saw the rib eyes plus scallops and knew I could get them with 2 bottles of wine and some cheeses for half the cost of dining out just for steak itself it is tough to justify. Texted my wife with all that in the shopping cart and she said "good idea" :-D.

 

[ShadowDriver]

...As normal I wandered by the meat section for fun and when I saw the rib eyes plus scallops and knew I could get them with 2 bottles of wine and some cheeses for half the cost of dining out just for steak itself it is tough to justify. Texted my wife with all that in the shopping cart and she said "good idea" :-D.

I think we've reached the same point in our culinary adventures in life, and it's nice to hear/read that we're not the strange ones (well, we are... and that's OK).

So many times in the past few years, we've eaten dinner (often with family and friends) when someone says something to the effect of, "There's no way we could've had this meal at a restaurant out in town." Usually, we've had several courses and a couple of bottles of vino to boot! (I blame you folks for giving me ideas and techniques)

When we DO go out to eat, it's for a cuisine or an item that we just CAN'T or WON'T cook for ourselves. Either that, or it's a fine dining experience that would just be way too much work for us to pull-off.