Baby Back Blues - Joliet

As i lamented on the "Smoke meat everday" thread I was not going to be doing any ribs this weekend, and my craving got the best of me. I remembered meeting a guy at Dave Raymonds Chicagoland BBQ meeting back in May @ Uncle Bubs who had a rib place in Joliet, on my way home. Ken seemed like a nice fellow, and I promised I would stop in. Today was the day.

I could smell smoke in the parking lot, and when I entered the small storefront location. Good sign. Then I saw the racks of ribs wrapped in platic wrap.... Uh-oh. I figured I would bite the bullet and chat up the guy, and see how long those ribs had been sitting there, he didnt speak very good English, and told me they smoke them for 16 hours. 16 hours for baby backs eh..? ok, I asked when he pulled them out of the smoker? .. about 2 hours ago. it was 4:45... Not sure why they were pulling ribs at 2:30 way after lunch, and way before dinner. Crap I thought.. I guess Ill try anyway. I asked if Ken was there hoping to maybe talk to the guy, and reintroduce myslef, and maybe get some ribs fresh off the smoker.. no dice.. one of the guys behind the counter advised me "Ken is never here".

Got the food home, and opened the cartons, I'll concentrate on the meat, since I could care or less about sides.

The Pulled pork, too smokey, it was kind of a mushy consistancy, not pulled, but more chopped, with very little flavor other than heavy smoke.

The BB Ribs... I can believe they smoked them for 16 hours...., pretty dry, some of the end pieces with a heavier bark still had some moisture, and a nice smoke ring, the rest looked, and tasted like an overcooked pork roast. . Some bites near the ends were good, overall no real flavor of a rub, light smoke flavor

Ribs like this reafirm my fear of trying new rib places, and vow to just eat what I produce off my smoker or other trusted sources(Honey 1, Smoque). I know I am only doing 1 or 3 racks at a time, and they are trying to do it with a different setup, etc. but the diappointment isnt worth it. $21 down the drain is $21.

Believe me, I take no pleasure in writing this experience, and sure it was only one visit, but a visit like that really does not make me want to return.

pulled pork:




ribs:









BabyBack Blues
16200 S.W. Lincoln Hwy
Plainfield, IL.

Jim,

Looked at the pictures, read your review. My only real response is akk.

I doubt the ribs were smoked 16-hours, but either way they don't look, or apparently taste, very good.

Enjoy,
Gary

Sorry to say that this restaurant has really gone down hill lately. The owner used to be there almost every time I went, and while the pulled pork was very good at that time, their brisket became my favorite. Even the chicken just melted in your mouth. At that time they chopped up whatever meat you ordered right then and there. And the ribs, which I never had, were said to be really good. They always ran out.

But then I went back earlier this year. I saw the same warning signs: Meat already pre-chopped. Plastic covers on the meat. I wondered if it had changed hands. Anyway, sandwich was NOT GOOD and certainly not up to what they had served. Too bad, really.

G Wiv wrote:Jim,

Looked at the pictures, read your review. My only real response is akk.

I doubt the ribs were smoked 16-hours, but either way they don't look, or apparently taste, very good.

Enjoy,
Gary

I also dont believe they were smoked 16 hours, I was just koing about the misinformation I gleened from the counter guy. I should have walked when I saw the 20 or so slabs wrapped in plastic under a heat lamp.

tcdup wrote:Sorry to say that this restaurant has really gone down hill lately. The owner used to be there almost every time I went, and while the pulled pork was very good at that time, their brisket became my favorite. Even the chicken just melted in your mouth. At that time they chopped up whatever meat you ordered right then and there. And the ribs, which I never had, were said to be really good. They always ran out.

But then I went back earlier this year. I saw the same warning signs: Meat already pre-chopped. Plastic covers on the meat. I wondered if it had changed hands. Anyway, sandwich was NOT GOOD and certainly not up to what they had served. Too bad, really.

I was disappointed, and hoped for better since it is only about 35 mins. from my house. I hope we get a little more insight into what is going on there, and if the counter guy was correct when he told me the owner "is never here".

Luckily I am not desperate for good bbq, I can always do it myself, and typically go that route happily.

the next Chicagoland BBQ outing is going to be at Babyback so I guess those questions will be answered then..i hope it was a fluke..

When is the next Chicagoland BBQ outing?

Head's Red BBQ wrote:the next Chicagoland BBQ outing is going to be at Babyback so I guess those questions will be answered then..i hope it was a fluke..

I will show up, hopefully no 2+ hour saran wrapped ribs this time.

glennpan wrote:When is the next Chicagoland BBQ outing?

I don't believe a date has been settled.

that is correct Gary..im guessing it will be toward end of summer (if summer ever gets here)

jimswside wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:the next Chicagoland BBQ outing is going to be at Babyback so I guess those questions will be answered then..i hope it was a fluke..

I will show up, hopefully no 2+ hour saran wrapped ribs this time.

ya know my old bbq comp team mate once cooked a butt on the WSM and had forgotten to take the plastic wrap off of it before cooking it (dont ask me how) ..
bottom line no bark to speak of but it sure was moist in the end

Head's Red BBQ wrote:

jimswside wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:the next Chicagoland BBQ outing is going to be at Babyback so I guess those questions will be answered then..i hope it was a fluke..

I will show up, hopefully no 2+ hour saran wrapped ribs this time.

ya know my old bbq comp team mate once cooked a butt on the WSM and had forgotten to take the plastic wrap off of it before cooking it (dont ask me how) ..
bottom line no bark to speak of but it sure was moist in the end

sounds like an interesting method.

I am kind of referring to holding ribs under heat lamps wrapped in plastic for 2+ hours until they are served. Although their may have been a communication breakdown between me and the pitmaster on duty about when the ribs were really pulled out of the smoker.

Working near this area, i tried this place today and must say i was impressed. Had a brisket sandwich. Tender and smoky, very tasty with the north carolina bbq sauce. Also got a sampling of the rib tips, pretty good, not as good as uncle johns or honey 1, but respectable. Maybe if they had a bit more bark, would have been perfect. Fries were fresh cut and cooked perfectly. Moist chocolate cake. I think it was definitely worth a visit. Also saw sign advertising smoked fish for lent which I think i might try.

i have not been here yet , my cousin like's it .
i here they have a old J & R SMOKER
IT IS ON MY LIST TO TRY

Hi guys

I live just across town, in Joliet, and I remember when Baby Back Blues first opened. It was really something special. their pulled pork was always spot on, the ribs finished well...they had a decent smoke flavor and good sauce. But I never remember much flavor from any rub??? You know..the kind of ribs you wonder why anyone even got the BBq sauce out for. I could also remember when one of the owners would always be excited about smoking new items. I can remember when he was getting ready for his first lenten time and started cooking shrimp. We got some of his tasters as he was trying it out

I could also remember his first price increase too. It was a pulled pork sandwich, fries and a reg drink called the smokin' deal, When I saw it I joked it looked more like a smoldering deal now I only say all of this because I remember the last two times I went there. I started getting served old BBq that was quite dry and needed alot of sauce to help it along. Once I got a product like that twice, I was done.

A friend of mine still goes there quite often and likes it alot. He also buys the pulled pork in larger quantities for various parties, so I have had it a few times recently. I'm not quite sure what they're doing to their pork for sure...but it seems like it's way overcooked, wrapped and cooled. It doesn't appear to be pulled (or my preferred squashed)...it's more like stringed pork. Then to reconstitute it it taste like they rehydrate it with the smokey dripping when all the meat cools. So it gives it that odd smoke water flavor absorbed by meat that's had all the flavor ripped out of it (similar to chicken meat when making a broth).

I mean no disrespect...but this is what it taste like to me. I know that they're capable of cooking quality food...I'm really trying not to simply sound mean spirited toward them. I wish they were cookin' like they used to!

I've found that pulled pork can be tricky to reheat the day after. What I've found that works well for me is packaging up some servings in a vacu-seal bag and slowly heating it up in water. This way the meat retains it's moisture, while retaining a decent texture to the meat. This is what I've found when trying to eat my pulled pork the next day (or as leftovers)...but If I had a restaurant I'd certainly serve fresh butts!

dan