Connecticut BBQ: Flaggstead Smokehouse, Farmington

Airline Food. Congressional Leadership. Connecticut BBQ. Who doesn't chuckle at the zing of an oxymoron? I have to say that I was a bit skeptical when the esteemed Flip and the lovely Mrs. Flip suggested a new BBQ spot in Farmington, CT. (For those of you without Connecticut connections, Farmington is to Hartford as Winnetka is to Chicago. I am not against a well prepared chicken salad, but . . . I think you get my drift.) Nevertheless, the summer day was hot and the company was fine. The owners, friends of a friend of Mrs. Flip, promised they'd meet us there to share our meal. What a lovely young family! The kids ran happily around the center hall of the old Cape Cod style house while their Pop and Grandpop saw to the food. Most of the business is takeout, but the setting is pleasant. Sorry that I did not get a shot of the interior.



Fortunately, my skepticism was misplaced. I do not count myself as schooled in the gentle art of BBQ, but Flaggstead's owners are transplanted Texans. A father and son team who ran a BBQ spot outside of Houston for years, they left home when the son's surgeon wife was transferred to Connecticut. We learned that it's hard to come by enough brisket up here in Connecticut, and that it took some asking around in the Polish community of New Britain to locate the right sausage. We also learned that Connecticut Yankees are apparently starving for some good BBQ--Flaggstead had been selling out every night since their opening. They use a Southern Pride smoker.

We started with an item still in development. Does it look familiar? No sausage inside, and the peppers were a bit on the mild side, but this went down very easily indeed. I thought the pork ribs were good, but nothing to shout about (no competition for Mac here). The brisket was just excellent, though, meltingly tender. Sides are all house made. With a few sweet pickles, I might have mistaken their potato salad for my Grandma Nina's. The beef ribs were not ready during our visit, and I count it as a big plus that the owner did not want to serve something he felt wasn't ready.













I can safely say Flaggstead Texas Smokehouse serves the best BBQ 'round these parts. The folks on the local food boards seem to agree.*

Many thanks to Brian and Wendy and Kelly for a day well spent.

*Unfortunately, Flaggstead is located more than 20 miles from my home, whereas Little Mark's Big BBQ I could walk to. Bad BBQ Karma is a bitch.


Flaggstead Texas Smokehouse
1085 Farmington Ave
Farmington, CT 06032-1464
(860) 674-6028

Josephine,

It was great to meet up with you for lunch that afternoon. I do find it interesting that the picutre does not do justice to the size of that sausage. IIRC, that link was over two inches in diameter, and well worth the wait.

On another note, I liked how the owner could care less about sauce. He believes all the flavor that is needed is provided by his rub and smoke. The sauce in the sqeeze bottles is generic cattleman's and provided only to satiate New Englander's common desire to put bland crap on top of tasty food to remind themselves of Mother's cooking. Speaking of bland, the chicken was the biggest let down of the meal. Almost no smoke flavor, and the bird had sat long enough wrapped in foil to become a watery mess. The brisket however, reminded me of my Texan childhood. Beautiful bark, served in a luscious thick slab.

For only being open for a few weeks when we visited I think Flaggstead has a bright smoky future.

Flip


FYI- He uses whole mesquite and hickory logs in the gas-fired Southern Pride

Nice post and photos! BBQ yum! Brisket looks sweet...fat cut!