Hank's Smoked Brisket - Indianapolis, IN

There once was a man from Texas.........who moved for a job in Indianapolis.........He stayed for decades and when he retired........He shared his love of BBQ brisket.

Smoked Spareribs All Sauced Up

Okay, so no one ever said I was a poet, but a limerick seems fitting when you talk about Hank's Smoked Brisket.  After growing up in Texas, Hank moved to Indianapolis over three decades ago to work as a supervisor in manufacturing.  After spending his entire career with the same company, he retired and began to think of his next adventure.  Hank had a passion for slow-smoked barbecue.  His friends and coworkers always looked forward to being invited to dine whenever he made it.  After some encouragement from said family and friends, Hank decided to share his barbecue with others.

Just across from the Crown Hill Cemetary on the northwest side of Indianapolis, you will find Hank's Smoked Brisket.  Sitting on the end of a commercial strip building on Martin Luther King Junior Drive, Hank serves up Texas-style brisket and other barbecue on a daily basis.  It was designed to be more than a part-time job originally, but Hank said he couldn't keep up with the demand on a part-time basis so he expanded to full-time.  You can sample Hank's barbecue for yourself Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 9pm and on Sunday from noon to 5pm. 

When I said Hank cooks Texas-style barbecue, I wasn't kidding.  Several times a year, Hank drives down to Texas and loads up on mesquite wood, which he hauls back to Indy to fuel his smoker.  As a barbecue competitor myself, I am always interested in trying new places.  And so on one Tuesday recently, I found myself up in the area around lunchtime and decided to drop in.

Just stepping out of the car, I could smell the intoxicating aroma of sweet smoke in the air.  I was drawn to the building to explore what flavors would compliment the smells.  Hank was positioned behind the window, working alone as he helped each customer.  A row of four or five chairs sit in front of the glass windows across from the order window, however there are no tables.  Hank's is designed to be a carryout location.

The menu is simple, yet offers a full range of slow-smoked meats.  Chicken, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, pork loin, smoked sausage and corned beef are all offered after been smoked in mesquite on Hank's seasoned pit.  Meals can be ordered as sandwiches, as meals including sides, and by the pound as well.  For my first time at Hank's I wanted to sample several meats, and my only disappointment was that the menu is structured in an easy way to do that.  The menu would be truly complete with a sampler dinner that would combine more than one meat option to allow people to try multiple options.

While I was mulling over the many options, Hank made some small talk and offered up a sample slice of smoked corned beef.  It was reminiscent of a pastrami without the juniper and other specific spices that combine to transform corned beef into pastrami.  The meat was hot, smoky, tender and juicy.  The smoke note wasn't overpowering and the corned beef flavor was able to shine through.

Without an option to sample more than one meat in one meal, I skipped any sides and just ordered a sliced brisket sandwich and a half slab of spare ribs.  I opted to allow Hank to apply the sauce on the ribs for me and sauce on the side for the brisket before heading off to the car to dine.  The ribs set me back $10.75 for a half slab and the brisket sandwich was $9.  With a soda, it was just over $20 total.  The prices are fair individually and I think if Hank would add a combo meal to the menu so people can affordably sample several meats, it would be a welcome addition.

I first nestled in to sample the brisket sandwich, knowing it should be Hank's speciality since it's the namesake and what Texas barbecue is known for.  The brisket did not disappoint.  I was able to try a bit without sauce on it and found it to be simply spiced and thoroughly tender.  The brisket still had a slight tug to it when you went to pull it apart, showing that it was tender, but not overcooked.  The sauce complimented it well, with just enough savory complexity to make it work with the meat.

Smoked Brisket

The ribs were next on the agenda and they are three napkins to the bone kind of ribs when sauced.  They are full spares as well so there is plenty of meat to be had.  The flavor of the ribs and the sauce were very good and I enjoyed them.  The particular set of ribs I had on that were perhaps just a tad undercooked as they didn't pull cleanly from the bone, but I had no complaints with the flavor profile.

Hank's is a must try if you appreciate barbecue in Indianapolis.  It's not a big flashy place in a high rent area.  It's one man, taking his passion for barbecue and plying his trade in retirement to do something he truly loves.  His passion for serving others great food is evident from the moment you set foot in the door all the way through the last sauce, soaked napkin you wad up.  If you head there for lunch, you may want to plan a little nap time after your meal because you will be fully satisfied when you are through.  Here's to hoping Hank will continue to serve quality Texas barbecue in Indianapolis for many years to come.  I have plenty more to try on the menu on my future visits.

Hank's Smoked Brisket Menu

17th Street Bar and Grill - Murphysboro, IL

For years now, I have been into barbecue.  Eating barbecue, but also smoking it myself.  Several years ago, I found myself at the bookstore and a new book caught my eye called Peace, Love and BBQ.  I flipped through the pages and saw that the author was from southern Illinois.  My family is from southern Illinois and at the time I was living far away from home in South Dakota so the prospect of a book about barbecue and my homeland sounded great so I snatched it up.  I immediately read the book cover to cover and found it to be full of great recipes, wonderful stories and lot's of barbecue folklore.  The book is part cookbook, part memoir and part survey of the greatest barbecue restaurants across the country.  The book not only motivated me to take my smoking to the next level, but to also begin my journey as a professional barbecue competitor. 

Fast forward to September of 2010, and I set foot in Murphysboro, Illinois, with my barbecue team, Thin Blue BBQ, to compete in Mike Mills' own contest.  The annual Praise the Lard contest attracts a great deal of competition.  Some of the best teams in the country show up and as a newer competition team, we just hoped to be respectable.  To our amazement we got 2nd place in ribs!  The highlight of the weekend was getting to shake the hand of the man behind the contest and the book that inspired me, Mike Mills.

Two weeks ago, I found myself in Murphysboro and I headed to 17th Street Bar and Grill for some lunch.  I immediately ordered my favorite appetizer, pimento cheese and hot links.  The cheese is so cold and creamy, while the hot links are smoky with just the right amount of spice.  I can't get enough of it.

For my entree, I had a delicious serviing of perfectly smoked beef brisket.  My favorite part of the meal though were the sides.  I got my meal with coleslaw and hush puppies.  Two sides that I remember fondly from childhood.  And coleslaw in southern Illinois means that it has vinegar on it instead of mayo.  the crispness of the cabbage paired with the tart vinegar flavor is unbelievable.

While I was dining, I asked the server if Mills was at the restaurant that day and she said that he is usually in the office across the street when he was in town.  After my meal, I thought I would take the chance and head over to see if he was in.  To my fortune he was.  And I had the chance to talk barbecue and competitions with my personal idol for over a half an hour.  Mills was so generous with his time and so friendly.  It is easy to see how he has achieved such success when he is so personable and approachable.  The cap to my visit was a picture that I will always cherish.