America's Best BBQ.

Everskyward said:
Is is going to end up in the "nastiest airports" thread?
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It would if I actually tried it. The 'kota prolly could get stopped in time on the uphill runway w/some rather tall grass. No way it'd clear the powerlines getting out. Going under the lines might be an option...have to stop traffic on 285 though...and clear the fence...prolly the best way out would be a truck or trailer.

If Bob was around I'm sure he could handle it...
 
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Yelp gave the Copper Top, just down the road in Big Pine, Best BBQ in merica.

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http://coppertopbbq.com/
 
Sac Arrow said:
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.
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Your definition of BBQ squares with mine. I notice your location is Oakland. When my cousin in Oakland invites me for BBQ it's always steak, which I believe is marinated first, cooked on an outdoor coal grill.
 
Everskyward said:
Your definition of BBQ squares with mine. I notice your location is Oakland. When my cousin in Oakland invites me for BBQ it's always steak, which I believe is marinated first, cooked on an outdoor coal grill.
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I do a lot of shuttling between the Bay and the valley. In Oakland (a relatively nice area, close to Berkeley) some Fridays at work we will get carnitas meat at the local Mexican butcher shop, which is basically marinated flat slabs of beef, and cook it over the grill and cut it up. And of course that is all washed down with lots of local Pyramid and Trumers.
 
JOhnH said:
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.
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Country Tavern on Hwy 31 in Kilgore TX. Started in the 30's Has great Beef Ribs.
 
ettsn said:
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.
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I tend to think this is how the KC style did come about.

Also - you don't BBQ a steak, or burger, or hot dog. You grill it. You don't have a BBQ, you have a cookout. You can invite someone over for BBQ, but you don't invite someone over for a BBQ.

Note: Done right, you will attract buzzards. Every time I fire up my smoker, my daughter asks, "How long until the buzzards show up?" Sure enough, partway through, at least one of the neighbors will wander over. One of them usually brings cookies, "I was just baking these, and I noticed you were outside, so I thought I'd bring you some. Oh, are you cooking something?" She's the one that gets a sample platter when it's ready.
 
If you ever have the opportunity for Memphis in May, don't pass it up. BBQ specialists from all over the country. And I've never seen so many friendly people, and that adds so much to the atmosphere.

I enjoy a good BBQ pulled pork, or maybe some sauce on a burger. But I'm the kind of person who eats to live, not so much lives to eat.
 
Matthew said:
Also - you don't BBQ a steak, or burger, or hot dog. You grill it. You don't have a BBQ, you have a cookout. You can invite someone over for BBQ, but you don't invite someone over for a BBQ.
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Amen. :yesnod:

Gerhardt said:
If you ever have the opportunity for Memphis in May, don't pass it up. BBQ specialists from all over the country. And I've never seen so many friendly people, and that adds so much to the atmosphere.

I enjoy a good BBQ pulled pork, or maybe some sauce on a burger. But I'm the kind of person who eats to live, not so much lives to eat.
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Absolutely. I've been lucky enough to do both Memphis in May and the American Royal in KC. Great people, amazing food, highly recommended!
 
MAKG1 said:
There seems to be a North Coast "thing" about BBQ clams and oysters.

Sounds a little odd to me.
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This is true. Technical semantics aside, I would not personally consider "BBQ" oysters to be actual BBQ, although I would accept the use of the verb. The smoke and flames do not touch the oyster if it is done properly. Maybe for clams, a little bit.

I usually like to have a few oysters on hand to throw directly on to the coals if I'm BBQ-ing. Once a small puff of steam comes out, it's done. Eat.
 
Sac Arrow said:
This is true. Technical semantics aside, I would not personally consider "BBQ" oysters to be actual BBQ, although I would accept the use of the verb. The smoke and flames do not touch the oyster if it is done properly. Maybe for clams, a little bit.

I usually like to have a few oysters on hand to throw directly on to the coals if I'm BBQ-ing. Once a small puff of steam comes out, it's done. Eat.
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Assuming there is smoke involved, that puff of steam can be easy to miss while you are taking a swig of brew. But if you just make sure the shells are closed when you put them on, then they are ready to come off as soon as the shells crack open a little bit. And they are easy to open that way.
 
JOhnH said:
Assuming there is smoke involved, that puff of steam can be easy to miss while you are taking a swig of brew. But if you just make sure the shells are closed when you put them on, then they are ready to come off as soon as the shells crack open a little bit. And they are easy to open that way.
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Exactly - I throw one or maybe two on at a time for that reason. Although I have no aversion to raw oysters, I think if they are cooked that way they have more substance and taste.
 
ettsn said:
Amen. :yesnod:



Absolutely. I've been lucky enough to do both Memphis in May and the American Royal in KC. Great people, amazing food, highly recommended!
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Swing on by June 26/27 for the Lenexa BBQ contest.

I know a guy...
 

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there is no such thing as best BBQ. There is only good BBQ and not as good BBQ.
 
We B Smokin on Miami County Airport (K81) in KS is the best BBQ ever, and it's right on the airport. I like all BBQ, all types, all meats, not picky at all, but the Burnt ends at WBS are incredible.
 
Everskyward said:
Your definition of BBQ squares with mine. I notice your location is Oakland. When my cousin in Oakland invites me for BBQ it's always steak, which I believe is marinated first, cooked on an outdoor coal grill.
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When I was in college and lived in north Oakland, there was an amazing BBQ hole in the wall restaurant in the really crappy part of town (San Pablo Ave under the interstate). Kinda strange seeing a really hardworking guy in that neighborhood out front with an axe chopping mesquite.

I wonder if it's still there.
 
Yes, that's how it's cooked everywhere around here. Santa Maria is nearly 200 miles.

I don't know how much it costs in Colombia, but it's reasonable in California.
 
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Tri tip is generally running $4-$7 a pound locally, where ribeye and NY strip is upwards of $10/lb.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Tri tip is generally running $4-$7 a pound locally, where ribeye and NY strip is upwards of $10/lb.
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at costco tri tip is about 9 (8.99) here. It's more at the store usually but the quality is much worse so I don't even pay attention anymore.

I most frequently sous vide them and reverse sear on the pellet grill these days.
 
PeeGee said:
at costco tri tip is about 9 (8.99) here. It's more at the store usually but the quality is much worse so I don't even pay attention anymore.

I most frequently sous vide them and reverse sear on the pellet grill these days.
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For some reason Costco seems to have high meat prices, comparable to upscale grocery stores around here. I usually marinate in Teriaki, or use a dry rub and grill covered. I cut off most of the fat off the bottom so I don't get flare ups. Some people like to burn it off. Yuk.
 
I saw the article and immediately disregarded most of it because its data was compiled from TripAdvisor reviews. I could care less about what the results of the reviews are for cities/states which have more tourist traffic than areas like KS, OK, MO, AL, etc. The results will be skewed based off of tourist travel as well as the people who bother to complete reviews on TripAdvisor. Any BBQ restaurant in a smaller town or non-tourist location will naturally be eliminated from consideration. Heck, I'd be more likely to trust Yelp or similar apps because they aren't necessarily as travel-related as TripAdvisor is.

Either way, I'm a fan of the molasses-style of KC myself. Oklahoma Joe's (have them in OK, too) is a great option as well as Burn Co., and I had some great stuff at Jack Stack BBQ in Overland Park/Kansas City as well. I personally don't prefer dry rub BBQ as much, but there are a few Texas locations that hold their own.

The few places I've been in Memphis to try that style were good, but not my favorite, and I haven't had the opportunity to try the Carolinas vinegar-based BBQ yet. I've heard good things about Sticky Fingers in the Greenville/Charleston areas.
 
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For some reason, I really want some BBQ tonight.
 
The only barbecue that counts is brisket. If you do anything more than dry rub it and smoke it, there's something wrong! A nice tangy sauce on a nice fatty cut of brisket along side some jalapeño cornbread is the definition of heaven on a plate.
 
PeeGee said:
you underestimate santa maria grilled tri tip.
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I may underestimate tofu too but, neither tofu nor beef is "BBQ"

The article loses all credibility when the author expresses surprise that SC isn't on the list. I live 15 miles from what's considered the best BBQ in SC and it's barely palatable.
 
bartmc said:
..I live 15 miles from what's considered the best BBQ in SC and it's barely palatable.
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That's because y'all still think that "smoked pig with sauce" is BBQ!!!! :nono:

Come on over to Texas for some good genuine brisket and we'll show you what BBQ really is all about. :yes:


:D
 
jbarrass said:
We B Smokin on Miami County Airport (K81) in KS is the best BBQ ever, and it's right on the airport. I like all BBQ, all types, all meats, not picky at all, but the Burnt ends at WBS are incredible.
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This.
 
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