How to do a Pop Up

 On April 16^th 2013 we hosted our first S&S Shack Pop up dinner at Mission Rock Resort Restaurant in San Francisco. Here’s how we did it……

1.   Secure the location – We had a few spaces in mind but ultimately we chose Mission Rock Resort. Good size dining room, a kitchen all of our own for us to use the day of and they day before (that was key) and a spectacular view of the San Francisco bay. Not to mention we adore the people who run the Rock. 

2.   The Menu – I wrote the menu in about 5 minutes. We have so many dishes that we have tested and served over the years and hope to have on the menu of our own restaurant one day so I had a lot of options to choose from. We stayed true to ourselves and kept it BBQ heavy, American inspired and very “white trash gourmet”.

3.   Promote – Tickets went on sale a month before the event and sold out in under 2 weeks. We did an email blast through Vertical Response, facebooked and tweeted it. There was also a lot of word of mouth not to mention Eater SF, Tablehopper and FoodGal promoted it on their websites.

4.   Staff it up – I already knew who I had in mind before we even secured the location. Our staff consisted of people we had worked with in the past and regulars from the last restaurant I worked in. All of them dear friends of ours.

Jon Wollenhaupt Photography

5.   Prep, Shop, Prep some more – Prep and shopping lists were written weeks before the event. Vendors were consulted, timelines were created and kitchen space was secured. On and off it took us 2 weeks to prep for the evening. We used the kitchens of 5 different restaurants to either store food in or use to prep.

6.   Game Day – The day of the pop up was a huge rush. We got into the kitchen at 9am and started prepping. Staff showed up in waves starting at 1pm. Front of the house scrambled to configure and set tables, create “swag bags” and find silverware.  

Jon Wollenhaupt Photography

The staff of mission rock helped make roll ups (silverware wrapped in napkins), set up the bar and printed menus. The kitchen never stopped running all day and finally at 6pm when the first guest walked in the door was ready to roll. We started off the evening with  a “Happy Hour”. Everyone convened in the bar area, got themselves a cocktail (or 3) and enjoyed our house-made rye pretzels with PBR cheese sauce and Ranch Corn-nuts.  

Jon Wollenhaupt Photograph

 At about 7:30 guests were sat in the dining room and the food rolled out in droves. Bloody mary shrimp “cocktails”, brisket-bacon-cheddar sliders, house-made hot links, jerk chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, and a series of desserts including PB&J donuts, banana pudding and Jaegarmeister ice-cream shakes. At the end of the meal we were greeted with roaring applause and kind words from friends with full, happy bellies. The staff rocked, the guests were stoked and Spencer and I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. After 3 hours of washing dishes we finally drove home around midnight, cracked a beer and fell asleep with a smile on our face.

Jon Wollenhaupt Photography

THE NEXT S&S SHACK POP UP IS MAY 14^TH, 2013 AT MISSION ROCK RESORT. CAN’T WAIT TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN!

Can BBQ Be Good For You?

Ok so maybe eating all of those deliciously fatty meats aren't necessarily the best for your health but the spices rubbed all over them definitely are! Studies show that dried herbs and spices are rich in anti-oxidants, great anti-inflammitories, help fight cancer and are heart healthy. So next time you grill a steak, roast a chicken or sauté those veggies sprinkle some herbs and spices on them and do something good for your body.

There are hundreds of amazing herbs and spices that will give you all of the benefits mentioned above but here are a handful that stick out as having the highest amount of them and more:

• Cinnamon - About as high in anti-oxidants as spices can get, rich in polyphenols which act like insulin, helps fight bladder infections, detoxes and stimulates brain function.
• Ginger - Cures aches and pains, relieves nausea.
• Cloves - Improves digestion & cramping, anti-viral, anti-bacterial

For a great spice rub that contains all three of these super spices try S&S brand Jerk Rub 

• Oregano - Out of all herbs oregano is the highest in anti-oxidants.
• Dried Red Pepper - Wether it be cayenne, paprika or chile flakes dried red peppers enhance metabolism, aid to control appetite.
• Garlic - Heart healthy, improves cholesterol, lowers blood pressure.
• Cumin - Boosts immune system, is a digestive aid.

To get your fill of these 4 herbs and spices try S&S brand BBQ Spice Rub 

• Rosemary - Helps reduce inflammation and protects the brain.
• Thyme - Good for aches and pains.
• Fennel Seed - A good digestive aid, soothes nervous system and intestines.

Try S&S brand Coffee-Cocoa Rub which not only has these 3 herbs and spices but also has cocoa which is another ingredient high in anti-oxidants.  

• Turmeric - Heart healthy, indians in ancient times would spread a paste of this on their skin to beautify and prevent acne.
• Cardomom - Improves energy, increases circulation, improves digestion.

Make a curry dish to get these 2 spices into your diet. Try this recipe from Food & Wine Magazine: Thai Vegetable Curry Recipe - Quick from Scratch Vegetable Main Dishes | Food & Wine

Spices are a delicious way to improve your diet, but however you get there, have a happy healthy new year!

To buy S&S brand spice rubs and other great products visit www.sandsbrand.com

62 Years Throwing Down in San Jo!

As a pretty die hard BBQ connoisseur I spend a good portion of my time checking out local (and non-local) BBQ joints. On a recent drive down to San Jose to check out a Southern Pride Smoker we had our eye on we stumbled upon Sam's BBQ. 

As much as I hate to say it, I really haven't found any BBQ restaurants in the Bay Area where I love the food. Until now. Not only did we devour our plate of food (not a crumb left), I really left wanting to come back and try more. Here is what we had:

• Sliced Smoked Pork Butt - I have to admit, I have never had smoked pork butt that was sliced instead of pulled or chopped. It was unbelievably good! The smoke ring was so bright it looked like it was colored in with a marker, the skin and fat where crispy and seasoned with a delicious spice rub and the meat was tender and moist.
• Beef Brisket - They give you a choice of lean or moist meat, just like they do in Texas. Although it wasn't as mind blowing as the brisket I have had in Texas, this comes close and is definitely the best Ive tried around here.
• Hot Links - I can not relay how GOOD these links were! They were not smoked they were grilled but they still had a nice smoky quality to them. They start out tasting sweet like a breakfast sausage and slowly the heat starts creeping in and leaves you with a nice spice lingering on your taste buds. 
• Garlic Bread - Basically just toasted garlic bread with some Kraft shake cheese and chopped parsley but I loved it!
• Macaroni Salad - Fairly run of the mill but was a nice palate cleanser for the rest of the bold flavors on the plate.
• Chili - Kidney beans, pinto beans and ground beef in a nice spicy sauce.

Sam's offers not only smoked meats but also cowboy steaks and pork chops grilled on a Santa Maria style grill. I think we will go back for that next time.

Sams's BBQ - 1110 S. Bascom Ave. San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 297-9151 Open Mon-Sat 11-9pm

The Quest For Real American BBQ: Day 6

This was the last day of our trip. We started it by waking up early and waiting in line two hours for BBQ in Austin and finished it with a leisurely stroll down The River Walk in San Antonio, TX.

Franklin BBQ – If there is one place with a hell of a rep for awesome BBQ it’s Franklin’s. We had to get there two hours before they even opened to get in line and insure that we would get to eat before they ran out of food. 

Atmosphere: It’s a cute little joint, kind of had a 50’s diner vibe, right in downtown Austin. The line starts at 9am, they open at 11am and the line remains wrapped around outside until they sell out probably around 1 or 2pm.

Food: Exceptional BBQ. Definitely in our top 2 or 3. Sold by the pound again with all of the traditional Texas condiments.

Beef Brisket: They are known for there brisket here and rightfully so, it has all of the characteristics of a perfectly smoked piece of meat.

Spare ribs: Beautiful, delicious salt and pepper crust and moist meat.

Smoked Turkey: This was actually me favorite thing here. Best turkey I have ever had in my life. Beautiful smoke, crust and unbelievably moist.

Hot Links: I think they had the best hot links I had on the trip. I don’t know for sure if they are house made but they definitely did not taste commercially made. 

Baked Beans and Coleslaw: The baked beans were the best we had on the trip. Nice and smoky and seasoned with chile powder. Slaw was pretty good.

Banana Bourbon Pie: A 4” pie with a nice thick crust, bananas and banana custard. I didn’t taste much bourbon.

From Franklin’s we drove into San Antonio, walked the famous River Walk and visited the Alamo. We found a really cool old school German deli called Schilo's where we hung out for our last hour in Texas and had a couple beers. By the time we dropped off the rental car and poured into our plane to come home we were both exhausted. It had been an amazing trip. We learned a ton about what real BBQ really is, met great people and got to see a part of America completely different from our own. It was time to go home and share our adventures with our city, San Francisco.  

The Quest For Real American BBQ: Day 5

Today we drove into the rural town of Taylor just out side of Austin, TX to go to the original Louie Mueller BBQ (his brother owns J Muellers BBQ in Austin.) From there we drove out to the Famous Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood and then on to downtown Austin were we stayed at the beautiful atrium style Omni hotel and took full advantage of what the city had to offer. 

Louie Mueller Smokehouse – This is a 63 year old icon of authentic Texas style BBQ. It’s in the town of Taylor which is like entering into a time warp. Nothing has changed in this town except maybe some new gas stations and a Wal-Mart since the 50’s. Nicholas Cage was shooting a movie the next street over from Mueller’s when we got there. 

Atmosphere: This restaurant was originally a basketball gymnasium so you can imagine the size of it. Smoke stained walls and wooden floors and an amazing old kitchen full of vintage reach-in coolers, butcher blocks and smokers. Assistant Pit boss Tony White gave us a full tour and talked BBQ with us while we drooled over his famous Texas style brisket. 

Food: The food here is amazing. In true Texas style they sell their meat by the pound and serve white bread, pickles, sliced raw yellow onion and BBQ sauces on the side.

Beef Brisket: Hands down the best brisket I have ever had in my life and on this trip. A thick peppery bark and plenty of fat makes the meat melt in your mouth like butter. I just stared at this slice of meat in all of its glistening glory in awe.

Hot Links and Jalapeno Hot Links: The hot links they sell here are house made, 100% all beef with great seasoning and snap.

Spare ribs: Nice salt and pepper rub, tender moist meat. 

Potato Salad: Made with egg, celery, relish and mustard.

Pinto Beans: Brothy style.

BBQ Sauces: Their house style is a brothy au jus, with slices of cooked onion and chile. They also had a sweet jalapeno sauce and a thin vinegar-chile sauce.

After lunch we stopped by another BBQ Shack in Taylor called Taylor Cafe to grab a beer and got to peek into their kitchen as well. Apparently these guys are well known in town as well and have been around just as long as Louie Mueller. 

Salt Lick BBQ - This is the Disneyland of BBQ. People come on the weekends to spend the whole day there.

Atmosphere: On multiple acres of lands sits the restaurant which consists of two different buildings seating 800 people all day, 6 smokers, general store, picnic areas, playground, hammocks hanging on trees, 20 acres of vineyards with a wine tasting room, an area where live bands come to play on the weekends and, no kidding, a helicopter landing pad (we saw 2 come and go during our time there). 

Food: The food was good, I think people more come for the experience though and to see the awesome open fire pit positioned right at the front entrance loaded with meat. It comes with all the Texas fixings and a mustard based BBQ sauce.

Beef Brisket: We ordered the moist and the burnt ends. Burnt ends being dry and chewy and not really our thing.

Spare Ribs and Hot Links: Both good.

Baked Beans, Coleslaw and Potato salad: These were good too. 

 

After we checked into the Omni we took a long walk around downtown picking out our spot to go hang out that night and hear music. We found a great locals bar called Barton SpringsSaloon. The place was full of college kids playing quarters and pool. Apparently after 11pm it turns into more of an industry joint. The owner Jim took great care of us and made sure we had our share of dirty jokes and shop talk. Then we went to Uchi where we had an incredible Japanese meal (and finally got some fish and vegetables!) We capped the night of with a walk down 6^th street and watched a live rock band at Friends. 

The Quest For Real American BBQ: Day 4

Today we drove 8 hours from Tennessee, through Arkansas and into Texas. Mostly it was just desolate miles of farmland but we did hit a pretty intense thunderstorm in Texas. It made it nearly impossible to see out the front window and we hydroplaned all over the road for about 15 minutes or so. Finally we reached our destination of Dallas and its beautiful skyline. Here’s where we ate….. 

North Main BBQ – Just outside of Dallas in Euless, this shack was once home to the “best ribs in the world”. Now a days it seems more just like a local hang out in a small town. 

Atmosphere: We walked inside the very large North Main to find a buffet lined with BBQ, condiments, beverages and soft serve ice-cream. The owners were very friendly, one was slicing meat and putting it into the buffet trays, the other working the register. 

Food: Texas style BBQ which means the meat is served with no sauce and you put it on yourself when you sit down at your table.

Hot Links, Chopped Brisket, Sliced Brisket and Ribs: The hot links were my favorite.

Potato Salad, Baked Beans and Coleslaw: Pretty basic, like something you would find in a deli. They folded green chiles into their beans.

BBQ Sauce: Theirs is somewhere between a hot sauce and a BBQ sauce. It’s on the thin side and loaded with chile flake, cayenne and paprika. 

Rudy’s BBQ: Rudy’s is a chain that marries a gas station with a large BBQ restaurant. We went to their Arlington location just outside of Dallas.

Atmosphere: First you walk through the gas station convenient store/gift shop to make your way into the restaurant were you are greeted by a host who explains the ordering process to you. Then you walk by a huge trough of iced beers and sodas, make your selection and move on to the cold sides in a large reach-in cooler where you make another selection. When you get to the counter your order your meat by the pound, they slice your meat, weigh it, scoop out any hot sides you would like to order and then ring you up. 

Food: Once you get your food you move into the dining room where there is a huge roll of butcher paper. You tear off a couple pieces and this is your plate. There is also a condiment bar full of sliced raw yellow onion, pickles and pickled jalapenos and carrots. Rudy’s BBQ sauces are on the table for you when you sit down.

Beef Brisket: You can order it lean or moist (which has a higher marbling of fat). Obviously we ordered it moist. It had a nice thick crusty peppery bark and melt in your mouth moist meat. 

Hot Links: These are also very good, great snap, spice and moisture content.

Pit Smoked Ham: Also really nice. Good smoky flavor and nice and moist.

3 Bean Salad: A little on the sweet side for me but it was nice to have a different, lighter side for a change.

Creamed Corn: Basically corn kernels in a cream sauce.

BBQ Sauce: Thick and sweet with light spice.

After our the first two spots we took a break from eating and checked into our hotel in Dallas. We then went uptown to a sports bar called Frankies to watch the 49er game on one TV and the Cowboys game on another. The place was full of locals screaming at the game. We had a couple PBR tall boys, the Cowboys beat the Eagles and the 49ers tied the Rams.

Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse: We had heard a lot of great buzz about this place from the locals. There are multiple locations now but we wanted to go to the original, that had been there for about 54 years. When we walked in the door we knew we had made the right choice. We immediately received a warm welcome from the guys behind the counter. We told them of our travels and that we were in search of amazing BBQ. They welcomed us back into the kitchen to let us check out the 55 year old smoker (which was awesome!) and take pictures. Jose, Felipe, Chris and Shane take great pride in their work and took great care of us. 

Atmosphere: This place is great. Small little hole in the wall, kitchen on one side and dining room on the other lined with old vintage classroom seats with the built in arm tables. The walls are lined with old photographs of Sonny and famous people such as Julia Child.

Food: The food is great here. Classic Texas style BBQ. I hear there is a line out the door for lunch we were there on a sleepy sunday night so we were able to hang out with the cooks and enjoy the food at a leisurely pace. 

Ribs: The ribs were off the hook! We ordered seconds :)

Beef Brisket and Hot Links: Also good, nice smoky flavor.

BBQ Sauce: Their BBQ sauce was my favorite so far. Vinegary, but still had a thickness to it and nice spice. Sorry but I can’t share the secret recipe with you :)

Coleslaw and house-made Onion Rings: Both good. The rings were crispy and not greasy which I liked.