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WIllie

Sign me up for the whole pig and the pork shoulder.

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“Statistics show that of those who contract the habit of eating, very few survive.”
George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright (1856-1950)

My question as well. Southern Pride, Southern Yankee or another smoker entirely?

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Hi,

What would be the likely weight of the pig pre-cook? Once known, cost of the cooked pig?

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
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It's not the pit, it's the pitmaster.

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Honky Tonk Barbeque is closed on Sunday. This has been a public service announcement.

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

I'm with you on the bark. Be be aware, this is truly a personal preference. I love the tips at Honey1 because of the bark. I got one exceptional batch once where every piece was crisp and chewy. The person I was sharing with complained that it was too tough and preferred the barkless tips at SBR. I think he was an idiot and informed him of such. Of course, he's welcome to his opinion, no matter how inane it is.

We just came home from dinner at Honky Tonk. This was our first time there and we were happy to try it. Both my husband and I had the St. Louis ribs. The cole slaw was terrific and the ribs were good. I didn't think they needed any barbeque sauce, although I tried a little of both and concur with what others have said on the board -- very sweet. We also got a side of beans and one of mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was good, but the beans were just -- well, beans. They didn't taste homemade at all and I wouldn't order them twice. Two people at our table ordered the fried green tomatoes. They looked delicious. I didn't try them.

A couple of people at the table had brisket and it looked very good. I will probably try it on my next visit. We will most certainly be back.

Also, they mentioned that last night was their busiest night to date -- Check Please was taping. They will be featured in October.

Suzy

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" There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."
- Frank Zappa

we were there about a week ago, and were told that check please was to pay a visit there yesterday (friday). does anyone know any details?

Chef Efrain here. Willie asked me to be the guest chef this weekend at Honky Tonk and offer a dinner special.
I'll be making some birria, which I will cook in the traditional way, served with onion, cilantro, lime, homemade tortillas and arbol chile sauce.

Stop by on Saturday, August 23rd for a taste!
It will be ready after 5pm.

Good Lord, Chefriah. . do you have to do it the one weekend I finally decide to take a vacation???

My first "blip" experience at Honky Tonk tonight - an otherwise delicious brisket sandwich and pork sandwich, with perfect flavor, temperature, and moistness, but absolutely no bark whatsoever, as described once above. I usually specify that I like the barkier bits of pork and burnt ends on the brisket, and did so tonight as well, but received uniformly meaty but not crispy samplings of both the beef and pork.

The sauce (on the side) was excellent as usual, the bread fresh (growing on me very slowly), and the helpings generous. They also have a rocking new exterior paint job highlighting the high showings in Memphis.

Efrain and Willie - is there a better codeword for securing the crust / ends / bark, or is the current smoking process such that these are rarer commodities and have to be portioned sparingly and equally to all customers? Is there a best time of day to get this preference? Thanks for any thoughts, and much continued success.

we stopped by yesterday for our pulled pork sandwich fix and was pleasantly surprised by the much improved banana pudding. it was still slightly warm, as it was freshly prepared in house. we were told they have someone baking there rather than outsourcing.

I've had the pleasure of trying Honky Tonk twice in the last week (once from the 18th st location, once at the Hideout Block Party), and while the meats have been good (although smokier than I am used to), the bread which accompanies the pulled pork has been awful both times. I don't know if its been stale exactly, but it was dry, crumbly, and chewy. Its unfortunate, especially considering that the pulled pork isn't available sans bread. Ultimately though, I don't want it sans bread, I want a good sandwich! This meat deserves better!

I also tried it at the Block Party and was just about to post but you beat me to it. The roll (Gonella, I guess?) was crappy on Saturday, atrocious on Sunday. The pork was good, though. Question: Is it standard to wrap the meat in foil while smoking? I would think that would result in soggy meat. For that matter, so did slicing the brisket and pulling the pork, then storing them in covered containers in advance. Even when there was a long line, everyone seemed to get fed from the pre-pulled stuff; somehow, I doubt that happens to the judges at these competitions. Still, the pork was well-smoked and tasty. Sauce was nothing special.

BBQ fans. The bread at Hideout was Turano. Freshly baked Friday, Delivered Saturday and served Saturday and Sunday. Some people like it, some people do not. At the restaurant, we are using an Italian Ciabatta from Highland Baking in Highland Park. When this bread is warmed up, it turns into a very fresh and aromatic Italian roll. I am open to exploring other bread and sandwich roll options. Please let me know your preference when you visit the restaurant.
The pulled pork at the Hideout Block party was all freshly pulled, not pre-pulled. It is cooked to the proper tenderness/done-ness and internal temperature that the judges are looking for, not soggy, not chewy, not overcooked and not undercooked. The plastic/foil is more a way to carry it and hold it complete with its natural juices and dry rub.
Thank you for the reviews, pos and neg. We aim to please.
Willie
Honky Tonk

Hi,

As a resident of Highland Park, I didn't recall hearing Highland Baking was in town. It is indeed next door in Northbrook:

Highland Baking Co
www.highlandbaking.com
2301 Shermer Rd
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 677-2789

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

hello
i am heading to honky tonk tonight with a few chefs and a few competition bbq friends
we have spoken to willie he knows we are coming
cant wait to talk bbq with him and eat his bbq i know it is the real deal
if any of y'all care to join us we will be there at 6:30
willie assured us he will pull up a chair and join us and talk a little q
have a great day i know we will have some mighty fine bbq tonight

looking forward to it Dave! Sticking to a light lunch today

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First Place BBQ Sauce - 2010 NBBQA ( Natl BBQ Assoc) Awards of Excellence

LTH,

Stopped at Honky Tonk around 8 and the festivities were in full swing with Northside Southpaws old style ragtime the perfect accompaniment to seriously spirited BBQ conversation. Dave Raymond and his competition BBQ team, including Larry"Duce" Raymond, Sweet Baby Ray's corporate chef and comp BBQ man, along with other notable competition guys such as Bill Mehilos, Head's Red BBQ and of course Willie Wagner of Honkey Tonk, third in pork shoulder, Memphis in May and Efrain Cuevas, a member of Willies BBQ team. Barry Sorkin of Smoque along with myself, Colleen Rush (Crrush), Chris and a few comp BBQ people whose names I did not catch rounded out the group.

My half slab of dry rub baby backs, produced on Willie's new Stumps wood & lump charcoal smoker, were meaty, tender with a nice chew and light smoke flavor and I saw a few plates of Fred Flintstone worthy beef short ribs passed around. But conversation was the real highlight of the evening. No two people seemed to agree, in particular myself and Dave Raymond, but that made for interesting and passionate conversation, especially as quantities of Shiner Bock and bourbon magically disappeared.

Bill Mehilos (Head's Red BBQ), Colleen Rush (Crrush), Dave Raymond (Sweet Baby Ray), Barry Sorkin (Smoque), Willie Wagner (Honky Tonk)



Willie, Colleen, Chris, Efrain Cuevas



Northside Southpaws



Willie and daughter



Dave, thanks for the call out, really enjoyed chatting, we don't agree on much, aside from we are both passionate about BBQ, but that makes for interesting conversation.

As an aside, Larry "Duce" Raymond will be doing a cooking demo on the Big Green Egg at Egg Fest, along with Dr. BBQ Ray Lampe and other chefs tomorrow (Saturday) at Carmichael's Steak House. I plan to attend, never been to an Egg Fest, but it sounds like a good time.

Enjoy,
Gary

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

i had a great time as i think we all did
thanks to willie and his staff for a great overall evening
hospitality was great as was the food which was only surpassed by the company

i will dissagree with gary again
i think we are very close on we we think about q
and as we talk more im sue we will be even more on the same page
i think with guys like gary and myself its not what we say but how we say it

it was so kool to me hanging out with the bbq peeps
gary and i kind of talked about going to honey 1 next in a month or so i would love to go to a few places en mass like last night and then we can set up a cooking event where some of us can cook and we can all hang out and talk some q

willie and his team showed us their passion and commitment
as well as knowlege and superior q ing abilites

as gary said the shinner bock and whiskey did not hurt things (only my head this morning)

more than ever after chatting with gary and the other great bbq guys feel that together we can help bring more regonition
to illinois for bbq and gary and the bbq folks at lthforum can and should be a big part of it
i personally have as much respect for backyard bbq people as much as any aspect of bbq /grilling
and that is what i consider myself is a back yard griller and bbq man
so hats off to willie and his team and to honky tonk a terrific interpatation of bbq in a most unique setting
well done well done indeed

gary see you sat am
lets talk about cooking on a egg
after 30 years of loyality to weber grills
i have just bought my first green egg

am i grilling, bbqing, baking, steaming , roasting
im not sure but im open to talking about it

have a great day im still on a high from last night
the most fun ive had since i got back from lynchburg and the jack for the world bbq championship
50 state champs and 16 international teams

barry thanks for taking the time to hang out
continued good luck to you and your team

great pics and good times last night Gary..thats whats great about BBQ..more than one way to skin (and smoke) a cat..just dont tell us BBQ guys cuz we will argue that

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First Place BBQ Sauce - 2010 NBBQA ( Natl BBQ Assoc) Awards of Excellence

FYI,

Honky Tonk is in the process of quadrupling in size including adding a full bar and expanding hours to 100+ open seven days a week with live music most nights and food until 1am. I have not seen it, but according to Willie Wagner, owner and pitmaster of Honkey Tonk, they are adding a new custom gravity fed lump charcoal and wood smoker to the lineup.

A major undertaking, should be a lively late night addition to the neighborhood.

Enjoy,
Gary

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Wow! That's an amazing expansion.. I'm looking forward to it. Maybe the brisket and ribs will have a bit more bark on them with the new smoker.

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Ed Fisher
my chicago food photos

RIP LTH.

This is exciting news. I've been walking back from Simone's a couple times craving ribs (although the drinks and beer at Simone's are great, the food I've had is not). So happy Honky Tonk will be open later!

Simone's
960 W 18th
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 666-8601

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We just had some very fine pulled pork from the Honky Tonk Barbecue portable smoke shack at the Bloodshot Records/Hideout Block party. Excellent pork-- might be my favorite in the city. Big hunks of crust for me, and soft succulent inner parts for my daughter. I am looking forward to trying the real restaurant.

They used good rolls for the sandwiches too-- my guess is Gonella, but I didn't see a package. I know a more smooshy roll or white bread is traditional, but these were great, holding up well under the bbq sauce and soaking up the pork juices/fat.

Cheers, Jen

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Congratulations to Honkey Tonk, a terrific showing on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. Willie Wagner looked like he was having a good time and the BBQ looked delicious.

Enjoy,
Gary

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Indeed! He looked like a kid in a candy store in his own place! I know a handufl of people that've already visited HTBBQ becuase of the show and they're addicted already.

If you build it, they will come.

We just celebrated Justin's birthday at Honky Tonk and has an absolutely fabulous time. They are in the process of opening a bar just to the east of their original space (I say "in the process of" because the liquor license has yet to be obtained so their hours haven't been expanded yet, but it's coming.). The new space is really cool - an old wood (salvaged, literally by Willie himself) bar, full of a crazy collection of artwork, and salvaged seats (including pews) and lighting fixtures. Our night was fabulous - from overly generous hosts (Thanks Willie & Beth) to great servers and delicious food.

I missed the salad...oh well...but enjoyed all of the meat, including brisket, chicken (never had this before and it was full of smoky goodness), hot links, and candied bacon. Unfortunately they ran out of pulled pork somewhere near the start of our table, but I managed to fill up on everything else including the delicious baked beans.

I can't wait until the bar opens - it will be great to have an alternative to Simone's.

_________________
FIG Catering, For Intimate Gatherings
Our website
Our blog
molly@FIGcatering.com

I was wondering who the big party in the room up front was! Wish I had investigated and come to say hello.

Had dinner at Honky Tonk for the first time last night and really enjoyed it. Great space, really friendly folks, good bbq. The St. Louis ribs were the only thing we didn't much care for - the brisket, hot link, and pork & beans were all really good. I enjoyed the hot link so much that I asked if they made it in-house or sourced it - the waitress said it's the one thing they source and it's from Peoria Packing*.

Great time overall and glad I finally made it there.

-Dan

* Who I have not been a big fan of in the past, but this link will perhaps sway my opinion.

One quick post script: the entire staff was exceedingly warm and friendly. Not just our waitress, but the fellow who found us a table, people who stopped by to top off water and clear plates - everyone. It really made us feel at home and comfortable.

-Dan