I have tried most of the BBQ places in and around Dumaguete including the latest out past the mall. They have all have the same local flavor. YUCK! I guess my standers are way to high for local BBQ. I guess you could say they are ok if you never tasted good old Texas BBQ. I had a BBQ restaurant in East Texas for a time, and the ribs and brisket were as good, according to a couple of my customers as the world famous Rendezous BBQ. in Memphis Tenn. You might be saying, why don't you open your own. Good question. I am pushing 73 and do not have the funds. But if someone wanted to take on the challenge i would be happy to show them how to build the smoker, the wood to use and the spices and where to get them.
I have to agree. Texas has some of the best BBQ's that I am aware of. So many places there that have their own built on smoke (house) or shacks. Family tradition spices and rubs and USA grade "A" beef. Great idea.
It is impossible to produce a BBQ that everyone will enjoy. Even within the US you will find that different regions will make different flavored BBQ. European BBQ (I'm at a German military base) is disgusting to me and most of the other Americans....but the Germans think it is awesome (since it is German I am guessing that they have somehow figured a way to ferment BBQ sauce.....d*mn near everything they eat is pickled/fermented or has a sour element to it). Also, someone from Seattle might not like the BBQ from Houston or New York. BBQ is just seasoned ketchup after all, how people season their ketchup will rely heavily on what is locally available. I have noticed that most BBQ in the Philippines relies heavily on sugar (as with almost everything in their diet). Even the locally produced ketchup....or catsup (better keep an eye on Imp, Dave, they like the cat soup here) is very sweet, no matter how you season this it will be sweet. One place I like is in the Valencia market. It's a street stand that sells the various animal organs/parts grilled on a stick. It's has a very smokey flavor without much sweetness at all (I stay away from the grilled feet, neck, blood, intestines and livers but the chicken, chicken heart/gizzard and pork are excellent). Another that I haven't actually tried but I smell it every time I come down the hill from Valencia in the afternoon. It's about 200-300 meters before Hypermart if you are coming down the hill. Smoke is always rolling over the road from that little chicken stand.....and it smells exactly like my grandpa's grill did when he was making his BBQ chicken. I really need to stop in there and try it.
I recommend for chicken D&C Manokan on San Juan street Dumaguete. Get there early and get the quarter, pick your own or you will get the small one. I usually have two. I know someone who eats there every day. I think it's good. I would love to see a good barbeque place in Dumaguete in any of half a dozen styles but getting quality meats and ingredients can be a problem. Nothing like a good meatapalooza.
any "texas style bbq" advertisements should be avoided. I missed the bbq (not grilling) style in the states, that I ended up welding my own smoker...
