In Defense of New York Barbecue
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Late last week, Food & Wine published several feature stories under the banner “The United States of Barbecue,” with its top story focused on “The Best Barbecue in Every State.” When I saw the article, I was excited to see what was selected for New York. But a few sentences in, my heart sank.
“This would be the first of many reminders that New York and barbecue have long been, for the most part, a hopeless mismatch. Everything that is demanded — strict oversight, commitment to craft, quality over quantity — is wrong for New York, where there are always more bills to pay, investors to pacify, and, understandably, growth opportunities to be seized,” writes David Landsel. “At this challenging moment, New York is left with one address that so far has weathered it all.”
The Jamaican Jerk ribs at Hometown Bar-B-Que are one of its top items.
Landsel’s pick for the only New York City barbecue joint that has weathered 2020? That would be Hometown Bar-B-Que in Red Hook and Industry City. While it is true that Hometown still serves excellent barbecue that can be had via takeout and delivery, it is far from the only barbecue joint in New York that is worthy of a spotlight. Landsel lightly mentions Brooks’ House of Bar-B-Q in Oneonta, NY as one other joint to check out in New York State, but that is it.
While I do respect many of the picks on Landsel’s list (shoutout to Hoodoo Brown BBQ in CT), the article does not understand what is happening today in New York’s barbecue scene. To suggest that Hometown the only barbecue joint in New York still serving great barbecue during the pandemic is absurd. There are many good BBQ restaurants open now that are offering the ability to dine outside, so you can eat your delicious barbecue the way it should be — right after it’s sliced.
Juicy Lucy BBQ is one of the newest barbecue additions to NYC.
In all five boroughs, you can find great, or even outstanding, barbecue. Go eat the brisket and burgers at Pig Beach. Take in the brisket and ribs at Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue. Devour the burnt ends at John Brown Smokehouse. Get the spare ribs and “pork candy” at Juicy Lucy BBQ. Feast on the whole hog over at Arrogant Swine in Bushwick. Scarf down the brisket and ribs at Hill Country in Manhattan. (Don’t even get me started on all the great BBQ joints you can find just over the river in New Jersey that didn’t make Food & Wine’s list.)
What makes New York’s barbecue scene special is that you not only find perfectly made barbecue staples like brisket and spare ribs, but you also find items that push the boundaries of barbecue. At Hometown, you can get the Jamaican Jerk ribs, Korean sticky ribs, and tacos. At Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse, everything is kosher including the great pastrami, brisket, and beef ribs. Over at Arrogant Swine, it’s the smoked chicken wings covered in Vietnamese caramel sauce.
Arrogant Swine is one of the few joints in the country where you can find authentic whole hog and creative sides.
The things that make New York special — diversity, grit, tenacity, and bold ideas — are all still here. There’s just a little harder to find right now because of the pandemic. Chefs and pitmasters are fighting for survival while also still producing excellent food. This is worth celebrating, given that restaurants aren’t able to fire on all cylinders because of layoffs and health limitations.
It’s sad that national media is still counting New York and Northeastern barbecue out in 2020. But if there’s one thing I know about New York right now, it’s that we might be down but we’re most definitely not out.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
Ari White of The Wandering Que in NJ was highlighted in a feature about Jewish and kosher BBQ.
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
While Food & Wine was totally off-base in its assessment of New York barbecue (see above), the publication also recently published a fascinating exploration of “Jewish barbecue,” which features several players from the New York City area. The article highlights Ari White of Wandering Que in New Jersey, and Pulkie’s, a new barbecue joint in Chelsea Market. (However, it does fail to mention two other great kosher NYC barbecue operations that you should check out as well: Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse and Main House Barbecue.)
New York State and NYC have finally released a plan for indoor dining this fall, with 25% capacity allowed to resume at NYC establishments on Sept. 30. The state also said capacity could increase to 50% by Nov. 1 if infection rates hold. That all said, the small-capacity indoor dining may not be enough to save restaurants and many restauranteurs believe if there is no state and/or federal intervention, many more places will close this fall and winter.
While the big news may be the impending return of indoor dining, outdoor dining continues to boom in NYC. Two top local BBQ joints — Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue and Queens Bully — were spotlighted by Bloomberg Quint for their outstanding outdoor dining options.
Speaking of outdoor dining, Hudson Smokehouse in the Bronx was shouted out in the New York Times for its new expanded outdoor dining experience.
If you ever travel in upstate New York, Eater NY strongly recommends Solinsky’s, a deli in the Catskills that offers “some of New York’s best barbecue.” Eater NY editor Robert Sietsema says the brisket is “every bit as good as any barbecue I’d eaten in Texas.”
Popular outdoor food market Smorgasburg will soon return to Prospect Park in Brooklyn in a new format. It will be called “Smorg To Go” at the newly reopened LeFrak Center. Currently, it is scheduled to take place on Saturdays and Sundays, including Sept. 12-13, 19-20, & 26-27. Vendors include Carlito’s BBQ Taqueria, Destination Dumplings, Excell’s Kingston Eatery, and more.
Finally, in a sad note, a long-time employee of Virgil’s Real BBQ in Times Square, was killed recently while cycling in Queens. Salvador Chairez-Rodriguez, 50, immigrated from Mexico City about 20 years ago in search of a better life and worked many years at Virgil’s. He was killed while cycling in Queens and collided with an MTA bus.
IRL BBQ EVENTS
Pig Island NYC is returning this Saturday as a “socially distanced picnic” that will be more spaced out but still have awesome food. Don't miss this!
September 12, 2020: At this weekend's Pig Island NYC 2020, the event will feature a "socially distanced picnic" at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden on Staten Island. Come enjoy food and drinks at this 84-acre outdoor space. If you love pork or food events, don't miss out of this! Buy tickets here.
November 7, 2020: The Forest Hills Wings Fest, perfect for anyone who loves chicken wings and beer, is scheduled for November at Cobblestones Pub & Biergarten in Forest Hills, Queens. Lots of wings will be available to try and more. Buy tickets here.
January 30, 2021: The 11th Annual Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival will be back at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint. The event focuses on bourbon and beer tastings, along with multiple barbecue joints serving up lots of excellent smoked meats. Buy tickets here.
NOTE: Due to COVID-19, information concerning events in NYC is subject to change, and events may be rescheduled. Click the button below to see the latest up-to-date information. CHECK OUT THE FULL EVENTS CALENDAR HERE
SAY HELLO
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