Shaffer Farm Tennessee BBQ Meeting

Blue shorts, t shirt and crocs. Warmer than 20. Everybody knows me by my shorts. Long pants last year 2 days.
And if you get there to early just south, 3mi. from Shaffers, is a flea Market at Amish Center. both sides of the road.

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

As the Mayor advised, I now have my Hawaii shirt available. Iwanago also has one available. I guess this is in honor of our missing friend, Bushie?

Nothing says "We Miss Bushie" like a collection of dorks in Hawaiian shirts!



I had totally forgotten about the guy who was randomly eating at the Brick Pit whom we cajoled into joining our photo!

Man you all are killing me. Shaffers, flea market and Amish.

These white legs don't do shorts - trust me, it would be like Halloween a day late - scare you to death! I didn't know Hawaiian shirts were the traditional dress - I'll see if I can't find one somewhere tonight!

Can't wait to see you all tomorrow morning.

The Brick Pit was the best BBQ we had in Mobile. Oysters at Winzell's were super also. A great walk from out hotel.

I guess we all will be decked out in our shirts???

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by The Travelin Man

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

As the Mayor advised, I now have my Hawaii shirt available. Iwanago also has one available. I guess this is in honor of our missing friend, Bushie?

Nothing says "We Miss Bushie" like a collection of dorks in Hawaiian shirts!

Thanks, Steve and Paul.

Bushie... We HAVE to get you closer to the center of the Universe!! Wish you could be there with us tomorrow. Photos will follow!

quote:

Originally posted by mlinkinhoker

Man you all are killing me. Shaffers, flea market and Amish.

These white legs don't do shorts - trust me, it would be like Halloween a day late - scare you to death! I didn't know Hawaiian shirts were the traditional dress - I'll see if I can't find one somewhere tonight!

Can't wait to see you all tomorrow morning.

Imagine what the Amish would think if that group approached them.
My there would be talk about the English tonite at the supper table.

quote:

Originally posted by mlinkinhoker

Man you all are killing me. Shaffers, flea market and Amish.

These white legs don't do shorts - trust me, it would be like Halloween a day late - scare you to death! I didn't know Hawaiian shirts were the traditional dress - I'll see if I can't find one somewhere tonight!

Can't wait to see you all tomorrow morning.

White legs??? I can't wait until you see the Sundancer tomorrow with his shorts. It is all about comfort and food. Believe me, there is nothing and I repeat NOTHING judgemental about these folks.

You get comfortable and come on down. If folks can tolerate me and Al, I guarantee that you will be much higher on the list.

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

It's not the judgement part - it's the running and screaming scared part that bothers me.

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen


Bushie... We HAVE to get you closer to the center of the Universe!! Wish you could be there with us tomorrow. Photos will follow!

Well, thanks Al, for your thought. I wish I was closer and could be there, too.

quote:

Originally posted by mlinkinhoker

It's not the judgement part - it's the running and screaming scared part that bothers me.

They didn't run or scream when I showed up in shorts. The Ladies behind the counter knew me right away(shorts), got my legs from my mother. What a crowd, enjoyed it and from the little time we spent talking and have to say did not get to talk with everyone,wish I had, over all enjoyable time. Have to sit at the other table next time, meet everyone. Went back and purchased shrimp and deer sausage,warm and fresh,almost as if liver mush au Bambi, with the wife later. Who could resist. Fresh shrimp $1.00/lb
Having Gumbo today with Chicken Fried Steak and smashed taters,gravy,grn beans, Texas race.

Al will have to talk to amish folks and inform them of new way to market corn.
Next year. New nick,sorry or niche.

Photo Report of the event yesterday is under construction. I find I have a good supply of food photos , but few of the group as they participated. If any of you have a photo of folks involved with the BBQ, Please either add them to my 'album on the Trip Report thread, or send them to me and I will add them. I hope to finish this tonight or tomorrow morning.

Al, I will send the photos to you ASAP. They may be similar to what you have but a couple may be different.

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Curbside Grill

quote:

Originally posted by mlinkinhoker

liver mush

Curbside,
Did... you... say... LIVER MUSH ?!?!?!?!?
WHERE ?!?!?!?!?
Hushfully Mushlessly, Ort. Carlton in Ever-Tolerant-Of-Me Athens, Georgia.
P. S. I never saw livermush nor liver pudding when I lived in Central Tennessee. I did see local scrapple, though.

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

Mr. Mayor,
Well, dadgummit -- how WAS it? I'm near'bout dying of curiosity.
Piteously Pitlessly, Ort. in 30601.

Ort

This will probably make it worse for you...but I spent a good part of the day tending my Smoker. A local Market had Pork Butts on sale at 99cents a lb. I got 2 large ones (9-10 lbs each) and spent today doing the deed. 7 hours in the smoker then finished for 2 hours in the oven. A Hodge-Podge BBQ Sauce made of various seasonings , Honey, Brown Sugar, and Mandarin Oranges was the finishing touch in the oven. We gave one of the Butts to a neighbor who is as good a friend and neighbor as I have every had. Now I must go back to the Market to get 2 more for the freezer tomorrow. Anyway thats why I haven't finished the report.

I have my photos edited...and will finish fixing Paul's, so I can post the report sometime tomorrow. We can honestly say it was a beautiful day to do what we did. Great Scenery, Great People, and good food. All in All a Super Day.

OH BTW Ort- The BBQ place a Shaffer Farm is really a Meat Market that does BBQ as a side-business. As part of the Meat Market activity the guy processes Deer for a fee from local hunters. He charges $75 to convert the Deer from dead body (Field-cleaned) to whatever you want from it, Steaks,Chops, various sausages- including Livermush! So next time you hit a deer, haul it up there and convert it to your favorite dish!

quote:

Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

quote:

Originally posted by Curbside Grill

quote:

Originally posted by mlinkinhoker

liver mush

Curbside,
Did... you... say... LIVER MUSH ?!?!?!?!?
WHERE ?!?!?!?!?
Hushfully Mushlessly, Ort. Carlton in Ever-Tolerant-Of-Me Athens, Georgia.
P. S. I never saw livermush nor liver pudding when I lived in Central Tennessee. I did see local scrapple, though.

ORT.
Only south central TN. Even made national news in Selmer. Why during the ministers wife trail in Selmer they where talking about the local lunch counters people sitting around and eating livermush sandwichs. But anyway Shaffer's just started caring scrapple also about 4 wks. ago.
For the other transplants.

I'm dying to hear the reports as my weekend was a total bust as far as I am concerned. DD (17 years old) threw one of her little fits late Friday night. Saturnday morning when I got up at 7am to head to Henpeck, DH said I didn't have time to run to Henpeck and grab a quick bite and meet everyone. He then turned over and went back to sleep until 9:00 or so - I could have almost been back by then! But then the fun started with DD again. We finally got out of the house around a quarter of eleven but went a different route - out 40 and down 70. Saw several interesting places I would have loved to try but DH said we didn't have time. We arrived at our hosts house at 12:30.

But instead of heading to the marina to eat, they started talking and after a beer or two and a couple hours, the hostess finally fixed a small tray of shrimp and announced that it was too late to go to the marina for lunch because it would ruin our supper. So more boring talk ensued and instead of being planning and strategy and such, it was really about the donations to the university - that is what the lady was REALLY here for.

A quick trip into Sparta for the women to a shop that was great but I didn't feel like shopping (I WAS HUNGRY!!!) and back to the house. At least a small bowl of the spinach artichoke dip from Costco came out with the bottle of wine when we got back. A few glasses of wine later and dinner was finally in the oven and then served at about 7:30 or 8:00. I was sustaining myself on a glass of coke for breakfast, a beer, and who knows how much wine. But the meal was simple but good. I didn't think I could possibly eat that huge hunk of beef tenderloin but I did!

Took the route back in via Hwy 96 over to 24. Except for the places we passed on 70 coming back up to 96, not much exciting to try and even those places on 70 didn't appear to be open yet or maybe they don't open on Sundays. MeMaw's has my attention as did a couple of other places around Smithville.

TRIP REPORT- SUMMERTOWN TENNESSEE and Back !
The MAYOR'S VERSION!!!

While others in the group planned a weekend activity, Janet and I had to limit our participation in this get-together to a Day-Trip timeline. That made for a long day...but a fine day trip for us.

We left early, stopped to pickup Poverty Pete in Nashville, and headed down to Franklin TN to the Henpeck Market. Henpeck Market is a great place to meet and eat and organize the rest of the day's activities.

Even our dogs like that stop. The grass around the place is a "BLOG" for news for Dog's. Our pups head for it right off, reading all the news posted there, then adding their own notes of interest.



Inside the choices for snack food or breakfast are wide ranging. Here is the display of the cakes and other pastries awaiting the hungry visitor.



Poverty Pete and Cajun King get their breakfast materials and head for the table.



The Mayor tends to stick to a more traditional breakfast menu. Here are my choices... A Country Ham Biscuit, 4 Deviled Eggs, and a Beef Tamale !



Janet snagged one of my Deviled Eggs and half of the Ham Biscuit before taking a forkfull of Sundancer's Strawberry Cake!



Cajun King got a piece of their RAINBOW Cake. Interesting item. He said each layer was flavor matched to the color. Grape,lime, lemon, orange,and strawberry.



Following our snacking and chatter we loaded up and headed Southwest to Shaffer Farm, Our target for the day. It was a pretty ride in bright sun and warm breezes. Shaffer Farms is a Meat Market that has added a side room for BBQ customers. It sits on a bluff next to US 43 a couple of miles south of Summertown, TN. In addition to the custom butchering they do, and the BBQ smokers working, They also are Deer Processors (in season) for local hunters.



We met with several other Roadfooders at the BBQ Hut. TTM and his friend Dave joined us there, as did our old friend Pogophile and new friend Curbside Grill . Somehow I missed getting a photo with Curbside Grill in it. If one of you have one send it along and I will add it to this collection. (Sorry! )

PP, TTM and Sundancer


Pogophile


Here IWANAGO and CAJUN KING check out the BBQ choices



Some of the group pitched into a common pot for food. Here are the meat choices we bought. Brisket and 'Plate Beef' on the right side and Sausage, wings, and Pork Ribs on the left.



Then came the side dishes. Ranch Potatoes, three kinds of Slaw, and Baked Beans. Of the slaw the Spicy Mustard Slaw seemed to be the overall 'best' vote! These were in pint containers. The Pancake-like items are cornbread'cracklin'.



We bought a half-gallon each of the Cherry and Blackberry Cider with hopes of fresh made cider in our mind. Well the hopes faded when we read the label closely. While it wasn't fresh pressed by little Amish Kids...It wasn't made in China either!! Tasted OK.



After Lunch and good conversation we watched some of the deer processing going on. Several Hunters had brought in their deer to be cut and wrapped by the Shaffer butchers. The photos of the deer are here, but seeing piles of dead critters may not be for some folks, so I won't post them.

We then split up to go our various ways...some back to Nashville for a late supper and brewpub visit, while Janet and I took the colorful route up the Natchez Trace, past the Lewis Memorial (site where Lewis of Lewis and Clark Fame died in 1809).



I had told some of the camera buffs that I would contibute to the Fall Color photos they have posted on another thread, but I will add my favorite one here.




All in All, It was a real fun day. It was good to see old friends and to meet the new folks too. We enjoyed the stop at Henpeck Market a lot. Shaffer Farms was good...not great..but good. The Plate Beef was the best meat served to us. The Brisket and Sausage were good, but the Pork ribs were not all that good on Saturday. The Ranch Potatoes and slaws and beans were all quite good. I didn't care much for the cornbread cracklin's.
The place needs to get some tables and chairs. They have a bunch ...but they use old tractor seats for the chairs that are not 'sit-able' for larger folks at all.

I would go back to Shaffer Farms if we were in the area, but would not divert off of I-65 to go there on a trip South.


EDIT-

By Request I will post one photo associated with the Hunters that came in all during our Lunch. Here is a Buck in the back of the Hunters Truck, being delivered for processing. (Tell your kids he is sleeping !!)



Paul and I both got photos of a literal "stack" of a dozen deer waiting for processing on a pallet in back of the Market. Because some of the hunters took the heads for mounting the appearance of the stack is a bit gory to the casual observer. The ladies in the BBQ section told us about the number of young kids who came in with their Dads during a Kid's Day Hunting session...So Proud of their first Deer. We had an interesting peek into that traditional 'Rite of Fall'!

I was about to ask if it was worth the trip, but your last paragraph answered that.

Thanks!

What a great report1 I am looking forward to visiting this new find.

Looks like it was a lovely fall day -- great scenery and food. Thanks!

Any chance they sell any of that deer meat? One of the guys we let hunt got an 8 pointer in my back yard the first day of bow season but I haven't seen any of the profits of it yet and I am dying for some good deer meat.

PS - I want Sundancer's Hawaiian shirt. That is a beauty!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"By Request I will post one photo associated with the Hunters that came in all during our Lunch. Here is a Buck in the back of the Hunters Truck, being delivered for processing. (Tell your kids he is sleeping !!)"


But, with one eye open.

Melissa,
You can get the material for Paul's shirt at any good "WallPapers 'R' Us" !! I must admit My shirt was hanging in the truck. I got so busy yapping and eating that I forgot to put it on. If you want to see the pattern, check the photo of Pogophile standing alone. That's Janet with her back to the camera in the"Blue Hawaiian" (matches Mine!

Susan, If you were a Buck..during the Fall Rut, you'd keep one eye open and try to let the "Does" think you were asleep too! This one thought he was letting a real cutie get close and it turned out to be Davy Crocket !

quote:

Originally posted by mlinkinhoker

Any chance they sell any of that deer meat? One of the guys we let hunt got an 8 pointer in my back yard the first day of bow season but I haven't seen any of the profits of it yet and I am dying for some good deer meat.

PS - I want Sundancer's Hawaiian shirt. That is a beauty!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must admit that you have very good taste in shirts. I bought it this past February in Pensacola for the Presidents day BBQ deal in Mobile and in fact, someone posted a pic of it lately. It may be on this very thread?

Wish you could have been there.

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

Ok I will go next:

I really wanted to go on this trip, and in the days leading up to it, I wasn't sure if I could make it or not. I was hoping to bring my son with me, but after a battle with his mother, she decided it was best for him to stay with her

So heading out of Aurora @ 04:00 (what's the 0 for....... OH my gawd that's early, specially since I hadn't slept well the night before), I got Henpeck about 45 minutes ahead of everyone else. (I caught a rabbit travelling along I-71 running about 100mph, thusly I arrived EARLY.



I love people watching and Henpeck Market on a Saturday morning is the place to do it. I saw farmers, hunters, soccer mom's, travelling families you name they ALL came to Henpeck.

Al had a picture of the cold case so here is the hot case



Biscuits, ham, sausage, gravy, hasbrown casserole, grits, bacon, cinnamon rolls

I chose Biscuit with gravy, ham biscuit and hash brown casserole



The gravy was thin and not much flavor, the ham biscuit was good, and the hash brown casserole... I could have eaten the whole pan, it was GREAT!

Trying to make up for BuffettBuster not joining us, I tried to honor him



Like Al said above each color level related to the fruit, not an overly strong flavor of the fruit but just enough to give it sweetness and flavor.



Tennessee Cheescake - I love cheesecake and I make a great cheesecake, but this one was AWESOME, it reminded me of a brie or camembert cheese, a thicker almost rind like skin then a creamy almost liquid center.

After a good breakfast and fellowship with PP - Sundancer - Iwanago - Janet & the Mayor we headed off towards shaffer farms. I had forgotten how beautiful Williamson County, TN can be, the short drive down US 31 was calming and relaxing. I had been down that section of 31 before on a Civil War trip (Battle of Franklin, Hood's Retreat, Thompson's Station, Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin)

We arrived at Shaffer Farms



I knew there was some serious smoking going on, and I was impressed with thier rigs



The Mayor and Janet went off to Find Sundancer & Iwanago at the Flea market being held down the road.
Poverty Pete, Pogophile & I had a pleasant conversation on the front porch sitting in the warm Autumn sun.

When most everyone got back to Shaffer Farms, we went in and ordered.



3 meat combo - Brisket, Pulled Pork, Sausage + bonus pork rib
The brisket had a nice smokey flavor and a decent smoke ring, was juicy and good
The pulled pork was a bit mushy, but had a decent smokiness
The sausage was a bit off, it had an ok overall taste and ended with a bit of heat but all in all there is LOTS better sausage out there.
The pork rib was overly dry, but had a good smokey flavor and would have been better if not dried out

I did sample some of the smoked rib plate meat and it was VERY GOOD.

Shaffer Farms sauce was wonderful, sweet TN style sauce, nice kick to it, and I thought it finished with a hint of TN whiskey, PP thought it was more of the molasses taste. Who knows, guess I will have to go back and get some sauce.



For my sides I got:
Ranch Style Potatoes - Warm, gooey, cheesy hint of ranch dressing taste, and some heat - THESE THINGS WERE AWESOME
Potato Salad - Would have been better for me if it were colder, the flavors had not melding together enough. I agree with Pogophiles that the addition of the larger chunks onions and pepper made it good.

Now onto my tribute to BuffettBuster

I was going to order the Nana Puddin, but I was informed that they didn't make any that day

So I got:

Chess Pie


Fudge Pie


Buttermilk Pie


Well.........

The chess pie was decent, but made either the day or 2 before, so the top was soft, it was ok
The fudge pie I had never met a pie I didn't like until this day. It was grainy, watery and not really a fudgy texture
The buttermilk pie was again decent, but having been made well in advance it was becoming watery and soggy.

After TTM & Dave arrived it was hard to get a picture of him without food in his face, so I got one with his eyes closed instead.



This day was a great relaxing day with good friends, I got to see some RFers that I have met before, but the more fun thing was meeting the others Poverty Pete, Pogophiles, Curbside Grill

It was a long day but a great one.

Thanks Poverty Pete for telling us about this place and setting everything up.

Excellent stuff, my friends!!!The food looks great, the conversations and camaraderie look wonderful, and everyone looks healthy and happy.Sure wish i either lived closer or had the means to travel more-I truly treasure the few experiences i have had.

Cajun, I am glad that I got a pic with you and Iwanago. I sent it to Al and I am glad that he posted it.

I am glad you could make it down and I know that it was a long trip but you did good and we were proud that you cold make it.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Any chance of someone writing this one up in a review format?