All the Heart. Twice the Tripe. THG Meets the McRib 2012.

Sure. It's got heart, tripe and some sort of yoga mat stabilizer. But THG isn't above admitting that the 2012 McRib is kinda, sorta tasty...

McRib Returns Just in Time for Holidays!

Have you noticed it? That certain something in the air? It's unmistakable at this time of year as millions begin hoping, wishing and planning.

No, I'm not talking about Christmas... it's time for the annual re-appearance of the McDonald's McRib Sandwich. And like annual airings of A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS or RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, CAN THE McRIB SAVE CHRISTMAS? also has been met with childlike enthusiasm ... and just a hint of bah-humbuggery.

There seemed to be some consternation earlier this year that the McRib wasn't making a fall appearance, but I know that either last year or the year before it was a winter offering at our local Golden Arches, and one that I recall enjoying well into the holidays.

McDonald's delayed the availability in an effort to boost fourth quarter sales, and the late shift in the sandwich's release seemed to surprise some. But with disappointing third quarter earnings it made sense to capitalize on the sandwich's fan base and online buzz.

Despite all the talk of yoga mats, tripe and heart will you be enjoying the ludicrous but secretly enjoyable sandwich this year?

Right on Q Barbecue (Brunswick, GA)

While uploading some photos to my computer this afternoon it dawned on me that I'd never posted pics and thoughts on Right on Q Barbecue located in Brunswick, GA, which we tried on our way down to Disney World in March.

Frankly, we almost didn't have the opportunity to stop and try this place. We were making great time on our trek from Baltimore to Orlando and were considering pushing through to Jacksonville in order to make Saturday's final leg even shorter. Unfortunately, only two places had hotel rooms for the night: one was $50 per room and despite that super low price informed us they had "plenty of rooms" available. The second had just a few rooms left, but was kind enough to let us know that they were hosting a high school girls volleyball tournament and there would be 75 girls ages 13 to 15 roaming the hotel.

With a 4-year-old in tow and a desire to get a good night's sleep we decided to stick with the reservation we'd made in Brunswick and head out for a nice meal rather than battle giggling, screaming teenagers. I'll have plenty of that to deal with down the road.

Brunswick is only an exit or two removed from where we've stayed on previous trips to the area and just a stone's throw from St. Simon's, where we visited and sampled some 'que a few years back. So, despite my desire to try Krystal (the White Castle of the South) and Ryan's insistence on pizza, we decided to venture out and give Right on Q a try.

Luckily, our timing was great and we arrived shortly before a group of 40 made their way to the dining room. The large, nondescript building looks like it may have been something else in a previous life and once we got close we realized we'd passed it before on trips over to St. Simon's.

I wish I'd taken a photo of the "barbecue" side of the menu, but you can always check out the restaurant's website here. Chris and I both decided on the "2 Way" which featured any two of their meats (pork, sausage, brisket, chicken, turkey, ribs) plus two sides for $12.49.

Since I'm of the opinion that a barbecue joint is only as good as their pork and ribs that was my choice. Chris went for the brisket and ribs, only to discover after our orders were in that they were out of the brisket. Though my wife doesn't like surprises and hates making snap decisions she decided on the turkey – and it turned out to the move of the night.

I was a little disappointed that the pork turned out to be more of the "chopped" than "pulled" variety but it was still quite tasty and I made a quick sandwich using a piece of garlic toast.

The ribs were excellent... tender with just a hint of resistance. Sides were top-notch, too. I don't know if the cole slaw is homemade but I'd rank it among the best restaurant slaws I've ever tasted and the sweet potato fries come with some sort of honey butter dipping sauce that you'll want to put on pretty much everything you eat.

Chris went with the ribs, baked beans (another excellent side) and sweet potato fries to go with her turkey. Though I'm disappointed we didn't get a chance to try the brisket, the smoked turkey breast was phenomenal and definitely the highlight of the meal (though the slaw and dipping sauce were mighty fine, too).  Instead of the dry, over-smoked turkey you can get at some 'que joints, the turkey at Right on Q was moist, juicy and tender, almost melting in your mouth.

The clientele on that Friday evening seemed like a pretty steady mix of regulars, always a good sign when there are plenty of other culinary options in the area.

Would You Go to Quiznos for Your Pulled Pork?

Admittedly, Quiznos has always been more like QuizNO to me.

I grew up in South Jersey and do not understand the concept of a toasted sub. I don't like hot bread messing with the nice cold meats, cheeses, condiments and toppings. Might be for some people but hey, it's not for me.

But even if I was "a big toasted sub guy" (as my daughter might say) I still think I'd be steering clear of the new Quiznos Southern BBQ Pulled Pork and the Pork Cuban. (Okay, maybe I'd try the Pork Cuban, but that's supposed to be hot and toasty.)

When I think pulled pork I think of a long, slow cooking process at a low temperature till the meat just falls apart as you shred it... the smoky aroma dancing around the edges of the meat... a tangy, not too sweet barbecue sauce meshing with some cool, creamy cole slaw... all nestled atop a spongy roll that just soaks up all the goodness.

Somehow I don't think that's what I'm going to find at Quiznos. Maybe they could prove me wrong but these days I wouldn't even know where to go. Our local Quiznos couldn't even stay in business and has been turned into the equally-appalling Subway.

In Their Defense Homer Simpson is VP of In-Flight Meals

A budget UK airline (try telling me those aren't three words aren't terrifying!) apologized to Jewish passengers after loading a flight bound for Tel Aviv with ham and bacon baguettes instead of the standard kosher food.

I couldn't help but be reminded of this classic exchange from The Simpsons...

LISA: “I’m going to become a vegetarian”
HOMER: “Does that mean you’re not going to eat any pork?”
LISA: “Yes”
HOMER: “Bacon?”
LISA: “Yes Dad”
HOMER: "Ham?”
LISA: “Dad all those meats come from the same animal”
HOMER: “Right Lisa, some wonderful, magical animal!”

Maybe Homer got a job working for Easy Jet.

The McRushmore: The Turducken of Fast Food

Any regular reader of THG knows that when it comes to using meat as a condiment, I'm usually on board in a big way.

Hamburger with cheesesteak? Hot dog with pulled pork? Cheeseburger topped with pork roll?

Yes, yes and absolutely.

But even I'm not sure about The McRushmore, a towering concoction of McDonald's "delights" created by some dude named Ernest Wilkins. A Frankenstein-esque melding of a McDonald's chicken sandwich, Filet-O-Fish, Angus Burger and (limited time only offering) McRib, the tower of barnyard proportions clocks in somewhere around 1800 calories or, in other words, what I try and limit my calorie intake to per day.

Why do I expect Louis Fowler to try this any day?

What's Up with THG: Summer 2010 Edition

We've been a bit light on posting here at the blog but look on the bright side... at least you're not sitting around waiting for us to update The Hungover Gourmet website. (What's that? You were? Alright, alright, we'll get to it.)

Unfortunately, between other obligations and our recently-launched Facebook page, the blog and Twitter feed have certainly taken the hardest hits. I don't count the website because, honestly, it has been so long since we added any content that it's officially the red-headed stepchild of our media empire.

It's actually quite amazing to think how far instant-publishing technology has come since we launched the website back in the mid-90s after I poured over Teach Yourself HTML in 21 Days like it held the secrets to life itself. (And considering how it indirectly led to me working from home for the last decade, maybe it did.)

These days I find myself posting questions on Twitter or tossing links up on Facebook, watching them appear – and sometimes commented on – minutes after I first cobbled the thoughts together in my head. As for the website (and to a lesser extent the blog), what once seemed like "instant publishing" now feels as archaic as banging two rocks together to create fire... or doing an old-school photocopied zine. (To wit, I started this blog post at least two days ago.)

But never fear, faithful reader. THG soldiers on. While I may have been too busy to post on a regular (or even irregular) basis, I'm still watching, reading, eating, drinking and – most importantly – cooking.

My initial plan to cook at least one new dish each week has probably fallen by the wayside. Frankly, I stopped keeping track after week nine so I honestly don't know if I've kept pace or not but I'm not sure why I start new projects in January when I'm at my busiest. They only get pushed onto the back burner when things really get crazy. I'm pretty sure I should just start referring to "July" as "January" since that's when I actually have the time and energy to devote to new projects and plans of action.

That said, I've been trying to stay on top of our latest attempts at new dishes so here are a couple recent faves and one method I'm excited to try tonight...

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos (Cooking Light): It's rare that I make a recipe from Cooking Light that I don't love and this one is no exception. For anybody who thinks "light" means "bland" try this spicy and delicious combo of seasoned shrimp, crunchy greens (we substituted shredded cabbage for the lettuce) and refreshing, creamy ripe avocado.

Greek-Style Pork Chops (Cooking Light): Because we buy the family packs at Costco and end up freezing them in dinner-sized portions, I always find myself scrambling for new ways to cook two things... chicken breasts and pork chops. Since a lot of pork chop recipes tend to use bone-in chops, I'm always thrilled when I find one that uses the boneless variety. Even better when that recipe is packed with flavor. CT wasn't as fond of the tomato/cucumber side salad that's paired with this dish and I'd admit it could probably use some feta or something to give it more flavor. But the chops came out perfect and the low-fat dill sauce for on top would also be great for use in pita sandwiches.

Grilled Chicken Under a Brick (Pinch My Salt): While my wife could eat variations on pork pretty much every night, for me it's chicken. (Though her love of pork, especially a Latin-style roasted pork shoulder, is slowly winning me over to the other white meat.) In an effort to expand my repertoire beyond roasting, grilling, baking and beer canning, I finally find myself at the intersection of three loves... a chicken, a grill and a home improvement store. While my beloved beer can chicken is a nice, hands-off, slow and low method of producing a moist, delicious bird, the brick method looks a bit more hands-on. But I'm willing to risk some flare ups – not to mention the look from the checkout gal when I purchase two bricks – for what looks like a heaping helping of yummy crispiness.

So stay tuned. In the days to come I'll be writing about our attempt at a vegetable garden, the latest in food tv shows, a couple new cookbooks and more.

We're back.

Cheesesteak or Roast Pork? Which is Philly's Best Sandwich?

As has been discussed in these pages before, I firmly believe the cheesesteak is Philadelphia's finest contribution to our nation's rich, grease-stained culinary tapestry. But I would have to be a fool to ignore the fact that the roast pork sandwich has slowly but surely been making inroads into the Philly food scene.

In fact, a recent article in the Inquirer debates this sticky (greasy?) subject: has the roast pork sandwich passed the venerable cheesesteak as Philly's signature sandwich. (The topic was originally broached by a Washington Post writer, but I put zero stock in the food musings of anybody who would drive from Silver Spring, MD to Geno's for a cheesesteak or that calls a "hoagie" a "sub".)

For me the answer is easy... it's a quick, no-brainer "no". In fact, I'd rather have a good hoagie like the one I recenty had from Cosmi's Deli in South Philly than a roast pork sandwich anyday. Granted that's based on the couple roast pork sandwiches I've had (Tony Luke's and Chickie's & Pete's) versus the hundreds (thousands?) of hoagies and cheesesteaks I've eaten in my lifetime.

But it's also based on one other important factor... I make great roast pork and I have yet to find a sandwich that lives up to what I think it should be. Don't get me wrong, the sandwiches from Tony Luke's and C&P were fine but they were just that. Fine. Not life-altering. Not something I'm making an hour detour to get after a Flyers game. And certainly not something I'd spend an afternoon sampling at establishment after establishment.

For more on the never-ending quest for cheesesteak nirvana check out the blog Mayor McCheesesteak's Cheesesteak Reviews. While the mayor and I strongly disagree on his rankings (I rank Dallesandro's [pictured above] and Cosmi's up with Steve's at the top of the list and Pat's, Jim's and Geno's waaaayyyy down below) I admire his endeavor and have to admit I'm a little jealous that he's close enough to the center of the Cheesesteak Universe while I'm down here with crabs, pit beef and crappy bread.

What's your take on the cheesesteak versus roast pork debate? And, to steal a question from my niece, would you rather have a cheesesteak or a hoagie?

Could White Castle's Timing Be Any Worse?

When Louis Fowler and I were in Ohio last month we lamented the fact that the local White Castle had not started its Pulled Pork Sandwich promotion yet. Because what you need after you've ordered 90 Slyders, three orders of Family Fries, a couple sacks of Onion Chips and some Clam Strips is a couple Pulled Pork Sandwiches. From White Castle.

Little did we know that a few months later the world would be facing a possible pandemic of something called the Swine Flu Virus that isn't actually caused by exposure to pork products, despite the highly misleading name.

Whether pigs are to blame or not, this White Castle commercial for the aforementioned Pulled Pork Sandwiches probably won't allay the fears of those who think our porcine pals are at fault...

Yo! It's a Philly Steak in Your Freezer!

Let's get the obvious right out in the open... the frozen version of an established classic is never as good as the real thing.

For those of us who live in a White Castle wasteland the frozen slyders are a fair substitute (which benefit greatly from the addition of sliced pickle about halfway through the micowave cooking time) and if I close my eyes real tight I'm almost transported back to the half-dozen or so Castles that I used to frequent in the Philly/South Jersey area.

But it's no substitute for the real deal and I'm counting the days till my upcoming trip to Cleveland and a chance to gorge myself silly on a 10-pack of Castle burgers like the good ol' days.

Luckily, I live close enough to Philly that a cheesesteak is always a viable menu option, whether I get some frozen steak and make my own (I still have to post pix of our late January steak-a-thon) or decide to trek up 95 and hit some of Philly's authentic steak shops.

Unfortunately, not everybody lives close enough to Philly (or a steak shop run by Philly ex-pats) and for those people, well, I feel sorry. But Philly restauranteur Tony Luke's is planning to bring authentic Philly flavor to... your freezer?

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer (which I've been known to enjoy over a cheesesteak or two)...

South Philly sandwich impresario Tony Lucidonio Jr. says he has found the winning formula for preparing frozen cheesesteak sandwiches for sale in grocery stores that won't result in something gross when popped in the microwave oven and/or boiled...

THG will refrain from commenting until he's had a chance to give the frozen treats a try but I can't imagine it'll be any worse than what McDonald's tried to fool us with.

What Was Tops in Food & Drink for 2008?

I usually like to get this list wrapped up while the year is still fresh in my mind and 2008 is already starting to feel like a dark, distant memory. But if the NCAA feels comfortable concluding their 2008 season on January 8th, I guess it's okay that my year-end wrap-up gets posted around Elvis' birthday.

If you'd asked me this morning – bleary-eyed and tired from watching the BCS Championship Game last night – how I felt about 2008 from a Hungover Gourmet standpoint I probably would have said that it was a disappointing year. But then I got some coffee in me and started jotting down all the great tastes I experienced, excellent meals I had, fun trips I took, and the wonderful people I spent time with and guess what? 2008 was pretty darn good after all!

Here's some of the highlights from the past 12 months...

TASTE OF PHILLY: Excellent cheesesteak shop in Denver of all places. Run by Philly-area ex-pats the place features pics of Mike Schmidt and Amorosso's roll boxes, not to mention meaty, delicious steaks.

NEW RECIPES: I frequently fall into recipe funks and end up making the same things over and over but I did add some new options to the rotation this year including Thai Tilapia, Summer Shrimp Salad Sandwich, Slow Oven Cooked Ribs and a couple new ways with pork chops. I also rediscovered my love for big bowls of Tuna Mac Salad during the summer.

COSTCO MEATS: Speaking of chops, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about purchasing meat in bulk at a place like Costco. How wrong I was. Their pork chops, so thick and meaty that I end up splitting them in half, have become a "must have" in our freezer and I've never been disappointed with any of the meats I've purchased there, whether it's an expensive cut of beef for entertaining or a huge boneless pork shoulder to be slow cooked and pulled for sandwiches.

CULINARY EXCURSIONS: I was lucky enough to take two food-and-drink-packed trips in 2008, one to Seattle and a southern road trip that took us from MD to GA and OBX. Both featured so much great food and good times it'd be impossible to summarize them here though I will single out the Cuban Sandwich at the King & Prince in GA and the Deep Fried Banana Leaf Wrapped Chicken Thighs at Ayutthaya in Seattle.

THE TERRACE STACKER: I love me some multi-tiered burgers and this heart-stopper from The Terrace Tavern on LBI is no exception. Any time you combine a mushroom cheeseburger with two thin slices of pork roll you've got me.

GREAT MEALS IN BALTIMORE: We didn't get out as much this year as we usually do, but when we did it was usually pretty great. Top dishes for me: Choucroute Garni (Chameleon Cafe); Spicy Curry Catfish (Saigon Remembered); Flounder Stuffed with Crab Imperial (Michael's Steak & Lobster House); Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab, Crystal Wonton Soup (Jumbo Seafood); Mashed Potatoes (Todd Conners); Chicken Liver Pate, Crabcake (Patrick's Restaurant); Coq au Vin (Rocket to Venus); and the consistently awesome sushi at San Sushi Too in Towson.

INDULGENCE: Edy's Fun Flavors Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream. I'm not a sweets lover and could usually take or leave any ice cream you put in front of me. But it's a good thing this coma-inducing blend of vanilla ice cream with chunks of peanut butter cups (probably my favorite candy ever) and fudge isn't usually available within 50 miles of me.

BACON AND BEER: These two are already great on their own but when you start putting them in other things I love, well, let's just say you have a customer for life. To wit, Bacon Salt, Baconnaise and Yuengling Lager Barbecue Sauce.

JULY 27: Maybe the best food day of the year. With friends in from out of town we decided to go grab lunch at Mama's On the Half Shell where I indulged in their awesome Oyster Po Boy Sandwich, Clams Casino and several draft PBRs (perfect for sitting outside on a warm summer day). After lunch we drove to Little Italy and stopped at Vacarro's (my fave Baltimore bakery/dessertery) where we picked up sherbert, pistachio ice cream and tiarmasu. From there it was home where Chris whipped up a couple homemade pizzas, one of which could only be described as decadent.

THG GETS SOME PROPS: I've been writing The Hungover Gourmet in some form or another since the early 1990s when it debuted in the pages of Exploitation Retrospect, my drive-in movie and pop culture zine. Since then we've added a print version of THG, this blog, a Yahoo Group and a website not to mention a continuing column in the pages of Carbon 14. Writing can be sorta lonely, so it's always nice to find out that not only are people reading what you wrote but that they're also enjoying it. 2008 saw THG appear with fellow area food bloggers at the Great Tastes Food & Drink Festival in Baltimore, featured on both Food Candy (more than once) and SlashFood, added to UrbanSpoon, and splashed across the pages of The Zine Yearbook. Thanks to everybody who took the time to write, comment, mention or link to us, send a product in for us to try, or show their support in any way. Changes are in store for 2009 as well as the publication of the long-overdue THG #11 but I'll leave all the details for an upcoming post.

What are some of your favorite food & drink meals, memories and experiences in 2008?

THG 11 and 12 Topics Collide in Horrific Recipe!

Were it not for the holidays and a steady stream of client work THG #11: The Coffee Issue would be in your hot little hands right now. The issue is this close to being done, just needing a few contributions from yours truly and some final design touches to get it to press.

While working on the issue I decided to continue the themed issue, um, theme and settled on another of my favorite foods for THG #12... Pork! Despite all the attention being paid (and rightly so) to the issue of obesity in this country, it's also interesting to see the pork & bacon renaissance continue thanks to things like Bacon Salt, Baconnaise and wesbites like Bacon Today. Let's face it... skinny, fat, in between, everybody loves bacon.

So imagine my surprise when I was scanning the pages of Slashfood this morning and saw my beloved coffee and adored pork teaming up like some horrific supervillain crossover in Sausage Cake, a 1959 Junior League Cookbook recipe that could also be a porn title.

As Kat Kinsman writes in her post...

I'm a big fan of the melding of meat and sweet (mmm...bacon candy...), and surely have been known to savor a sumptuously larded crust, but I can't swear that I've ever seen a baked good quite so aggressively piggy as this. Pinwheel rolls studded with flecks of seasoned ground beef, yes, but those were generally presented as a savory, hand-wielded Wellington sort of course rather than spiced, as this seems to be, in the manner of a dessert or breakfast sweet. I'm pleading woeful ignorance about the pastries of the Badger State here, so might someone be so kind as to enlighten me -- is this a traditional Wisconsin breakfast or dessert treat, or a relic of the cookbook's era? If the former, I'm booking a trip on Midwest Airlines posthaste. If the latter -- who's up for a bake-along this weekend?

Check out the site for the complete recipe!

Slow Oven-Cooked Ribs

I returned home from a recent Costco excursion and realized that between our bulk meat purchases (Costco pork chops are the best!), cornucopia of Omaha Steaks boxes and various other frozen goodies we needed to do some shopping in our freezer for a couple weeks and take a break from doing big grocery store trips.

We actually stuck to the plan and had four or five meals from the freezer this week, including a hearty and delicious Vegetable Soup from Home Bistro, our fave Pork Chops with Country Gravy, and some Chicken Breast Cutlets with Pasta.

Since I'd also picked up some frozen pork barbecue at Costco I asked Chris to be on the lookout for an inexpensive slab of ribs when she was at the store yesterday. Mission accomplished and she found nearly 2.5 lbs. of pork spareribs for less than $6... and while I love Andy Nelson's in Cockeysville, the same ribs would be at least $15.

So, with the rains finally out of the region but a cold, stiff wind in its place I decided that it was unlikely I'd be able to do my usual outdoor rib recipe and opted instead for a Slow Oven Cooked inside recipe. I've just pre-heated the oven though the ribs were given a good rubdown with Head Country Championship Seasoning a couple hours ago.

UPDATE: The ribs turned out pretty damn good if I do say so myself. The aroma of slow cooking pork filled the house and Chris even commented that when she pulled into our garage she could smell the deliciousness while she was still in the car.

The top photo is the Head Country-rubbed ribs before they were covered with foil and placed in the oven. The middle photo shows the steamy slabs as they looked out of the cooking pan while I was draining the grease. After a liberal dousing with Head Country BBQ Sauce they went back in the oven – uncovered – for another 30 minutes or so. The result is the third photo. And, hey, the frozen BBQ wasn't bad either! I think I paid about $8 for two containers (one of which is still in the freezer), so $12 for a huge BBQ meal for two (I added a couple bucks for the slaw mix) isn't bad at all!

Jane & Michael Stern Rank Best BBQ Joints

Few questions will engender more debate among food fans than "What's your favorite barbecue joint?". I have several of my own, especially Andy Nelson's here on my home turf and Head Country when I'm out visiting my brother in Oklahoma. Sadly, neither makes the list of Jane & Michael Stern's dozen best places in the US, but that's okay – it just gives me more places to add to my growing list of barbecue places to try whenever we're on the road.

Grilled BBQ Pork Chops

Last week I made one of our favorite pork chop dishes in which the pan fried chops are topped with a country gravy made with milk and the flour and herbs used to season the chops. It's a great dish, but paired with mashed potatoes and some grilled local Polish sausage, well, it's maybe a little heavy for the warm, muggy summer months here in the Baltimore area.

Actually, that dinner would probably have been just right for last night's cooler, almost fall-like temps. But I decided on a different route and wanted to grill the chops that I'd recently purchased at Costco.

I don't know if anybody else shops for their chops or other meat at places like Costco, but I have to say I'm pretty happy with what I find. We bought about $20 worth of chops the other day, boneless cuts that were probably a good 2" thick. I cut them in half and froze them, leaving us with enough boneless chops for seven or eight dinners, in addition to last night.

Speaking of which, I went searching for a new pork chop recipe last night and found this nice combination of a slightly spicy, somewhat smoky rub (I used an ancho chili powder) and barbecue sauce. Rather than make my own sauce I used reliable old Head Country Hickory Barbecue Sauce to finish off the chops during the last couple minutes. I selected some nicely marbled chops from the package and they ended up being perfect for the grill.