"Food Wars" hosts Harry Kersh and Joe Avella travel across Houston, Texas, to find the best barbecue in the city. They'll be visiting four locations over two days to see what the city has to offer. This is "Food Tours."
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00:00Welcome to Houston, my man.
00:01Our third stop in the Best Barbecue in Texas Marathon.
00:06Oh, yeah.
00:06We're going to four incredible barbecue restaurants,
00:10all here in the great city of Houston.
00:12I'm excited.
00:13I've heard good things about Houston barbecue.
00:15And you've heard good things about Houston,
00:17from Beyonce, Travis Scott, Bun B, UGK, Ghetto Boys.
00:23I definitely knew who some of those people were.
00:25Unbelievable, these millennials,
00:27I don't know anything about anything.
00:28All right, well, we're not here to listen,
00:30to fantastic hip hop.
00:31We are here to eat fantastic barbecue.
00:34And we're starting at Truth Barbecue.
00:37You wanted the truth, and you got it.
00:38We're going to get a baseline
00:39of what the city has to offer.
00:41So everywhere we go, we're getting brisket.
00:42Everywhere we go, we're getting ribs.
00:44Everywhere we go, we're getting sausage.
00:47And every place we're going to go,
00:48we're also getting something special on that menu.
00:50Houston episode starts right now.
00:52You ready to eat?
00:52Somehow, yeah, I still want more barbecue.
00:54Let's go.
00:55I'm going to get our plates.
00:56All righty, guys.
00:56Yes.
00:57So here we have what is known as our whole shebang.
01:00It's basically a sampler of what we do best.
01:02That looks phenomenal.
01:03Thanks so much.
01:04Thank you very much.
01:05Check it out.
01:06What do you think of this plate?
01:07Houston, we have a problem.
01:09What problem is that?
01:09That I'm going to eat myself to an early grave.
01:12All right.
01:12This looks really good.
01:13As beautiful as the meat looks,
01:15when you mention these Brussels sprouts
01:17with the beef tallow, ooh, sounds very nice.
01:21We both had a similar reaction to that,
01:23but I'm going to say this.
01:24We both had a similar reaction to that,
01:25both very excited.
01:26I know it's weird to focus on sprouts on a barbecue plate,
01:30but we've eaten a lot of meat this week.
01:31Pulled pork.
01:32We haven't seen a lot of pulled pork in this journey, right?
01:34No, not really.
01:35Most of the pork we've eaten
01:36has been in like sausage or rib form.
01:37Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:38The steaks, the s'mores, of course.
01:39Of course.
01:40Do you like pulled pork?
01:41Love it.
01:42Yeah, enjoy.
01:42Usually, though, I do pulled pork in sandwich mode.
01:45Yeah, I know.
01:46But we do have some bread and some sauce.
01:47I want to hog the bread.
01:49Yeah, everything on this plate looks absolutely incredible.
01:51It really does.
01:52Just to remind you before we continue,
01:54Truth Barbecue in 2021,
01:56according to Texas Monthly Magazine,
01:59this is the third, number three best barbecue
02:02in the entire state of Texas.
02:05So we are about to eat something
02:06that is nothing short of phenomenal.
02:09I don't know, where do you want to begin here?
02:11I feel like the brisket's a good place to start.
02:12You have to kind of like unearth it on this plate.
02:15He called this the whole shebang
02:16because they give you a little bit of everything.
02:18So we got the ribs buried under here, I think.
02:20We have turkey and brisket.
02:23There's your brisket, there we go.
02:24Yeah, get some of that bark, man.
02:26Let's do it.
02:26Cheers.
02:29Wow, second in my mouth.
02:32I totally get it.
02:34Flavor explosion right now.
02:37It's rich.
02:38Yeah.
02:39Juicy.
02:40Dare I say, decadent.
02:41Not too salty, you know, balanced perfectly.
02:45Salt, pepper, garlic, and onion,
02:47that's what makes up that bark.
02:49Use mustard as a binder.
02:51The way that the, I guess the vinegar is the tanginess
02:53of the mustard pairs with the richness,
02:56the fattiness of the meat, perfection.
02:59I actually like, when I bit into that one,
03:01I kind of got flashbacks to our pastrami episode
03:03in New York.
03:04Really?
03:05Yeah, I think with a lot of the kind of like spicy mustard
03:07that you get on those pastrami and rice sandwiches,
03:09not exactly the same.
03:10The flavor profiles are different
03:11and the texture of the meat is different.
03:13Sure.
03:13But I kind of like, it just evokes those memories, you know?
03:15Yeah, absolutely.
03:17That brisket is kind of a big deal.
03:18And to hear a truth, they sell 500 of those a week.
03:22Damn, okay.
03:23That's a lot.
03:24That's a lot of brisket.
03:25Yeah.
03:26A lot of cows sacrificing themselves to make this possible.
03:28And thank you for your service, cows.
03:30I only want the ribs.
03:31I think so, yeah, that's pretty good.
03:33That was a great place to start moving on.
03:35Oh yeah, I got like the side.
03:36Pork rib.
03:37Oh man, it's like already like falling off the bone.
03:40Yeah, perfect, perfectly cooked.
03:43Mm, a bit right to it, mm-hmm, wow.
03:49Bark has got a nice crunch and holds it all together.
03:52A little bit of sauce on there as well.
03:53Yeah.
03:54A bit of like tomatoey, vinegary goodness.
03:56And they got sauce on the table
03:57and I for one do not think it needs to be added whatsoever.
04:00So far, I've not needed any sauce.
04:01I'm literally falling apart.
04:03I feel like when you're serving this many people,
04:06like what, 500 briskets a week?
04:07Yeah.
04:08Making that consistent is so hard.
04:10Because every brisket is like
04:11a little different as well, right?
04:12Yeah, right.
04:13They're not all the same size, shape, fat content.
04:15Yeah.
04:16To try and pluck order out of all the chaos
04:19and produce this product day in, day out
04:21is really impressive.
04:22Absolutely fantastic.
04:23Speaking of fantastic, look at this sausage right here.
04:25Look at this.
04:26Not skimping on the cheese.
04:27Yeah, just the cheese and the jalapeno.
04:29I'm like seeing chunks of jalapeno
04:31and I don't know if I'm, it's like really hot.
04:33I don't know if I'm ready for spiciness.
04:34How are you feeling?
04:35Very, very warm, especially for a bread.
04:40Oh yeah, the jalapeno.
04:41Yeah.
04:42Wow, it's so cheesy.
04:43That might be the cheesiest sausage
04:45I've ever had this entire trip.
04:47The whole time I've been here.
04:48The win in the cheese game.
04:49It really works as well.
04:51That's not a lot of cheese in general on barbecue.
04:53No, I feel like very rarely I've seen
04:56little bits of cheesy sausage available in the UK,
04:58but cheddar jalapeno seems like the combo out here.
05:01Is that like a Texas thing?
05:02Yeah, I think so.
05:03That brisket is cooked over post oak wood.
05:06I feel like I'm starting to taste
05:07the differences between the woods.
05:08I used to think like, ah, just use whatever wood,
05:10but I definitely can get that post oakiness
05:13in the brisket, which I'm really starting to like.
05:16Yeah, that smoke flavor adds so much.
05:18I think, again, when you're not seasoning it
05:20with that many things, it really means
05:22that the things that you are seasoning it with
05:24shine through a lot more.
05:25They eventually spritz it with apple cider vinegar
05:28before wrapping it.
05:29We've been to some places that are like anti-wrapping
05:31and even like no spritzing or anything like that,
05:33but they're doing it, and I have to say,
05:37that is a fantastic brisket.
05:39It really is.
05:39Obviously, when it comes to meat,
05:41they know what they're doing,
05:42and I hear the sides here are off the hook.
05:44I wanted the Brussels sprouts first.
05:46In the beef tallow with some peppers as well.
05:50Would you like Brussels sprouts?
05:51I love Brussels sprouts.
05:52They get a bad rep in the UK
05:53because most people just boil them.
05:54Yeah, no, they get a bad rep in America, too.
05:55Then suddenly, like 10 years ago,
05:57they're back, they're reinvented.
05:59Well, people figured out that you can do things
06:00like fry them or roast them or saute them.
06:04Add salt to them.
06:05Season them.
06:06Season them, yeah, okay.
06:09Oh, wow.
06:09Those are amazing.
06:11Those are amazing.
06:13And I haven't had my vegetables in like three days, so.
06:15Yeah, it might just be that both of us
06:16are like crying out for nutrients.
06:18Oh, it's working.
06:19Wow, these are fantastic.
06:20Those are beautiful, though.
06:20These are some of the best Brussels sprouts I've ever had.
06:22No question.
06:23There's sweetness in there,
06:24but like a sweet heat with the chili.
06:25Yes, oh, wow.
06:26Might be the best sprouts I've ever had.
06:27I'm gonna hit a few more sides here.
06:29Tater tot casserole.
06:30Tater tot casserole.
06:31Love that.
06:32Tater tots being those like small balls
06:34of fried potato, right?
06:35Are you being serious right now?
06:36I don't think I've had them before.
06:37What do you not know what a tater tot is?
06:39They're not a thing in the UK.
06:40Yes, they are.
06:41They're really not.
06:42You've got to call them something else.
06:43Little potato guys, deep fried.
06:44Yeah, I've seen them before, but like.
06:46But you've never had them in the UK?
06:47They are not common in the UK whatsoever.
06:48That's not, that's not, no, it can't be true.
06:50They're like the most regular thing to have.
06:53A tater tot casserole, you're like,
06:54yeah, like a potato casserole.
06:55No, what they did was you'd have the tater tots
06:57with the crispy outside, right?
06:59And then they kind of like blended them up
07:00after they were cooked.
07:01So there's like crispy potato throughout it,
07:05which is smart instead of just using like shredded potatoes
07:09as a lot of crisps.
07:10Yeah, you could just have mashed potato,
07:11but then like you wouldn't get these little crisps.
07:12No, no, no, no, no.
07:13They're very wise to do tater tots.
07:15This is very good.
07:16That's really good.
07:16Cheesy as well.
07:17And this is really great.
07:18It's right up there.
07:19This is really fantastic.
07:21Couple more tiny bits of meat.
07:22I don't know if I can keep going.
07:23You can't tap out a place one immediately, Joe, come on.
07:26You got this, man.
07:27Pulled pork.
07:30That's a juicy pulled pork.
07:31Fantastic.
07:33Yes.
07:34Mm-hmm.
07:35And this turkey.
07:36Turkey's, I mean, turkey's basically a vegetable, right?
07:39Out in Texas, turkey is effectively a vegetable.
07:41I'm actually loving everything on this plate.
07:42Everything is like, I know what this is,
07:44but you taste it, you're like, wait a second.
07:46They have elevated everything on this plate,
07:49but it also works together, which I love.
07:51I love when the sides and the meats all go together.
07:53So you don't feel like you're getting a side
07:55just to get one or whatever, you know?
07:57Leonard, who runs the place,
07:58is one of a few barbecue chefs
08:02to have appeared on the show Chopped and have won.
08:06Okay.
08:06Very impressive.
08:07What is Chopped in the UK?
08:08How does that work?
08:09It's a competition cooking show.
08:10Gotcha, okay, and he won.
08:12And he won an episode, yes.
08:13I can see why, with barbecue like this.
08:15I wonder if he cooked barbecue
08:17or if he was cooking something else.
08:18Either way, I'm sure he did great.
08:19I don't know, I'm not familiar with the show,
08:20but I'm pretty sure when they're like,
08:21okay, make your dish, you have 12 hours.
08:25As much as I'd like to stay here and demolish this plate,
08:28we actually can.
08:29I got some great news.
08:30It's the last place we're going to today.
08:32I got a bunch of other spots, but we're going tomorrow.
08:35So we got nothing left to do.
08:36So let's eat this entire plate, get nice and sweaty,
08:39hit the Airbnb, and wake up bright and early tomorrow,
08:42hungover and meat, for more Barbecue in Houston.
08:45You ready, buddy?
08:45Yeah, there's nothing I like doing more
08:46than getting hot and sweaty and meaty with you, Joe.
08:49All right, now start eating
08:50and looking me in the eye, let's go.
08:52I'm blinking, I can't talk.
08:53Okay.
08:54Mm, mm, mm, mm, mm.
08:56Okay, that's a great one, man.
08:59What the f***?
09:02Day two, barbecue, how you feeling?
09:03I'm feeling good.
09:04I feel refreshed, ready to eat barbecue.
09:07I am refreshed and I'm ready to eat
09:08three fantastic barbecue spots,
09:10and that's where we're going today.
09:11In my opinion, it's never too early to eat barbecue.
09:14Case in point, we are on our way to The Pit Room,
09:16and I'm taking you there specifically
09:18for the barbecue breakfast tacos.
09:21Oh my God, I can't wait.
09:24All right, here we are at The Pit Room, Houston, Texas.
09:26MMA fighter, Derrick Lewis's favorite barbecue.
09:31Okay, are you an MMA guy?
09:32No.
09:33No, me neither.
09:33I saw the clip.
09:34I mean, I imagine they need to eat a lot of protein,
09:37so I kind of trust the opinion of someone who does MMA.
09:38Yeah, yeah, got some pretty good shape,
09:40so it looks like he knows what he's talking about.
09:42Also, the Houston Press said they have
09:43the best homemade sausage.
09:45Come on, what else do you want?
09:47Come on.
09:48And we're here a little early,
09:49want to make sure you get the breakfast tacos.
09:50Listen to me, these breakfast tacos,
09:52they make the flour tortillas in-house,
09:54and what sets them apart is they trim the fat
09:56off the brisket, grind it up,
09:59render it down into the smoker,
10:00put it into the process of making the tortillas.
10:03My point is this, the tortillas here
10:06are no joke, the breakfast tacos here are no joke.
10:08Our boy Fieri even came out here to check it out.
10:11So you're telling me they're putting smoked brisket fat
10:13in the tortillas?
10:14Yes.
10:15I mean, come on, that's gonna be delicious.
10:17What is the breakfast taco situation in London?
10:19Pretty non-existent.
10:20That sucks.
10:21Yeah, tortillas on the whole, not that big a deal.
10:24Is it Tex-Mex fusion?
10:26We're in the Tex part of Tex-Mex,
10:28so it makes sense why that would be.
10:29Yeah, we're close to the border, I think, in Houston, right?
10:31The closest we've been so far, yeah.
10:33There you go, so I imagine the Tex-Mex food down here,
10:35it's gonna be pretty good.
10:36I'm seeing stuff like house-made chicharrones
10:39with their own hot sauce, kaboom.
10:42So what are we gonna order?
10:43For the tacos, we're gonna get the brisket and egg
10:44and the jalapeno cheddar sausage and egg.
10:47And then, of course, we're gonna be getting the brisket,
10:49the ribs, the sausage here for the barbecue.
10:52Okay, go order, man, I'm starving.
10:54B-R-B.
10:57There we go.
10:58Good morning, USA.
11:01They didn't have regular English tea,
11:03so they got you Houston sweet tea,
11:05which I think is pretty similar.
11:06Close enough?
11:07Yeah.
11:08And I got an appropriate-sized coffee.
11:09A large coffee.
11:10No, this was the coffee.
11:12A small coffee.
11:12Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
11:13Houston knows the right sizes of things.
11:15They hooked us up with a little bit of everything.
11:17Starting down here, we got the brisket taco.
11:20Then we got the bacon taco.
11:22Over here, we got the cheddar jalapeno sausage taco,
11:25pulled pork taco, hash brown taco,
11:27and down here looks to be diced ham.
11:29Are you ready to lose your mind?
11:31Hooked us up with a bunch of salsas as well.
11:33Absolutely fantastic.
11:34This looks ridiculous, smells ridiculous.
11:36I cannot wait to try these.
11:37I'm trying their tea as well.
11:38So this is basically just a English breakfast tea, right?
11:41Yeah, yeah, but Houston style.
11:45I held up there, pal.
11:46Yeah, they're not kidding when they say sweet tea.
11:49Not skimping on the sugar there.
11:51Is tea ever that sweet in the UK?
11:53No, not at all.
11:54If you're putting that much sugar in your black
11:55or English breakfast tea, I am concerned for your health.
11:58Not skimping on the meat filling.
12:00No, definitely not.
12:01I think it's fair to say.
12:02And this brisket looks absolutely incredible.
12:03We got shredded cheese and egg, of course, in there.
12:05That's making it a breakfast taco.
12:07So what makes something a breakfast taco?
12:08Is it pretty much just the presence
12:09of scrambled egg and cheese?
12:10I think so, yeah.
12:11And then beyond that, whatever you want to add.
12:12Yeah, yeah, and also eating them around breakfast time.
12:14Of course.
12:15I mean, nobody's going to be like
12:16a regular taco for breakfast.
12:17What are you doing?
12:19It's pretty conclusive that it's just tacos for breakfast,
12:22but there probably should be some egg in there.
12:23Probably, okay, man.
12:25This is the brisket one.
12:25Looks absolutely incredible.
12:26I think we should take a bite before we continue.
12:28I agree, let's do it.
12:33Oh my God.
12:37This is ridiculous how good this is, right?
12:39And those tortillas, ooh.
12:41Yeah, man, the flavor and the texture of that tortilla.
12:43Making these in-house.
12:44They do have a little bit of smokiness to them, right?
12:46Yeah, and a little flavor to it, right?
12:47Yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:48This is a jalapeno sausage and cheese one.
12:51I mean, I gotta try it.
12:52Best homemade sausage in Houston.
12:55Wow, that sausage.
12:57Oh my God.
13:00That might be the one.
13:01That might be the one for me.
13:02Jalapeno heat.
13:03Wow.
13:04Mm-hmm.
13:04They gave us sauces.
13:05I don't think it really needs it.
13:06What do you think?
13:07I'm gonna try a little bit with the salsa.
13:08Yeah, house-made?
13:10Believe so.
13:12I guess I gotta try a little bit with the salsa.
13:15Oh, that's good as well.
13:16This is absolutely incredible.
13:18I can't speak for all breakfast tacos that I've had,
13:20but I don't think I've had one with so much care
13:22and dedication put into the taco,
13:24all the way down to the tortillas.
13:25I mean, the eggs are cooked perfectly too,
13:27the cheese and the sausage.
13:28The sausage is, oh my God.
13:30For me, this is the best breakfast tacos I've ever had,
13:32without question.
13:33Wow, I praise.
13:34I haven't had many breakfast tacos,
13:35but I think I'd agree with you.
13:36I'm pretty sure I looked at the menu
13:37and the price wasn't even expensive.
13:38It's like maybe like five or six bucks one of these.
13:40The price to move.
13:41And that is hefty.
13:42If you were selling these for that price in London,
13:44you would have lines around several blocks for this.
13:48But it is not a breakfast taco show,
13:50as much as I wish it would be.
13:51And if we are gonna shoot a breakfast taco episode,
13:53we definitely gotta come back here.
13:54Back, yeah.
13:55Just to hand them their crown and then leave.
13:56I mean, I'm gonna be like-
13:57Shortest episode ever.
13:59Here we are.
14:00Here's your trophy.
14:01We eat here.
14:01Bye.
14:03We also have a tray of unbelievably delicious barbecue.
14:06Now I want to tell you something.
14:08I wanna tell you, I'm telling the audience.
14:09Go for it.
14:10They have the breakfast menu,
14:11take a 30 minute break, then a lunch menu.
14:14They were kind enough to cook us both
14:16before the official lunch service begins.
14:19So Harry, when you come back here without the cameras,
14:22don't be all like, hey, remember that show?
14:24You gave me the tacos and the lunch at the same time.
14:26I would like the same service.
14:27They're not gonna do that.
14:28This is food royalty service only.
14:31Sure.
14:31All right?
14:32Are we food royalty at this point?
14:33We are.
14:34I feel like I'm more like a duke or something.
14:35A lord.
14:36Yeah.
14:37Not quite on like king level.
14:38But our land holdings are enough
14:39to where we're treated like royalty
14:40when we leave the kingdom.
14:42So we were lucky enough,
14:43or they were kind enough to give us lunch barbecue
14:46during the breakfast hours.
14:47But they of course have brisket, the sausage,
14:49chicharrones, also house-made,
14:52tater chips right here, jalapeno vinegar,
14:54and ribs and two sauces.
14:56I am just so elated with how amazing this looks.
14:59Two chicharrones, come on.
15:02I love chicharrones.
15:03I adore crisps or chips,
15:05on your side of the pond.
15:07Oh my God, there is a crispness to this brisket
15:10that the bark on this.
15:12That is just quality barbecue right there.
15:14Yep.
15:17Barks a little crispier than we've had in other places,
15:20which is welcomed by me.
15:21I mean, we've been talking about textures a lot.
15:23I think the juxtaposition of the incredibly creamy,
15:26smooth brisket with the crunchiness of the bark, fantastic.
15:30Yeah, that brisket is so delicious.
15:32They're letting the meat sing on that one.
15:33They're doing a pickle juice and mustard binder
15:38for their brisket.
15:40Okay, nice, yeah.
15:41I don't taste that and I don't think mustard or pickles.
15:45What I can gather is at least the vinegar
15:48from the pickle juice is really offsetting
15:52the richness of the fat within the meat.
15:55And you're getting that in the bark,
15:57so you're getting both a little bit of the unctuousness
16:01of the meat with the crispiness of the skin.
16:04Together, absolutely fantastic.
16:06I think, yeah, when you have a meat that's this rich,
16:08any kind of acid you can add to that,
16:10it's gonna really, really help
16:11the eventual bite and flavor profile.
16:13Salt, fat, acid, heat.
16:15You know anything about that?
16:15I've heard of it.
16:16Shout out Samin Nasrat, she's great.
16:18All right.
16:19But she says that salt, fat, acid, and heat
16:21are the four main components that you need.
16:23Yeah.
16:23Yeah, it's such a well-rounded mouthful, it's great.
16:25All right, I'm gonna try the jalapeno cheddar sausage.
16:28Let's go.
16:31Again, in taco, out of taco, still amazing.
16:34Phenomenal.
16:35Really good sausage.
16:36One thing I've actually been a little bit surprised by
16:38on this trip so far,
16:39it's like I was expecting even to taste more smoke
16:42sometimes from the meat.
16:43I think with the brisket,
16:44it comes through a little bit, but not too much.
16:46That's one of the smokiest things I've had
16:48on this whole trip, which personally I really like.
16:50Yeah.
16:50No cheddar jalapeno sausage over there in the UK?
16:53No sausage jalapeno bangers?
16:55You can probably track them down if you look hard enough,
16:57but not common.
16:58We generally stick to pretty standard sausage fillings,
17:01I would say, in the UK.
17:02You're gonna have your Cumberland sausages,
17:04your Lincolnshire sausages.
17:06If I were rich enough to have a wood-burning stove
17:09in my house, then maybe I could just start
17:10smoking sausages in there overnight as well.
17:12And your whole flat smells like smoked meat.
17:15Smoked grease.
17:16Oh, that'd be kind of nice, actually.
17:17It'd be great.
17:18Scented candles, like jalapeno cheddar sausage.
17:20Rib.
17:21Mm-hmm.
17:22There you go.
17:23Thank you, sir.
17:24Oh, yes, sir.
17:25That's a long rib.
17:25That's a long boy, as they call them.
17:26It's dripping with that juice as well.
17:28You could joust with these things.
17:30Mm.
17:37The rub on this, wow.
17:39Cooked to perfection.
17:40Got a nice snap to the meat on there.
17:42That not falling off the bone?
17:43Doesn't have to be.
17:44It's like crispy bar here,
17:45like you're saying with the brisket.
17:46Yeah.
17:47You get a real nice crisp on the outside here.
17:49Which I like to see.
17:50With smoking and offset cooking,
17:51it'd be harder to get anything crispy,
17:52but they're getting it across the board,
17:53and I love it.
17:54Because when it's crispier,
17:55it really locks in the flavor.
17:57Oh, yeah.
17:58So we get that with the tenderness of the meat.
17:59The meat is still ridiculously tender.
18:01Put those two things together,
18:02I'm loving that clash.
18:04There's just something so primal
18:05about gnawing meat off the bone, isn't there?
18:06I know.
18:07It feels really good.
18:08Like a caveman again.
18:09Yeah, that's right.
18:09So the first chicharron to appear on our plates.
18:13Mm-hmm.
18:14And the house-made hot sauce.
18:16So is this another kind of like nod to the Tex-Mex?
18:18I believe so, yes.
18:19Also, we have pork scratchings in the UK,
18:21which are like our version.
18:22Yeah.
18:23I love them.
18:24Pork rinds, pork scratchings, chicharrons, yeah.
18:25One of the least healthy things possible,
18:26but they're so good.
18:30Health is not a concern if you're doing a barbecue show.
18:33Oh, yeah.
18:34There's something so satisfying
18:35about the texture of pork rinds,
18:37pork scratchings, chicharron.
18:43Whatever you want to call them,
18:44they are phenomenal.
18:46Gotta say to you and anyone watching,
18:48do not sleep on their hot sauce.
18:50Yeah, I love what they're doing here.
18:52Attention to detail is evident across the menu.
18:55The seasoning in the bark is fantastic.
18:56The smoke has really come through here
18:58to some other places.
18:59And also, I just think like including stuff like this
19:01on the menu, A, it's delicious,
19:03but also you get like texture contrast,
19:06which is something that I've actually been missing a bit
19:07with some of these barbecue places we've had on the trip.
19:10Because when you get in these like tender smoked meats,
19:13it's a lot of the same,
19:14whereas then having a bit of crunch to break that up.
19:17Yeah.
19:18Oh, man.
19:19Yeah, wow.
19:19And I love the Tex-Mex infusion to the barbecue.
19:24Putting all that on one plate is a huge plus for me.
19:27Yeah, this has been excellent.
19:29All right, so stop,
19:32because I know you want to keep eating
19:34and I would like to as well.
19:35We got two more places,
19:37two more Houston barbecue institutions
19:40for me to take you to.
19:41Ready for our next tray?
19:43I am indeed.
19:44I've saved some room.
19:45Let's hit it.
19:45Let's hit it.
19:46That was delicious.
19:47Now we're on our way to Pinkerton's Barbecue,
19:51not to be confused with the Blue Album.
19:53What are you cited?
19:54Or the detective agency in Red Dead Redemption 2.
19:56Is that what it is?
19:57Yeah, they used to be like a private security firm
19:59called Pinkerton's.
20:00And they are hunting you down in Red Dead Redemption 2.
20:03Well, it's none of those things.
20:04This is barbecue by my man, Grant Pinkerton.
20:07He's cooking his briskets, post oak and mesquite.
20:10They probably wondering 18 hours.
20:13Isn't that overnight?
20:13What is it, like I live there?
20:15I think he does.
20:16He did.
20:17We'll find out when we get to his location.
20:18If he still lives there, I'm not quite sure.
20:20But for a while there, yeah, he lives at the restaurant
20:22because he's keeping an eye on the meat 24-7.
20:25I mean, that is dedication to the game.
20:27That's dedication.
20:28Correct me if I'm wrong,
20:29this is the first place you're going to
20:30where the pit master lives on the premises.
20:32I think you might be right, yeah.
20:34You're literally like going around to his house for dinner.
20:36It's great.
20:37That's right.
20:38So take off your shoes when we get there.
20:40All right, Pinkerton's buddy, what do you think?
20:42Pretty nice setup they got out here, right?
20:43It's a really cool setup.
20:44It does feel like someone's house.
20:46Yeah, it's pretty cool, right?
20:47Consider one of the best barbecue spots
20:48in the city of Houston.
20:49That's what we're doing here today.
20:50Of course, we're eating the brisket.
20:51We're getting a glazed rib, also sausage, a jambalaya,
20:55a few other fun things that they're known for.
20:56I'm still hungry,
20:57so I could definitely go for another round of barbecue.
20:59How are you feeling?
21:00I'm not doing too bad.
21:01We're sat outside again,
21:02which is slightly less than ideal
21:04because it's pretty warm today.
21:05Yeah.
21:06But we're making do.
21:06Come on, you're not getting used to this heat,
21:07this Texas sweltering heat.
21:09I actually think it might slowly be getting used to it.
21:11Yeah, I don't know.
21:12You're just getting used to also have your own glaze
21:13on you while wandering around.
21:15Yeah, I'm feeling like a rib right now.
21:17I know what really cools us off
21:18is a huge plate of smoked meat.
21:20So you want me to go get us something?
21:21Absolutely, let's do it.
21:22Here we go.
21:24All right, buddy, what do you think?
21:25This looks ridiculous.
21:27It's a really good looking plate.
21:27I gotta say, the sides look amazing.
21:29Hell yeah, dude.
21:30A little kind of colorful accent to the plate
21:33thanks to these sides.
21:33A little rainbow of colors we got going on over here.
21:36The size of this beef rib,
21:38the biggest beef rib we've had by a mile.
21:39Yeah, we keep saying that,
21:40but this is absolutely the biggest beef rib we've got.
21:42How awesome is that?
21:43It looks so amazing.
21:44Yeah, look at the fat back there
21:45that's just like almost liquefied.
21:48Love it, love it, love it.
21:49Two types of brisket.
21:50We've got the fatty and the lean brisket.
21:52But it's underneath this beef rib.
21:52Buried underneath the beef rib.
21:56So you could, oh, f**k.
21:58Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
22:00I'm gonna put that right here.
22:02I mean, literally fall off the bone tender beef rib
22:04as we've just discovered.
22:05It's fine.
22:06Pay your attention, Joe,
22:07to the fatty versus the lean brisket.
22:09Yes, please.
22:10They're both like still kind of fork tender,
22:12which is great.
22:13Do a side-by-side test.
22:14We'll see if you can.
22:15Okay.
22:16Yeah.
22:17Uh-huh.
22:18All right.
22:19We taste them.
22:20How's it feeling?
22:21What's going on in your mind right now?
22:21It's beefy.
22:22Yeah, okay.
22:23It's smoky.
22:24Nice.
22:25And salty.
22:26Yo.
22:26And definitely has a really soft buttery texture.
22:29Rich, right?
22:30Mm-hmm.
22:31Very nice.
22:31And got us some lean,
22:32some for the people keeping an eye on,
22:34I guess their fat content.
22:36I don't know why you'd want lean, but okay.
22:37If you're eating barbecue,
22:38I don't think you're that concerned about your fat intake.
22:40This is for if you've got a marathon later today.
22:42Mm-hmm.
22:43Flavor profile's very similar,
22:45but definitely has more bite to it,
22:46more of a chew.
22:47I actually might kind of prefer the lean stuff, you know?
22:49Why's that?
22:50I think I just like having a little bit more bite to it,
22:52a little bit more chew.
22:53Yeah.
22:54They're both delicious.
22:54Flavor profile's very similar.
22:55Mm-hmm.
22:56It's just a textural thing,
22:57which I think is personal preference.
22:58Here's all I'll say.
22:59Mm-hmm.
23:00The leaner cut,
23:00I'd be more inclined for that if I was more of a sauce guy.
23:03Flavor's still there.
23:06My personal preference,
23:07I'm gonna go with the regular cut, the fatty cut.
23:10That was just amazing.
23:12Amazing.
23:13Maybe some of the best brisket we've had in Houston.
23:15Wow, that's incredible.
23:16Unfortunately, this fell off the bone.
23:18It did.
23:18Sorry.
23:19It's that tender.
23:20Sorry for that.
23:21Yeah, so that's a compliment to it.
23:22Sorry for the optics,
23:23but I'm gonna get in this beef rib right here.
23:25Once again, big beef rib.
23:26It is Sunday we're shooting this,
23:27so I don't know if this is an everyday thing
23:28or a Sunday thing.
23:29Oh, yeah.
23:30I need a knife.
23:31I just put my fork in, twisted, bang.
23:36That's smoky.
23:38That's incredible.
23:39Oh my God.
23:40If I had to choose one,
23:41I would go the beef rib over the brisket person.
23:43You would?
23:44Really?
23:45That is amazing.
23:45Wow.
23:46That is absolutely amazing.
23:47I think brisket now in Texas
23:49seems to be extremely commonplace,
23:50and a lot of people are doing it very well.
23:51Yeah.
23:52Whereas beef rib feels like a bit more of an event.
23:54You know?
23:55Sure, okay.
23:56A lot of places are still only doing it
23:57on the weekend or on a Sunday.
23:58Maybe the best beef rib we've had on this trip, totally.
24:01Wow.
24:02Entirely.
24:03High praise.
24:04Ooh, a little jalapeno.
24:04A little jalapeno.
24:05Ta-da.
24:08Look at the cheese as well,
24:08oozing out of that.
24:10Yeah, it's really great.
24:10The casing's got a good texture to it.
24:12It's got a nice snap to it.
24:15Bit of snap, bit of chew.
24:16But the jalapeno,
24:18spicy enough that you know it's there,
24:19but not too overpowering.
24:20It just has the perfect jalapeno flavor
24:22to pair with the cheese.
24:23And the sausage itself.
24:24Wow.
24:25Yeah.
24:26That's so good.
24:27That's a really good sausage, man.
24:27Yeah.
24:28Need some of this potato salad to cool me down.
24:29Oh, yeah.
24:31Mmm.
24:32I'm gonna try this jambalaya,
24:34because they're known for the jambalaya.
24:35You did say that Houston's like the Bayou City.
24:37Yep.
24:38Jambalaya strikes me as more of like a sort of
24:39Louisiana soul food dish.
24:41That'd be.
24:42Paying tribute there.
24:43Yep.
24:44It's got bits of duck in it.
24:46Mmm.
24:46Do you want to grab a rib?
24:47Yeah, yeah, yeah, get in there.
24:48Not tried the pork ribs yet.
24:50Oh, yeah, the glazed ones.
24:53Look at the color on those.
24:55The glaze on this is exceptional.
24:56The glaze on this is absolutely exceptional.
24:59Mmm.
25:02That glaze is amazing.
25:04That is a glaze, buddy.
25:06In general, would you say you're like a dry rub
25:08or a glaze guy when it comes to your ribs?
25:10I think I'm more of a glaze guy.
25:12I think I'm more of a glaze guy,
25:12but I think it might be just growing up
25:14that's how the ribs you always get were.
25:16You know, like places that don't slow cook them,
25:18just any sort of like restaurant that does barbecue
25:21and just like, just totally like torching them in the oven
25:24just to get them out really fast
25:25are always glazed with something.
25:27Yeah.
25:28I like that there's a sweetness
25:29with the flavor of the pork.
25:30I mean, pork and sweet always work so well together.
25:34And this is no exception.
25:35This is so, so, so delicious.
25:37There's a very like communal feel to this place,
25:39both inside and out here with this like area back here.
25:42Like you feel like you're eating in the neighborhood.
25:44Like it feels like this is the neighborhood spot.
25:46Again, like he literally lived here for a while,
25:48but it does feel like a family environment.
25:50Again, it's like,
25:51we're like going to Grant's house for dinner.
25:52You know, it was great.
25:54Very welcoming.
25:54I'm gonna pick at some more sides.
25:56Very impressive sides.
25:57It might just be because we're kind of
25:58at the end of our barbecue tour,
26:01but I'm really grateful that the mac
26:01isn't like overly creamy.
26:03As far as mac and cheese goes, fairly delicate.
26:05Yeah.
26:06This is an incredible plate of barbecue.
26:07This really is an exceptional plate of barbecue.
26:09They did everything.
26:11Top quality, A game.
26:13Yeah.
26:14A few standouts for me,
26:15quality and range for the sides.
26:17Okay.
26:18Loving those.
26:18Yes.
26:19That beef rib.
26:20The bark on that.
26:21Yeah.
26:22Maybe the best we've had.
26:23Phenomenal.
26:23And also the sausage actually.
26:24Yeah, sausage.
26:25We've had a lot of good sausage on this trip.
26:26It's very different to a British sausage,
26:28but they're all bringing a little something to the table.
26:31Yeah, man.
26:32We got sausages figured out down here in Texas.
26:33You do.
26:34We do.
26:35Yeah.
26:36Grant Pickerton of Pickerton fame.
26:36Started barbecuing when he was 12 years old.
26:38Has no formal training.
26:40Just got really into it.
26:41And sometime after college,
26:42he decided that he would just go all in a barbecue.
26:45And after a few successful years,
26:47he was able to get his own place.
26:48This place right here.
26:50Yeah.
26:50And I think that he certainly has got the skills.
26:53I respect that.
26:54You know, it's like very American dream.
26:55Just like having a passion,
26:57working at it from a young age,
26:59working your way up to the top,
27:00and getting all the acclaim that he now deserves.
27:02Could you not do that in the UK?
27:03We still have that, and it's still like cool,
27:05but I just feel like it's more baked
27:06into the American culture now.
27:07Oh, okay.
27:08Well, yeah, what happened when you do that in London?
27:09It's just like, oh, cool.
27:10Good for you.
27:11Oh, God.
27:12Thumbs up.
27:13Cheers, mate.
27:14Brilliant.
27:15I'm trying to drink my pint here, mate.
27:18I got one more barbecue spot here in Houston to take you,
27:21and we gotta get going, buddy.
27:23So let's wrap this up and hit it.
27:25Let's do it.
27:26The last place of our entire Texas barbecue marathon trip.
27:31How you holding up?
27:32I'm not bad.
27:32I'm ready to go out with a bang,
27:34both in terms of good quality barbecue,
27:35and also my stomach exploding.
27:38Fantastic.
27:39Well, we got room for one more,
27:40and we're going to Fiege's Barbecue.
27:42Fiege's Barbecue.
27:43Fiege's Barbecue is by my man, Patrick Fiege's,
27:46and his partner, Aaron Smith.
27:48Aaron has a background in fine dining,
27:50so the vibe of this is gonna be more
27:51of a sit-down restaurant
27:53than it is other places we've gone to.
27:55Okay.
27:57I have one request for you, Joe.
27:58What do you got?
27:58Can we speed up a little?
28:00Because England are playing in the Eurofinal
28:02in about one hour's time.
28:04Oh, my God.
28:05I'm repping the team colors today.
28:06Don't know if you picked up on that.
28:07Probably not.
28:08No.
28:09But I would very much like to catch
28:10at least some of the game.
28:12Fine.
28:14Hi, we're here.
28:15Fiege's Barbecue, Houston, Texas.
28:17The last spot of our extensive Texas barbecue tour
28:21here in Houston.
28:22How you feeling?
28:23Not too bad.
28:24We've been eating barbecue pretty much solidly for a week,
28:27and I'm ready to end it on a high note.
28:27This place is cool.
28:28Yeah, I really like this place.
28:29Tell me more about the spot.
28:30Why are we here?
28:31Okay, Fiege's Barbecue is started by Patrick Fiege
28:33and his partner, Aaron Smith.
28:35Aaron has a background in the restaurant industry,
28:37and she even appeared on and won an episode
28:39of Chopped in 2016.
28:41An episode or the season.
28:42I don't know much.
28:43I don't know how the show works.
28:44But she was in it and she won,
28:46so she clearly does barbecue.
28:47Second Houston barbecue chef to have appeared on
28:49and won an episode of Chopped.
28:50Yeah, you're paying attention.
28:51Very good.
28:52I really am.
28:53Was named one of the best new barbecue joints by Texas
28:56Monthly Magazine.
28:57Also made the list of best barbecue spots in 2021.
29:00Nice.
29:01I was looking at the menu.
29:02They have wine, and I think they do wine pairings.
29:04Is that right?
29:05Yes.
29:05I feel like we've got to end on a glass of wine.
29:07Maybe.
29:08It's not even two yet.
29:09It's a Sunday.
29:11I have to say,
29:11I don't think I've had wine and barbecue before.
29:13They've got a lot of beers on tap.
29:15Fine, I'll do one.
29:16We'll ask and see what wine goes best with their brisket.
29:19Maybe they actually have one.
29:20I don't know.
29:20You're not much of a wine guy?
29:21It's fine.
29:22More of a beer dude.
29:23It's also fine.
29:25I'm more of a kind of being drunk guy.
29:28Okay.
29:28Wine's a pretty efficient way to get you there.
29:30I'm listening.
29:31I'm surprised you're not more on it.
29:32Yeah, it's good.
29:34We're definitely getting brisket, ribs.
29:36Do you want me to go get us some food?
29:38Absolutely.
29:38I will be right back.
29:40There's two different wines that she felt pairs well
29:43with the brisket.
29:44Sure.
29:44So like, how does it go well with it?
29:45What are the notes that we're getting from this?
29:47I have no idea.
29:48Oh, perfect.
29:49Cheers.
29:50The red.
29:51I'll drink to that.
29:54That's wine.
29:55I just don't know anything about it.
29:56And every time someone explains to me about wine,
29:58I'm like, yeah, that sounds good.
29:59And then I'm like, I don't care.
30:00That's fair.
30:01I like drinking wine,
30:02but I also don't know much about it.
30:03I've never done like a wine tasting course
30:05or anything like that.
30:06When people often sip wine and they're like,
30:09oh, you're getting notes of this fruit.
30:10I'm like, no, you're not.
30:11It's just wine.
30:12It's wine.
30:13Even now you're like, I guess I taste it.
30:14All I taste is wine and the alcohol.
30:16I like it though.
30:17Barbecue doesn't have to be something you do
30:18in a backyard.
30:20It can be something that you do
30:21in a more fancy restaurant setup.
30:23Yeah, sure.
30:25Perfect timing.
30:28Thank you very much.
30:29Wow. Fantastic service.
30:31It's looking good.
30:32It's the first time we haven't had the sliced brisket.
30:33We did get here late.
30:34It's kind of on us.
30:35Chopped brisket buried under these ribs here.
30:37The color on the ribs looks very good.
30:40Sausage looks good.
30:41These sprouts again, exciting.
30:43Yeah.
30:44I think all this looks real good.
30:45I am eyeing those sprouts.
30:47I don't normally start with the brisket,
30:48but I wouldn't mind starting off with a rib.
30:49It will also help us access the brisket,
30:51which is currently tucked underneath that.
30:54There you go.
30:54Oh, yeah, dude.
30:55Super tender.
30:57They got that flap.
30:58They got that Houston flap.
31:00Look at the fat just like liquefying in there.
31:03Falling off the bone, baby.
31:06Oh, that's a real good rib.
31:10I think I know why somebody went chopped
31:12either the season or the episode.
31:13That's a serious rib.
31:15Like you say, falling straight off the bone, super tender.
31:18There is a flavor to this that we have not had yet.
31:23It feels like they've seasoned this in a way
31:25that definitely would differentiate itself
31:27from all the other ribs,
31:28none of the barbecue we've had.
31:30I am very surprised by this.
31:31This is incredible.
31:32Yeah, this has a real depth of flavor to it.
31:34Then we have some multiple barbecue sauce options.
31:37Sweet red, similar to this wine.
31:39Really good.
31:40Yeah.
31:40How do you feel about chopped brisket
31:41in terms of the texture that it offers, the flavor?
31:43You know, I like it better in salad form,
31:45just laying right into it,
31:46but I'm gonna do it in a sandwich
31:47or if it's all that's available, I'll eat it.
31:49I mean, this chopped brisket is excellent though.
31:51I quite like the flavor of this.
31:53I feel like you get that kind of bark
31:53mixed up a lot more in with the meat.
31:56Yep.
31:56Which I really appreciate.
31:57After, again, quite a lot of sliced brisket
32:00where you just tend to get the bark on the outside
32:02and then the inside texture is very samey.
32:04This actually mixes that up, so I quite like it.
32:06Quick sauce rundown.
32:07First one, Texas Gold, A+.
32:09Mm, that's really good.
32:10Sweet red.
32:12Also A+.
32:13What the hell is in Alabama white sauce?
32:15I'm intrigued.
32:17Ooh.
32:18Look at that.
32:18That might be A++.
32:20Isn't that really good?
32:20What is that?
32:22I can't put my finger on what that even tastes like
32:22but it's delicious.
32:23Now, I am a vinegar guy,
32:25so I'm gonna try the mop sauce here.
32:30Secret weapon right here.
32:31I think the mop sauce would be my go-to.
32:32I think I would just like, I think I'd literally be,
32:35if it was just me, this would be me.
32:37Boom, bam, boom, bam.
32:38Every mouthful, just bam, bam, bam.
32:40They had stuff up there.
32:41I might see if I can get a bottle of this to go.
32:42Wow, that good, huh?
32:43The white sauce, I like, but it doesn't taste like ranch
32:46but it reminds me of when people put ranch on other things
32:50or it just has a really strong flavor
32:53and I do like the taste of the Alabama white
32:55way more than ranch.
32:56I like its flavor, but to me, the Alabama white
32:58is adding its own flavor to the meat.
33:00The mop sauce, though, that is making that meat sing, baby.
33:04The meat enhancer.
33:05Yeah, yeah, that is the best enhancer on the table there.
33:07So vinegary.
33:08Which leads me to the thing I wanted to make a point at,
33:09that this meat is absolutely fantastic.
33:12It is perfect.
33:13The only sausage they had left was the mild.
33:16Good snap.
33:17Juicy, juicy sausage.
33:19Mild in heat, but that's the only way that it's mild.
33:21Everything else, top tier.
33:23That's like the best frankfurter sausage I've ever had.
33:26That kind of flavor profile.
33:27Porky, very porky.
33:29Smoky, juicy, wow.
33:31Yeah, it's really good.
33:32A few more sides to close us out.
33:34What do we got here?
33:35The cheesy potatoes.
33:39Nice, smooth.
33:41I feel like a sauce would go good on that.
33:42Yeah, try one out.
33:43I know it's talking about the mop, but the sweet red.
33:45Yeah.
33:50Yeah, dude.
33:51Those potatoes are so good.
33:52Yeah, they're really good.
33:53Really rich flavor.
33:54I have been loving what barbecue spots
33:56have been doing with sprouts so far.
33:58Get these ones.
33:59Oh, good.
34:02I forgot what I was going to say when I tasted the sprouts.
34:04Oh my God.
34:06These are the best sprouts.
34:07Really?
34:08These are the best that we've had straight up
34:10that I've ever had.
34:11Wow.
34:12Okay.
34:13Oh my God.
34:14They are really good.
34:14It's such an impressive achievement
34:15to get the texture like that.
34:17Because you want to cook them all the way through.
34:19You do not want them to be mushy.
34:20These are like still crispy, crunchy, a little sweet.
34:23And for a vegetable that is famously like bitter, right?
34:28It's sweet, perfectly salted.
34:31Because usually when I go to a place with sprouts,
34:33they roast them, that's a start.
34:35And then they just drown them in salt.
34:37And then of course the cornbread.
34:39Snag myself some of that.
34:42What I love about corn muffins is sweet and savory.
34:45With the butter.
34:48You haven't had a lot of corn muffins
34:49since we've gotten here, have you?
34:50Not really.
34:51It seems like in general,
34:52Texas is slightly more about the white bread
34:54when it comes to their barbecue.
34:55But I really enjoyed the cornbread that we have had.
34:57That's lovely.
34:58I'm thoroughly impressed with this.
34:59We have eaten away the great city of Houston.
35:02Started off yesterday with Truth Barbecue.
35:05One of the top on Texas Monthly's
35:0750 Best Barbecue 2021 list, right?
35:09Right when we got that food, I could see why.
35:12Everything was incredible.
35:12Loved that brisket.
35:14The sides, incredible.
35:16We ate like kings over there, right?
35:17Got a nice power nap in,
35:19then headed over to Pit Room.
35:22Breakfast tacos, come on.
35:23I'm very glad you took me there
35:24so I could experience a proper breakfast taco
35:25because those were phenomenal.
35:27But the barbecue as well, just in general,
35:29really, really great.
35:30And I do think that you are like
35:31ruined for breakfast tacos now
35:32because as a guy who enjoys breakfast tacos
35:35and has them semi-regularly,
35:37that was hands down the best breakfast taco I've ever had.
35:39Yeah, wow.
35:40With certainty.
35:41A type-raise.
35:42Amazing, amazing.
35:42The barbecue themselves, excellent.
35:44The sides there as well.
35:45The chicharrones and the chips.
35:48So great.
35:48Then we went to Pinkerton.
35:50Some say they are the best in Houston.
35:53A guy in there was saying
35:54that people will land at the Houston airport
35:57and come to Pinkerton's
35:57before they go to where they're staying.
35:59Yeah.
36:00And people go in there with their suitcases.
36:01That's how much of a must-stop Pinkerton is.
36:04And I could see why.
36:04I mean, traditionally speaking.
36:06The classics they had, absolutely nailed down.
36:08Yeah.
36:09That brisket, the fatty brisket and the lean brisket.
36:11Catered to all your tastes.
36:12The beef rib, the beef rib.
36:13The beef rib.
36:14The beef rib.
36:15Oh my God, the beef rib.
36:16Damn.
36:17A cheddar jalapeno sausage.
36:18I have to say, I love the vibe there.
36:21Love the outdoor setting.
36:21Inside, it feels like you're at someone's home.
36:23Outside, it feels like you're just chilling
36:25at the best neighborhood barbecue.
36:28It's really awesome.
36:28Yeah.
36:29You can see why people from all over the country
36:30go to eat at Pinkerton's.
36:32Absolutely fantastic.
36:33And then finally, we've ended our barbecue tour at Beeger's.
36:35And I personally have really liked it.
36:37Slightly different plate-wise
36:39compared to some of the other places we've been to.
36:40We missed the brisket.
36:41But honestly, I think the chopped brisket
36:43still does the job.
36:44Texturally, I actually maybe even prefer that
36:47to some of the regular sliced briskets that we've tried.
36:49Those ribs were like different to any other ribs
36:52that we've had so far, I would say.
36:53And I mean that in a good way.
36:54Totally agree.
36:55Chopped brisket, didn't miss a step.
36:57Amazing sauces on the table.
36:58I think that might be the best rib we've had
37:00the whole time we've been here.
37:01Best pork ribs we've had.
37:02Yeah.
37:03This whole trip.
37:04The sides, perfect.
37:04The attention to detail, immaculate.
37:07And I also love how they have married classic barbecue
37:10with more modern twist.
37:11And not only the environment,
37:12but also what they have here on the plate.
37:14People are always eating here.
37:15They're running stuff real quick.
37:16So I really want to come back here
37:18and get here bright and early to make sure
37:20that I try some of the goods that we unfortunately missed.
37:22All in all, I feel like we've covered a lot of bases.
37:24Had some excellent barbecue.
37:26All that remains is the difficult task
37:29of picking our favorite one.
37:31Out of the four spots in Houston that we've hit,
37:33do you have a favorite?
37:34I'm sorry, where are we?
37:35Out of the four spots in Houston that we've hit,
37:38do you have a favorite?
37:39I do.
37:40I loved every place for all the reasons we said before.
37:44Every place has something that I really enjoyed.
37:46But if I had to pick one,
37:47I think I'm gonna land with the thinnest of margins.
37:50The thinnest.
37:51We're talking everything was an A plus.
37:53One place was an A plus plus.
37:55And for me, that was Pinkerton.
37:57Yeah.
37:58I absolutely loved the beef rib, the brisket.
38:01The sides were amazing.
38:03This is the closest of seconds for me.
38:05Pinkerton just edged it out just a little bit.
38:08I actually think I agree with you.
38:11Really?
38:12I think Pinkerton's, again, by a very fine margin,
38:14number one.
38:15I will say, in Houston,
38:17and pretty much everywhere we've been,
38:18I think all of the good places
38:20are doing the classics very well.
38:22So it's really fine margins.
38:24Like brisket, ribs, sausage.
38:26You're not gonna be disappointed anywhere.
38:28I really loved the vibe in Pinkerton's.
38:30It was nice there.
38:30It did feel like you'd just gone around
38:32to Grant's house for some dinner,
38:34which is really great.
38:35And again, I think as a kind of foreigner,
38:37as a tourist coming here,
38:39if I were recommending someone to visit Houston
38:41and try an authentic Texas barbecue experience,
38:43I think for me, it's Pinkerton's that's doing it
38:46traditionally excellently.
38:48But I would also say,
38:50if anyone's visiting,
38:51stop by the pit room and get a breakfast taco.
38:53And I would also say,
38:53definitely stop by here
38:54and get the unbelievable Brussels sprouts
38:56and the amazing ribs.
38:57These were my favorite ribs.
38:58Really?
38:59Yeah.
39:00Wow.
39:01Yeah, to be fair,
39:02actually, the ribs here were phenomenal.
39:02It's tough, man.
39:03It's tough.
39:04Everywhere's good.
39:05Okay.
39:06As much as I've had a great time,
39:07I'm excited to not eat brisket for the next year.
39:10Yeah, I think we're good.
39:11I think I'll have my barbecuing done for the year.
39:12Yeah, I'm gonna have to go vegetarian for a while,
39:14I think, to balance out my karmic debt here.
39:17But hey, thank you, man.
39:18It's been a phenomenally enlightening and delicious trip.
39:22Ready to go to sleep?