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Earlier this week, the PGA and other sports outlets reported on this year’s Champion’s Dinner Menu, in honor of Dallas native Jordan Spieth. The main course featured “Authentic Texas Barbecue,” which, as we all know, is sure to stir some debate and generate a bunch of chatter. So here we are.
First things first, I will keep this as objective as possible to avoid any regional barbecue flame wars. I know this is a futile attempt, but I want to just point out that if you’re eating barbecue, you’re already a winner regardless of personal taste and preference. We were all raised on something and this will undoubtedly skew our perceptions, so keep it civil and fuck you.
The reviews are in. @JordanSpieth's Champions Dinner menu was a hit with @TigerWoods: https://t.co/eClqigqmyQ pic.twitter.com/kdXhJ1KtW0
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) April 6, 2016
I appreciate Jordan’s use of barbecue as the main course, and one that has made its rounds in previous dinners. Fellow Texan Ben Crenshaw chose barbecue in 1996, as did Phil Mickelson in 2007 (after previously choosing lobster ravioli). Another common theme is fajitas, which have been chosen by both Tiger Woods and Mark O’Meara. I’d also like to point out that Tiger also went with steak and sushi in previous dinners, while his first dinner featured cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes — hopefully a middle finger to Fuzzy Zoeller.
Bubba Watson chose chicken breast and mashed potatoes after both of his wins, because they’re bland and tasteless as he is.
The most unique dinners have all come from foreign champions, like Angel Cabrera’s asado, Charl Schwartzel’s braai, Vijay Singh’s rack of lamb with kari sauce and Jose Maria Olazabal’s paella. The all-time great has to come from Sandy Lyle, who picked Haggis and turnips, because Scottish people love to fight dirty.
But anyway, on to Spieth.
First Course: Local Greens Salad
Sure, whatever. Not sure what that has to do with barbecue, but the addition of a corn muffin gets us close.
Main Course: Authentic Texas Barbecue
Here’s where we get to the meat (heh) of the operation. Now technically, the “holy trinity” of Texas barbecue is beef brisket, pork ribs, and sausage. Not really sure how yardbird made it into this one, but since we’re in Georgia, I’m guessing that has something to do with it.
I’m hoping that the grillmasters at Augusta National had some assistance here. While the cooking method is largely the same across the board (low and slow) for almost all barbecue, brisket has its own intricacies that might have escaped people accustomed to pork and chicken. For instance, both white meats can generally be cooked at a higher temperature, and with a variety of woods for the smoke. Furthermore, traditional Georgia sauce will be a tangy mix of mustard and vinegar bases. While delicious, they don’t necessarily go with fatty beef like a spiced ketchup and molasses based sauce will.
Bacon and chive potato salad sounds great, but I have no fucking idea how green beans, squash and zucchini snuck in.
Dessert: Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie with Vanilla Ice Cream
It’s not pecan pie, but we gotta keep it light here. You’re gonna be stuffed after a whole lot of meat, and a poorly-timed sugar crash could ruin your chances in the opening rounds.
Wine: 2011 Cakebread Reserve Chardonnay; 2010 Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
This is masterfully played by Spieth. The Cab Sav is a nice choice, and it shows his savvy by choosing Cakebread, as precious few drinks pair as well with barbecue as a screwtop wine, which is basically what Cakebread is.
All in all, I wouldn’t necessarily call it “Authentic” Texas barbecue, but what are you gonna do. This isn’t your last meal as a condemned man, it’s simply a dinner in your honor. Hopefully, everyone rubs a bunch of sauce and grease all over their green jackets. .
Image via YouTube
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a quick google search shows cake bread wine going at 75$ and up I would say swing and a miss on twist off
Think he got confused with Cupcake wine
Sure did! But I liked the joke, so I kept it.
Cakebread and Caymus are both phenomenal wines and choices for the event.
Also, I’m pretty sure if you can land a gig cooking at Augusta National you won’t have any problems pulling off some brisket and chicken.
Honest question, why? Does Augusta National have a reputation for excellent food? All I know about them is pimento cheese sandwiches.
I would imagine one of the most famous and prestigious clubs in the US can find a decent chef.
Makes sense. On the flip side, I’ve seen LOTS of full on bbq places screw up brisket. It’s way more of a delicacy if done right, and not just “pulled off.”
Agreed. Grew up in a BBQ mecca and live in Texas now so I get how tricky it can be.
I’d say at this point, fully 30% of my comments are dedicated to pointing out that a screw-top bottles have no implication on the quality of the wine. Especially an un-oaked chard
I’m with you. Got like three bottles of Butternut in the wine fridge as we speak.
Jokes is jokes man. Sorry everyone got hung up on that one line.
Bacon and Chive Potato salad is just “German Potato Salad” and it is delicious. He was trying to copy the menu at Salt Lick in Austin. Green beans (normally with bacon) are a very traditional Texas BBQ side as well. Zucchini and Squash are not, but they probably needed some sort of meat free vegetable.
Green beans with bacon I can see, but those are boiled, not sautéed. Salt Lick’s potato salad is mustard based and has onion, but no bacon or chive (which would go better with a mayo base).
A braai is just Afrikaans for a barbecue. I’d imagine it was pretty similar to Spieth’s menu minus the yard bird and most certainly with sausage and probably lamb. Not exotic at all…
I didn’t call it exotic.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Jordan told his publicist he wanted “barbecue” and the rest was added to make him look cultured. Honestly, would be a good safe PR move.
Totally copied Barstool on this article. You wrote a reaction article on a widely circulated menu, for a champion’s dinner, at the sport’s biggest event? Have some creativity one time for me. /s/