Big Ed's BBQ

-Grubbing in Chicago (land)
Where Da Bears eat.

So far this month we've been back and forth, along with up and down and in and out of the state. I said it would be travel packed and so for the next two spots we visit we'll head to places along the Lake Michigan Circle Tour route that you may pass on the way to Wisconsin or Michigan if you choose to take that route to those states. Today we head North along the Lake up along Sheridan road to a place past the Northshore located in North Chicago. When you hot Martin Luther King Jr Drive the only way you can turn is left if coming from Chicago and your going to want to do that because it'll bring ya to Big Ed's.


North Chicago, IL

Big Ed's has been around for a few years now and anyone who's driven by has surely smelled the smoke. Ed's is an all in the family type spot and its run by none other than Ed who is helped out by his wife and kids. A former service veteran, Ed was discharged after an injury and began work in corporate America and then began to start a small catering company after attending Kendall Culinary College. As time went by Ed started to cater full time and had a wide range of regular clients including many of Da Bears who live up North close to the team facility's. As his legend grew so did the need for his 'que and eventually Ed opened up Big Ed's where it stays today and is the home to "great BBQ and then some" which is a true story. Ed uses hickory wood in his Chicago style aquarium smoker and is always on duty making sure there's great BBQ to be had in Lake County. But so the saying goes, there's alot more here too. I like messing around with the tips and link combo like I do at all BBQ spots I love.


Rib Tips & Hot Link Combo

Ed and his wife are some of the best hosts you can have at any restaurant from fast food to fine dining. You can know that your going to be taken care of and anything you need within reason will not be a problem. Ed is devoted to his craft and puts TLC into each and every piece of meat that goes into his smoker. Having grown up on the southside Ed learned to smoke using an Aquarium at an early age and that you can tell when you get that first bite of bark from a rib tip. Almost everything on the menu here is made from scratch and this includes the hot links which go great with his bbq sauce. Its not just BBQ on the menu, this place has something for everyone and this includes burgers, sandwiches and fried fish and chicken. I'm still making my way thru other items but I cant wait to get back, everything I've had on my visits has been stellar.


Chicken Wings

On one visit in which I was coming back from the outlet malls I had a craving for chicken wings, specifically fried and I stopped at Ed's to help kill the want and it worked wonders. The wings came out perfectly fried and the selection of hot and bbq sauce was wonderful. It's been a couple months since I've had the pleasure of stopping on in for some of Ed and his family's fantastic food paired with wonderful hospitality but the time is coming since this post reminded me I have some things I have yet to try. I didn't snap any pictures of the sides but the mac and cheese and collard greens are must gets for me on every visit. I very much look forward to my next one.


Perfect bark on the rib tips

Big Ed's BBQ
2501 MLK Jr Drive
North Chicago, IL 60064
(847) 578-1901
Website

Milwaukee Germanfest

-Feastin' at locals favorite festivals

Our next stop is a straight shot up the lake from Chicago into the great city of Milwaukee. It's also time to introduce the newest series here at S'C'&C which is to feature different food related festivals I visited last summer, which I will now share with you thru this summer. I'll be sure to always make the post in advance of their 2010 date's. This year the Milwaukee Germanfest which is held on the lakefront kicks off on Thursday July 22nd and goes 'til Sunday July 25th 2010. It also happens to be the 30th anniversary of what they call "Milwaukee's Original Haus Party". Last year me and a couple friends embarked on a daylong journey to Milwaukee and ended our trip with a stop at Germanfest and made sure we went out with a bang. I've let it be known that Milwaukee is one of my favorite cities in the US to visit and summertime is best. This is a place that knows how to throw parties and its been that way since the 1840's when the population of the city was heavily increased by German immigrants. The German heritage and culture is still widespread throughout Milwaukee today and if there's one Germanfest in the US you want to visit, Milwaukee's is it. Beer, Brats and Blondes...oh my!


I'm going going, back back to Milly Milly

According to Wikipedia today's greater Milwaukee area phonebook has over 40 pages of listings with Schmitt or Schmidt which is far outweighing the number of Smiths. Milwaukee has some great German restaurants along with classic beerhalls and some great architecture and they've all been a part of the community for generations. We went on the opening day which was a Thursday last year and admission was free and we took in the scene, chowed down on the food and put down plenty of beer during our visit. I snapped as much as I could remember too and hope to get back this year. So here's a little sneak peak into what you can expect at Germanfest in Milwaukee on beautiful Lake Michigan.


Germanfest is one of Milwaukee's many summertime parties


You can expect plenty of food and beer


Fresh roasting chickens on a spit were there as we entered


But it was the pig roasts that got our immediate attention


Spanferkel (roasted suckling pig) dinner


Pig's feet were cheap and full of flavor


I always gotta try whatever the local Elk's are frying up wherever I'm at


Potato Wedges with sour cream were good beer food


Milwaukee Elk's Lodge Fried Chicken was da bomb


Make sure you go on a very empty stomach


Mader's is a famous local German restaurant


Tubed meats are a must at any Germanfest


The line for these was so long it's one of the few items I didn't get to try


Tenderloin Sandwich


We didn't try any German pizza but it was interesting


Pizzas pre-toppings


What makes up a German pizza you ask?


Plenty of good beer and beer halls to consume it in at Germanfest


Dessert Time


Cherries are big in Wisconsin


So I had to get a cherry strudel while I was there


Sil's Drive thru is popular in Milly for its mini donuts


They had a mini donut making machine at the fair


It was pretty cool watching them be made


Excellent donuts they were...
________________________________________

So if your thinking of heading up to Milwaukee for Germanfest or for any other reason we have plenty of other good eat rec's that can be found right HERE. Its an amazing eating city and a great place to spend a summer weekend or even just the day eating and drinking away. See ya next time on Smokin' Chokin' and Chowing with the King.

Uncle John's Barbecue

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where the locals eat.

Mark today's stop as one of my favorite spots in the city. When it comes to BBQ, Uncle John's over on Calumet and 69th and its pitmaster Mack are the holy grail of smoked meats in the Windy City. Its a spot I was first put onto by my man G Wiv thru one of his posts about it over at LTHforum. In case you didn't know G Wiv is also the godfather of Chicago 'que and has written a book on making real deal BBQ the real deal way, low and slow. If there was one book you needed to own in your BBQ collection, this would be it. Uncle John's is where the boss of BBQ in this city eats his smoked meats and it's damn easy to see why. It is one of the best barbecue joints in not just the city but the country. It's been around for about four years now since Mack opened it up after working at another famous Chicago 'que joint. It has been getting lots of press of late since it is G Wiv's spot for good Chicago BBQ. Recently its been in the Tribune, on WGN news and discussed on all sorts of food forums and boards and featured in other articles. Just a couple weeks ago Gary aka G Wiv took Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods there for the Chicago taping. So its already getting loads of people from all over with plenty more coming after the episode airs and I'm about to send more.


Andrew Zimmern with G Wiv outside Uncle John's (pic by PhilW)

Let me start off by letting everyone know that if you have any hesitation about going to the neighborhood because you've never been south of 18th street to have that fear no more. It was a safe place when the spot was relatively unknown by northsiders and now that there's people coming from all over its still just as safe. The people that work with Mack, family and friends, are as nice and helpful as you can get. What's funny is, its the places like Uncle John's where I experience the best and most warm receptions from its employees. Its when I go to some trendy ass bar or hipster restaurant where I get snobby ass looks and actions from employees that are mad that I'm ordering alot of food and drinks and asking questions. Mack would love to share his knowledge of BBQ with you and is happy to answer questions about his specialty and what they do with it. As G Wiv put it "It's great to have Mack back and cooking BBQ, there are only a few real Pitmasters left in Chicago."


To the right as you walk in


The aquarium style smoker used at Uncle John's to smoke the meats

As you can see from the picture above, the meats are smoked at UJ's using an aquarium style smoker which is a custom piece of equipment very popular to the Chicagoland area. If you go over HERE you check out a thread from LTH about the history of the aquarium style smoker. Once again I will quote the Godfather of Chicago Barbecue on them in which he said "The Aquarium cooker seems to be Chicago specific, and they can be found all over Chicago, unfortunately few places still use them for anything but show or holding meat. Turning out good BBQ on an Aquarium style smoker is a dying art." Which is why UJ's is such a treasure to have and it's all about the 'que. As you do or don't know, I always order my BBQ with the sauce on the side. Its a way of being able to taste the smokiness and not drown the meat in sauce and changing the texture. The sauce is however phenomenal. It comes in a hot or mild variety and the hot is HOT. I always go with that.


Mack's HOT sauce

So what about the BBQ? what is it at Uncle John's that makes them one of the best yet? Well its all about the tips and links and everyone will tell you this. Don't discount the full slabs of ribs either because those too are great but in Chicago we love our rib tips. We also LOVE Mack's housemade hot links which are some of the best links you will ever come across. When you the pair the two of those together in a combo, you got a little taste of heaven.


XL Tips and Links Combo

Rib tips are Chicago's BBQ specialty. Memphis has the ribs, KC the sauce, Texas the brisket, Carolina's got pulled pork and Chicago's got its rib tips. I've basically grown up on the meaty end part of a spare rib slab that is cut off and smoked and then chopped, bones and all before serving. Tips when done right are full of flavor and provide a perfect balance of succulent smokey meat and crisp charred edges or bark as the pitmasters call it. While we still have 100's of places in Chicago that do up rib tips there arent as many that do a perfect job with them each and every time, which is the case over at Uncle John's. I just cant get enough rib tips from Mack and his staff. They got the perfect amount of smoke, fat and gristle in each and every bite and manage to make the outside nice and chewy in a good way while the meat inside is tender and melts on your tongue.


Nice piece of bark from a batch of Rib Tips

But you cant go there and just get the tips, you need to get the combo. The housemade hot links are simply outstanding. Quite easily some of the best sausage anywhere on the earth and as addictive as crack and facebook. Mack takes a very well coarse link that's perfect in texture and is seasoned with fresh spices and peppers and then smokes it to precision and once you dip it in some hot BBQ sauce it's called sheer perfection. In fact if you call ahead, which I always suggest you do, to make sure they're open, you can order Mack's hot links by the case and half case. Give them a day or two's notice but these are a must have for any tailgate or backyard BBQ party your planning on having this summer. It's hard to come up with anything better, all you need is the links, some wood and a little bit of time along with an ice cold beer.


Mack's housemade hot links on the Godfathers smoker

So if you were planning on taking a trip to Chicago this summer or taking a trip somewhere in your city for some good bbq, you now have your spot. The 'que even travels real well (make sure you get sauce on the side) so you can can make a call ahead order and take it over to Calumet Park and eat it along the lake or back home or at US Cell field for some tailgating eating or whatever the hell you want to do. Its all up to you, just know that all of us who have been, have done so a countless amount of times. Its one of those places that will be in your regular rotation, the rest of your life. Please note to call before your visit if you plan on making a trek to UJ's (which is well worth it) the hours can sometimes change and they, like the rest of us, like a vacation now and then too. Although every time I go by there, I feel like I'm on vacation eating the best bbq in the Midwest. If your planning on taking a food journey this summer, Uncle John's is your spot.


Inside of a hot link, a beautiful piece of art it is...

Uncle Johns
337 East 69th Street
Chicago, IL 60637-4638
(773) 892-1233

Best Bar-B-Que

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where the locals eat.

It was last fall when I was doing a cruise to the southside along I57 that took me off at my normal exit that leads to 115th street in Morgan Park. As you drive along you will notice a smokehouse with a large chimney coming out the roof that goes by Best Bar-B-Que. Its a place I had driven by many times but was always closed or I was en route elsewhere. However that all changed when me and a buddy drove by one early afternoon and the smoke was flowing out of the chimney so we had to pull in and grab some BBQ.


Smoke coming out on top

Decided to go with my standard first time order when I go to a real BBQ spot in the Chicagoland area which is a rib tip and hot links combo with the sauce on the side. It took about five minutes as I recall and we took our combos out to dine al trunko and see if this was some legit BBQ or if we were getting smoke blowed up our ass. The BBQ sauce was pretty legit and was the first thing I got a little taste of like I always do at a BBQ joint by sticking my finger in to see whats up.


BBQ sauce

Soon after I ripped into my tips/links combo and was pretty damn satisfied. Since we had driven by when there was a ton of smoke coming out the chimney, both the tips and links seemed to be fresh out of the aquarium style smoker that all the places in Chicagoland use. The tips were done to near perfection with perfect amount of smoke flavor and they had plenty of charred bark like I like mine to have. The links were also very good and had a good amount of heat to them, also the way I like mine. Overall it was a great quick snack to grab and a bargain at about $5 for it. Its not the best 'que I've ever come across but it was more than acceptable and would be a regular stop for me on days when smoke is rising from there if I had lived a little closer.



Insides of the smoked hot links


Rib Tip looking like money


Rib Tips/Hot Link Lunch Combo

Best Bar-B-Que
1648 West 115th Street
Chicago, IL 60643-4370
(773) 239-1522‎

Southside Institutions: Leon's BBQ

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where the locals eat.

Is Chicago a BBQ town? most out of towners might think so but others from here and also those who aren't might disagree. I view us as a 2nd tier BBQ destination. I also believe there was a time back in the day when it was much more of a presence here in Chicago. However there aren't too many places that aren't considered a part of the BBQ trail that have their very own regional style of 'cue. If you go to any respectable and real BBQ place in Chicago they will have a few things for sure. Rib Tips and links that are smoked in an aquarium style smoker is pure Chicago. While I don't consider Chicago to be an amazing BBQ town it has its fair share of places that have always done it right. One of these famous destinations and well known establishments is Leon's.


View of Leon's from the Skyway last winter...the "L" has since vanished


from outside this fall

Just like any other spot in the food game if you've been around since 1941-which Leon's has-you are going to become legendary. Mississippi native Leon Finney Sr. started to smoke out Chicago in 1941. He started the business with his aunt and to this day it remains in the Finney family. As time passed and the legend grew they expanded and have quite a few locations in the area. Just like anywhere else that has this many outposts, the quality can vary. Also like any BBQ place the consistency can vary. There are a few Leon's including the one Lincoln Park that are franchised owned but I never go to them. If you want the real pork you have to make it to the southside to get the up to par standard that Leon Sr. set the bar with. I have heard that one of the older locations is the 79th street spot in South Chicago. I think its most likely the only location I've been to. It's another spot I've been hitting up since I had my license. Its located off the skyway on 79th just past Stoney.


Menu at Leon's

Now don't get me wrong, I love ribs and they are one of my favorite things to eat but I usually order rib tips from Chicago BBQ joints. Its a part of our cuisine and when done up right I enjoy them greatly. The perfect combination of smoke and fat can make for a heavenly snack. I always order my BBQ with sauce on the side. I don't think smoked meat should be slathered in BBQ sauce. It takes away from the flavor and texture when its swimming in sauce. Its not that I don't like BBQ sauce with my smoked meat I just prefer to dip each bite ever so slightly so I get a taste of pig, smoke and sauce. The rib tips at Leon's can be good not great but usually very good. They have some good smoke flavor but sometimes can be too fatty, chewy and or just not chopped right which is more about the prep then taste.


Rib Tip's from Leon's

It was on a day that Leon's was out of rib tips that I discovered their hot links. Obviously I have a love for encased meat along with a love for spicy and smokey. So hot links are one of my ideal eats and one of my favorite spots for them is at Leon's. I would recommend getting the dinner plate which is always enough for leftovers. However one of their great deals is the hot link sandwich which for under $4 gets you a couple links some of their fresh cut fries and a few pieces of wonder bread all soaked in their BBQ sauce. The sandwich is a meal in itself and has been in the lunch or dinner rotation for many people throughout the years. Leon's does it up consistently and that's what people are comfortable with. Its also one of those places where everything on the menu is popular from the ribs to the wings and everything in between. It's one of those stops that if your going to claim Chicago, well then you better know about the original.


Hot Link Sandwich fresh outta the bag


No shortcuts at Leon's...fresh cut fries


Get linked up on the southside

Leon's Bar-BQ the Original
1640 E 79th St
Chicago, IL 60649-4937
(773) 731-1454