Sunday, February 5: Houston will be a sausage fest.
Technically it’ll be a barbecue fest. Think sausage, brisket and ribs.
While the city has been in a frenzy these last three months filling potholes, completing downtown construction and repairing lights in preparation for the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 5, 2017. The Super Bowl committee has done a great job readying HTX for the biggest football event of the year. But, let’s be realistic: Houstonians can expect over-booked restaurants, immense traffic, the possibility of TMZ coverage, a hike in Uber rates and a 1000% increase in celebrity sightings. For one week, Houston will have a taste of what Los Angelians live with regularly. What a time to be alive!
If you aren’t going to the big game but you’re still interested in stuffing yourself with carnivorous delicacies and beer, check out the 4th annual Super Beef Sunday at Saint Arnold (2000 Lyons Ave). From 11 am to 2 pm ticket holders will be able to try barbecue from three of Texas’ most awarded pitmasters. Tickets are $50 each and include a commemorative Super Beef Sunday pint glass. (Tickets have sold out before the event date the last three years; there won’t be any available at the door the day of the event.)
So who will be challenged at Super Beef Sunday? This year, Louie Mueller Barbecue, Pinkerton’s Barbecue and Harlem Road Texas BBQ are all throwing down their best vittles. A few words from the event organizers:
Like previous years, Wayne of Louie Mueller BBQ will have pre-wrapped whole brisket and beef ribs available for pre-purchase (at the time of your ticket purchase). These beauties come with heating instructions, so you can tell your friends you cooked it all on your own. Wayne’s whole brisket will be $100 and a rack of three beef ribs will be $75.
In addition, Harlem Road Texas BBQ will pre-sell premium Compart Duroc Pork Ribs seasoned in Chef Ara’s secret dry rub blend from Savory Spice Shop. These St. Louis-cut ribs are meaty, all natural and packed with delicious flavor after being smoked over retired, French oak wine staves. Racks are an approximate 3-3.5 lbs, with 12-14 bones, at $40 each, and will come wrapped with heating instructions.
Please note, while the event runs from 11:00 – 2:00 – and we will have plenty of BBQ for that time – do your best to arrive by 12:30, so you can try all of the different items the pitmasters will have to offer.
And speaking of delicious flavor we asked organizers Chris Reid and Michael Fulmer, If you’re going to raise an animal to make meat ideal for barbecue, does the cattle breed make a difference, or is it more about how they’re raised and their living conditions?
“It’s a combination of both. You want beef with a lot of intramuscular fat to make it tender and juicy. The Black Angus breed has traditionally been the best for that,” said Chris. “And then raising them in a way that develops that fat or marbling is the normal procedure. That usually means they are initially grass-fed and then finished as grain-fed to develop the marbling.” In 2016, Chris and Michael estimate that about 800 pounds of meat were served at their Super Beef Sunday event.