NJ’s SmoKing of Meats Wins Brisket King NYC 2022
Brisket King NYC brought out hundreds of BBQ fans on Wednesday night. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
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This past Wednesday night, a new “king” was named at the annual Brisket King NYC event at Pig Beach NYC in Brooklyn. Joe Musngi, founder of NJ-based SmoKing of Meats, beat out fierce competition to become the newest Brisket King of NYC.
The event drew hundreds of BBQ fans, who used the opportunity to taste test brisket and brisket dishes from both established restaurants like Blue Smoke NYC and cutting-edge pop-ups like Bark Barbecue. They were also able to try out samples from bourbon, cider, and other beverages.
Joe Musngi, aka SmoKing of Meats in New Jersey, won the top prize at Brisket King NYC 2022. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Musngi, aka SmoKing of Meats, already had “king” in his company’s name, so perhaps it was appropriate that he win the coveted top award at Brisket King. I wrote about Musngi in November 2021, and he revealed then that he only smoked his first brisket during Father’s Day weekend in 2020. Musngi said it was an “instant love,” and he also wants to “master the science of BBQ.”
Belleville, New Jersey-based SmoKing of Meats sets itself apart from other barbecue operations because Musngi adds Filipino flavors to American barbecue. He’s best known for his Central Texas brisket (which clearly worked at the event), Filipino pork belly burnt ends, Filipino BBQ chicken bites, smoked gouda mac ‘n’ cheese, and more.
The brisket from SmoKing of Meats drew long lines as word got around about its quality. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Brisket King NYC has long been one of the most critical and influential barbecue events held in the NYC area each year. Several of the winners have gone on to become much bigger names in the barbecue world following wins at Brisket King, including Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que, Sruli Eidelman of Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse, and Richie Holmes of Juicy Lucy BBQ. (No pressure, Joe!) Former two-time Brisket King NYC winner Holmes was on hand to give out the top prize to Musngi.
Hindsight BBQ from Connecticut won the runner-up prize. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
The runner-up prize at Brisket King NYC was awarded to Hindsight BBQ from Waterbury, Connecticut. Hindsight is still a relatively new operation, but it won the runner-up award at last year’s Rib King NYC competition. At this rate, it would not be surprising to see Hindsight win the top prize at other events, given its high-quality barbecue.
The People’s Choice Award went to All Hands BBQ, helmed by firefighter Nicholas Bavaro. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
The Friends of Firefighters People’s Choice Award at the event was awarded to All Hands BBQ. This relatively new operation is helmed by Nicholas Bavaro, who was joined by his brother and father. Bavaro and his crew served up unique brisket on a bagel as their signature dish.
Bark Barbecue pitmaster Ruben Santana was a popular choice during Brisket King NYC and was awarded Best Bite. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Several other notable operations were present at Brisket King, including hotshot BBQ pop-up Bark Barbecue; former Brisket King People’s Choice winner Kimchi Smoke; and longtime New York barbecue staple Blue Smoke NYC.
Additional awards at the event included:
Best Traditional Brisket: Blue Smoke NYC
Best Bite: Bark Barbecue
Best Bark: Allman’s Bar-B-Q
Best Dish: Tong (Massaman Brisket Curry)
Brought The Sauce: Sands Jerk Hut (Jerk Brisket Over Mac N Cheese)
Sands Jerk Hut won the “Brought the Sauce” Award at Brisket King NYC for their jerk brisket over mac n cheese.
If you want to see more pictures and dishes from Brisket King NYC, be sure to check out NYC BBQ and Smoke Sweats on Instagram.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT (NEWS)
Brother Jimmy’s, a former staple of the sports bar and BBQ scene in NYC, closed its final location in the city this month.
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
Brother Jimmy's, a former staple of the BBQ and sports bar scene in NYC, has closed its last location in NYC. It closed its final location at Lexington and 31st Street early this month, following the NCAA Championship Game. After first opening over 30 years ago on the Upper East Side, Brother Jimmy's had become the go-to spot to watch sports and eat barbecue. “We have struggled with the decision to close for months now, but midtown Manhattan just has not sufficiently improved for us to continue,” the management team wrote in a letter posted to social media. READ MORE.
The team from Pig Beach NYC has announced they will be releasing a new cookbook on May 17. The book includes more than 50 mouthwatering recipes from chefs and pitmasters Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride. READ MORE.
Pure Grit BBQ founder Kerry Fitzmaurice will be opening the first Pure Grit location in May 2022 at 36 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. Greenmatters spoke with Fitzmaurice about the opening and much more. READ MORE.
Pigs on a Wing, a longstanding family business in Suffolk County, has been voted as the “best soul food and Southern restaurant on Long Island,” according to the Bethpage Best of LI poll. READ MORE.
Food reporter Pete Genovese has updated his list of all 21 burger chains in N.J., ranked from worst to best. Many of the entries on the list are well-known national chains, but a few are specific to NJ and the surrounding area. READ MORE.
IRL BBQ (EVENTS)
The 2nd annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit will take place on April 30 at Pig Beach NYC in Queens.
Here are the top BBQ and related food events coming soon to the New York metro area:
April 30, 2022: The 2nd Annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit will be held this spring at the new Pig Beach location in Queens. It features a lineup of some of the best pitmasters in the country, including Billy Durney, Chris Lilly, Sam Jones, Carey Bringle, Amy Mills, and more. BUY TICKETS HERE.
May 21, 2022: The NYC Texas Chili Cook-Off will return to New York City, bigger, louder, and tastier than ever on May 21 at Industry City in Brooklyn. The event takes place between 1 and 6 p.m. and is hosted by the Texas Exes New York Chapter. There will be all-you-can-drink Texas beverages, all-you-can-eat chili and queso (or until it runs out), and more. BUY TICKETS HERE.
May 21, 2022: Love wings and beer? Then this is the event for you! Held at the beautiful South Shore Craft Brewery, the NY Best Wings Fest will be a finger-licking tasting tour of the best restaurants on Long Island. On top of being able to sample lots of great wings, there will also be a hot-wing eating contest, live music, and giveaways. BUY TICKETS HERE.
May 28, 2022: This Memorial Day weekend is going to have a forecast for delicious pork and beef at Rib King NYC 2022. The event will be held at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden on Staten Island and is great for families and groups. BUY TICKETS HERE.
If you would like your food event listed here, please get in touch.
SAY HELLO
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