Most Q I've had off of a pellet smoker has had an off taste.

That Uncle John's (franchised location) on 83rd uses that (and women "pitmasters") is a crime.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

I use Sugar Maple chunks and Apple Chunks.

If you go to a Menards, the always had these bags of chipped Maple, Hickory and Apple...and it took me 2 years of sending emails to the manufacturer to ask them to just sell some chunks, just dont chip them up as the chipped stuff burns way too fast. The apple they dont have that often.

The Sugar Maple, I buy off Ebay. Guys sell chunks of Sugar Maple and Pecan wood for like $15 for a enough wood for a couple of years. The pecan is really good as well.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I just take a couple of oak logs off the firewood pile.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Have you ever used oak to smoke beef? It imparts fantastic flavor. Wouldn't be good for pork, though.

I've been using a combination of hickory and apple to do my pork lately. That works quite well. Sometimes I'll throw in some cherry to that mixture. Frankly, none of the suppliers on whom I typically rely stock maple chunks. I'm definitely interested in trying it, though.

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menards carries the Maple chunks....

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Had the brisket burger for lunch today. Right on, bigfan! That fucker was awesome! The menu said they grind the burnt ends into it. Whatever, it had a nice smoky flavor. I'm still not a can of their Q though. They should stop all of that and just sell these burgers. Great!

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

No Menard's within several hundred miles of my home, Biggie.

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They take orders on line.

http://www.menards.com/main/spring-feve ... -10141.htm

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

has anyone tried fat willie's lately? i was told new management is there now and it's bad. trying to confirm. if you like good tips or ribs that are from the pit and smoked try honey1 bbq. 2241 N. Western.

Fat Willys, which I never thought was good offended all that is sacred in BBQ, when I saw one of those BBQ Paradise shows and they gave fat Willys, best BBQ in the country...I am almost had the big one! They marinate the ribs in a dip! Not even a wet rub, but submerged in marinade...and I know the racist and sexist angle I am taking here, but an asian lady cant have the best BBQ in the country!...so while I would give it a 5 out of 10, I wont go back on that principle.

Honey 1, I have tried twice. Just dont like it. The Aquarium smoker is basically a steamer and creates a tough rib IMO. The link was good, but overall, I do like baby Back anyways.

the Smoked Prime rib is now on the radar for me, maybe next week when the weather breaks and gets to a balmy 30

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Who do you buy the pecan from? I've been wanting to use that for a while but never run across it.

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You know me like that.

Go on Ebay. Lotsa guys down in tenn sell it by the Box for like $20 in big chunks for smoking. Also look for the Sugar Maple.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Tried the burger last night...very good! You can tell they know how to melt cheese on a burger properly (covering it with a dome for a few seconds at the end). The mac & cheese and beans were so-so.

The place seemed to be doing a huge carryout business.

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The Burger is just awesome....Open a burger place just serving those?

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

In other BBQ news I noticed a place that is new to me on Irving and Ravenswood called Ravenswood Q...southwest corner, used to be a fairly well received Cuban restaurant.

I also had the pleasure of going to Paulina Market. They are selling LillieQ sauce now, so I suppose that place is trying to expand commercially a little.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

A really good sauce is BONE SUCKIN SAUCE. One of the very very few that does not use Corn Syrup. Big Als is the other one that I know of, but I would guess every other sauce at your local market is using corn syrup, which IMO leaves a residue. Whenever I see recipes for BBQ sauce and I see them say 'Ketchup" its over for me. Thats like giving me a recipe for making chocolate ice cream is take a scoop of vanilla and mix it with chocolate sauce.

Have experimented intensely making different sauces and it is tough, but I feel the corn syrup is the cheap and easy way out.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I'll give it a try. I usually make ours. I've tried from scratch but I feel like the best ones have always started with ketchup.

I believe it was called Cafe 28. It was good for a while and then it wasn't. I'll give the new place a try since that's not far from me. Still doesn't make up for the loss of The Lincoln from the neighborhood.

Have you tried that little shrimp shack that's over there? I went there once and it was pretty bad, but granted I tried a chicken wrap and not the shrimp.

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Cafe 28, served too many damn black beans! When someone gives me a dish and Black beans is a mean staple, then I just think it sucks. You gave me 10 cents worth of food and because it was latin I needed to pay more money? They had a carne asada I got once there, which was good....ran me like $25.99 and it was like a 5 ounce serving of 3 slices. Each time I went, it was good, but really expensive for a full plate of beans, tomatoes, etc.

Snappys Shrimp is the place. They opened 10+ years ago when I was building a house around the block. Went there a few times and liked it. Went back there a few times this past year. Very good. friend shrimp or the shrimp cocktails to go. Not sure how they survive, never once seen them close to busy, but they run a good place and if you want to grab some shrimp on the run, it works.

let me suggest a Shrimp sleeper that either just moved or opened a second location. Hot Dog Ranch, with Fresh Cut fries (Says it on the sign). Decent cheap hot dog, in the old Demon Dog category, fries are fresh cut, could use some work on them thought. Need a soak, vinegar, double dip for crisping....then the other thing on the menu was the shrimp. I tried them and they are actually , shockingly good! Not great, I mean we arent sitting in Clearwater, but I would get them again.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

I went to Snappy's when it first opened. It was OK. It's enough of a drive for me that I go to the far superior Fish Keg on Howard every time.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

The statement highlighted above is confusing to me. How could an aquarium smoker by its very nature create "a tough rib?" Meat tenderness is a function of a "low and slow" cooking process that liquefies connective tissue. The water used in the aquarium smoker--and any other reliable smoking equipment--moderates and regulates the temperature of the cooking fuel to facilitate liquefication. Thus the "steam" created during the smoking process is not antithetical to developing tender meat; it is essential to that process.

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Snappy's is great. The shrimp are huge. Way better than the Fish Keg and I'm an Evanston guy. The Fish Keg is supposed to be some holy place. My mother lived across the street from Snappy's. I brought her shrimp from there once and she started beefing that it wasn't as good as Fish Keg. You've gotta be kidding me!

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

My favorite place for fried shrimp has always been Hagen's on Montrose, just west of Central. May have to try Snappy's.

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If I was in that neighborhood, I always thought Frank's over on Addison was better than Hagen's. I'm not sure it's there anymore, but I know there are other Frank's around. Anyway, Snappy's will not disappoint.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I used to prefer Lawrence Fisheries over all of them.

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Come on, Seacrest! Lawrence's isn't so great. It's a regular post-Sox game spot for me, but that's more because of location and hours than anything else. It's okay, but it doesn't compare to these other spots.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

i think this is more of a "look at how massmedia has conditioned us to think about gay stuff" thing than a "me" thing, but holy shit is it just me or does "Rubs Backcountry BBQ" sound pretty fucking gay?

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Because they leave it in all day, to keep it warm and overcook it.

Addtionally, STEAMING meat isnt my preferred cooking method

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

i love a good steamed ham