The Land of Barbecue... Right?!

Perhaps, after months of anticipation, my expectations were too high. Or the drive was too long, fighting snarled traffic up north to somewhere between the inner and outer loop while hungry. This post feels blasphemous, before I can even dare peck out the words. After all, I've been in Houston for just shy of a week, and have barely learned my way around the block, let alone the barbecue scene. 

I first read about BURNS BBQ in the archives of one of my favorite Houston food blogs, tasty bits. http://www.tasty-bits.com/. The brisket was declared mind blowing and the ribs were said to be great, although a warning was offered about the mediocre sausage. My memory stirred as I examined Texas Monthly's Top 50 BBQ Joints, where BURNS BBQ sat respectably in the top third of the list. (Check it out here: http://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/top50). 

But as I read deeper into that list, it suddenly occurred to me that only two Houston joints made the cut. Isn't this city within the borders of the declared national land of barbecue, too?!

BURNS BBQ is an out-of-the-way family owned and operated hole in the wall, bursting with charm thanks to its general lack of it. Painted bright yellow with teal trim, it's an unassuming single-story building on a street that's full of them. Inside, the walls are bare aside from a few magazine mentions (Texas Monthly included), Food Network accolades, and a large poster of how to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

BURNS BBQ
7117 N. Shepherd, Houston, TX 77066
http://www.burnsbarbeque.com/

There were just a few other cars in the parking lot when we arrived, but a steady stream of people in and out the entire time we sat inside. I ordered the 2 meat plate -- ribs and brisket with sauce on, please -- and chose  "lunch" style, which included two sides, baked beans and coleslaw. Classic. (I was happy to try a bonus side when the kitchen accidentally gave me green beans).  


The food arrived neatly packed inside a styrofoam to-go box, with two slices of Wonder bread and pickles packaged in plastic baggies. The ribs were good. Sliced thick and drenched in Burns home-style BBQ sauce, they were not lacking in size and had a thick but pliable outer crust. I can't quite put my finger on what it was missing... that extra tang of vinegar in the sauce? That fatty, drippy, sinfully meaty flavor? Or was I looking for that nearly unattainable "You can only get this in Texas" taste?


The brisket, buried underneath the three ribs, had just a hint of the pink smoke ring Guy Fieri has taught all Diners, Drive-ins and Dives viewers to look for, and was tasty piled on the white bread with a pickle topper for bite. Yet somehow it too was missing that "Crave me every day for the rest of your life" magic. 


The sides. In my opinion, here's a place where a dive and five-star restaurant alike have the chance to shine. They're like the trusty sidekicks -- what Robin is to Batman, or Dr. Watson to Sherlock Holmes. Unfortunately, these felt more like what Palin was to McCain. (Too political...?) Both beans tasted straight out of a can, and the coleslaw was crisp and creamy but desperately needed to be seasoned. We skipped dessert.

BURNS BBQ, up close:
Thick-cut ribs, baked beans, coleslaw and green beans. 

It's far too early in my stay to outright declare Houston isn't a barbecue town, especially since I still need to check out Virgie's (divisive around town in its own right), and Goode Company Barbeque, the local chain. 
IMPORTANT NOTE: I'd be more stressed about this BBQ revelation if every other meal we've had so far hadn't been excellent. We just so happen to be living at the intersection of TexMex and heaven.  


Give me a little time and few more attempts -- both here and in the little towns surrounding San Antonio, Austin and Dallas where the best of the best reside -- and I'll let you know which side the coin lands on. 

Barbecue: food you can have fun eating. :)
Special shout out to my photographer, who managed to capture the poster, too. 

Roasted Strawberry & Buttermilk Ice Cream

Welcome, summer! This nearly two month delinquency has not been from lack of inspiration. It's more like I went to bed on March 31 and woke up on June 1 (insert Texas, class, a gala, a marathon, Rhode Island, a wedding, yoga, and prepping for an itty-bitty move).

Two joints in Houston really wowed me. The first, Torchy's Tacos. I first read about Torchy's on a blog linked to Gourmet's website, and learned all of Houston was celebrating the first H-town franchise. Originally out of a Austin and still operating a location or two out of a trailer, the battle cry for this joint is "Damn Good!" I couldn't agree more. (Confession, foodie friends: we ate here a gluttonous three times in four days. Should you find yourself in the inevitable line, don't forget to order the gauc.)
http://torchystacos.com/

First stop after arriving. Why yes, I'd love to sit on your patio enjoying a Shiner
and the best damn tacos I've ever encountered!

Pondicheri. We read about Pondicheri in Houston magazine, and drove by in a stroke of luck on Friday afternoon. Reservations were immediately made. This female-chef owned restaurant focuses on classic, home style and Indian street foods, with an emphasis on local ingredients. Open everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they also feature a bakery. I anticipate visiting with great regularity.
http://www.pondichericafe.com/web/pondicheri/

There's so much more to share, but let's skip to the good stuff. I don't remember my first bite of Jeni's, but I do know I've sought it regularly ever since. Based out of Columbus, Ohio, Jeni's is an artisan ice cream company focused on flavors, textures, and quality that will make your head spin. It's the genius, gourmet variety of flavors that first caught (and have kept) my attention - Riesling poached pear sorbet, salty caramel, wildberry lavender, backyard mint, goat cheese with red cherries, and mango lassi fro-yo among others.
http://www.jenis.com/

I was delighted to receive a Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream cookbook this spring (thanks, Kel!), and with a pint of strawberries in my fridge begging to be put to good use, Roasted Strawberry & Buttermilk Ice Cream was an easy choice. Indulge!

Roasted Strawberry & Buttermilk Ice Cream 

Ingredients:

Roasted Strawberries:
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/3 c. sugar
3 TBS. fresh lemon juice

Ice Cream base:
1 1/2 c. whole milk
2 TBS. corn starch
4 TBS. cream cheese, softened
1/8 tsp. fine sea salt (I used popcorn salt)
1 1/4 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. sugar
2 TBS. light corn syrup
1/4 c. buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the strawberries with the sugar in an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish (note: I used a small rectangular dish that worked well), stirring to combine. Roast for 8 minutes, just until soft. Let cool slightly.

Purée the roasted berries in a food processor with the lemon juice. Measure out a 1/2 c. of the berries and set aside (I'm going to try 2/3 c. next time around). Refrigerate the rest for your own use. (Think yogurt, ice cream, berries, a pancake topper and beyond!)

Mix 2 TBS. of whole milk with cornstarch in a small bowl to make smooth slurry and set aside. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water (this becomes your ice cream's ice bath in about 20 minutes).

Combine the whole milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 4 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil once more, and stir with a heat-proof spatula until slightly thickened, only about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the reserved 1/2 c. strawberry puree and buttermilk, and blend well. (Grab a spoon and try it. Trust me.)

  
Pour the strawberry mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag, seal, and submerge into the prepared ice bath. Let it stand for at least 30 minutes, adding ice as necessary. (At this point, we cooked and ate dinner, adding ice only once).

Once thoroughly chilled, pour the ice cream mixture into an ice cream machine and spin until thick and creamy.

Here's where Jeni and I disagree. She recommends packing the ice cream into a storage container, covering with a sheet of parchment paper and freezing for at least 4 hours until firm. I say dig in and freeze what's left. I'll let you decide. :)

A few interesting notes. According to Jeni, strawberry pieces in ice cream don't work. Thanks to their high water content, the berries turn into hard, flavorless chunks. Yuck. As for the corn starch? It protects the ice cream from rouge water particles, sopping them up and thus avoiding an icy frozen mess. (It's especially important to ice creams with water-packed ingredients, like strawberries!)