One of the most gratifying aspects of writing a food blog
for eight plus years is that people think of you automatically when they want a
restaurant recommendation or are traveling to a new place. Another is the
friends you make in the food industry, especially if you can resist the
temptation to be an overly crotchety/negative critic of the restaurants in your
area.
I’ve made a bunch of chef friends and restaurateur buddies
through the BHS journey, and Dan at Food & Fire BBQ Taphouse in Johnson
City is one of them. A few months ago, I had an inspiration about a burnt ends
poutine, and shared it with Dan when Shawn and I were in his establishment one
night, in between shoving tots into our mouths as fast as we were able. He loved
the idea, and we’ve been chatting back and forth about it since then, formulating
a dish that would work for his kitchen and would be optimally delicious.
I’m excited to announce, it’s here. IT’S HERE, my Hungries! The burnt ends have become chopped fatty, smoked brisket, the cheese curds are fried, and I can take zero credit for the gravy, because it is Dan’s masterpiece: a beef and ale concoction that is rich and complex, so the brisket and cheese curds don’t overwhelm it. He named this magnum opus Big Hungry Brisket Poutine, because Dan is a baller, and he loves me.
You should go in and order it when it’s on special because
it is a massive platter of utter indulgence: hot, crispy French fries draped in
shredded smoked gouda cheese, crowned with chunks of juicy beef brisket and
studded with golden, fried cheese curds, then bathed in beer gravy and showered
with scallions. It’s big enough to share with four to six of your closest
friends, and the balance of this dish is the best part: it’s savory and just a
bit salty, but never so rich that it finds the tipping point to too much. 
I’m excited to announce, it’s here. IT’S HERE, my Hungries! The burnt ends have become chopped fatty, smoked brisket, the cheese curds are fried, and I can take zero credit for the gravy, because it is Dan’s masterpiece: a beef and ale concoction that is rich and complex, so the brisket and cheese curds don’t overwhelm it. He named this magnum opus Big Hungry Brisket Poutine, because Dan is a baller, and he loves me.
So let me give you a piece of advice if you like to eat
really yummy things: drive to Johnson City, belly up to a table at Food and
Fire, order a craft beer, and dig in to my Big Hungry Brisket Poutine. Tell Dan
you love it, and maybe he’ll add it to the menu permanently! We should be so
lucky. My hunger is big; my personality is bigger!
