Feasts and Fun at Doug’s Steak and BBQ.

Doug’s Steak and BBQ

496 North Main Street (Hwy 191)

Monticello, UT, 84535

Phone: (435) 587-2255

Website: http://www.dougssteakandbbq.com/

Hours of Operation:  Thursday thru Monday, 5pm – 10pm; Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Knowing I was moving to the Southwest, my biggest thrill was, “Yes, all the barbeque I could ever want!” but that was not to be.  In fact, there was a severe lack of this type of culinary delight within San Juan County.  Karen and Doug Whipple, owners of the Peace Tree Café and Juice Bar restaurants decided it was time to rectify this atrocity upon diners.

Property for sale, across from the Monticello Peace Tree, had just dropped in price; and they pounced on this like a mountain lion had stalked an Abert’s squirrel.  Purchase the property they did, and the planning began.  While plumbing may have been in Doug’s, and son Eli’s, blood, so was food…good food, lip smacking, finger licking, I want more of this, food!  The Whipples are foodies, so is it any wonder they get along so well with other foodies, like the Cokenours!?!  Reading through books geared towards smoking (they and I agree that Smoke and Spice by Cheryl and Bill Jamison is the Bible of smoking foods), experimentation began. 

What is the best wood to use?  Eli states it’s dried hardwood of oak found on our beloved Abajo Mountains.  Any additives to the water used to soak the wood, like alcohol or carbonated beverages?  No!  Pure wood and water is all there should be for a perfect smoke.  Up at 3am, the smoker is stoked and by 5am a temperature of 225F is achieved; it must stay consistent for 12 hours to achieve meat nirvana.  For brisket, after it reaches an internal temperature of 175F, it is wrapped in a special butcher paper specific for smoking brisket.  By 3pm, the brisket has reached an internal temperature of 200F; out of the smoker, it is placed inside a “hot box” to rest for two hours.

Unwrapping the paper, setting the brisket onto a cutting board, the aroma assails the nostrils causing salivation immediately.  The crust of a secretive spice mixture is glistening; the ends cut off to be saved for other uses.  Eli begins slicing; a watchful eye keeps the hand steady for 1/8 – ¼ inch slices of heavenly goodness.  Cutting against the grain, never with, taking a bite out of the first slice, the flavorful, tender meat begins to dissolve inside the mouth.  Slight shivers as the angels sing the “Hallelujah” chorus; alright, so I’m exaggerating a tad, but it could happen.  Anyway, I have tried brisket at many a barbeque joint, and Doug’s has the most outstanding!

Oh, the ribs, the ribs could make the devil himself bow down to the Whipples.  These are St. Louis style ribs; again a secretive spice mixture, but it’s the honey glaze that makes you want to hug a bee and kiss its mandibles.  The ribs go through a similar smoking process as the brisket, sans the paper, and Doug does a basting of apple juice.  They are so tender, just the ever so slightest tug of the teeth, your mouth fills with yumminess so good, you won’t feel bad about stabbing someone’s hand if they reach for your plate.

 

Eli is also part of a dynamic duo; with Greg, they are the “Grill Masters”!  These two have made the term, “flipping burgers” into an art form.  Half pounders of a mixture of 1/3 beef short rib, 1/3 ground chuck and 1/3 ground brisket; even after cooking, they are easily a half-inch thick!  Oh, the char, the char brings to mind grilling in the outdoors, the lick of flames as moisture drips down.  Using a digital thermometer, internal cooking temperatures are checked to get the customer’s desired doneness.  From rare to medium-well, your wish is their command.  Don’t dare ask for well done, no hockey pucks served on a bun, just on the television screens depicting sports games of football, baseball, hockey and racing.

That’s right, Doug’s is not only a family friendly restaurant, but can double as a sports bar.  Want to see a big game, but no room at home?  Bring the gang down to Doug’s, order platters of Bacon-wrapped Jalapeno Poppers filled with smoked apple cheddar (sourced from Apple Beehive in Ogden, UT) and cream cheese, wrapped in a full slice of crispy bacon.  These poppers are smoky and sweet with heat; barbecue sauce and ranch dressing are your dipping sauces.  Then there is the Smoked Nachos, crispy tortilla chips piled high with pinto beans, melted cheddar cheese, pulled pork, chicken or brisket.; served with salsa and guacamole.  Get a wheel barrel; you’ll need it to get yourself out to your vehicle.

Pitchers of Moab Brewery beer will make it all slide down your gullet so smooth and easily; that is until the opposing team gets a touchdown.  Hankering for a mixed cocktail, bartender and mixologist Nicole will put a punch in your punch, a dance in your step and bring a smile to your lips.  This sassy sweetheart knows her liquors and how to mix them up just right.  Fancy a margarita, that salt around the rim is Holyoak Smoked Salts (pure vanilla extract and bath soaps as well) located right here in Monticello.  Now that’s local sourcing!

Remember those burgers I mentioned before, indulge in a Greg’s; juicy meat topped with grilled Anaheim chile peppers, bacon, pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo.  First you taste the char, oh that wonderful char; the heat from the peppers tickle the taste buds, but the creamy cheese and mayo snap a whip to tame the heat and then it’s bacon!   Even though it comes with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and onions on the side; to add these would be a blasphemy to the burger; makes a nice side salad though.  Joe’s has luscious grilled mushrooms and onions, bacon, yes I said bacon again, and melty cheddar cheese.  Eli’s is provolone cheese, red onion slices, bbq sauce and that mouth-watering brisket sent down from heaven itself.  Hungry yet?

Want the other white meat?  The pulled pork is out of this world; smoky, tender, juicy; the perfect pairing for the platter is rich and silky mac n’ cheese with a drizzle of barbecue sauce (well that’s what I put on them).  Then there is the half chicken; the flavorful seasoning on the skin permeates the meat of the chicken right down to the bone.  Pair this baby with au gratin potatoes chock full of cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, or baked pinto beans with maple syrup and another secret seasoning mixture.

Doug, Eli and Greg, Doug, Eli and Greg; poor Karen, I bet she’s feeling a bit left out by now.  Working closely and diligently with her head chef, Michael Pipkin (35 years of culinary experience and of the Moab Pipkin clan), and assisted by cook Tyler.  They are inventing house made salad dressings, sauces and side dishes.  Think sweet potatoes are only good for Thanksgiving casseroles and pies; not when tenderly cooked, diced and mixed with diced sweet apple, honey, mayo, ginger and diced celery.  Another to die for item, Karen’s corn muffins; these are not typical corn muffins that are usually dry and crumbly to the touch.  Oh no, these are less dense, light, stay together as creamy butter is spread and then drizzled with honey.  Oh Lordy, there goes those singing angels again!

Doug’s Steak and BBQ does a good amount of their food sourcing from local businesses, but if they cannot find an ingredient they must have, then it’s Utah only, like Applewood Beehive. 

Doug and Karen Whipple love what they do; they love food.  The camaraderie of the staff is wonderful; they’re more like a huge family.   Their pride shows through the atmosphere they portray to their guests; sincere and outright friendliness; quality in the food products.  Wait staff RJ, Lucinda and Jens are amazing and go out of their way to give guests the best experience.  It’s not unusual though to see owner Karen and bartender Nicole carrying platters to hungry patrons, or filling up water glasses.  Everyone gives a helping hand and no one stands alone.  This ain’t no ballet company full of divas, each vying to be prima ballerina.  Oh no, this is a TEAM with a unified goal…SUCCESS!!! 

You might be asking why, why do they all care so much?  Simple really, the sustainability of a small town relies on its businesses.  From locals to visitors, showing passion encourages people to come, and come often; it encourages visitors to Monticello to stay, play, eat and have a grand time.  

Let’s put it all in a nutshell, Doug’s Steak and BBQ is family friendly, casual dining, perfect for sports enthusiasts, large groups are always welcome, and catering is available for parties and events.  If you have not visited Doug’s yet, here’s your invitation; what are you waiting for, get on over there and eat up!?!

Mary Cokenour

Jimmers Gets Serious with BBQ.

Jimmers Back Country BBQ
                                                  
                                                                                         439 East Main (across from Burger Boy Drive-In)
                                                                                         Cortez, Colorado, 81321

                                                                                          (970) 516-1227

                                                                                          Website: N/A

Lets get to the gist of it, Jimmers is some of the best barbeque in the Four Corners Area.  Although I have tried the Serious Texas BBQ places in Durango, CO and Farmington, NM; Jimmers has got them beat hands down.

 

Upon entering Jimmers, there is a short, plain hallway with a beautiful antler chandelier.

As you turn the corner, there is a fireplace that is open on two sides; stuffed wild animals are on the wall in their predatory poses.






The main dining area resembles the great room of a hunting lodge; beautiful tables and benches; again wild animals displayed in their glory.

Towards the rear of the building you will see the kitchen area; off to one side, hanging off the back wall, is the menu written on a large chalkboard. Now if you need to know further information about any of the menu items, don't be shy about asking; the staff at Jimmers are very friendly and helpful.

Hubby and I settled on the "Feast For Two", so we would have a good sampling of the meats, poultry and sides. The pulled pork is tender and not dry; usually my hubby will not eat pulled pork unless it is swimming in bbq sauce, but didn't need it for Jimmers. The brisket was tender, yes there is a trend going on here, juicy and pulled apart easily. The turkey melted in your mouth; I made a sandwich with the soft bread and a little bbq sauce and was in heaven. Sides: Baked Potato Salad; chunks of baked potato in a sour cream, chive and bacon mixture...yum nummy! Cheesy Potatoes; diced, roasted potatoes with melted cheddar cheese throughout...very comforting! Baked Beans; beans and shredded beef brisket in a smooth sauce...very satisfying!

There are three types of bbq sauce: Original - mild heat, slightly sweet with a full bbq flavor.  Smoke - mild heat, but more sweetness than original and a slight tang.  Spicy - medium to hot in heat, slightly sweet, a slow burn develops overall in the mouth.  We stuck with the Original and Smoke as we felt these enhanced the smoked meats and turkey, while the Spicy hid their flavors completely.

When it comes to BBQ in the Four Corners Area; Jimmers Back Country BBQ is our new Mecca...try it when you're in Cortez, Colorado and hankering for really great BBQ.

Mary Cokenour

Ribs from the Oven?

During the colder season, I usually have the grills and smokers winterized, so they won't be ruined by the snow and ice.  This basically means wrapping them up tightly in tarps, and storing them safely against the back wall of the shed; sort of like wagons circling against attack.  So how do I get good barbequed food during the winter then?

Two options really; the first is traveling down to Blanding and eating at one of my favorite bbq places, Fattboyz Grillin', or making my own, yes I still can, by getting my oven to do it for me.   Oven grilling can't be as good as a real barbeque grill or smoker you say; and I quite agree, but when life gives you lemons.....

Basically you have to do a little compromising, remember what you know about outdoor cooking, and adapt it for the indoors.  A good rack of ribs would be prepped the same way; removing the membrane located on the curved inside of the rack.  The membrane acts like a "condom", keeping rubs and marinades from seeping into the meat to do their jobs of flavoring and tenderizing.  Secondly you want to remove as much excess fat as possible; keeping the fat on doesn't give the ribs extra moisture.  As it melts, it's taking your rubs and marinades with it and there goes your flavor.  Also, did you ever get flareups when barbeque-ing?  It's mostly caused by melting fat dripping onto your fire source.  No, that won't happen in the oven, but any fat dripping into your pan will eventually dry out, smoke and just cause one heck of a mess.  Using aluminum foil does help, but then your ribs are cooking in a mass of molten fat which gives them a greasy, slimy texture.  Just trust me on this one, and remove as much fat as you can.

After prepping your ribs, give them a good rubdown and here's a repost of my all purpose rub:

All Purpose Rub for Smoking and Grilling

Ingredients:

2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp each sea salt, ground black pepper, ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp each paprika, onion powder, garlic powder

Preparation:

In medium bowl, mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Rub onto all sides of meat or poultry; refrigerate overnight. Smoke or grill.

Now this recipe will cover a nice 4-6 pound rack, or two racks of 2-3 pounds each; give or take an ounce here or there.  Generously cover both sides of your rack(s), cover in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge all night.  Oh, and if you want your ribs to have that Kansas City style taste, throw in a heaping tablespoon of chili powder; I recommend New Mexico chili powder which has a sweeter, smokier flavor to it.

You want to start cooking up your ribs early in the morning if you want them ready for dinner time.  Set your oven temperature to 185F; line a metal baking sheet or pan with aluminum foil and place a rack on or into. 

Unwrap the ribs from the plastic wrap and rewrap them in aluminum foil; not too tightly, but not too loosely either.  Place this package on the rack; place the entire pan in the oven and leave it all alone for 8 hours, if two separate racks; 10 hours if one large rack.  As you can see, it's going to take as long as if you were using an outdoor smoker. 

To get some char on the ribs, remove the pan from the oven and get your broiler going on a high setting.  Open up the aluminum foil to expose the ribs and place the pan under the broiler; five minutes will give a slight char and dry out the meat a little bit; keep it under the broiler until it's the way you like it, but watch it!  You want char on your ribs, not ashes on your plate.

Once they're ready, slop barbecue sauce on them before serving, or not; your choice of how you like them.  Enjoy!!

Mary Cokenour

Mongolian Grill is #1 in Durango.

Mongolian Grill

1135 S. Camino Del Rio, #230 (next to WalMart)
Durango, Colorado, 81303

(970) 259-7228 or 7229

Normally when you see "Grill", you think barbecue and you'd be partially correct.  Mongolian Grill does have barbecue, but Chinese style; and, in general, awesome Chinese food throughout their vast menu.

The interior is open, airy and bright; the all you eat buffet and grill situated away from the main dining area, so no people crowding near the tables while getting their food. This is a family run establishment and they're all friendly, and attentive to the needs of their guests.

After ordering, condiments and rice are placed on your table. The egg drop soup is light in flavor and taste; the wonton soup's broth is highly seasoned with black pepper and the wontons themselves are out of this world.

We wanted to sample all the appetizers, so ordered the Pu Pu Platter for Two (minimum order); it was all outstanding! No one appetizer outshone the others, they were all done very well in taste, flavor and texture.

The Beef Ho Fun is very similar to Cantonese Chow Fun except the noodles are not as wide. Mongolian Grill did an excellent job on this dish with thinly sliced grilled beef and perfectly cooked noodles.  It all tasted just as yummy when I reheated the leftovers the next day.

The Sizzling 3 Flavor with Vegetables is a House Specialty which contains chicken, beef, shrimp and vegetables in a rich, savory brown sauce. It is presented on a very hot cast iron platter; the food sizzling and steaming; absolutely delicious!




Sadly, we have one complaint about Mongolian Grill; they are not in our own area and we have to travel two hours for the opportunity of enjoying their wonderful atmosphere and, most especially, the food.  If you are in Durango and want sumptuous Chinese cuisine, go to Mongolian Grill.

Mary Cokenour