Bull’s Pit Smoked BBQ – Kankakee, IL

25 08 2008
  • 125 W. Staion St.
  • Kankakee, IL 60901
  • (815) 932-2399
  • Website
  • Menu
Bulls Pit Smoked BBQ in Kankakee, IL

Bull's Pit Smoked BBQ in Kankakee, IL

Kankakee is the closest big town comapred to the tiny town of 750 people where I grew up.  People who live in that small town, work in the Kankakee/Bradley/Bourbonnais tri-city area and they do a majority of their shopping, entertaining and dining out there as well.  For the longest time, I had the same complaint about Kankakee that I did about Lansing.  There was no good barbecue joint.  That finally changed at the beginning of 2008.

A girl I went to high school with and her husband opened up the first BBQ joint in the area that I’m aware of.  They turned an old building near downtown Kankakee into a great Memphis style smokehouse.  I made my first trip to Bull’s just after it opened with my brother.  At that time, I had a few complaints, but loved the BBQ.  My girlfriend and I were heading from her parents in Chicago to mine south of Kankakee for a weekend of drinking and catching up with old friends.  Along the way, I wanted to stop and try Bull’s again to see if the little things I didn’t like had improved.

Like I said, Bull’s is located just off of downtown Kankakee.  Downtown has been run down for years and there’s not much there other than a bank, a liquor store, and a movie theater.  There’s a couple business along the main road, but nothing that you would make a destination.  Bull’s changes that.  The business is located in a pretty non-descript building on Station St.  There is a parking lot, but we found spot on the street in front of the store.  There’s just a sign out front that lets you know you’re in the right place…that is until you get out and smell the smoke.  Once inside, you have to make a left to get to the order counter.  The layout is a little wierd with two rooms downstairs.  One is the kitchen/order area.  The other is the dining room.  There are only a few tables, but there is a bar that runs the whole length of the room with pub stools.  It really gives the feel of a Southern BBQ lunch spot.  The staircase to go to the upstairs dining room is right as you enter the door.  It’s a massive feature and takes up and good portion of the building.  Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Categories : BBQ, Big Ten Tour, Downtown, Illinois, Kankakee, Restaurant, Reviews

Buffalo Barbeque Wings

18 08 2008
  • 1085 N. Wisner St.
  • Jackson, MI 49202
  • (517) 782-4344
  • Website
  • Menu
Buffalo Barbeque Wings in Jackson

Buffalo Barbeque Wings in Jackson

I first heard about Buffalo Barbeque Wings (yes, Barbeque, not Wild) a few months ago when the Jackson Citizen-Patriot ran a blurb about it’s opening.  I blogged about (here) and I have gotten hundreds of hits for that post.  When you type “Buffalo Barbecue (sic) Wings” in Google, that post is the first hit you get.  Seems there are a lot of people wanting to know more about this place but since they don’t have a website, they keep getting directed to my site.

My girlfriend and I were down in Brooklyn for the Sprint Cup race.  I was doing some work and we both had garage passes.  The concession stands in the pits suck and the media lunch was at noon, so by the time 6:00 rolled around, we were both starving.  As we were waiting for Carl Edwards to make his way to the conference room, J asked about dinner.  Since we were already going through Jackson, I asked her if she was up for some wings.  I figured if people are going to come to this blog looking for information, I might as well give it to them.

We avoided the mess on US 127 by staying on US 12 after leaving the track and cutting through the country on Jackson Rd.  We ended up only sitting in traffic for 20 minutes instead of the hour plus we did last time.  Since we took Jackson Rd, we ended up going all the way through town to get to where we were going.  That’s not necessary on a normal day.  We found on the way home Buffalo Barbecue Wings is less than a mile from I-94 and US 127.  We found the shop in a strip mall.  There was just a sign that marked the spot.  Had we not been looking for it, it would have been easy to miss.  It’s behind Biggby and that’s how I knew to start looking.  I saw the Biggby and turned into the parking lot.  After a quick scan of the storefronts, we found Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 4 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Categories : Bar, Chicken, Jackson, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sports Bar, Wings

BBQ Shack

15 08 2008
  • 3491 Page Ave.
  • Jackson, MI 49203
  • (517) 764-5648
  • Website
  • Menu
The BBQ Shack in Jackson just off of US 127

The BBQ Shack in Jackson just off of US 127

FYI, the BBQ Shack has moved since this review.  Click on the website link to get the new location.

What a find!  I actually read a review from another blogger about a week ago.  I’m doing some freelance work again this weekend at Michigan International Speedway and figured one of the days, I should have some time to stop on the way home and check it out.  J and I headed down to the Irish Hills for media availabilities on Friday morning.  We sat in on Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Burton’s press conferences and the Stewart-Haas Racing announcement of Ryan Newman joining the team next year.  After that, we did a quick lap through the pits as guys were getting ready to practice.  All that worked up an appetite so we decided today was the day for BBQ.

The BBQ Shack is located right off of US 127 right across the street from McDonald’s. I felt sorry for all those poor saps that were getting Big Mac’s instead of BBQ.  Amy warned me that if we weren’t looking, we might miss the place, so I had my eyes open.  She was right.  There’s not sign out front that really identifies the place.  The building is, well, a little shack.  There’s a patio in front and off to the side that make up the only dining room the BBQ Shack has.  When you walk inside, you come right to the counter.  There were three people inside working and all three greeted us as we looked over the menu.  Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 5 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Categories : BBQ, Jackson, Local Flavor, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Chuck’s Cajun Fest – Burbank, IL

9 08 2008
The pulled pork and mac n cheese from Chucks Southern Comforts Cafe as served at Chucks Cajun Fest

The pulled pork and mac 'n cheese from Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe as served at Chuck's Cajun Fest

A few weeks ago, I was in the Chicago area for a soccer game at Toyota Park.  While I was looking for places to eat, I came across Chuck’s Southern Comfort Cafe (review HERE).  I sent the website to my girlfriend since her parents live right down the road and when she saw the website, she thought I was sending it to her because of the ad for Chuck’s Cajun Fest which was on the front page.  We just happened to be heading to Chicago that weekend for a wedding and a stop in Chicago usually means a stop at her parents house as well.

We slept in Saturday morning since the fest didn’t start until noon.  It was nothing too fancy.  The event took place in the parking lot of St. Albert’s Church in Burbank, IL.  There weren’t a whole lot of people there when we got there but they just opened up for the day.  Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : Chicago, Festivals, Reviews

Election Day BBQ – Final Update

5 08 2008

I hope everyone did their civic duty today and voted in all the non-races in the Lansing area.  I haven’t yet, but I do plan on it before the polls close.  It’s a little wierd.  I haven’t voted on Election Day in a few years.  Illinois has early voting or what the Reform Michigan Government Now (which I strongly oppose) calls No Excuse Absentee Voting.  Our polls were also automated, so I figured I’ll use today as a practice vote for November since I hear Michigan still use paper ballets or optical scan maybe?

Anyway, since it is Election Day, it’s a good day for a BBQ, huh?  I know that’s bad logic, but everyday is a good day for a BBQ.  My girlfriend actually isn’t going to be able to leave work for dinner, so we’re being nice and smoking some pork butts for the whole office.  I’ve never blogged about my cooking, but I thought I’d share the journey since I know some people at her office read this, it’ll just get them hungrier and then, as a negative side effect, hype up my pulled pork and give me expecatations I can’t possibly achieve.

Anyway, we got two Levandowski pork butts from L & L last night.  We went with two smaller ones instead of one big one hoping to cut the cooking time down some.  I put my rub on last night and threw them in the fridge.  I used a Bobby Flay rub and this is one of the few I don’t stray from.  It is so freakin good.  I used to use my own brown sugar based rub, but this one is so much better.  Just a little bit of heat.  I cut down the measurements so I only make what I was going to use today.

4 teaspoons Ancho Chile Powder
2 teaspoons Spanish Paprika
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground corriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Chile de Arbol powder

45

This is what my two pork butts looked like when I threw them on the grill at about 1:45

I used this on a pork tenderloin one time and thought I had died and gone to heaven.  I pulled the meat out of the fridge and fired the grill up about 1:30.  I use natural hardwood lump charcoal instead of briquettes so the fire got going pretty quickly.  I added some hickory chunks and chips to the coals and threw the butts on the grill.  I’m trying to keep the temperature down around 250, but it’s not always easy with a Weber Kettle grill. 

Keep checking back between now and 6:00 or so.  I’ll update with pictures as we go along.  It’s so sad that Lansing doesn’t have a real BBQ joint.  This stuff is so easy to do with a little patience and the result is incredible!

Make sure to click on the READ MORE link every hour or so for updates Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 8 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Categories : Food News, Lansing, Michigan, Politics

The Barbecue Bible

25 07 2008

The postman knocked on my door the other day and handed me a package from Amazon.com.  Wierd, I didn’t order anything, but it had my name on it, so I opened.  Inside were two books I had been wanting to get.  The Barbecue Bible and Barbecue Bible: Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades.  Once I saw the books, I knew exactly how they got to my doorstep.  My girlfriend ordered them for our anniversary which is coming up in a few weeks.  I think I had only mentioned once or twice that I wanted The Barbecue Bible, so it actually surprised me a little bit that she remembered. 

Whenever we go to a bookstore or Williams-Sonoma, I’ll usually pick up the newest Bobby Flay cookbook.  She’s always gets on me to buy one, but buying a cookbook from a Food Network chef is stupid. All the recipes are already on-line at FoodNetwork.com.  There’s no way I’m going to lay down $35 for something I can get for free.  I’ll just browse through the books i the store and find something I like then go home and print it out.

The Barbecue Bible by BBQ Expert Steven Raichlen

The Barbecue Bible by BBQ Expert Steven Raichlen

The Barbecue Bible is different.  Here’s a book of over 500 recipes put together by Steven Raichlen.  I love Raichlen show BBQ U which airs on PBS stations around the country.  I finally found a local airing her in Lansing on WKAR Create (Ch. 18 on Comcast cable) at 8:30 AM (it alternates days with Raichlen’s other show Primal Grill which I don’t think is as good).  The recipes are broken down by section starting with Warm-ups, then going to salads, breads, beef, pork, lamb, burgers and sausages, poultry, fish, shell fish, vegetarian, vegetables, rice and beans, side dishes, sauces, rubs, and desserts.

The interesting thing about this book is it’s a BBQ culinary tour of the world.  The recipes span the continents and are not as simple as throwing a rub on a rack of ribs and throwing them on the grill.  There’s a lot of asian and indian flavors on everything.  There’s also a lot of interesting ideas for grilled bread and veggies. Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : Food News

Chuck’s Southern Comforts Cafe – Burbank, IL

13 07 2008
  • 5557 W. 79th St.
  • Burbank, IL 60459
  • (708 ) 229-8700
  • Website
  • Menu
Chucks Southern Comforts Cafe on 79th and Central in Burbank, IL

Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe on 79th and Central in Burbank, IL

I ended up back in Chicago again this weekend for work.  I picked up another job working at Toyota Park in Bridgeview.  Initially, I was supposed to get a hotel room by Midway which is a stone’s throw from Bridgeview, so I got on-line to start looking to see if there were any 24-hour restaurants nearby.  My search brought to a dining out in Chicago message board.  It didn’t really answer the question I was looking for, but this thread introduced me to Chuck’s Southern Comfrots.

I was worried about construction in Indiana so I left much ealier than I needed to.  I ended up geting to Bridgeview about three hours before my 1:30 CST call time.  I drove around the area for a while hitting up malls, Best Buy’s and Circuit City’s looking for Mario Kart.  Finally, I got hungry and remembered there was a BBQ joint on 79th and Central and I was pretty close to there. Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Categories : BBQ, Big Ten Tour, Chicago, Illinois, Restaurant, Reviews

Curtis Famous Barbecue

28 06 2008
  • Corner of Saginaw & CawoodCurtis Famous BBQ
  • Lansing, MI
  • (517) 333-9287
  • No Known Website
  • Menu

“You had the rest, now taste the best” and “taste tells the story” are two phrases you see a lot around the van that doubles as a BBQ shop that sits in the parking lot of American Print and Copy on Saginaw Highway.  Curtis is proud of his barbecue and with good reason.  I had seen a couple reviews for Curtis Famous Barbecue on the web, but I really wasn’t sure where it was.  I was driving on Saginaw Highway one day last week and started smelling it long before I saw it.

My girlfriend and I were being lazy and laying around watching TV one Saturday afternoon.  About one o’clock, she said something about being hungry and after seeing Curtis out cooking one day, I really wanted to try it.  I was able to find the intersection he usually sits at and put that in the GPS.  The thing about Curtis Famous Barbecue is it’s not a restaurant.  It’s an old delivery van that Curtis drives there each day and because it’s mobile, he can bring his smoker to fairs and festivals in the area.  Read the rest of this entry »


Comments : 11 Comments »
Tags: , , , ,
Categories : BBQ, Lansing, Reviews

Propane Prices Increase

26 05 2008

Keeping with the holiday cooking theme, WILX has a story today about propane prices.

“It used to be $17.99, now it’s $18.99,” said Teha Jones, a cashier at the BP in Grand Ledge.

That’s for a propane exchange, the price of a 20 lb. tank of propane also went up from $47.99 to $48.99 at the BP in Grand Ledge. Customers say even the $1 increase can take a bite out of the family barbecue over time.

Simple solution.  DON’T USE PROPANE!  Why cook out in the first place if your just going to be using gas.  The flavor comes from wood.  I don’t care if they warm up faster, they’re easier to control and they’re just prettier.  It’s an inferior cooking device.  Take some pride in your food and burn wood.

And seriously, as a side note.  One of my biggest pet peeves is the way the word “barbecue” was used in this article.  Throwing burgers on the grill is not barbecueing….it’s grilling.  BBQ is slow cooking a cut of meat using smoke…you don’t BBQ with a propane grill anyway….you BBQ with wood


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , ,
Categories : Food News, Grilling

The Great BBQ Sauce Debate

26 05 2008

Well, it is Memorial Day and pretty much everyone, including me, fired up the grills for lunch.  I stayed away from anything that needed sauce, but the Lansing State-Journal stirred up the debate in this morning’s paper.

The core of the barbecue sauce debate is simple: vinegar-based vs. tomato-based.

It’s strictly a Southern squabble, the battle line starting with the vinegar crowd in eastern North Carolina. As you move west, tomatoes take over. And the closer you get to Texas, the sweeter and darker red the sauces get.

But for non-Southerners, it’s hard to understand the fuss over a sticky substance spread over a chunk of meat.

It’s not strictly for Southerners.  I hate when I see people drowning ribs in a Kansas City style sauce.  My preference is actually somewhere between vinegar and tomato based.  I use a sauce similar to what Neely’s BBQ in Memphis uses.  It is a tomato based sauce heavy on ketchup (which is vinegar based itself), but I add a lot more cider vinegar.  I probably double or triple their recipe.  I like the sweetness of the ketchup, but I really like the tanginess of the vinegar. 

Memphis BBQ joints really showcase the differences in sauce.  There’s Neely’s which uses a thin tomato based sauce.  Rendezvous uses a traditional southern vinegar mop sauce made up of pretty much just vinegar and pepper.  Then Corky’s uses a thicker tomato based sauce.  Once you reach the Memphis region and beyond, your starting to get more variety.  Sweetness starts to take over from tangy and brown sugar, molasses, and honey start getting added.

Keep going west to Kansas City and you’ll run into a totally different animal.  KC Masterpiece is the standard as far as Kansas City sauces go.  Really think tomato based sauces that are really messy.  Head south to Texas and your somewhere in between Memphis and KC.  I would suggest reading the LSJ article for a detailed explanation of the different regions.

And just think, we’re JUST talking about sauce here.  We haven’t scratched the surface as far as BBQ. There’s the ribs vs. chopped pork vs. pulled pork vs brisket debate.  There’s baby backs vs. spare ribs or St. Louis ribs.  There’s secret rubs….and everyone has a strong opinion either way.  For me, heaven is a rack of baby backs with a chili pepper based rub with a thin, vinegary, tomato based rub.  No matter what, I’ll take  great BBQ, whether it’s mine or someone elses, over a salad anyday.


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : BBQ, Food News

Next Entries »