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I was looking forward to saving all my food takes for my eventual Facebook Live show where I destroy every single idiotic recipe video Buzzfeed puts out, but Eater went and poked the bear. They went and done it with this dumbass tweet:
It is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS to declare New York City the new barbeque capital of America when the damn subhead says a new restaurant is serving TEXAS-STYLE BEEF. I’m here to defend this piss poor attempt at a cavalry charge by EAST COAST ELITES into America’s meat belt. New York trying to get into the big leagues of barbeque is like New York trying to get into a “best smelling city in August” contest or the cost of living Olympics. You lose that battle. You lose that battle infinity times out of infinity.
I’m here to defend our territory. I will fight for the Heartland.
I’m a barbeque man born and bred in a place where the streets run with sweet and smoky goodness. Where men named Arthur Bryant and Ollie Gates are royalty. I lived in Texas where I was in a constant state of beef sweats for two and a half years. I’ve picked ribs from Rendezvous out of my teeth on the drive home from Memphis. I’ve dabbled in The Carolinas, where I grew to love a little vinegar and slaw on my meat. New York will never lay claim to smoked supremacy, not as long as they try to appropriate our low and slow culture.
NYC is the culinary capital of America. No doubt about it. Let me tell you something, Mean Gene. In the Great American Bash of BBQ, there is no second place. There’s only the top tier of KC, Texas, Memphis and Carolina. No Johnny-come-lately can smite the Four Horsemen from their rightful place atop the mountain.
If DC United started using Barcelona’s style of play, I wouldn’t be ready to declare Washington the Capital of Soccer. Just because some chef in Brooklyn decided to nicely plate Texas-style brisket doesn’t make New York the brand new Mecca of savory animal proteins. I’m here to burn down their playhouse and piss on this grand throne of lies.
You come at the kings, you best not miss. Stay in your lane.
*Feel free to send me a care package so I can decide for myself .
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Brian McGannon
What do I love? I love happy hour, a good golf tan, and getting moderately drunk during dinner.
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Y’all thought us Texans fought bravely at the Alamo, just wait until enough of us find out New York is challenging our BBQ title. I’d give my life to defend Cooper’s.
Agreed. Now what do you shoot?
“I shoot a .45 because I can’t shoot a .46”
Username checks out
Brian in your heart you know KC BBQ is where its at
On this note, Brian what are you thoughts on KC vs. Texas. I believe KC has the best overall scene due to variety but Central Texas has the best individual restaurants. As to NC, I love pulled pork but it’s that or go home, thus dropping it down on my list.
You nailed it. The baseline for KC BBQ is higher than Texas. Everywhere is good, if not great because KC places can do so many things well. Ribs, pulled pork, burnt ends, brisket, chicken, turkey. The Salt Lick was a straight up religious experience for me the first time I had it and beef short ribs are fire, but I had more bad BBQ in Texas in 2.5 years than I ever had in 20+ years in KC. However, if I had to choose between the Salt Lick and Oklahoma Joe’s, I’d probably go with the Salt Lick. I could write 1500 words on this (I might have to do that). Everyone has their preference and each place does something better than everywhere else.
OK Joes is a divine experience
Agreed, but not as good as Salt Lick, Black’s, Kreuz Market. The brisket and sausage at these places is out of this universe good, just barely beating out OK Joe’s brisket and burnt ends. As a native of KC it’s not easy for me to say this.
Traitor
When you’re in Houston take the trip out to Pearland and have yourself some Killen’s BBQ its next level and definitely at or close to Franklin’s level. Brisket and sausage is the tits and their turkey, dude just get the turkey too. Plus on Sundays they give you free beer while you wait in line.
You’ve been going to the wrong places. Most of the stuff at the Salt Lick is just “OK” by Central Texas standards.
Went to salt lick and was completely underwhelmed. Franklin’s in austin, killen’s in houston. That’s it. The only bbq you can find that is better, if youre lucky enough, is from a private party who has a trailer bbq pit, a diesel truck, and free time.
1) KC, 2) Memphis, 3) TX, 4) Carolina
Also my favorite places in KC are KC Joes and Arthur Bryants. Can’t go wrong with some KC BBQ.
Q39 is good too, but from what I remember it was a little on the pricey side. Been two or three years since I ate there though (don’t get to KC too often these days).
Commented below but ate their last night. $8 sandwich. The best BBQ I’ve ever had.
Holy crap, *there.
The Triple Threat sandwich there is life changing
Everyone get in this thread and throw out a power ranking.
Mine: 1) TX, 2) Memphis (because ribs), 3) KC, 4) Carolina
(1) Memphis (2) KC for the variety (3) Texas (4) Carolina. Can’t get on board with Carolina style sauce.
1) KC 2)Texas 3) Memphis 4) Carolina
There’s no better scene top to bottom than KC. BBQ runs through the veins and stomachs of anyone that lives here. Texas has some great places on the top end. I just can’t really get down with Carolina. I don’t know who decided vinegar was a good flavor to throw in the mix.
In my opinion, Texas BBQ is so good it doesn’t really matter
NYC can make great BBQ, but it will always be ‘Texas-style, Memphis-style, Carolina-style, KC-style’ etc. Until there is such a thing as NYC-style BBQ, they can GTFO
As far as I know, NYC-style BBQ is Steak.
Written by Brooklyn folk who have never stepped foot into God’s country
Glad I can click on an article where everyone is in agreement that NYC sucks.
GTFO. – sincerely, everyone not in NYC.
New York claiming to be a barbecue capital is what got Trump elected.
The replies to that tweet are gold, for those wanting to restock their gif backlog.
Hot take: Bogarts in St Louis.
Bogarts, Adams, Pappys, and Shaved Duck are all up there with Oklahoma Joes in my opinion.
As far as ribs, I’d add Spare No Rib in that mix. It’s kind of a hipster-ish place, but the ribs were no joke.
Bogarts for the wings, Pappys for the ribs, Sugarfire for the Turkey and sausage, Salt N Smoke for the brisket.
Rendezvous is for tourists. It’s good, but there are better spots for Memphis BBQ. I’m a Central BBQ fan.
Only the Central on Central. Central on Summer is not Central. I want filthy midtowners making my order of nachos with house chips, not some clean cut suburbanite from Bartlett.
Also Barbecue Shop is the best.