A Food
Drink focus issue.
Saturday, June 18, 2016 • Page 1B
Keeping the barbecue tradition alive, vibrant By Christina Martinez christina@theleadernews.com Walk into Pizzitola’s Barbecue restaurant off of North Shepherd and you’ll find history written on the walls. Travel back in time to the 1930s and Shepherd Drive would look a bit different. Interstate 10 had not yet swallowed up everything in its tracks, and a neighborhood family barbecue joint sat where I-10 and Shepherd intersect now: Shepherd Drive Barbecue Stand. The stand was run by John and Lela Davis and, at the time, segregation was in full force. Most restaurants were following the Jim Crow laws – blacks enter through the back and whites through the front. But this wasn’t the case when it came to Houston barbecue, and to Shepherd Drive Barbecue Stand barbecue. Blacks came through the front and sat in Davis’s table ser-
vice restaurant and whites entered, ordered and sat in the back. Eventually, I-10 made its way to Houston and the stand was relocated to 1703 Shepherd Dr. One customer in particular has fond memories of eating brisket with his father back in the day. “The place was known for its brisket,” Pizzitola’s Barbecue owner Jerry Pizzitola said. “My father loved barbecue and would bring me to eat with him and it was like clockwork. John didn’t open the doors until the stroke of noon and the line was already out the door. This wasn’t a place you were going to get a quick meal, but the wait was well worth it.” The Davis family eventually decided to get out of the barbecue business and Jerry Pizzitola, a recent graduate from Texas A&M UniSee Pizzitola P. 7B
Contributed photo Jerry Pizzitola, owner of Pizzitola’s Barbecue, takes their famous spareribs off of the brick pit.
Meat Science Greg Gatlin and Gatlin’s BBQ talk meat and science. Contributed photo Summers at TruLite Gas Products are heating up and the Sanchez family is firing up the grill.
Find it on 2B
Ten tips for making the most out of your gas or charcoal grill cooking experience For The Leader When it comes to getting outside and firing up the barbecue pit, some of us are just a little more knowledgeable than others, and that’s OK. Chris Sanchez and the family at Tru-Lite Gas Products have put together ten tips to keep handy when firing up the pit this summer.
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Get to know your grill. A great understanding of what you are using can go a long way to having a great cooked meal. Read your manual, ask questions to professionals, watch videos online of people cooking on your style of grill and never be afraid to ask questions. No question is a dumb question when you are grilling! Test out your grill before entertaining others. Give yourself a few cooks on your grill to understand how it heats up, where it may lack in heating capacity and how long it takes to cook certain things. Familiarizing yourself with the cooking system of your grill will ensure the best cooks. Always maintain the main components of your grill.
Experience the difference of Open Pit BarBCue and Table Service
Serving
Keep your grates as clean as possible by burning off the excess grease and drippings after every cook. Continue this the next time you cook by using a well-made grill brush to clean off the grates.
Brisket Ribs Chicken Sausage Pulled Pork Dine-in, Take-Out and Catering
Once a month, clean off your burners with a wire brush to assure that you are getting an even flame and heat distribution throughout the grill. If you are using a charcoal grill, clean out any ash build up and make sure there are no airflow restrictions for proper heating.
HAlF OFF dine-in menu pricing from 4 – 8 p.m. on Wednesdays
Before each cook, have a plan of action. Ask yourself the following questions: What will I cook? How many am I cooking for and what do I have in my fridge and pantry that I can use for the cook?
Marinate and rub in advance. Some of the best competition grilled foods are marinated overnight and we think no differently when it comes to the meat going on your grill. Some things, like steak, don’t need to be marinated overnight, but if you have some chicken or nice fajita, cooking the next day after being marinated overnight is a great option. Always preheat your grill. It doesn’t matter if it’s the most expensive grill or a simple Weber Charcoal grill, preheating your grill helps to reduce sticking and ensure that you get that even cook all the way through. Once your grill is preheated, you can begin your cook.
Diversify! Try to use zones when you are cooking to be more versatile in your cook and get more done. Try reverse searing for an amazing steak. Simply zone your grill into a hot and low side or if you have enough space you can do Hot, Medium, and Low. Once your zones are at proper temp put the steak on the low side for a tick, then transfer to the high heat side for a lovely char and sear crust.
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Enjoy yourself and your family and friends. Grilling is meant to bring people to together. Try new things, enjoy all elements of the grill and make sure to do it often. A happy griller is a Tru Griller! Pizzitola’s BARBCUE owner, Jerry Pizzitola, manning the brick pit and the spareribs
Fourth of July Special Know what you’re looking for when choosing meats. B&W Meat Co. has been in the ‘hood since 1959. FIND IT 7B
Grab A Slab of Ribs To-Go
for $2495
Monday July 4 only. Must call to pre order.
1703 Shepherd Dr. 713-227-2283 www.pizzitolas.com
Open 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Saturday, Closed Sunday