Anyone hungry tonight? How about some delicious Boston-style BBQ? Harvard-style BBQ? Engineering student-style BBQ? Anyone?
Harvard is one of the world's great educational institutions, but perhaps it's spreading the branding a little thin to apply it to BBQ made by engineering students.
Now a BBQ smoker from Central TX A&M might be interesting.
While I agree with the sentiment.. I do think the resulting device is a better design than most home smokers I've seen... Though given the materials, and likely the weight... The cost will probably be relatively expensive for home use. Not to mention, too small for commercial use.
If they could build one that is about 6x the total size, but could handle 15x the amount of meat... that's something quite a few chains might be interested in. Not that I disapprove of what they've done at all... gives me a lot of ideas, but more like something I would make, and not necessarily buy.
What's the difference between Austin and Boston when it comes to cooking brisket? Given the ubiquity of information and the ease of travel, I wouldn't place such a premium on location. Some of the best BBQ I've ever had was in Brooklyn (and I didn't have to wait 2 hours for it).
Experience and standards? It's like asking what's the difference between NY Style pizza in NY and NY style pizza in LA. Do you think they are the same? It's also like saying that TexMex in MN is the same as in TX or CA.
Anybody can open up an BBQ place in Anytown, USA, and it could be passable or even pretty good, but it'll not beat a moderately good place in a town known for BBQ. It's mostly because the low quality places get run out of town to those with exceptional BBQ, and maybe even thrive in places where BBQ joins are scarce. Making really good BBQ is an art, and takes many years of experience and practice, maybe even mentoring under a master. Some guy smoking a brisket following a recipe online isn't going to come near even low quality BBQ restaraunts. Not without a lot of experience, trial and error, and by that point they aren't even following the recipe any longer.
Aaron Franklin just got the James Beard stamp of approval, winning Best Chef: Southwest for 2015. I expect there'll be Franklin-Style BBQ "Just Like Austin" places opening up around the country as a result.
Harvard is one of the world's great educational institutions, but perhaps it's spreading the branding a little thin to apply it to BBQ made by engineering students.
Now a BBQ smoker from Central TX A&M might be interesting.