BuddyRoadhouse Makes a Housecall on The Dr. of BBQ

Well that was short hiatus! I'm actually sitting at a computer in the library in St. Joseph, Missouri. Mrs. Roadhouse is stting next to me, at another computer, doing geneology work with her Mom.

although I'm plannig a seperate thread about our KC Xmas trip I decided that the good Dr. deserved his own thread because:

1. His BBQ stand is in Springfield, Illinois, not KC, and

2. His 'Que is so good it deserves its own thread!

We left Chicago aalittle after 2pm amidst heavy rain and heavier fog. The traffic was obscenely slow taking more than two hours just to ge tsouth of Kankakee. The normal trip from Chicago to Springfield is normally about three hours. It was now after 4pm and we had only gone about 70 miles! I was starting to worry that we might not make it to the Dr.'s shack before his 7pm closing time.

South of Kankakee the traffic cleared up but the fog did not making for white knuckle driving all the way to Springfield. I was determined to get there in time so I just stayed alert and zipped past all the other more timid (read "not obsessed") drivers.

We would normally stop in McLean at the Dixie Truckers Home for a quick pit stop and perhaps a snack. Time kept on moving and so did we, skipping the Dixie (no great loss; the sign out front was about 3/4 burnt out and has been steadily deteriorating on each trip we've made over the last couple of years, not a good omen for the state of the restaurant inside) and pressed on the last fifty or so miles to our capitol city.

Things finally went our way as we spotted the Kmart off to the right and the Dr.'s smoker rig spouting smoke out towards the front of the lot. We pulled up to the Dr.'s stand at about 6:30pm. There he was, standing in the little window looking right at us as we approached. I flashed my brights at him and pulled into a nearby parking space and started to get out of the car. The Dr. pointed to the Drive Thru sign so we pulled up to his window (minus the snow):


I asked him, "Are you the Dr."

"Yes I am," He replied.

"Well I'm BuddyRoadhouse, glad to meet you!"

"Well park your car and come on inside!" He said.

"That's what I was trying to do when you told me to pull up."

"Well I didn't know who you were then, come on in!"

I explained that we had missed our usual rest stop in an effort to get here on time, so we ordered our food and headed over to the Kmart to do what you got to do when you've been in a car for four hours drinking from a big jug of water. When we got back we were invited in to the little yellow trailer to eat in comfort and splendor (compared to the front seat of a Toyota Corolla anyway).

The Dr. is a wonderful host and a fine pitmaster. Mrs. Roadhouse and I shared some outstanding Brisket and Pulled Pork, both rich and moist with a perfect balance of smoke and natural meat flavor. He serves his sandwiches with the sauce added minimally as an afterthought--nothing to hide.

Along with the meat, we had some very tasty slaw, chopped fine with a slightly tangy, creamy mayo based dressing.

His potato salad has a very appetizing yellow tint hinting at some mustard in the recipe. Good flavor.

He's very proud of his corn on the cob which he seasons with butter, salt and chile powder. It is tasty, but he was a bit disappointed when I told him it tasted like the "elotes" that is commonly found sold off of carts around Chicago's Hispanic neighborhoods. Now he wants the "elotes" recipe so he can improve on what he's got!

The champion of his side dishes though, are his baked beans. Sweet and tangy with a distinct flavor of bell pepper giving them a wonderfully complex flavor.

The stand itself is IMMACULATE! His stainless steel floors, walls, and ceilings are cleaner than most brick and mortar kitchens. This is a mobile trailer you can really feel good about ordering from.

The Dr. is a very friendly and generous host. We traded sauce for our sandwiches and he ended up giving us about 1/3 of a whole pork loin that had just come off the smoker.

We will definitely be back on our return trip to pick up 'Que for New Year's Eve.

Springfield has a few Roadfood classics, The Cozy Dog Drive In, the Horseshoe sandwich and an original art deco Steak and Shake. Now there's one more reason to stop in Springfield: The Dr. of BBQ!

Buddy

I've followed the Dr's thread about his place here and wondered if it could possibly be as good as it sounded. Nice to know that it's all that and more. Thanks, BuddyRoadhouse!

Sounds WONDERFUL! Now we need a drooling smiley for all of these wonderful food descriptions. Yet another place for me to try when I can resume my wandering.

Thanks for the write up, Buddy!

Pleased to hear that another active member of the forum, feeds like he preaches..QUALITY,QUALITY..

NOW if he will just pass on his SLAW recipe to me???

Taking inspiration from Buddy's trip, and having to visit the in-laws in the area, I decided to share in the fun and pay the good Dr. a visit myself this evening.

Everything that Buddy said was spot on. The beans were phenominal, and could stand up to some of the best beans in KC. I had the ribs, and will admit, when I saw them pre-sliced coming from the steam table I was a little worried that they may be soft and overdone. That fear was allayed as soon as I got to bite into them, the spare ribs are huge and meaty with a nice smoke ring. The texture was toothsome without being tough, and the sauce did not overpower the flavor of the ribs but left my lips with a pleasant tingle for a few minutes after having them. The pulled pork was a winner too. Perhaps the best part was just being able to rap about BBQ with somebody so knowledgeable, and nice.

Good luck to you Dr, and we will be back soon.

Glenn

So, true to our word we revisited the Doctor on our return trip from KC to Chicago. The goal was to pick up food for a family get together on New Year's Day.

Calling ahead, the day before we left Kansas City, I placed an order for a full slab, a whole chicken, 2-3 pounds each of brisket and pulled pork, and a quart or so of Jack's excellent baked beans. With a quart each of slaw and potato salad that we would purchase when we got back home, I figured that would be plenty of food for ten to twelve people.

We got a late start out of KC (the story of our lives), making one last lunch stop at Woodyard BBQ (deserving of a separate thread in the near future) on the Kansas side. On top of everything else, we left KC in the same rainy weather we had when we left Chicago ten days prior. Getting to Springfield before Jack closed at 7:00pm would be a challenge.

We got into St. Louis at about 6:00pm and called Jack from the Lilac Avenue QuickTrip near the river. We were a solid 90 minutes away from Springfield and I wanted him to know that we were on our way; just running late. He was very understanding and said he'd be out having a beer with one of his buddies but if we called his cellphone as we got close he would run over to the trailer and meet us.

Everything came together nicely as we pulled into the Kmart lot where the Doctor's trailer sits. He pulled up a few minutes later and loaded us up with everything we had requested. I traded him a mess o' sauce (The Doctor is partial to "Southern Sunset") as partial payment and gave him the rest in cash. Without going into the specifics, I will tell you that I got the better part of the deal. I tried to give him more sauce based on the price he charged me, but he would have none of it. The Doctor is a gentleman!

As we neared home we realized that we had way more food than we would have room for in our refrigerator. We called ahead and had Dad fire up the spare fridge in his garage. The get together would be at his and Mom's house anyway, so leaving it with them made the most sense. It was about 11:30 when we got to Mom & Dad's house and stashed the 'Que.

The feast on New Year's Day was over the top. Of the twelve people expected, only six of us showed up! Myself and Mrs. Roadhouse, my daughter, abe froeman and her significant other, The Artist Formerly Known as Pete, Mom and Dad.

We decided not to warm up the pulled pork since we had way too much food for our small group anyway. The ribs were genius! Huge meaty bones with a not too spicy dry rub creating a wonderful chewy bark. These ribs were just short of fall off the bone; tender but still with enough chew to let you know you were eating meat and not pudding.

The chicken was a huge full roaster lightly covered in the same dry rub. The bird was succulent and flavorful with just the right amount of smoke giving the meat a beautiful, appetizing rose color.

The brisket was moist and tender as can be. I've eaten at too many places that need to slice their brisket paper thin in order to eliminate toughness. We didn't have the luxury of a commercial slicer so we had to cut the beef thick with a knife. It was still melt in your mouth tender and so tasty!

The beans were as good as the first batch we'd tried sitting in The Doctor's trailer a week and a half ago. Sweet with more than a hint of bell pepper, tender but firm beans, loaded with big, generous slices of brisket.

I would highly recommend a stop at The Doctor of BBQ for anyone who is within 50 miles of Springfield, Illinois. If you're travelling on I-55 or I-72, he is mere minutes away and easy to get back on to the highway after you've eaten.

Be sure to tell him Buddy sent you!

Buddy

P.S. I almost forgot; that huge hunk of pork loin that The Doctor gave us on our first visit made an outstanding dinner when we went to visit Mrs. Roadhouse's Aunt Margaret in St. Jo, MO. It was still good on Christmas Eve when one of the BsIL came over for dinner. We still had more than half of it after two meals so we froze the remainder and brought it back to Chicago.

The slices Jack gave us back in his trailer were good but they didn't have the smoke flavor I had hoped for. Apparently the meat needed a little time to relax because once we dug into it in Missouri, the smoke was prevalent and wonderful!

B.

p.p.s. Needless to say there was a ton of food leftover after our New Year's Day gathering. We've been eating it everyday with smiles on our faces. The pulled pork that we finally got into was outstanding. Jack had packed it with a shot of apple juice to keep it moist and a sprinkle of his signaure spice for an extra burst of flavor.

We finally finished the last of the brisket today, ten days from the night we picked it up. It was all delicious from start to finish.

b.

Well, I must say, Dr, that those are some pretty wonderful accolades from Mr Roadhouse. If I were in your neck of the woods, I wouldn't hesitate to stop by, nor recommend your barbecue, taste unseen (?) to anyone else, either! Congrats to you!

Now I've got to figure out a way to get to Illinois, not in any of my usual travel routes but I'll figure out a way

MikeS.

quote:

Originally posted by Pwingsx

Well, I must say, Dr, that those are some pretty wonderful accolades from Mr Roadhouse. If I were in your neck of the woods, I wouldn't hesitate to stop by, nor recommend your barbecue, taste unseen (?) to anyone else, either! Congrats to you!

Thank you Pwingsx I couldn't agree more on all accounts. And I must say everyone I’ve met from the forum has been wonderful. Mr. And Mrs. Buddy (lol) is great people and his review left me speechless. Thank you both my friend. And I enjoyed meeting Glennpan, and 6 star more good people. And I now look forward to meeting any and all of you from the forum.

I was dedicated to doing the right thing when I opened the first day but this forum and the ensuing visits from forum members has caused me to double my efforts to make every meal the best the Dr of BBQ can offer to his guest. I think this forum is priceless in its ability to offer the young, old, new bee’s, and even the experienced answers, information, the how’s and even the don’ts on food service.

So if you’re traveling in central Illinois your welcome at the Doctor’s office anytime. In fact we’ll most likely invite you inside for a look and a taste.
Jack@DrofBBQ.com
PS I said this earlier but it’s worth repeating my sauce is good ..........Buddy’s is exciting.
Jack@DrofBBQ.com
PS PS it will take me awhile but I'll be adding a link and the forum members comments to my web site as soon as time permits.
Jack

How about some directions?

quote:

Originally posted by Oneiron339

How about some directions?

Travelling south on I-55 follow the interstate around the southeast corner of Springfield and hook up with I-72 west. Exit at Hwy. 4 and head north to Wabash. About 3/4 of mile or so, look for the Kmart on your right. Make a right turn on Wabash (The Doctor's smoker and trailer will be clearly visible on your right as you turn onto Wabash) and take the first entrance into the Kmart parking lot. Head for the big yellow box with the hot dog on top.

WGN 9 O'Clock News just reported that our Governor has placed a wager with the Governor of Washington over the outcome of Sunday's Bears/Seahawks playoff game.

According to the report, Illinois' Governor put up a shipment of "barbecue and corn dogs from a pair of Springfield restaurants". Now I'm pretty sure that the corn dogs are coming from The Cozy Dog. But what about the 'Que???

So, what's the word Jack? Is Governor Blagojevich sending them Springfield's best or is there some guy down your way who thinks he can smoke a brisket better than you (not bloody likely!)?

Incidentally, Washington's Governor Gregoire will send us a mess o' smoked salmon and apples if the Seahawks win. If you ask me, they're getting the better end of the deal if they win.

Buddy

quote:

Originally posted by BuddyRoadhouse


According to the report, Illinois' Governor put up a shipment of "barbecue and corn dogs from a pair of Springfield restaurants". Now I'm pretty sure that the corn dogs are coming from The Cozy Dog. But what about the 'Que???

So, what's the word Jack? Is Governor Blagojevich sending them Springfield's best or is there some guy down your way who thinks he can smoke a brisket better than you (not bloody likely!)?

Buddy

According to the State Journal-Register (Springfield's newspaper):

"If Seattle wins, Washington's governor will get a taste of 17th Street BBQ, one of Blagojevich's preferred treats at the DuQuoin State Fair, and a supply of cozy dogs, an Illinois tradition from Route 66."

quote:

Originally posted by BuddyRoadhouse

quote:

Originally posted by Oneiron339

How about some directions?

Travelling south on I-55 follow the interstate around the southeast corner of Springfield and hook up with I-72 west. Exit at Hwy. 4 and head north to Wabash. About 3/4 of mile or so, look for the Kmart on your right. Make a right turn on Wabash (The Doctor's smoker and trailer will be clearly visible on your right as you turn onto Wabash) and take the first entrance into the Kmart parking lot. Head for the big yellow box with the hot dog on top.

HOT DOG? I thought it was a rooster!

quote:

Originally posted by 6star

According to the State Journal-Register (Springfield's newspaper):

"If Seattle wins, Washington's governor will get a taste of 17th Street BBQ, one of Blagojevich's preferred treats at the DuQuoin State Fair, and a supply of cozy dogs, an Illinois tradition from Route 66."

The news report stating that the two restaurants were in Springfield was incorrect. 17th Street BBQ is actually further downstate, in Murhpysboro, next door to Carbondale. There biggest claim to fame is that they have won the Memphis in May BBQ Cook-off three times. I can tell you from first hand experience that whatever they did to win in Memphis doesn't translate to the food served at their restaurant. Don't get me wrong; it's good 'Que, but hardly championship quality.

Kinda sad that Governor Rod feels the need to go all the way to Murphysboro when he's got some of the best brisket and pulled pork you'll find in this state right there in town in a Kmart parking lot!

Buddy

quote:

Originally posted by BuddyRoadhouse
Kinda sad that Governor Rod feels the need to go all the way to Murphysboro when he's got some of the best brisket and pulled pork you'll find in this state right there in town in a Kmart parking lot!
Buddy

From the SJ-R (State Journal Register) our only local paper but a Associated Press story this AM: If the Seahawks prevail, Blagojevich will ship barbecue from Murphysboro's 17th Street Bar & Grill - and breaded hot dogs from Cozy Dog, one of the nation's earlier drive-ins, along historic Route 66 in Springfield.

So the story came of course from Chicago, and our local paper didn’t even bother to correct the obvious errors. I mean breaded Hot Dogs, come on who calls a Cozy Dog a breaded hot dog? Maybe a Proto Pup, a Corn Dog, and of course a Cozy Dog but never a breaded hot dog LOL.

One other thought I’ve cooked ribs for three Illinois Governors, and the general assembly twice. But never for this governor. He doesn’t live in the Governor’s mansion and is rarely seen here in Springfield. Those two points are a hugh point of contention with most of those of us that live downstate.

Not to turn this into a political debate but here is a quote from an earlier SJ-R article.
Blagojevich’s first four years were tumultuous.
He eliminated thousands of state jobs, increased hundreds of business taxes and fees. At the same time, he clashed with other state officials so often that they began doubting his word and made him put promises in writing. He launched high-profile initiatives, such as buying foreign flu vaccine and legalizing keno gambling, that flopped. He handed out government contracts to political contributors and allies.One of his appointees to a government commission has pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges. A top fundraiser and close friend has been indicted. In the end, Blagojevich won a second term with a shade under 50 percent of the vote.

At least he didn't sell the major toll-roads in the state to a 'Middle-Eastern Financial Group', and now try to do the same with the State Lottery. Talk about "Out-jobbing", Welcome to Indiana.

Dr BBQ, You are on our target list for the next time we happen to be in Lincoln-Land.

Dr., you'll get no argument from me regarding our Governor's deficiencies and deceptions. This last election, like the one preceding it was a real stinker; a hold your nose and pick your poison choice between a do nothing, dishonest Democrat and a "no different from the rest of the good ol' boys" (even though she's a woman), part of the Illinois two party combine Republican.

I'm not sure who was the lesser of two evils, but this Left-Winger actually voted Republican just for the change of pace. It is my firm belief that as long as there is a Daley running the city of Chicago, there must be a Republican, to balance things out, sitting in the Governor's mansion in Springfield. An even bigger problem with Governor Rod is that he has selfishly chosen to live in Chicago and make the occasional commute to the state capitol. How the voter's of Illinois decided to give this bonehead a second four years is a mystery to me.

Al, both the selling of the lottery and the state tollway system have been, and continue to be on the table here in Illinois. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't happen somewhere down the line. This state is run by a bunch of money grubbing, short sighted yahoos who can't see the future past their own next re-election bids.

Now let's get the conversation back to something really important: Barbecue!

Buddy

After reading Buddy's description of his twin visits to the Dr., ChiTown Jr. and myself, in Decatur for a night, decided to make the 45 minute drive over to Springfield for a visit to the good Dr.'s stand. After parking in the Kmart lot, we walked up to the window where a young lady was patiently waiting for her to go order. "Don't stand under the wiennie, it's dripping" seemed to break the ice as we all started laughing. If your wondering what she meant, look up at Buddy's picture and you'll understand. Springfield was the beneficiary of a heavy duty ice storm that night and the trailor and "wiennie" were covered in ice, dripping ice.

As she departed, I introduced myself to the Dr. and he immediately invited the 2 of in to his immaculate trailor. Our first impression confirms Buddy's - it is so clean and polished, you knew the food was going to be great. We were also lucky in that the Dr. opened as many businesses were slow to open due to the above mentioned ice storm. Traffic, both foot and auto were well below normal levels per the Dr. and the Kmart lot was empty. All the better for chatting...

The next 90 minutes were a smorgasbord of BBQ and good conversation. We started our journey with a pulled pork sandwich. The meat, moist and perfectly pulled to eliminate any hard spots was so flavorful and juicy, it would be great alone. Instead, the Dr. served it up on a fresh bun, added a sprinkle of rub powder and finished it with a pump of BBQ sauce. Perfection! ChiTown Jr. wasn't talking at this point, he was all action. Actually, so was I!

Next up were the beans, and Buddy's description is right on. Sweet, tangy and just a hint of spice...delicious!

The next course was my favorite...a whole top round (18 lb. average) smoked for 7-8 hours until it's fall apart tender. This is a new menu item and has a small amount of apple juice added to the meat and juice while it holds on the steam table. With the top round, there's no waste, slicing is easier and the clean-up as compared to the brisket is minimized. The apple juice, meat juice and the dry rub combine for a magic cocktail which we drank from our sample cups. The Dr. then served up a sandwich of top round prepared similarly to the pulled pork. As stated, my favorite!

Next up, a smoked, spicey sausage sandwich. It's a fire breather, leaving the lips glowing for a short while after. Simply garnished with mustard and relish, the sausage contained little flecks of peppers. This one needed a cool beverage to ease the heat.

The fun continued with a Midwest staple, corn. A half ear, dropped into hot water combined with a spice rub steeps for about 30 minutes. At serving time, a little butter and a dash of dry rub transfix an ordinary but good Midwest staple into a hot, sweet and spicey ear of corn. Once again, all conversation stopped!

We finished our smorgasbord journey with spare ribs...cooked for approxiamtely 4 hours with just a dry rub. They were so good, NO sauce was needed! Repeat, NO sauce needed!

As we bid good-bye to the good Dr., our plan was to stop by at Darcy's Pint for a Springfield favorite, the Horseshoe. Our BBQ smorgasboard curtailed that plan...there simply put, was no room!

Looking back, one of the most entertaining 90 minutes combined with the best in roadfood. The Dr. was a great host and an even greater pitmaster! Jack - Thanks!

ChiTownDiner and Jr,
It was good to meet you both, but I must apologize I failed to offer you both a taste of my New Baked Potato. What a Dunce! So sorry. I also wish I had some tables and chairs so everyone could be comfortable. LOL Come spring we will have the tent back up and picnic tables for our guest. I’m also in the process of gathering some information on the great tourist attractions that are here in the capitol city, for out of town guest that visit. Again my pleasure to chat with you and share some BBQ with another great forum member.

I had a chance to stop at the Dr.'s trailer the day before Thanksgiving and will echo the superlatives posted here. Jack, it was a pleasure to meet you and the ribs reheated just fine Thanksgiving morning.

Brad

As long as this thread has resurfaced, I guess I will let it be known that Mrs. Roadhouse and I will be traveling to Kansas City on December 18th. We are already making plans for stopping in Springfield to visit the Dr.'s place of business for a mess o' ribs, or a plate of pulled pork, or maybe a pile of brisket; who knows!

Whatever we have, I know it will be great, and the time spent with Jack will be full of good cheer.

There will be a full report when the time comes.

Buddy

It's been a long time since I have been to Illinois, but the good doctor's BBQ sure looks like it is worth a trip.

 
http://www.drofbbq.com/

quote:

Originally posted by BuddyRoadhouse

As long as this thread has resurfaced, I guess I will let it be known that Mrs. Roadhouse and I will be traveling to Kansas City on December 18th. We are already making plans for stopping in Springfield to visit the Dr.'s place of business for a mess o' ribs, or a plate of pulled pork, or maybe a pile of brisket; who knows!

Whatever we have, I know it will be great, and the time spent with Jack will be full of good cheer.

There will be a full report when the time comes.

Buddy

Buddy,
Just yesterday Leonardo, asked when you were going to be in town. He wants to make you some of his Carmel Corn,to take with you on your trip. What would you like when you come down for your visit,something special? Let me know so I can have it ready.If you want I can get Leo to come in and work for me and we can go have a horseshoe. Then if you want some BBQ, you can just take it with you.

Jack

Brad, your my kind of guy eating ribs for breakfast. And thank you for the kind words. Miami Don, your always welcome.

Something special??? Isn't everything you serve at your trailer already special? Honestly Jack, we'll be happy with whatever you have on hand, it's all excellent! On the other hand we wouldn't say no either to a little something to carry with us to KC. Ya can't go wrong with your ribs, that's for sure.

As far as getting together for a horseshoe is concerned, that would be fine too. When we're in your town, we put ourselves in your hands. Whatever you want to do is fine with us. Of course we'll be back your way on Sunday the 28th for the return trip and would love to get together with you again then.

Tell Leonardo we'll have plenty of sauce to do some horse trading on his outstanding caramel corn. When is he going to start selling that stuff? He could become a very rich man and support both of us in our old age!

See you on the 18th. I'll call as we get close.

Buddy

P.S. Nice website! I just noticed you're selling smoked sausage now. I definitely want to try some of that!

B.

Oh man! The Dr.'s BBQ sounds fantastic. Just gotta have some. In April, when I'm heading down to NOLA for the big Roadfood gathering, my route ( I-55 ) will take me within a few miles of the Dr.'s trailer, and at lunchtime too. Take a wild guess where I'll be partaking of my midday meal ( can't guess, huh? ) 

nocarolina, unless the Dr. moves between now April, you will be within five minutes of his trailer off of I-55.

Come hungry and be prepared for some fine 'Que!

Buddy

NoCarolina you will be more than welcome, anytime. Are you traveling by yourself? As Buddy and a few other Road Food folks will attest Road Food members get some very special attention.
The phone number at the trailer is 217-744-9999, call me when you’re a half hour out, that would be Lincoln Illinois on I-55 and I'll have food ready if you'd like so your stop won't delay you anymore than necessary.

Just take the 6th street exit and continue north past Cozy Dog, which will be on your left, and be prepared to turn left immediately after the railroad viaduct.

After you go under the viaduct you'll see the trailer on your left make the turn and stay in the left lane at the first light use the green turn arrow to make a U turn right into our drive.

U turns are not illegal in Springfield unless a no U turn sign is posted. Then just drive up to the window. It sounds more complicated than it really is LOL.
Jack

Dr., thank you for the invitation and the promise of great BBQ. Yes, I'll be by myself ( he who travels alone travels best, or some nonsense like that ), and I'll be sure to give you a call from the Lincoln area and let you know that I'm on my way. I'm planning on getting a very early start out of Chicagoland, so hopefully I'll reach your place by lunchtime ( even if I don't, I'm still stoppin'! ) 
                                                                         Bob