Best Brisket In Michigan

Submitted by Bluenin on
Spent some time in Texas with the In-Laws and the smoked brisket is insanely good down there!! Just wondering if anyone has had any luck finding great brisket up here in Michigan??

YaterSalad

November 16th, 2017 at 9:35 PM ^

Personal choice ... ReBBQ in Ferndale. Served out of a food truck stationary in a liquor store parking lot. Everything comes in styrofoam containers. Amazing sides like collared greens and smoked mac-n-cheese. If you can catch them on smoked kielbasa and pierogi night, to go with the brisket, even better!!

JTrain

November 16th, 2017 at 9:40 PM ^

No clue. My experience though is that it is quite hard to cook. I’ve smoked one...it looked great. The flavor was good. But it just dries out too easy.

Going to have to try another one.

In reply to by JTrain

mastodon

November 17th, 2017 at 12:13 AM ^

Are you wrapping in foil about half way through the cook?  The meat stops absorbing smoke about then, and the foil helps retain moisture.

Also key is to have some marbling.  Make sure at least a "choice" cut, not "select".

I do this with pork butt with great results.  You can actually finish in your oven for the second half of the cook where you've got precise temp control.

I've never smoked a brisket, but I have read Aaron Franklin's Franklin Barbecue - arguably best brisket in brisket land (central TX) - in which he lays out how he smokes all the meats they offer.  He actually wraps his brisket in butcher paper.  He talks about his story/restaurant, meat, wood/smoke, etc.  Great book whether you're a backyard amateur or a pro.

JTrain

November 17th, 2017 at 3:15 PM ^

Yea. I believe I followed Myron Mixon’s recipe. His pulled pork recipe I follow to a “T” and it draws rave reviews.

If I had to guess I didn’t have a “choice cut” but I did foil it. It looked awesome but was just too dry n chewy.

ih8losing

November 16th, 2017 at 9:43 PM ^

West Texas BBQ in Jackson (of all places I know) has really good brisket. Their smoked turkey is very good also. Honestly worth a stop there. Texas style joint too.

DrMantisToboggan

November 16th, 2017 at 9:43 PM ^

Nope. Just go back to Texas man! It's worth it. I've seriously been disappointed in every BBQ place I've had in Michigan. If you're around Ann Arbor, Ron's Roadside up north of the city has some decent things. Overall you're not going to find much in the mitten. Everyone in Detroit will tell you Slows, which...no. You can tell Slows is a fugazi by going to their Yelp page and noting that the first three people raving about them are New Yorkers. There's decent soul food in Detroit, but BBQ is hard to come by.

Bluenin

November 16th, 2017 at 9:48 PM ^

That’s kind of what I have found. I live on the West Side of the state near Grand Rapids and good BBQ is hard to come by over here! I was hoping there was some good places on the East Side that may be able to get to that Texas level. I’ll have to try some of the suggestions on here.

In reply to by Bluenin

Mr poonsniffle

November 16th, 2017 at 9:55 PM ^

I hear people rave about Two Scott’s in Grand Rapids quite a bit. I haven’t been there since they are only open from 11-3 and are always packed when I drive by during this time.

In reply to by Bluenin

Khaleke The Freak

November 16th, 2017 at 10:21 PM ^

their pizza is damn good, never had a pizza flight until that place. Check out Long Road next door too (if you haven't already)...tantalizes the palate.

In reply to by Bluenin

Z

November 17th, 2017 at 3:06 AM ^

^^^^^^^^

Yo this Bluenin person eats at all my favorite joints.  Some others to you or other west siders in GR:

Salvatore's (right up the street from Maggies) has very good italian food for the price.  I find Italian food joints are generally consistently good, except for the bad ones that really stick out.  I would classify Salvatore's that way: consistently tasty, well-executed and always less than $20 ($60 total after drinks, of course).

Butcher's Union (on Bridge kicorner from New Holland) is my newest go-to spot for lunch meetings and for after-work whiskey.  Biggest whiskey menu in Grand Rapids I have seen other than Stella's.  All their food is great.  The burger includes brisket and other prime meats, and it's can't miss.  There are plenty of other finer-dining and deli-style menu choices that are very, very good.  They just have a good chef.  Atmosphere is more Donkey than Maggies, but the food is really, really good.  And I love Scotch, Rye, Bourbon, Irish...so many kinds of delicious.

The Garage which I think is technically on the West side of N. Division (so a West-Side property) is a place I only went one time, but I always hear great things and had an excellent French Dip there.  Typical American Pub Lunch/Dinner menu.  I'm going back soon.  And I really dig the atmosphere there; very casual and open layout.