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!

Mac Bros' Pork Nesia is now an official FoB favourite 

With Train 

I can’t remember the last time I trusted my reputation, such that it is, on a pre-made and packaged pork rub. I’m one of those suspicious souls that somehow trusts members of the FoB squad and my own vague recollections of my Aunty Vadz’s culinary concoctions and accoutrements to impress fellow feasters. 

You may have already read my brief [Ed. Hilarious!] run-down on my grilled pork loin interpretation, and you’ll remember that I only use a 100% virgin olive oil with salt and pepper to get the job done. On occasion, I’ll fumble blindly through the mists of time to recollect an ancient zesty, Caribbean-influenced salsa as a side, but that’s it. 

So, one afternoon, I found myself at Alex Junior Espresso being heartily persuaded to try a product by Mac Bros called Pork Nesia – a pork rub. Kieran, of Alex Junior fame, is an incredible human and possibly the fussiest and most fastidious coffee impresarios I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing but his pork rub bona fides were um… were unconvincing. Nonetheless, in pursuit of something new I relented and here is my brutally frank assessment of the product, my cook, and the end result. 

Pork Nesia rub – now I remember why we gave you a try 

The product is presented in a tubed container much like millions of other spice concoctions available all over the globe except perhaps Antarctica. The red- themed label and matching ruddy hue of the ingredients had me guessing at the Scoville Heat Units lurking within. Surely, chilli would be a protagonist in the porcine plot. Surely! Aside from that, I went into this with an open(ish) mind. 

The setting: 

I had invited some trusted interstate guests to FoB central to sample the Nesia-dusted and rubbed pork loin entrée: Dman and Pete, both of European extraction, were both gifted notoriously discerning palates - perfect for shredding the appearance, texture and taste of this Nesia-rubbed loin and confirming my admittedly archaic notion that salt, pepper and oil is all pork needs – and wants. The method: 

When it comes to trialling rubs, I never completely abandon the precepts and procedures that have held me in good stead over previous cooks… unless they’ve failed horribly (and that has happened from time to time). So, I still apply my beloved formula of oil, S&P but in lesser proportions. I do this so that I can directly compare the result to what I usually do for a dish. This means that the dish is still uniquely my own but also gives me a better idea of the power, flavour profile and penetration of the rub. 

I then went ahead and applied a generous but not ridiculous amount of Pork Nesia to my prepped loin – dusting the scored skin and fat as well as the flesh on the underside. Of course, I took a moment to smell the rub before application and I found the aroma quite alluring… promising even. 

The result: 

From Dman the Dutchman: 

 After the usual approving nods, post the initial inspection, Dman crunched through the pork crackling and into the flesh itself. Another nod and then, “Oh yeah, nice!” 

A moment later: “Oh Wow!! This has a lot to say… and I like it!” (Chewing) “mmm”, another bite, “Mmm, complex flavours. Very very interesting. Rich, full and again, the flavour profiles tend to form an orderly line and work their way across the tastebuds one by one. Brilliant!” 

From Pete: 

Now this gentleman is not a fan of rich sauces (or any sauce), preferring instead to carry out an honest and exacting interrogation of each element of the rub and the meat unto itself. A dour but fair judge, his comments would be both revealing and uncompromising. 

Silence. 

More silence. 

A glance at me… and then a glance at the Pork Nesia. 

“Amazing!” 

That’s all I needed to hear. Verdict: 

So, what does it all mean? I think my guest judges were both right. Pork Nesia by Mac Bros: 

• Knows when to step up and when to let the pork do the talking. Well-balanced, it plays an able second fiddle to the delicate natural flavour of a nice pork loin without crying out for star billing. 
• Plays well with others (meaning spices). 
• Never lets you forget that you’ve added something wonderful to your pork dish. 

Score: 

A rock solid 8.5/10. 

Thanks for coming Pork Nesia, we’ll see you again soon!