Current location:
6100 S. Lewis (Northwest corner)
Westlake Hardware parking lot
2237 E. 61st St. So.
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136
Summer Hours:
Open: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 11am - 9pm
www.unkstevesbbq.com
Equipment: custom smoker (built into trailer)
Motto: "the smoke stops here with ol skool flava"
There aren't very many BBQ trailers in or around Tulsa, but I had driven by Unk Steve's trailer at 61st&Lewis several times without stopping. Last Friday I had some time over the lunch hour so I went to check it out. Located in the parking lot of Ace hardware the "war wagon", as owner Tammara Olden calls it, is a grey concession trailer with a matching pick-up truck. Two smoke stacks stick up from the roof slowly releasing the aroma of hickory in blue whisps of smoke.
For a concession trailer Unk Steve's has a fairly extensive menu of traditional (or "ol skool") bbq fare, and offers a daily special as well. When I arrived there were four or five other customers ordering or waiting on their order. When it was mine turn to order I quickly decided on the pulled "pork samich" and the beans. Everyone has there favorites, but I believe you can learn a lot from a BBQ joint by sampling those two items. While there was a table around back, I wasn't sure if it was for the customers or for the owner. So, I took my order to go. Back at my office a few co-workers inquired about my brown paper bag that smelled so much like smoke. I took it back to my desk to analyze the food. The aroma of smoke was very strong, and it carried over in the taste of the meat. The pork was pulled into big chunks (just the way I like it) and not shredded like you'll get at some restaurants. The meat was as good as most BBQ restaurants around here, my only complaint was that I tasted more smoke than pork. Some people say you can't oversmoke meat, but I believe you can and this pork was on the verge of being to smokey.
The beans were underwhelming, tasting like some doctored up canned beans. They were too sweet in my opinion, and the texture was mushy like a canned bean.
The "pork samich" had promise and I would go back to try other items. All in all Unk Steve's was a good experience and I had to put on my critic hat to find some complaints about the food in general. If you are around the 61st and Lewis area, stop by for some ribs or a sloppy steve's samich.
Ratings: 7 ribs (out of ten) I don't feel like I sampled enough to fully rate this place so for now it gets a 7/10. I'll go back for another try and follow up this review.
Price: $1/2
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Massey's BBQ
200 North Wood Drive Hwy 75
Okmulgee, OK 74447
(918) 756-8227
Open: Mon.-Thurs. 11:00-8:00 Fri.-Sat. 11:00-9:00
http://www.masseysbarbeque.com/
Equipment: custom made (pecan burning) pit
Motto: "No brag-Jus fact"
My wife and I stopped at Massey's on our way to Dallas. We had been there once before and remembered it being good. We stopped in for lunch just as the crowd was starting to show up. The owner greeted us as we were walking in the restaurant. The decor is nothing special, John Wayne posters and handmade signs on the walls. The place was clean and well kept. We looked over the menu and both decided to get a sandwich. We stepped up to the cash register, and I ordered a chopped pork sandwich with a side of beans. Melissa ordered a sliced turkey sanwich with a side of potato salad. Both of our orders came with a drink. The pricing in general was very reasonable. We sat and waited for our number to be called, and someone brought a tray with both of our meals. I tried the beans first. They had a good flavor to them, though I suspect that they may have been scorched a bit in the pot. They had a bit of a burnt taste to them. My wife's potato salad was so-so. We questioned whether it was homemade or from a tub. Where Massey's really shines is in the meat itself as both meat selections were cooked to perfection. My pork sandwich was so tender and juicy and full of flavor that I almost regretted putting any sauce on it at all. My wife's turkey sandwich was amazing, by far the best smoked turkey I've had in my life. I would come back just for another turkey sandwich if nothing else.
The sauces seemed to be homemade. The regular sauce was very sweet and the hot sauce wasn't so hot you couldn't eat it. I suspect if you like hot sauce it might not think it's hot enough (but they keep Louisiana hot sauce on the tables, too). I don't usually use the hot stuff, but it was my preference at Massey's.
The quality of the meat made our dining experience a great one. Even with the couple of complaints about the sides, I told my wife as we were leaving "I have a new favorite BBQ restaurant."
If you are looking for a fine dining experience, Massey's is not the place for you, but if you are looking for a quality BBQ joint with top-notch meats, then head down to Okmulgee and see why they say it the best BBQ "no brag-jus fact."
Ratings: 9 ribs (out of 10) I say I'd probably never rank anything a 10 because you can always improve something. The turkey sandwich at Massey's is as close to a 10 as I have ever had.
Price: $
Okmulgee, OK 74447
(918) 756-8227
Open: Mon.-Thurs. 11:00-8:00 Fri.-Sat. 11:00-9:00
http://www.masseysbarbeque.com/
Equipment: custom made (pecan burning) pit
Motto: "No brag-Jus fact"
My wife and I stopped at Massey's on our way to Dallas. We had been there once before and remembered it being good. We stopped in for lunch just as the crowd was starting to show up. The owner greeted us as we were walking in the restaurant. The decor is nothing special, John Wayne posters and handmade signs on the walls. The place was clean and well kept. We looked over the menu and both decided to get a sandwich. We stepped up to the cash register, and I ordered a chopped pork sandwich with a side of beans. Melissa ordered a sliced turkey sanwich with a side of potato salad. Both of our orders came with a drink. The pricing in general was very reasonable. We sat and waited for our number to be called, and someone brought a tray with both of our meals. I tried the beans first. They had a good flavor to them, though I suspect that they may have been scorched a bit in the pot. They had a bit of a burnt taste to them. My wife's potato salad was so-so. We questioned whether it was homemade or from a tub. Where Massey's really shines is in the meat itself as both meat selections were cooked to perfection. My pork sandwich was so tender and juicy and full of flavor that I almost regretted putting any sauce on it at all. My wife's turkey sandwich was amazing, by far the best smoked turkey I've had in my life. I would come back just for another turkey sandwich if nothing else.
The sauces seemed to be homemade. The regular sauce was very sweet and the hot sauce wasn't so hot you couldn't eat it. I suspect if you like hot sauce it might not think it's hot enough (but they keep Louisiana hot sauce on the tables, too). I don't usually use the hot stuff, but it was my preference at Massey's.
The quality of the meat made our dining experience a great one. Even with the couple of complaints about the sides, I told my wife as we were leaving "I have a new favorite BBQ restaurant."
If you are looking for a fine dining experience, Massey's is not the place for you, but if you are looking for a quality BBQ joint with top-notch meats, then head down to Okmulgee and see why they say it the best BBQ "no brag-jus fact."
Ratings: 9 ribs (out of 10) I say I'd probably never rank anything a 10 because you can always improve something. The turkey sandwich at Massey's is as close to a 10 as I have ever had.
Price: $
Chef Paul Kirk's tips for finding good BBQ
Perhaps one of the most famous BBQ cooks in the world is Paul Kirk (the "Baron" of Kansas City BBQ). In his book America's Best BBQ, he lists several tips on finding the best BBQ joints.
Put your favorite joint to the test, and ask yourself these questions:
- Is the owner's name on it?
-Is there a cluttered working woodpile out back?
-Is barbecue the specialty of the house?
-Are the premises clean enough to make you feel comfortable but not so squeaky clean that it looks like more time is spent with Windex, brooms, and mops than with fire, meat, and sauce?
-Is there a mix of clunkers and shiny new vehicles in the parking lot?
-Is there a mix of blue collars, jeans, T-shirts, skirts, and suits at the tables?
-Are there any flies?
If you can answer yes to all of those questions, there's no doubt your in an authentic BBQ joint.
Put your favorite joint to the test, and ask yourself these questions:
- Is the owner's name on it?
-Is there a cluttered working woodpile out back?
-Is barbecue the specialty of the house?
-Are the premises clean enough to make you feel comfortable but not so squeaky clean that it looks like more time is spent with Windex, brooms, and mops than with fire, meat, and sauce?
-Is there a mix of clunkers and shiny new vehicles in the parking lot?
-Is there a mix of blue collars, jeans, T-shirts, skirts, and suits at the tables?
-Are there any flies?
If you can answer yes to all of those questions, there's no doubt your in an authentic BBQ joint.
Taking the BBQ sandwich to the next level
Taking the BBQ sandwich to the next level, here's an article from the internet...
"So, what’s next for barbecue?
One Oklahoma restaurant is doing its best to stretch the boundaries of its smoker.
At Iron Starr Urban Bar-B-Q, 3700 N Shartel Ave., barbecue is made fresh daily, but the chefs never quit examining its potential.
Consider our old friend, the club sandwich: bacon, turkey, roast beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato with mayonnaise on toast — double-decker style.
Layer that template over a barbecue menu and right away you see the possibilities with smoked turkey and brisket. Chop the brisket to avoid a wrestling match in your mouth, keep the bacon, add two kinds of cheese, fuse barbecue sauce with homemade mayonnaise for the resulting barbecue aioli, toss a couple of slices of Texas toast on the grill and you’ve got May’s Sandwich of the Month, The BBQ Club.
The restaurants Keith and Heather Paul maintain through A Good Egg Dining Group are all innovative on some level. Cheever’s Cafe, Red PrimeSteak, Market C and POPS all offer a little more than standard fare.
But Iron Starr is redefining barbecue.
Keith Paul grew up in Fort Worth, eating the same barbecue we all love. But as a chef and restaurateur, he’s motivated to more than just follow the familiar path.
"It’s about trying to do things to stand out from the norm,” he said. "We’re trying to elevate things here, but it starts with the best possible ingredients.”
So, Iron Starr isn’t satisfied serving mac and cheese from a box, baked beans from a can or french fries from a freezer. While there’s no sin committed by those who do, Iron Starr simply is a little more ambitious. That can be a sink-or-swim risk for an establishment.
But when you serve a fancy mac and cheese that develops a cult following, knee-weakening cornbread, whole batter-fried okra and homemade pickles, the upside is hard to miss.
That said, Iron Starr doesn’t forget barbecue is king.
Whether it’s smoked, rubbed or sauced by a Kansas City Barbecue Society-certified pit-master, your Uncle Cleetus or chef Jose Barrios at Iron Starr, barbecue is comfort food.
By making a club sandwich out of it, isn’t Iron Starr simply doubling your comfort? Try a BBQ Club for yourself to decide."
"So, what’s next for barbecue?
One Oklahoma restaurant is doing its best to stretch the boundaries of its smoker.
At Iron Starr Urban Bar-B-Q, 3700 N Shartel Ave., barbecue is made fresh daily, but the chefs never quit examining its potential.
Consider our old friend, the club sandwich: bacon, turkey, roast beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato with mayonnaise on toast — double-decker style.
Layer that template over a barbecue menu and right away you see the possibilities with smoked turkey and brisket. Chop the brisket to avoid a wrestling match in your mouth, keep the bacon, add two kinds of cheese, fuse barbecue sauce with homemade mayonnaise for the resulting barbecue aioli, toss a couple of slices of Texas toast on the grill and you’ve got May’s Sandwich of the Month, The BBQ Club.
The restaurants Keith and Heather Paul maintain through A Good Egg Dining Group are all innovative on some level. Cheever’s Cafe, Red PrimeSteak, Market C and POPS all offer a little more than standard fare.
But Iron Starr is redefining barbecue.
Keith Paul grew up in Fort Worth, eating the same barbecue we all love. But as a chef and restaurateur, he’s motivated to more than just follow the familiar path.
"It’s about trying to do things to stand out from the norm,” he said. "We’re trying to elevate things here, but it starts with the best possible ingredients.”
So, Iron Starr isn’t satisfied serving mac and cheese from a box, baked beans from a can or french fries from a freezer. While there’s no sin committed by those who do, Iron Starr simply is a little more ambitious. That can be a sink-or-swim risk for an establishment.
But when you serve a fancy mac and cheese that develops a cult following, knee-weakening cornbread, whole batter-fried okra and homemade pickles, the upside is hard to miss.
That said, Iron Starr doesn’t forget barbecue is king.
Whether it’s smoked, rubbed or sauced by a Kansas City Barbecue Society-certified pit-master, your Uncle Cleetus or chef Jose Barrios at Iron Starr, barbecue is comfort food.
By making a club sandwich out of it, isn’t Iron Starr simply doubling your comfort? Try a BBQ Club for yourself to decide."
Monday, August 17, 2009
Stone Mill BBQ and Steakhouse
2000 W Reno St
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
(918) 258-4227
Open: Sun. 11:00-2:30 Mon.-Thurs. 11:00-8:30 Fri.-Sat. 11:00-9:30
http://www.stonemillbbq.com/
Equipment: Ole Hickory
You can tell when you first arrive at Stone Mill that the owners(Steve and Debbie Ohman) wanted to create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. From the koi pond and waterwheel outside, to the cabin-like interior, a lot of attention was paid to the decor. Themes run the gamut from the nautical pirate bar area on one end of the restaurant to the jungle room on the other end, complete with a rope bridge and stuffed animal jungle creatures.
When you walk in, you feel like you are in a steakhouse more than a BBQ joint. The atmosphere is a nice but comfortable family restaurant. We were some of the only customers in the place on Saturday afternoon though they could have been serving more via the drive-thru window on the backside of the building.
My wife, my in-laws, and I were warmly welcomed by our waitress and seated in the middle of the main dining area. As the name suggests, the menu offers more than just BBQ and is more of a full service restaurant than some of the other BBQ places we'll be visiting. From the salads to the steaks to seafood, there is much more than BBQ at the Stone Mill, but the BBQ is what we came for.
Randy ordered the pulled pork sandwich and enjoyed it very much. He liked it so much that he didn't even save me a bite. Carolyn ordered the Stone Mill Spud which she enjoyed thoroughly. I did get a chance to try the chopped beef that was served on the spud and it reminded me very much of sloppy joes. The meat was almost minced, with lots of sweet sauce holding it together. I was glad I didn't order it, but Carolyn seemed to like it just fine. My wife and I ordered the Stone Mill Sampler from the appetizer portion of the menu which allowed us to try the ribs, the pork tenderloin, the brisket, and the chicken. I usually gravitate towards the pork dishes, with ribs being my favorite, but here I enjoyed the chicken and the brisket the most.
When I found out that Stone Mill uses an Ole Hickory smoker, I was anxious to try out the meat. I've found that some restaurants using similar equipment will sometimes turn out a "mushy" product, and others using the same smoker will turn out some great BBQ. I was glad to find that Stone Mill's meat was not too mushy, though the brisket was so tender you could cut it with a spoon. The chicken had a good flavor and was very moist. I found the pork tenderloin to be actually quite dry in the middle. It had a decent flavor around the outside though there was little evidence of a smoke ring, but you needed to sauce it to keep from choking on it. The ribs were a disappointment. Though they were somewhat tender the flavor of rendered pork fat was missing. They were decent but not worth bragging about. Another food item worth mentioning--the rolls served warm with honey-butter. Yum!
All-in-all we were pleased with our experience and our food though I don't know how often I'll make the trip from mid-town. If you live in Broken Arrow, it's a gem of a family restaurant with a fairly extensive menu.
Ratings: 7 ribs (out of 10)
If I were rating this on the restaurant as a whole I'd give this place 8 ribs, but judging as a BBQ restaurant I give it 7 ribs.
Price: $$
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
(918) 258-4227
Open: Sun. 11:00-2:30 Mon.-Thurs. 11:00-8:30 Fri.-Sat. 11:00-9:30
http://www.stonemillbbq.com/
Equipment: Ole Hickory
You can tell when you first arrive at Stone Mill that the owners(Steve and Debbie Ohman) wanted to create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. From the koi pond and waterwheel outside, to the cabin-like interior, a lot of attention was paid to the decor. Themes run the gamut from the nautical pirate bar area on one end of the restaurant to the jungle room on the other end, complete with a rope bridge and stuffed animal jungle creatures.
When you walk in, you feel like you are in a steakhouse more than a BBQ joint. The atmosphere is a nice but comfortable family restaurant. We were some of the only customers in the place on Saturday afternoon though they could have been serving more via the drive-thru window on the backside of the building.
My wife, my in-laws, and I were warmly welcomed by our waitress and seated in the middle of the main dining area. As the name suggests, the menu offers more than just BBQ and is more of a full service restaurant than some of the other BBQ places we'll be visiting. From the salads to the steaks to seafood, there is much more than BBQ at the Stone Mill, but the BBQ is what we came for.
Randy ordered the pulled pork sandwich and enjoyed it very much. He liked it so much that he didn't even save me a bite. Carolyn ordered the Stone Mill Spud which she enjoyed thoroughly. I did get a chance to try the chopped beef that was served on the spud and it reminded me very much of sloppy joes. The meat was almost minced, with lots of sweet sauce holding it together. I was glad I didn't order it, but Carolyn seemed to like it just fine. My wife and I ordered the Stone Mill Sampler from the appetizer portion of the menu which allowed us to try the ribs, the pork tenderloin, the brisket, and the chicken. I usually gravitate towards the pork dishes, with ribs being my favorite, but here I enjoyed the chicken and the brisket the most.
When I found out that Stone Mill uses an Ole Hickory smoker, I was anxious to try out the meat. I've found that some restaurants using similar equipment will sometimes turn out a "mushy" product, and others using the same smoker will turn out some great BBQ. I was glad to find that Stone Mill's meat was not too mushy, though the brisket was so tender you could cut it with a spoon. The chicken had a good flavor and was very moist. I found the pork tenderloin to be actually quite dry in the middle. It had a decent flavor around the outside though there was little evidence of a smoke ring, but you needed to sauce it to keep from choking on it. The ribs were a disappointment. Though they were somewhat tender the flavor of rendered pork fat was missing. They were decent but not worth bragging about. Another food item worth mentioning--the rolls served warm with honey-butter. Yum!
All-in-all we were pleased with our experience and our food though I don't know how often I'll make the trip from mid-town. If you live in Broken Arrow, it's a gem of a family restaurant with a fairly extensive menu.
Ratings: 7 ribs (out of 10)
If I were rating this on the restaurant as a whole I'd give this place 8 ribs, but judging as a BBQ restaurant I give it 7 ribs.
Price: $$
Texas BBQ blog recognizes Oklahoma Que
Recently the BBQSnob posted this article onto the web...
"I often hear folks from Oklahoma crying that their state's version of barbecue is superior to Texas BBQ or any other regional offerings. With equal weight given to Texas style brisket, KC style sliced beef sandwiches and Memphis style ribs, I'd never been able to get a straight answer about what defines OK BBQ...until now. Rick Bayless grew up in Oklahoma City, and his parents ran Hickory House Barbecue on 25th and S. Western in OKC from 1949-1986. In Saveur Magazine he wrote about his experiences at his parents' joint, and attempted to define Oklahoma 'cue in his article “Hickory House Memories”. Here is an excerpt:"What I do believe is that most people don’t think of Oklahoma barbecue as unique – in contrast to the kind found in Texas or Kansas City or Memphis or North Carolina. In fact, this barbecue is usually described in terms of what it’s not: it’s not as saucy as barbecue from Kansas City, though both places commonly use hickory wood, and what sauce it has can be similar to K.C.’s with ketchup as a main ingredient. It’s not as tangy as Memphis barbecue and not as vinegary as what they serve in North Carolina. It’s not as dry as most classic Texas barbecue, and it’s not inclusive of just one kind of meat: both pork ribs and large cuts of beef (like brisket) play a major role. What it has in common with the other well-known barbecue styles of this country is that its tradition has existed for almost as long as theirs and was likely created by the same combination of European immigrants and black workers who came to the area and looked for good, cheap food when they arrived."Maybe it's just that those who sing the praises of Oklahoma barbecue simply appreciate that the style welcomes the use of sauce, and embraces the inclusion of myriad pork items onto the menu. I guess you could say Oklahoma is sort of BBQ Switzerland.- BBQ Snob"
"I often hear folks from Oklahoma crying that their state's version of barbecue is superior to Texas BBQ or any other regional offerings. With equal weight given to Texas style brisket, KC style sliced beef sandwiches and Memphis style ribs, I'd never been able to get a straight answer about what defines OK BBQ...until now. Rick Bayless grew up in Oklahoma City, and his parents ran Hickory House Barbecue on 25th and S. Western in OKC from 1949-1986. In Saveur Magazine he wrote about his experiences at his parents' joint, and attempted to define Oklahoma 'cue in his article “Hickory House Memories”. Here is an excerpt:"What I do believe is that most people don’t think of Oklahoma barbecue as unique – in contrast to the kind found in Texas or Kansas City or Memphis or North Carolina. In fact, this barbecue is usually described in terms of what it’s not: it’s not as saucy as barbecue from Kansas City, though both places commonly use hickory wood, and what sauce it has can be similar to K.C.’s with ketchup as a main ingredient. It’s not as tangy as Memphis barbecue and not as vinegary as what they serve in North Carolina. It’s not as dry as most classic Texas barbecue, and it’s not inclusive of just one kind of meat: both pork ribs and large cuts of beef (like brisket) play a major role. What it has in common with the other well-known barbecue styles of this country is that its tradition has existed for almost as long as theirs and was likely created by the same combination of European immigrants and black workers who came to the area and looked for good, cheap food when they arrived."Maybe it's just that those who sing the praises of Oklahoma barbecue simply appreciate that the style welcomes the use of sauce, and embraces the inclusion of myriad pork items onto the menu. I guess you could say Oklahoma is sort of BBQ Switzerland.- BBQ Snob"
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Welcome to the Que Review
Since Promethius and the discovery of fire, people have been cooking with smoke. But it wasn't until the Spaniards met the Native Americans for the first time in the southern U.S. that all the elements came into place for the culinary culmination we know now as BBQ. Many consider BBQ to be America's native food.
Like most Southern or Mid-west cities, Tulsa is blessed with myriad BBQ restaurants, shacks, joints, pits, and trailers. At the Que Review it is our goal to test as many of these joints as possible and return to you an unbiased review. Each place will be evaluated using a 10 rib scale (1 being the lowest score and 10 being the highest) I seriously doubt I'll ever hand out a 1 or a 10. We will be reviewing the physical restaurant (i.e. cleanliness, location, atmosphere, etc.), the service, the sides, the sauce, and most importantly, the meat. We hope you enjoy reading about our travels throughout Green Country and our quest for the best Que.
Like most Southern or Mid-west cities, Tulsa is blessed with myriad BBQ restaurants, shacks, joints, pits, and trailers. At the Que Review it is our goal to test as many of these joints as possible and return to you an unbiased review. Each place will be evaluated using a 10 rib scale (1 being the lowest score and 10 being the highest) I seriously doubt I'll ever hand out a 1 or a 10. We will be reviewing the physical restaurant (i.e. cleanliness, location, atmosphere, etc.), the service, the sides, the sauce, and most importantly, the meat. We hope you enjoy reading about our travels throughout Green Country and our quest for the best Que.
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