Train and The Burger Baron strike BBQ gold in Inglewood, WA

By Train, The Steak Whisperer with The Burger Baron

Saturday night at Blackiron Barbecue. Sounds like a classic western reminiscent of Tombstone, True Grit or more recently the Yellowstone series. – Taylor Sheridan take note!

In reality though, it was a fact-finding mission embarked upon by The Burger Baron and I because we had heard that the (near?) legendary Jason Linto, KCBS luminary, had returned to town. [Ed. Still sounds like a Western, just sayin’… partner] Not only that, he’d returned with a mission in mind: to bring authentic Texas-style BBQ back to Perth. More specifically, Inglewood.

Now right off the bat, the Blackiron Barbecue joint was very heavy on the family-friendly, bunkhouse vibe. White walls, black-frames and font, but not in Chanel way. As I say, classic bunkhouse décor. Functional furniture that offers a place to park your caboose more so than to recline for hours. After all, you’re here to eat great BBQ and chew the fat if you’ve a notion to spin a yarn. But what about the man (Jason) and more particularly the food. Well let’s get to it.

The Menu – a basic BBQ bounty that’ll have you whoopin’ and a-hollerin’

[Ed. You’ll have to excuse Train, he’s been obsessed with Westerns since he was a kid, so this article was always going to be… like this.]

Walk in through the front door, turn left and you’ll see the brown paper menu board with the day’s offer scrawled across it. Brisket and Burnt Ends, along with pork ribs are priced by the 100g, sides include mac ‘n’ cheese. They also have sausage for those that enjoy the snap and chew of the beef, cheese and jalapeno variety. There are other items including a dessert, but the salad type stuff was lost on me. No one seemed much bothered by that because everyone seemed to know that you visit the Blackiron for the meats.

Okay pricing. Some may try to argue that the asking is a little on the high side. I disagree. This is a “get what you pay for” world and I’m here to tell you [Ed. Spoiler alert] that I paid for quality and I got just that. Let’s get to the specifics though and I’ll let The Burger Baron italicise his way through his assessment of the offerings and I’ll chime in with normal font to avoid too much confusion.

-  Pork Ribs or ‘Dry Ribs'? No, they aren't dry, they're moist and perfectly cooked, BUT they aren't covered in BBQ sauce like many Aussies would expect, and I wouldn't change a thing! A punchy pepper-heavy salt and pepper rub is all that's needed to make these ribs shine. Enjoy these for what they are and save your sweet tooth instead for the chopped brisket!

I’ve got to say these were simply delicious. They’re a bit of a honey trap because you could end up buying (and consuming) way more than you originally intended. Personally, I could’ve spent the evening devouring these by the kilogram but I’m a professional and realise that balance is the key. [Ed. I have no words]

- Chopped Brisket, did somebody say burnt ends? Coated in a nice, tacky BBQ sauce, that rather than being sickly sweet, is balanced out beautifully with a healthy dash of vinegar, creating a sweet and tangy experience that leaves you wanting more, more, more!

Agreed. This was a standout for me. I had to get Jason to explain to me twice why this extraordinary item was listed as chopped meat (or chopped brisket) rather than burnt ends. Something about people thinking Burnt ends means the portions were burnt. Dunno. They’re delicious though.

- Sausage Link - Beef, Cheese & Jalapeno, my favourite snag. Perfectly emulsified consistency inside, contrasted with a decently snappy exterior and the odd crunchy piece of jalapeno inside. Just enough cheese to give a velvety mouthfeel, without overdoing it, and an aftertaste that rides with you for a bit.

I love it when the jalapeno turns up late to the party but works hard to catch-up. A fine sausage that aggressively proclaims its beefy birthright. 

- Wagyu Brisket. Jiggly, perfectly cooked, passes every classic BBQ test (fold/pull) with flying colours. Great bark, just a little light on the salt inside.

Enjoyed this but… needed a little more salt. Not a massive issue but if I’m picking nits, that’s the only thing I could pick and you could successfully argue that that’s just a personal preference, and you’d be right. But there it is. Hey, any more of those ribs?

- Complimentary Pickles - Featuring Southwest legend Rickles Pickles from Donnybrook, these sweet and sour dill pickles contrast the fatty cuts, break up a rich meal and give a very welcome, very FORWARD dill sucker punch. Like a herbaceous chimichurri complementing a savoury steak, these dill pickles hit different to anything you'll get at a supermarket.

Pickles were good. Flavoursome, complex without being weird about it but best of all, they did their job without trying to do too much. Well played.

I should give an honourable mention to the dessert, A delightful Key Lime Pie. Try it, trust me and thank everyone later.

So, tell us about Jason…

He’s a bit like a cowboy but nothing like one. He told me that his inspiration was born from his time in Texas being around great people making unbelievable food and he’s committed himself to bringing the techniques and dedication that comes with BBQ in Texas, all the way to Inglewood for people from Perth and further afield to enjoy.

I could tell that he’s the type of guy that will shoehorn a giant smoker that handles hundreds of kilos of beef into a sea container from Texas just to serve BBQ to the community. I love it, it’s laudable and it was great to spend a little time with the man, share a few tales and stagger out of the Blackiron, full as a boot.

Verdict: Highly recommended, FoB approved!

Johnno speaks, we listen... because it's brisket and it's Johnno 

With Johnno 

Plating a brisket that gets the oohs and aaahs, the admiration and glowing adoration that warms the heart etc is great for the ego, but the big reward is knowing yourself, that you are delighted with what you’ve achieved. The hours have not been wasted, the concentration has been rewarded, all is well with the world. While each brisket holds within it, its own secrets, there are some things that we should all know about and I’d like to share what I have found to be… VITAL! 

Okay, put simply, there are 5 things you need to remember to keep your brisket journey on the straight and narrow. 

1. Preparation is key! Make sure you have everything you need before you start so that during the cook you’re not ducking out to get supplies, like rubs which is a momentum/enthusiasm killer. I’ve been there and it messes with your head. Here are some related dot points to remember. 

a)   You’ll always use rub so make double, it’s not expensive, so you may as well. 

b)   You can never have enough fuel, so ensure you’ve got enough wood/pellets/charcoal 

c)   Stock up on gloves: running out could mean a quick trip to… hospital with burns – you don’t want that. 

d)   Avoid the dreaded battery crisis when your temp probe runs out of power…. OH COME ON! Solution: have spare batteries on hand.

Then, run your prestart checks and have everything sorted well before the cook - even a week in advance (Yes, a week! When it comes to brisket things get serious). 

2. Preparation part 2, the must-see sequel. Take your brisket out of the fridge at least 8 hours before (applicable for briskets between 7-11 kg) and take it out of the package at T-1 hour. Doing this will allow your brisket to come to ambient room temperature. This achieves a couple of things, it: 

a)   allows time for the brisket to go from say around 4 degrees (from your fridge) to room temp - that’s a lot of cook time you’ve just reduced and wood-pellets-charcoal you’ve saved. 

b)   helps to avoid overcooking the outside as you strive for the target internal temperature – by the way, you can use the same guidelines that apply to both steaks and roasts. 

3. The pit: Set your pit up with a nice steady temperature, if possible, out of the elements (rain has spoiled my cooks more than once). Get to know your pit as they all are different in their own ways. Here’s a quick checklist to ensure readiness: 

a)   clean the grates 

b)   remove the ash and grease from the baffle plates, deflector plates and or buckets. You don’t need to be servicing your pit during a cook 

c)   keep your wood/pellets/charcoal close when your pit temperature is dropping - you don’t want to be running around in a panic looking for your pit fuel. 

4.  The cook - Why is it difficult to hold steady temp? This is a question that’s plagued me for years. If you’re finding this difficult most likely “it’s not you (I say most likely) it’s the pit.” With a good pit you should be able to set the vents, monitor your temp, add some fuel when the temperature starts to drop, shut doors/close lid and get back to the temp you were at prior to adding more fuel if you’re using an offset. Remember white/dirty smoke must be avoided - this is another section I will cover in a future article [Ed. Presumptuous – I like the confidence]. 

a)   Think about flipping and turning the brisket during the cook and remember, most pits will produce more heat closer to the heat source… [Ed. WHAT?]  I know shocking! Flipping and turning your brisket will even out the amount of doneness of your brisket. 

b)   Use a good temperature probe!! For me, and this is just my personal preference, the MEATER probe is my go-to but I’ll cover that in another article also [Ed. Poking the bear…]. 

c)   If you find your brisket is looking dry, well guess what it is (gasp!) – time to act! Also, if you’re in the midst of the dreaded stall, you can help both these scenarios by basting the brisket in fat - butter or rendered fat trimmings will do wonders to combat these issues. 

5. The rest / resting the brisket: The rest is not history; you need to stay with me for a bit longer because it is just as important as the cook. There are a few more steps to take to make sure your brisket yields the best results. A nicely marbled brisket will need no extra help but if you find you are cooking with something a bit leaner: 

a)   open your wrap and add some fat, be it butter or rendered brisket fat trimming (perfect) to the wrap before you rest 

b)   allow the brisket to cool because if you carve/slice the brisket while it’s too hot, tragically, all your hard work will be undone, all those hours of toil wasted and your pride (probably) in tatters for the sake of just a few minutes. But let’s not keep you guessing. Here are some warning signs that your brisket is too hot to carve: 

          i. Steam! If there’s excessive steam, it’s too hot 
          ii. Ouch! If it’s too hot to hold while carving it’s too hot 
          iii. if you find it oxidises after carving, it’s too hot. You’ll notice oxidation when a freshly cut, nicely presented slice starts to turn dull and grey – that’s not very visually appealing to you or your guests. 

Remember practice, practice, practice!! 

Final thoughts in really short sentences. Take your time. Let the meat do its thing. Don’t panic. Enjoy the experience and take note of what’s going on. 

Pro tip: Ignore the family and friends when they ask “when will it be ready?” and if you find yourself no longer able to continue for whatever reason, put the brisket in your oven at around 100c and continue the next day.So, go ahead, reread this piece, keep it close and ready yourself for the next triumphant brisket parade. Motivational tip when things get difficult:  Visualise the wows and gasps as you slice and present pure, pristine, awe-inspiring brisket to your audience and…. FEAST ON!