Brisket

4 Rivers Little Smokehouse on the Prairie

Published on October 17, 2017 in Florida Locales by Doug

It’s not little and it’s not on the Prairie and though close, that is not the real name of one of my favorite BBQ locations.

4 Rivers Smokehouse on Fairbanks Avenue is where I go for my brisket, and in all honesty that is all I can say, but only because that is all I ever order. It’s not really all I order, sides are important too… BBQ beans and Smoked Jalapenos (Jalapenos stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon) are my usual side selections.

The 4 Rivers BBQ beans. Everything I’m looking for in a side of beans.

The Smoked Jalapeno, a perfect appetizer to the brisket platter. Two jalapenos equal one side.

This past Saturday a dilemma presented itself on my way to the office. I had dropped my wife at work on the south side of Orlando and must drive north to Maitland. On the way, just a short distance before my work exit is Fairbanks Avenue. It was approximately noon… what’s a guy to do…

Since work awaited and it is going to be a long day the brisket plate is in order. This is a cut from the point. The plate allows for three sides. I have the usual and try the potato salad.

I don’t want this to be longwinded. The pictures speak for themselves. If you love brisket I believe you will love a trip to 4 Rivers.

Here is another picture of brisket from a previous visit.

This is another cut from the point. The point will have a bit more marbling (fat) giving you a more moist cut. If you prefer something a bit leaner then get a cut from the flat. My preference is the point, but order what you prefer and we will all be happier. Notice there is a bit more bark than the other photo. A bit of bark is always tasty.

Most of the time I ask for no sauce. The brisket can stand on its own.

After you order your meal and grab a drink you may notice tucked into the back corner of the Fairbanks location is the Sweet Shop. If you didn’t order and eat enough BBQ to make yourself uncomfortable then you obviously under-ordered. In any case, the Sweet Shop at the back of the restaurant can help you out. So far I’ve tried what I believe to be called the Coconut Bomb and a Dolly Madison. My favorite being the Coconut Bomb.

These may be labeled Cakeballs, but in the midwest, these would be referred to as Buckeyes. Always a favorite from Grandma. My wife’s family calls them peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate. That tells you all you need to know. They are pretty literal.

During the week, if you are heading to lunch at 4 Rivers on Fairbanks Avenue then be prepared to stand in line for a bit. It takes a bit of time to get through, but it moves along ok. The advantage being plenty of time to make a decision on the extensive menu.

Brentwood, Tennessee – Texas Bar-B-Que Stop

Had a quick trip over the weekend to Nashville, Tennessee and visited a BBQ joint we found by coincidence a few years back. Its not in the most visible locale, or the largest, but its BBQ has been consistent over the years. Judge Bean’s Bar-B-Que identifies as a Texas BBQ joint, which was a good choice since two Texans were in my party.

I split “The Feast” with one of the Texans and neither of us was disappointed. Will point out that I wasn’t that crazy about the Texas toast, but who cares about toast on a BBQ platter since it’s just window dressing anyway. Not being too hungry I had a couple slices of Brisket, a Rib, one Diablo, Cowboy Beans, Mac & Cheese and some Pulled Pork. My tablemate finished off the remainder of the “The Feast”… reading over my food list apparently I was hungrier than I thought.

Overview of “The Feast”. Clockwise starting in the upper left, Brisket, Ribs, Pulled Pork, Texas Toast, Cowboy Beans, Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese, Diablos and Wings at the center. The beans and mac & cheese are sides. Two side come with the meal, but curiosity of the Cowboy Beans got the better of me. I prefered the cowboy beans over the BBQ Beans. The Cowboy Beans have much more heat and are more flavorful… almost to a chili like flavor. The Cowboy Beans have jalapenos in the mix, but I am guess also a large component of the spice is cumin… which is my favorite spice.

The Diablo is Judge Bean’s jalapeno pepper stuffed with shrimp and cheese and wrapped in bacon. I didn’t eat the shrimp, but did try the remainder of the Diablo. It was ok, but not the favorite side item of mine (that would be the Cowboy Beans). Also known as ABT’s, a good recipe and a great final picture is at this link.

A post-worthy shot of the three meats. Brisket, RIbs, and Pulled Pork.

The Diablo. You can just see the shrimp peeking out from the jalapeno.

Two hot wings. This is my favorite pic showing crispy wings and a slathering of sauce. The white is a reflection of the light in the sauce… a sauce I can almost see myself in.

The menu appears to be a bit different than the menu online. Don’t believe that really matters since the Bar-B-Que is good regardless. Did do a review of the photo gallery on the Judge Bean website and unless I am missing something somewhere it doesn’t appear that the photos have been updated since 2012. Again it doesn’t really effect the Bar-B-Que….still good. If you happen to visit, tell them Doug Travels Orlando says “Howdy”. They won’t know who you are talking about.

The brand new map for places other than Florida… here. A bit sparse as of this time.

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