Dissapointed in my local BBQ chain joint

[Cuelio]

So I'm out with the family this past weekend. We spent the afternoon at a park close to home, and it so happens that there's a Famouns Dave's a block down the road.

We walked over and my wife and I ordered babyback ribs. Kids got kid stuff. (mac and cheese + chicken fingers, etc.)

Bottom line: My wife would not eat her dinner - nasty, gristly tough-assed ribs. I ate mine reluctantly and noticed that the ribs still had their membranes on. I called the waiter and pointed this out to him. Of course, he didn't even know what membranes were. He came back to "explain" to me that the reason they leave the membranes on was because if they took them out, the racks would "fall apart."

Pathetic.

I rant about this for two reasons: One is that I have come to realize that some BBQ restaurants really don't appear to understand the art/science for good BBQ. The other reason is that in the last 2+ years that I've been a Brehtren, I've managed to become a BBQ snob. I can be critical of BBQ cooking even when confronted by some assertive manager claiming to better know how to prepare Cue. You can't argue with me that a cost-cutting measure is really meant to "enhance" the quality of the product.

 

[Q_Egg]

Ho_ho_ I'm laughing cuz we have a fairly new Famous Dave's

... here in our fast-growing small town, and have only bought take-out smmiches once (they were 'ok'). Now I'm headed over there to walk in and ask the manager if they remove the rib membrane. If I get that common 'blank stare' I will suggest that he pass on a couple episodes of 'The Simpsons' and do some serious Q searches here on the Web.

I have traveled a lot in years past, and it's amazing how much local management can improve (or diminish) a 'chain' restaurant's quality.

 

[BrooklynQ]

Removing the membrane is a time cosuming labor involved process. Most restaurants won't do it.

 

[timzcardz]

Removing the membrane is a time cosuming labor involved process. Most restaurants won't do it.

It takes about 10 to 15 seconds to remove the membrane from a rack of baby backs. Most restaurants, or at least those that I go to, still bring your food to you at the table and don't leave the food in the kitchen for you to go get yourself. That takes them even longer. Oooops, maybe I should be quiet rather than giving them more cost saving ideas.

 

[Jeff_in_KC]

Yeah but the "we can't remove it or the slab will fall apart" just floors me! I would SO love to have a brain dead (as far as Q is concerned anyway) waiter tell me that's the reason they left it on. We'd have an impromptu education right on the spot.

 

[Mark]

Well then Cuelieo (a self proclaimed BBQ snob); you should have known better. Right?

 

[TexasGuppie]

Solution to the "BBQ Restaurant Lack-of-Q-Knowledge" problem:

When craving good BBQ and you:

1. Have no leftovers from your last cook.
2. Have no time to cook it yourself.
3. None of your Q Brethren can loan you some Q.

Go ahead and head on down to one of your local BBQ restaurants BUT, just before you pull into the parking lot...

...divert to a local Mexican Food Restaurant. Why? Because you KNOW that you will be disappointed in the BBQ joint.

Ken (quite the Q-Snob myself))

 

[bbqjoe]

We always pull the membrane. Period!

 

[TexasGuppie]

...divert to a local Mexican Food Restaurant. Why? Because you KNOW that you will be disappointed in the BBQ joint.

Unless it's owned by a BRETHREN.

Ken (with apologies to Joe.)

 

[bbqbull]

I professional butcher I know, also does catering. He has a mobile unit and one time I pulled into his store to grab some meat. I asked him whats cooking and he told me racks of ribs. I asked him if he pulled the membranes as I do. He told me Nope. It just melts off.......OMG.
I had his uncle over to my place, He tells me his nephew catered a gig he was at couple weeks before. He told me my food was much better than his nephews. That floored me as well............I dunno I dislike membranes on my ribs.
Mike

 

[TexasGuppie]

Ribs with membranes still attached...kind of like eating a frozen pizza baked in the plastic wrapper. A little tough.

 

[Mark]

When craving good BBQ and you:

1. Have no leftovers from your last cook.
2. Have no time to cook it yourself.
3. None of your Q Brethren can loan you some Q.

Go ahead and head on down to one of your local BBQ restaurants BUT, just before you pull into the parking lot...

...divert to a local Mexican Food Restaurant. Why? Because you KNOW that you will be disappointed in the BBQ joint.

Ken (quite the Q-Snob myself))

You can allways lick the grates.

 

[TexasGuppie]

You can allways lick the grates.

Quit spyin' on me or I'm callin' the cops.

Ken (member of Grate-Licker's Anonymous)

 

[Cuelio]

Well then Cuelieo (a self proclaimed BBQ snob); you should have known better. Right?

Damn right I shoulda known better, Mark!

 

[Cuelio]

When craving good BBQ and you:

1. Have no leftovers from your last cook.
2. Have no time to cook it yourself.
3. None of your Q Brethren can loan you some Q.

Go ahead and head on down to one of your local BBQ restaurants BUT, just before you pull into the parking lot...

...divert to a local Mexican Food Restaurant. Why? Because you KNOW that you will be disappointed in the BBQ joint.

Ken (quite the Q-Snob myself))

LMAO!

 

[Cuelio]

BTW, Mark. I don't lick grates, but I do sniff smoke vents.

Take it away, brothers!

 

[Bigmista]

I think our problem is we don't know how to get up and walk out. When a brethren walks into a BBQ joint, he should ask a series of questions. 2 wrong answers is reason enough to get up and walk out before you get your sweet tea:

1. What kind of smoker do you use?

2. What kind of wood do you use?

3. Do you pull the membrane off of your ribs?

4. How long do you smoke your meat?

5. Can I get it with sauce on the side?

6. Do you grill or smoke your ribs?

7. Do you serve brisket and/or pulled pork?

8. Is your sauce vinegar or tomato based?

"I dunno" counts as a wrong answer.

 

[Cuelio]

How about this one. A wrong answer here is good enough to walk out for:

"Do you boil or par-boil your ribs?"

 

[kcquer]

Franchise Q is a little like frozen pizza, it's not the real thing, but tolerable if your expectations are reasonable. I usually order ham at such a place as it's just harder to fark up. If they have decent fries and cold beer, it's not so bad.

 

[smokebuzz]

we got several bbq joints that are locals,the one that is useally empty is the best, but not great, the hole that is packed SUCKS, i refuse to eat there, . i think if you make your own Q, you are a snob when it comes to quality-tasty BBQ, i think you notice it when your friends eat your Q and especialy people that try it for the first time,instant friends.
I really hope to go to a area that has some good BBq joints, i hear about them all the time, most don't have Iowa in there address.