let me just echo what others are saying:

The Brisket (Chopped for me)
The Texas Sausage
The Pulled Pork (Excellent)
The Mac N Cheese
The Beans
The STL Ribs
Heck, even The Fries

this place makes some mean grub. we went last week an hour before close and they packed our carryout entrees. for thrity bucks, we got a ton of food, and it was all excellent. the Mac N Cheese is in one word: addicting.

Had an excellent pre-Neil Young dinner at Smoque yesterday. I havent been in a while and they are still firing on all 12 cylinders as far as i am concerned. My only complaint is that the sauce they serve with the ribs, they describe it as "tangy, semi-sweet" doesnt really work for me. It is way to sweet, so much so that it almost tastes like a commercial sauce. I much prefer the bbq sauce that they serve with the brisket as an accompaniment to my ribs.

Otherwise, Smoque continues to rock.

They'll give you any sauce you ask for. If you prefer the brisket sauce (although I don't taste that much difference between their sauces), just ask for it. Also, they do listen carefully to their customer's comments. Don't be afraid to let them know in a constructive manner what you think of any of the food there. If there are enough like minded people telling them the same thing, they'll make an adjustment.

Buddy

[quote="iblock9"] My only complaint is that the sauce they serve with the ribs, they describe it as "tangy, semi-sweet" doesnt really work for me. It is way to sweet, so much so that it almost tastes like a commercial sauce. I much prefer the bbq sauce that they serve with the brisket as an accompaniment to my ribs.
quote]
i gotta ask..what the difference between a "commerical" sauce vs a sauce you get in a restaurant? sauce is sauce..either its good (meaning you like it) or its bad (you dont like it)

Head's Red BBQ wrote:i gotta ask..what the difference between a "commerical" sauce vs a sauce you get in a restaurant? sauce is sauce..either its good (meaning you like it) or its bad (you dont like it)

Liquid smoke, high fructose corn syrup, cloying sweetness...these are some of the tings that I dont care for. In particular I find the bbq sauce (ribs) at Smoque to verge on a cloyingly sweetness that I do not like in many commercial bbq sauces. For the record, I dont even find the sauce at Smoque to be that bad, in fact i like the brisket sauce a lot, i just find the rest of their product to be so excellent that i dont feel like the rib sauce stacks up.

BTW I have to disagree with your argument. While sauce certaintly is sauce, not all sauces are the same. Try your logic to this comparison. Burger King makes a cheeseburger and so does Kuma's. Are they the same simply because they are both cheeseburgers? If it was a simple matter of some people like this and others like that so who cares then why are we bothering to post our opinions on this website?

iblock9 wrote:BTW I have to disagree with your argument. While sauce certaintly is sauce, not all sauces are the same. Try your logic to this comparison. Burger King makes a cheeseburger and so does Kuma's. Are they the same simply because they are both cheeseburgers? If it was a simple matter of some people like this and others like that so who cares then why are we bothering to post our opinions on this website?

While I don't want to speak for Red, I think you misunderstood his point. Just because a sauce is commercial doesn't mean it's bad. And the example you gave is really supporting rather than not his point. Just because both cheeseburgers (=sauce) come from restaurants (=commercial) doesn't mean they are both either bad or good.

Yes, most commercial sauces are too sweet, but not all are. Unfortunately, sweet seems to be what people around here want. So it can be difficult to walk into your average grocery store and find a good sauce. But they are out there.

iblock9 wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:i gotta ask..what the difference between a "commerical" sauce vs a sauce you get in a restaurant? sauce is sauce..either its good (meaning you like it) or its bad (you dont like it)

Liquid smoke, high fructose corn syrup, cloying sweetness...these are some of the tings that I dont care for. In particular I find the bbq sauce (ribs) at Smoque to verge on a cloyingly sweetness that I do not like in many commercial bbq sauces. For the record, I dont even find the sauce at Smoque to be that bad, in fact i like the brisket sauce a lot, i just find the rest of their product to be so excellent that i dont feel like the rib sauce stacks up.

Actually, I have 8 different commercial BBQ sauces in my pantry and most of them do not have high fructose corn syrup in them or it is quite low on the list of ingredients. Now these are not typical your supermarket brands mind you, but they are out there. Personally, I don't like a very sweet sauce but I am in the minority and alot depends on what i am smoking. I can tell you I have been giving much love to Black Swan BBQ sauce which is a local brand that you can find at Whole Paycheck, or if you're lucky, at Brookhaven Market in Darien when they have it on sale for 99 cents a bottle (which given their ingredients is a steal.) Buy 8 bottles when they have their sale and enjoy the fun looks that you get at the checkout.

iblock9 wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:i gotta ask..what the difference between a "commerical" sauce vs a sauce you get in a restaurant? sauce is sauce..either its good (meaning you like it) or its bad (you dont like it)

Liquid smoke, high fructose corn syrup, cloying sweetness...these are some of the tings that I dont care for. In particular I find the bbq sauce (ribs) at Smoque to verge on a cloyingly sweetness that I do not like in many commercial bbq sauces. For the record, I dont even find the sauce at Smoque to be that bad, in fact i like the brisket sauce a lot, i just find the rest of their product to be so excellent that i dont feel like the rib sauce stacks up.

BTW I have to disagree with your argument. While sauce certaintly is sauce, not all sauces are the same. Try your logic to this comparison. Burger King makes a cheeseburger and so does Kuma's. Are they the same simply because they are both cheeseburgers? If it was a simple matter of some people like this and others like that so who cares then why are we bothering to post our opinions on this website?

my point was not all "commercial" sauce is as you described.. ...in fact a lot of it isnt so I was speaking out about the generalization ..not whether you liked it or didnt like it....
I also scratch my head at the hate for HCFS by BBQ enthusiasts..lets face it BBQ isnt health food to begin it..fatty pork, brisket and ribs and sides like mac and cheese are no more better for you than HCFS so why worry about less than an oz of HCFS as a sweetener in the mix? ..

BBQ Sauces vary based on the source of the style of BBQ.

Texas, which is the origin of beef BBQ, typically uses a Tomato based sauce w/ vinegar in it. It helps bring out the vinegar flavor of the mopping sauce used during the cooking. The vinegar helps break down the fat of the brisket to tenderize it, something Smoque does very well.

The commercial stuff you commonly pick up at the store are based mostly on the Kansas City and St. Louis style of sauce, which is used as a finishing sauce on pork ribs. This has sugar in it (should be molasses, not HFCS) as well as ketchup, with some still with a bit of vinegar.

Other variations are the eastern states style which uses mustard as its base, (carolina and georgia style pulled pork)

If you ever get the chance (I'll post this in the outside chicagoland forum too), check out South Street Smokehouse in Lafayette, IN. They have it figured out as well. They have five different sauces available from pump bottles (ketchup, mustard, and tomato based, all homemade) as well as a spicy vinegar and a sweet vinegar that you can use.

I've been all over the country for BBQ and we're blessed with Smoque in close vicinity.

primetime1880 wrote:BBQ Sauces vary based on the source of the style of BBQ.

The commercial stuff you commonly pick up at the store are based mostly on the Kansas City and St. Louis style of sauce, which is used as a finishing sauce on pork ribs. This has sugar in it (should be molasses, not HFCS) as well as ketchup, with some still with a bit of vinegar.

I've been all over the country for BBQ and we're blessed with Smoque in close vicinity.

many sauces have both ketchup and molasses..so in essence there HFCS is in the sauce not as a replacement for molasses but from the other ingredients (like ketchup)
anyway I do agree..Smoque rocks!

Head's Red BBQ wrote:I also scratch my head at the hate for HCFS by BBQ enthusiasts..lets face it BBQ isnt health food to begin it..fatty pork, brisket and ribs and sides like mac and cheese are no more better for you than HCFS so why worry about less than an oz of HCFS as a sweetener in the mix? ..

My thoughts exactly - there is always a mystique about BBQ and I wonder if people are enamored more with the process of preparing BBQ more than they are with the actual taste. I would love to see a blind taste test and see if people could distinguish between HFCS and sugar/honey in a sauce or the difference between meat smoked over hickory vs. cherry.

Muttster wrote:
My thoughts exactly - there is always a mystique about BBQ and I wonder if people are enamored more with the process of preparing BBQ more than they are with the actual taste. I would love to see a blind taste test and see if people could distinguish between HFCS and sugar/honey in a sauce or the difference between meat smoked over hickory vs. cherry.

I can only speak for myself, but I love to spend hours smoking meat, but I love to eat the finished product even more.

I dont do sauce on my bbq(good bbq does not need sauce in my humble opinion) so I dont have a horse in the store bought vs homemade sauce debate(although I think anything homemade should be better than anything bought in a store).

I also can taste a big difference in the taste of meats smoked using different woods(mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, etc) or even smoked using tea leaves.

I think Smoque does a good job, and I still need to get back there and try these sausages. Althought I have a hard time not going to Honey 1 when I need some bbq when my smoker at home is resting.

LTH,

Attended a private event at Smoque last evening, good bourbon, conversation and BBQ what could be better. I'll tell you what, white bread, that's what. For the first time in the accelerated history of Smoque there were loaves of Butternut White Bread on the tables. Nothing better than squishy neutral white bread as a vehicle for moist brisket, juicy Texas sausage and pulled pork. Pork shoulder was particularly nice as they simply placed whole shoulder, so fall apart tender it was actually slumping in on itself, in the middle of the tables along with bottles of vinegar tart North Carolina style sauce and we had at it. An urban pig picking, will wonders never cease.

I attribute the brief appearance, I do not think white bread is destined to become a regular menu item, to Barry Sorkin's recent trip to Austin, TX with stops in the Hill Country, including my favorite Cooper's in Llano, where the joys of white bread with BBQ are fully understood and appreciated.

I'd like to put the call out to my fellow LTHers every time you go to Smoque ask Barry, Mike or one of the guys for white bread, maybe one day it will take it's rightful place along side Smoque's BBQ.

Enjoy,
Gary

It took a trip to TX to decide squishy white bread goes with BBQ? Don't tell Mack.

G Wiv wrote:LTH,

Attended a private event at Smoque last evening, good bourbon, conversation and BBQ what could be better. I'll tell you what, white bread, that's what. For the first time in the accelerated history of Smoque there were loaves of Butternut White Bread on the tables. Nothing better than squishy neutral white bread as a vehicle for moist brisket, juicy Texas sausage and pulled pork. Pork shoulder was particularly nice as they simply placed whole shoulder, so fall apart tender it was actually slumping in on itself, in the middle of the tables along with bottles of vinegar tart North Carolina style sauce and we had at it. An urban pig picking, will wonders never cease.

I attribute the brief appearance, I do not think white bread is destined to become a regular menu item, to Barry Sorkin's recent trip to Austin, TX with stops in the Hill Country, including my favorite Cooper's in Llano, where the joys of white bread with BBQ are fully understood and appreciated.

I'd like to put the call out to my fellow LTHers every time you go to Smoque ask Barry, Mike or one of the guys for white bread, maybe one day it will take it's rightful place along side Smoque's BBQ.

Enjoy,
Gary

Um, my invitation must have been lost in the mail??

Next time - BYOBB - Bring Your Own Bourbon and Butternut.

JeffB wrote:It took a trip to TX to decide squishy white bread goes with BBQ? Don't tell Mack.

Or Robert Adam's, but seemingly so.

outsanding food
outstanding hospitality
execllent peeps
great fun
very much thanks to barry and mike and the entire smoque team
we are more prepared than ever to defend our place as a great bbq city
either with the people that was at smoque
or with others from chicago and illinois not in the room
not to mention if we all got together at one time
we could go to any city and cook against any and every one
and more than hold our own
first chance to do that may be at the nbbqa convention in memphis next year

barry Smoque
andrew bloom whitcha packing
rich wood Southern Pride (thats right metal box cooker just like lots of ones i saw in texas)
went down to texas last month at the convention
and served up very very tasty ribs
baby backs(one of the bbq things we are known for in chicago)
st louis ribs (my favorite)
and the texas sausage Smoque uses

not only did they do us proud with the proper smoking of the ribs and sausage
also offering amazing hosptiality
the fun and conversation was tops

Great Great idea and guts(pun intended guts is a texas term for sausage) for chicago guys to go to texas
and cook bbq ribs and sausage for the nbbqa convention and texans
knowing that judgement would be forthcoming

so at one point im standing outside with barry while they were serving
and barry and andrew are discussing if the ribs were done right
andrew the meat packer vs barry the owner

along comes paul kirk eats a rib and he renders (pun intended) his opinion
as a sidenote both barry and andrew have attended pauls bbq class
then joey mac this years grand champion at the american royal (also from chicago ala naperville)
has a rib bone from the same slab .... seeemed like he took 5 minutes to bite into it and taste smell eat and opinionate
and his opinion was the opposite of what paul kirk seven time world champion (whatever that means) thought
kudo's to joey mac for his opinon when he could have easily not said anything
that whole exchange was to me was as great of an example of bbq the noun as could be
instead of being inside at the convention we were outside enjoying smoked meats
and having some of the best conversation with some of the best people you could hope for
what a day
great job again barry andrew and rich and thanks for your efforts

Out with My Bride on a mini Pulled Pork crawl...


Pulled Pork Sandwich with a side of Brisket Chili.

Wow! Almost as good as what I pull off of my smoker. Nice and soft with a good smokey flavor.

Line wasn't too bad in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday. They kept the people moving.

I cannot wait to get back for the brisket now.

G Wiv wrote:Had lunch with my friend Laura P at Smoque yesterday, Texas style sausage was dead-on, nice crisp snap to the casing, juicy peppery interior, a delicious smoked link. Would have been even better if I had a slice or three of cheap white bread, the classic BBQ accompaniment, on the side.

G Wiv wrote:I'd like to put the call out to my fellow LTHers every time you go to Smoque ask Barry, Mike or one of the guys for white bread, maybe one day it will take it's rightful place along side Smoque's BBQ.

As there seems no movement on the Smoque squishy white bread front BYOSWB (bring your own squishy white bread) yesterday lunch seemed in order.

BYOSWB



Al, one of the Smoque partners, seeing we, I had the pleasure of Steve Z's company, had BYOSWB brought us a sausage sandwich of Barry Sorkin's design to try. Texas sausage on a bakery roll w/slaw. The sturdy roll had a slightly sweet note that played well with the peppery smoked sausage and crisp vinegary slaw, but nothing beats the squishy neutralness of cheap white bread as a vehicle for BBQ.

Smoque Texas Sausage Sandwich



Smoked brisket chili was the special of the day, tasty, though flavor was slightly overpowered by cumin.

Smoque Brisket Chili



Steve and I presented the LTHForum Great Neighborhood Restaurant renewal to Mike and Al of Smoque, which they seemed pleased to receive.

Mike and Al with GNR renewal



As an aside, I was once again reminded just how much I like Smoque's fries. Crisp exterior, fluffy interior, full potato flavor, a damn good french fry.

Smoque french fries w/BYOSWB and smoked Texas sausage



Enjoy,
Gary

As there seems no movement on the Smoque squishy white bread front BYOSWB (bring your own squishy white bread) yesterday lunch seemed in order.

I drove by Smoque yesterday and nearly stopped, but I had a Hot Doug's Virgin with me and opted for that instead. A pity, as I would have shamelessly begged for some swb from your stash to go with my 'que. It really is the one thing that Smoque is missing. I suppose it's a *good* thing that my biggest quibble with Smoque is the bread, or lack thereof!

Great photos as always, Gary, I'll be thinking about those sausages for the rest of the day!

Thanks to this board, we went to Smoque. Loved it. The ribs are great, as is the pulled pork. A real winner.

Ursiform wrote:A pity, as I would have shamelessly begged for some swb from your stash to go with my 'que.

We had plenty of SWB to go around, always happy to share.

Thinking about it now, I should have left the rest of the loaf at Smoque. I wonder what to do with the rest? Grilled cheese sandwich w/velveeta and Campbells tomato soup from a can somehow seems in order.

Enjoy,
Gary

My second visit to Smoque was with two other eager diners - one an honest-to-goodness Texan. With 3 people, we were able to order every side, including the day's special of brisket chili, along with platters of chopped brisket, pulled pork and the sausage.

I thought the brisket was a bit dry this time and preferred the smokier pork. But on a whole everything was very good. The peach cobbler was a knockout that night. A little on the sweeter side than what I normally like but a great way to cap off some barbecue. In fact, it was so good, we had to get another one.

This led to two realizations:

1) The correct number of peach cobblers to order is exactly n-1 where n is the number of people you are dining with. I think that 1 taste portion of sausage for every 2-3 people is also the right way to go.

2) I think my go-to order if dining solo will be chopped brisket platter, taste of sausage, fries, (slaw), and a cobbler. If possible, hitch up your wagon with some other folk and taste everything like we did

Did you guys see Tim Mikeska on Andrew Zimmerns Travel Channel program last night? Very impressive ranch operation they have there! I was in awe of their back patio and all the exotic game they have. The food he smoked look delicious. I got an urge to go to Smoque when I saw those hot links going on that pit!

Anyway... you guys need to watch it. Its good to know that they guys at Smoque chose a real Texan with real good food and a great family dynasty for their inspiration.

Texas hot links on Pulaski.... here I come...!

Six of us hit Smoque after dodging raindrops at the Printer's Row "Lit Fest" today (a call ahead to Kuma's at 3PM said, "I can't tell you how long the wait will be, but I'd be surprised if it's under an hour"). The line was just barely out the door at 3:30, but they do move people through pretty quickly (the line was much longer when we left, but it had also stopped raining).

They were out of chicken, and out of cornbread, which was a bit of a disappointment to a couple of our party. Not much variety in our ordering: two pulled porks, a brisket and two baby backs (and one non red-meat eater who just ended up with sides). As always, excellent, although I find the brisket perhaps a little on the soft side for my preferences -- a little dryer is more of what I expect (but maybe I expect incorrectly). Next time, I think I'll order the brisket sandwich: appears to be as much meat, on a soft white bun.

BBQ Beans are outstanding, even more smokey flavor than the brisket. Fries are up there with the city's best. Slaw could use some punch in any direction: creamier, spicier, tarter... just kind of bland right now.

Apparently there is something in this world of greater enjoyment than a brisket sammich. . . and that is watching someone's strict diet fail miserably as you lay a brisket sammich in front of them (with fries and mac n cheese for good measure) and watch human willpower succumb to human desire.

I have to add that my switch to sliced brisket from chopped brisket has been amazing. The meat seems to be at least twice as tender. It literally melts in your mouth.

Mac n Cheese needed salt and was underflavored, but the fries were a total homerun, and among the best in the city.

We had Smoke catering for an event a few weeks ago, and it was quite good - even for being on a sterno can! They pack it in these styro things that just fit their pans, and it was all nice and warm. We had plenty left over, and even reheated several days later, everything was nice! They were also easy to deal with in the ordering process.

Went to Ina's for lunch last week and was pleasantly surprised to find Smoque BBQ pulled pork and brisket sandwiches on the menu. Served on a nice brioche bun, w/ slaw and a dill pickle slice, it was quite tasty.

Ina's
1235 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607-1517
(312) 226-8227

I find it funny that the Smoque manifesto describes fries as...

"We love fries. But we also think they’re ubiquitous and not necessarily a great pair with BBQ."

For a restaurant that doesn't think highly of fries and BBQ, they sure serve a mean fry!!

My wife and I made our maiden voyage to Smoque yesterday (finally!). In an attempt to try as much of the menu as possible, we ordered a half slab of the St. Louis ribs with fries and bbq beans, an a la carte sliced brisket platter, taste of pulled pork and a taste of the sausage. Everything was delicious, but there were two standouts. The ribs and sausage stole the show. We both really loved the flavor and texture of the sausage. The fries were also awesome.

Hopefully we can make it back soon to try the baby backs, mac and cheese and peach cobbler.

Best moment though was some out of town lady asking Barry if he was here when that "guy" from the Food Network came.