America's Best BBQ.

Captain's BBQ in Palm Coast, FL is in my back yard, but I have never heard of them. I'll have to give them a try soon.

I'll have to see how many of the others have runway's nearby.
 
In before the claim of "the best BBQ in the world is served at Steinholme" is thrown out there.
 
In before the claim of "the best BBQ in the world is served at Steinholme" is thrown out there.
I don't think BBQ'd parsnips count, even though I do like grilled vegetables.
 
"America's" best BBQ is irrelevant compared to what you like. I prefer the NC style with the white vinegar sauce and pepper. But I also love a good smokey brisket like they do in Texas

As far as their list...I don't think much of their ranking method. Florida i snot known as a mecca for barbecue, but it has two spots compared to Texas having just one? Maryland? Yesterday someone from Georgia was telling me "we don't really have barbecue in Georgia".

Maybe some kind of comparative thing where those places are the bright lights in their area and therefore appear to stand out more...
 
They have Joe's Kansas City at #2.

Like renaming an airport, it's going to be many, many years before I call it anything but Oklahoma Joe's.
 
We all know this article is BS since Blacks isn't #1.
 
List is obviously wrong. Crabcakes and football, that's what Maryland does.
 
List is obviously wrong. Crabcakes and football, that's what Maryland does.

Having lived there for a few years, pretty much.

There was one BBQ place, but it was way the heck up in Howard County, called itself "North Carolina Style" and was ... OK.

There is better BBQ in California, which is saying a lot. There is much better BBQ in Waco, though it can be a bit weird at times (chopped brisket, jalapeño, and Fritos?).
 
Having lived there for a few years, pretty much.

There was one BBQ place, but it was way the heck up in Howard County, called itself "North Carolina Style" and was ... OK.

There is better BBQ in California, which is saying a lot. There is much better BBQ in Waco, though it can be a bit weird at times (chopped brisket, jalapeño, and Fritos?).


Fritos???
One more reason to steer clear of Waco.
 
Yesterday someone from Georgia was telling me "we don't really have barbecue in Georgia"....

Blue Ridge, GA, is very near some of the north GA mountain roads I like to ride, I'll have to jump on the bike and try lunch there soon and report back!
 
Okay how did California get 8 on a scale of smoked meats. We have tri tip. I don't expect 1 or 2, but I at least expect third.

And where's Bart on all of this.
 
1) REAL BBQ is found in Texas. ONLY Texas. :yes:

2) Anyplace outside of Texas claiming to have "Texas Style" BBQ doesn't count. :incazzato:

3) North Carolina BBQ doesn't count. See rule #1. Same for Kansas City.

4) The rest of y'all can shut up now. :D
 
Fritos???
One more reason to steer clear of Waco.

Yes, Fritos. And the snack food, not the beans.

It's better than you would think, but it's definitely weird. There is some more traditional Texas BBQ in town, but that spot was the one my colleague over there really liked. He had been a Baylor student, and apparently that's a "thing" there.

It's hard to steer clear of Waco unless you avoid I-35.
 
I detect more than a slight bias in that article.
Ya think?
I was born in Texas, but with few exceptions, I have been sorely disappointed in Texas BBQ. For one thing, the brag about how BBQ is supposed to be Beef. But have you ever tried to find BBQ beef ribs in Texas? There are a few places, but mostly they do pork. I have tried to find BBQ's beef ribs every time I visited Texas. A couple of times I thought I was on to something but found out they only do beef ribs on Tuesdays, or one other day of the week.

Until I can consistently find good Beef ribs in Texas, I will consider them pretenders instead of contenders.
And don't try to sell me Brisket. With few exceptions, it is like cardboard. (Expensive cardboard). Pulled pork is immeasurably better.
 
I suspect the real reason for the shootout in Waco had to do with BBQ.
 
BBQ is such a scam. What is wholesale on pork shoulder? Less then a dollar a pound likely. Cheap meat cooked for a long time at low heat and covered in sugar. Delicious and simple, paying someone else for it is dumb.
 
Ya think?
I was born in Texas, but with few exceptions, I have been sorely disappointed in Texas BBQ. For one thing, the brag about how BBQ is supposed to be Beef. But have you ever tried to find BBQ beef ribs in Texas? There are a few places, but mostly they do pork. I have tried to find BBQ's beef ribs every time I visited Texas. A couple of times I thought I was on to something but found out they only do beef ribs on Tuesdays, or one other day of the week.

Until I can consistently find good Beef ribs in Texas, I will consider them pretenders instead of contenders.
And don't try to sell me Brisket. With few exceptions, it is like cardboard. (Expensive cardboard). Pulled pork is immeasurably better.

It's hard to get brisket right. But when it is done right, it's pretty good.

I'm fine with pork ribs over beef ribs. I like both, but prefer pork baby backs. I've actually become pretty good at cooking them on the Weber on indirect for a few hours.
 
...

2) Anyplace outside of Texas claiming to have "Texas Style" BBQ doesn't count. :incazzato:

...

So, in Wisconsin:

http://www.mikessmokehouse.co/

"Great authentic Texas eats in Eau Claire. Whet your appetite with our menu below, and come on down to Mike's Smokehouse! Mike's Smokehouse meat is a distinctive pink color. Pink meat isn't a result of undercooking - it's because we cook our meat in a closed pit. The smoke infuses aroma, flavor, and a distinctive pink color. Don't be alarmed! The pinkness doesn't mean rare - it means our meat is slow-cooked for hours and perfectly done. The sign of authentic, Texas-style BBQ!"

doesn't cut it?

I think it's funny that there has be a warning to the fine folks of Eau Claire that BBQ won't kill you.
 
I'm always a little suspicious about ordering BBQ because I like the smoky taste but I do not like sauces which are sweet or hot. I've had BBQ that I like in Texas (without the sauce) and Memphis.
 
Oklahoma Joe's (or whatever they call it now) is excellent. I'll need to try the Joe's up in Blue Ridge. I cannot fathom a list like this leaving off such luminaries in the world of BBQ as Rendezvous in Memphis, Arthur Bryant's in KC, Rudy's in Leon Springs TX, Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur AL, Lockhart Smokehouse in Dallas, Kreutz Market in Lockhart TX, Interstate in Memphis, Lexington in NC, Gates in KC, Williamson Bros in Atlanta, Fox Bros in Atlanta...

There's a bunch of really excellent BBQ out there, so calling this list "the 10 best" isn't even provocative journalism, it's just wrong.
 
Oklahoma Joe's is good (refuse to call it something else) but not my favorite in KC. I won't tell you my favorite place, because if I did, I'd have to kill you. No reason to make the place busier, its a nice place as it is right now. It is in Kansas, on the southern side of the city.
 
I'm always a little suspicious about ordering BBQ because I like the smoky taste but I do not like sauces which are sweet or hot. I've had BBQ that I like in Texas (without the sauce) and Memphis.

Most places will let you order it "dry". Some of their items will have sauce in it (or on it) as part of either the cooking process or presentation. Some places will baste ribs in sauce as it cooks, some won't. Some places will serve pulled pork "wet" (sauce mixed in), some won't.

So give it a try, order it dry, and put the sauces on the side.

As a KC BBQ guy, I try BBQ wherever I can. The regional differences are part of what makes BBQ great. The last time I traveled anywhere, I was in S/E VA and hit at least 3 different BBQ joints in 4 days. And I really, really, liked the vinegar sauces that I sampled.

Brisket can generally be hard to do well - it's very easy to dry it out, or get it tough, or otherwise do a poor job. So it's a decent way to judge how good the place is. If they can do brisket right, they generally know what they are doing. So at a place I've never been, I usually try brisket first. But it was funny, trying to get used to the regional deal in Virginia: The first place I tried wouldn't let me order brisket. "Sorry sir, no brisket, only BBQ." Huh? "We only have brisket on Fridays, otherwise it's only BBQ." After several minutes of back and forth, I learned that BBQ = pork, and nothing else. Once I figured that out, all was well. Brisket = brisket, ribs = ribs, BBQ = pork.
 
Most places will let you order it "dry". Some of their items will have sauce in it (or on it) as part of either the cooking process or presentation. Some places will baste ribs in sauce as it cooks, some won't. Some places will serve pulled pork "wet" (sauce mixed in), some won't.

So give it a try, order it dry, and put the sauces on the side.

As a KC BBQ guy, I try BBQ wherever I can. The regional differences are part of what makes BBQ great. The last time I traveled anywhere, I was in S/E VA and hit at least 3 different BBQ joints in 4 days. And I really, really, liked the vinegar sauces that I sampled.

Brisket can generally be hard to do well - it's very easy to dry it out, or get it tough, or otherwise do a poor job. So it's a decent way to judge how good the place is. If they can do brisket right, they generally know what they are doing. So at a place I've never been, I usually try brisket first. But it was funny, trying to get used to the regional deal in Virginia: The first place I tried wouldn't let me order brisket. "Sorry sir, no brisket, only BBQ." Huh? "We only have brisket on Fridays, otherwise it's only BBQ." After several minutes of back and forth, I learned that BBQ = pork, and nothing else. Once I figured that out, all was well. Brisket = brisket, ribs = ribs, BBQ = pork.
I always thought BBQ was the style of cooking, not the type of meat. I've seen chicken on a BBQ menu, although I don't order it. I prefer ribs, either pork or beef. I never heard of brisket until I started going to Texas on a regular basis. I don't order it by itself but the Blue Goose in Addison has great brisket tacos. Too bad we don't go there (Addison) any more.
 
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Ya think?
I was born in Texas, but with few exceptions, I have been sorely disappointed in Texas BBQ. For one thing, the brag about how BBQ is supposed to be Beef. But have you ever tried to find BBQ beef ribs in Texas? There are a few places, but mostly they do pork. I have tried to find BBQ's beef ribs every time I visited Texas. A couple of times I thought I was on to something but found out they only do beef ribs on Tuesdays, or one other day of the week.

Until I can consistently find good Beef ribs in Texas, I will consider them pretenders instead of contenders.
And don't try to sell me Brisket. With few exceptions, it is like cardboard. (Expensive cardboard). Pulled pork is immeasurably better.

I dearly love beef ribs, and you are so right- they are very hard to come by. Gary Johnson at Bert's in Austin used to make a wonderful beef rib, but I believe he may have stopped, as the market is not that great for beef ribs.

Hint: never ever ever ever order "lean brisket." Yes, you will find such a monstrosity in Texas.

Lean? Misses the point!

Good brisket is moist, not lean, and really should not need sauce at all.

I'm always a little suspicious about ordering BBQ because I like the smoky taste but I do not like sauces which are sweet or hot. I've had BBQ that I like in Texas (without the sauce) and Memphis.

...like I said!

---

Used to be, when folks asked where to get good barbecue in Dallas, we'd answer, "Austin." Now, couple of decent places, current fave is Lockhart Barbecue in Oak Cliff.

Or, you could fly to Lockhart!
 
I always though BBQ was the style of cooking, not the type of meat.

Now you've gone and done it. Might as well put this in spin zone now!

In almost every BBQ place I've been: Smoking = cooking, BBQ = what gets cooked that way, and it's further separated by beef, pork, chicken, ribs, ...

But in some parts of this fine Republic, BBQ = pork that has been cooked by smoking. Everything else is smoked chicken, smoked, ribs, smoked brisket, ...
 
I always thought BBQ was the style of cooking, not the type of meat. I've seen chicken on a BBQ menu, although I don't order it. I prefer ribs, either pork or beef. I never heard of brisket until I started going to Texas on a regular basis. I don't order it by itself but the Blue Goose in Addison has great brisket tacos. Too bad we don't go there (Addison) any more.

There seems to be a lot of dissension on what constitutes "BBQ". To me, it's a generic term for cooking meat outdoors under fire or coals. Purists will say that it's specific to long, indirect heat cooking (e.g. smokers.) I've never heard anyone classify BBQ by the type of meat.
 
Now you've gone and done it. Might as well put this in spin zone now!
:rofl:

In almost every BBQ place I've been: Smoking = cooking, BBQ = what gets cooked that way, and it's further separated by beef, pork, chicken, ribs, ...

But in some parts of this fine Republic, BBQ = pork that has been cooked by smoking. Everything else is smoked chicken, smoked, ribs, smoked brisket, ...
All I have to say in my defense is that I've never lived in places where BBQ is a religion (oops, more SZ material) so I am pretty ignorant about it. :D
 
:rofl:


All I have to say in my defense is that I've never lived in places where BBQ is a religion (oops, more SZ material) so I am pretty ignorant about it. :D

Time for a trip to Hog Heaven for some religious education then. It's a journey out to Bailey and the closest airstrip is private so it takes some planning...
 
:rofl:


All I have to say in my defense is that I've never lived in places where BBQ is a religion (oops, more SZ material) so I am pretty ignorant about it. :D

Well, now. You seem like you have questions. Here, let me hand you a brochure. We can talk about this, I'm sure it will change your life.
 
Well, now. You seem like you have questions. Here, let me hand you a brochure. We can talk about this, I'm sure it will change your life.

Are you selling Amway?
 
Are you selling Amway?
I was thinking about the Jehovah Witnesses that stopped by while I was doing yard work recently.

If that recruiting model is good enough for them, it should work for BBQ.
 
Time for a trip to Hog Heaven for some religious education then. It's a journey out to Bailey and the closest airstrip is private so it takes some planning...
Is is going to end up in the "nastiest airports" thread?
 
First of all, BBQ is a noun. When someone says "we're going to BBQ some hamburgers" I cringe. It, properly, can only be pork or beef. BBQ restaurants sell other things cooked in the same manner, which are delicious (especially sausages in Texas!), but those are smoked meats, not BBQ. Pork shoulder, butt, ribs, whole pig, beef brisket and beef ribs. Everything else is BBQ-related foods, but not in and of itself BBQ.

In Texas, BBQ means beef. They may sell pork, turkey, chicken, sausage, etc. These are not BBQ in Texas. Sauce is a personal taste, but be wary of anyplace that sauces for you. They are probably hiding subpar quality meat or preparation.

In North Carolina, you can have vinegar-based sauce (east) or tomato-based (west), both are equally correct and there is crossover throughout the state. The meat is 99% of the time pork.

In South Carolina, you have Low Country and Upstate. Low Country is quite similar to the vinegar styles of coastal NC, while Upstate tends to be mustard based. Both are good, and like NC, there is a fair amount of in-state crossover. Almost always pork.

Memphis/Mississippi Delta (to include STL, etc) has two very distinct styles. Wet, using a molasses and tomato sauce, basted and cooked on the meat and dry rub, which is the spices and brown sugar rubbed onto the meat and based with hot, white vinegar to "activate" the "sauce" right before pulling from heat. Typically pork, but plenty of beef around as well (especially in STL, likely influence from the other side of the state).

KC is the unusual one. I'll contend (and I do not mean this as a slight in any way, quite the contrary) that KC is the melting pot of several very good styles of BBQ. The cattle drives coming up from OK and TX brought their influence, the commerce coming from the Mississippi brought those styles over. What KC genuinely contributed was molasses-based sauces and the melding of these styles to create "KC BBQ". I've got to give these guys credit for not only having some damn fine BBQ of a variety of styles, but also through the American Royal, elevating BBQ to an art form to be admired and judged.

Everyone says their favorite BBQ place/style/sauce is the best. Funny thing is, most of the time they're right! :D
 
I think I'm going to BBQ some chicken this weekend.
 
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