Has anyone seen this new restaurant that is coming? It's located by the Chase bank in the Choctaw plaza. The guy who is opening it sold some at one of his mobile stands in different places in Choctaw. They always stayed busy, so one day I stopped by and oh my gosh it was SO GOOD! We need some variety in Choctaw.

I've seen some of the pics on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Simmons.BBQ.Shack). It looks like the owner may be a competition cook.

I've been to a few places where competition cooks have transitioned into restaurants and have had some really good food. I'm looking forward to giving this place a try.

I apologize if this is slightly off-topic, but the mention of BBQ and Choctaw in the same post remided me that some of the best BBQ I ever had came from a now deserted little concrete block "shack" on the SE corner of 36th and Hiwassee. I think that the name of the place was "Hychee's" and the Q was so good that I wanted to work out a deal with the owner to fix his collapsing, leaking roof for next to nothing.

There also used to be a true BBQ "Chef" out there at that convenience store on the east end of Main St. in Jones.

Sorry for the digression: I wish the "pit master" mentioned in the first post nothing but success moving from a truck to a more permanent location.

Simmon's posted on Facebook that they will be opened for business as of today. Their hours will be Mon-Sat 11:00 AM to 8:30 PM.

Tried this place last night, got a pound of chopped beef and 6 ribs ($25 with no sides.) By no means a BBQ expert but was not impressed. Chopped beef was fatty, greasy and not very tasty on it's own. Added some of their sauce which helped a bit but don't know that I was really a fan of that either. Kinda watery and a bit sweet. My wife thought it had an Asian flavor. Starting to think maybe I like the smell of BBQ more than the taste.

Starting to think maybe I like the smell of BBQ more than the taste.

This post is not related at all to simmons - havent tried it yet.

But after a slew of disappointing bbq trips i got into smoking myself. There is tons of info online and with 1 or 2 trial runs (briskets are pretty difficult,pulled pork is insanely easy and good, ribs are easy. and of course sausage and smoked bologna are no brainers.) im able to smoke and easily exceed any oklahoman bbq restaurants ive ever tried. I've posted about this before but i lurk at The Smoke Ring (http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/) . I'm not connected to the forum at all, but its a good site to go too for ideas and recipes.

If you are looking for good, consistent bbq, its easier and cheaper to make it yourself.

If you are looking for good, consistent bbq, its easier and cheaper to make it yourself.

I agree with you on The Smoke Ring. It is hands down one of the most informative sites on the internet. I'm not sure I agree with you on the easier part.

A typical brisket cook for me includes a couple of hours of prep time, 12-16 hours of tending fire and cook time, 30 minutes of eating time, and 1 1/2 hours of cleanup time.

I have tried Simmon's (blog coming soon) and I thought it was good. It's not going to get my 3 Hour Drive or 6 Houi Drive honors but I'd make the drive from across town to eat there again.

As far as the fatty chopped beef..... Well typically chopped beef should come from the point (deckle) of the brisket and will be fattier than slices from the flat. I see to many Okie's complain about fatty BBQ but the problem isn't with the BBQ it's with the general publics lack of knowledge about the BBQ.

If you don't want fatty brisket stick with the sliced (from the flat). Yes, in Oklahoma, it will be dry and flavorless but that's what you are going to get when you trim all the fat (where the flavor and moisture comes from) from that cut of meat.

I agree with you on The Smoke Ring. It is hands down one of the most informative sites on the internet. I'm not sure I agree with you on the easier part.

A typical brisket cook for me includes a couple of hours of prep time, 12-16 hours of tending fire and cook time, 30 minutes of eating time, and 1 1/2 hours of cleanup time.

I have tried Simmon's (blog coming soon) and I thought it was good. It's not going to get my 3 Hour Drive or 6 Houi Drive honors but I'd make the drive from across town to eat there again.

As far as the fatty chopped beef..... Well typically chopped beef should come from the point (deckle) of the brisket and will be fattier than slices from the flat. I see to many Okie's complain about fatty BBQ but the problem isn't with the BBQ it's with the general publics lack of knowledge about the BBQ.

If you don't want fatty brisket stick with the sliced (from the flat). Yes, in Oklahoma, it will be dry and flavorless but that's what you are going to get when you trim all the fat (where the flavor and moisture comes from) from that cut of meat.

I hate dry brisket -- which seems to be the norm in Oklahoma. Give me a bit of fat and I'm happy.

Soonerguru,
That's why I was told to smoke brisket "fat side up" so the moisture (grease folks) is part of the smoke cooking process. I suppose some of the grease penetrates the meat. My brisket was never dry and after my first two-three attempts, was always very good. I miss my smoker, but since I only feed one person, it wasn't worth the hassle, so I gave it to my son.
C. T.
I hate dry brisket -- which seems to be the norm in Oklahoma. Give me a bit of fat and I'm happy.

Soonerguru,
That's why I was told to smoke brisket "fat side up" so the moisture (grease folks) is part of the smoke cooking process. I suppose some of the grease penetrates the meat. My brisket was never dry and after my first two-three attempts, was always very good. I miss my smoker, but since I only feed one person, it wasn't worth the hassle, so I gave it to my son.
C. T.

I think people have been arguing the fat side up/down thing since we began making BBQ..... Personally I have cooked it both ways and found very little difference.... With that said.... I still cook mine fat side up.... Old habits die hard I guess... LOL :wink:

As far as the fatty chopped beef..... Well typically chopped beef should come from the point (deckle) of the brisket and will be fattier than slices from the flat. I see to many Okie's complain about fatty BBQ but the problem isn't with the BBQ it's with the general publics lack of knowledge about the BBQ.


For me there is nothing better than a freshly chopped point piled high on white bread. My wife has long been a sliced brisket fan until she got a taste of how much better the point is. What i like about doing it at home is you can easily control how much fat you chop into it. But like you said, the vast majority of oklahomans like dryed out sliced brisket.

OBEA,
I never tried it "fat side down", so I'm no expert. I do know that my brisket was excellent. Moist, tender (of course it has to be sliced properly), and I never had a complaint. Of course, if somebody complained, I would have slapped the crap out of them! What type of smoker do you own? I had a drop down firebox type, made by a company in New Braunfels, Tx.
C. T.
I think people have been arguing the fat side up/down thing since we began making BBQ..... Personally I have cooked it both ways and found very little difference.... With that said.... I still cook mine fat side up.... Old habits die hard I guess... LOL :wink:

And to stay with the thread, I went to Simmons, purchased a slab of ribs and some beans. I have to say, they were tough, lacked flavor and the only reason I will go back is that I went there on opening day. The price was reasonable.
C. T.

OBEA,
Moist, tender (of course it has to be sliced properly), and I never had a complaint. Of course, if somebody complained, I would have slapped the crap out of them!

No doubt about the slicing..... I forget where I was when it happened but I was actually served brisket sliced with the grain once in a Q-raunt.... I probably should have gotten up and walked out but I'm a glutton for punishment. :wink:


What type of smoker do you own? I had a drop down firebox type, made by a company in New Braunfels, Tx.

I own 3 Weber Smokey Mountains that I use at home and I have access to a custom built reverse flow offset at our cabin that I hope to call my own some day.

OBEA,
I went to a family get-together (before I had a smoker) and I purchased a brisket from a really good place in OKC. My brother-in-law, a pretty good cook started slicing it wrong andI told him but he proceeded to tell me it didn't make any difference. Unfortunately, we all got the last laugh when it was almost inedible. He never did understand, he just thought it was a poorly cooked/smoked brisket.
C. T.
No doubt about the slicing..... I forget where I was when it happened but I was actually served brisket sliced with the grain once in a Q-raunt.... I probably should have gotten up and walked out but I'm a glutton for punishment. :wink:

FYI from their Facebook page
Super Bowl Special
Sunday only
Full rack of ribs, one pound of meat (excludes sliced brisket) and 2 pints of sides for $39.99 or dine in and get all you can eat ribs for $14.99 from 11am - 5pm.

Saw Face Book friend Rob Grosecloses' posting that Nicoma Park to get Swadleys BarBQ and Jims Fried Chicken is getting a drive thru plus interior remodel with seating for 60.

Saw Face Book friend Rob Grosecloses' posting that Nicoma Park to get Swadleys BarBQ and Jims Fried Chicken is getting a drive thru plus interior remodel with seating for 60.
Jim's has some good chicken.

Simmon's has closed permanently... Don't know the details but I do know the owner had some medical issues.