BBQ, Biscuits (and more)
- Thread starter Dr. Huk-N-Duck
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Yes - I’m only posting places I’ve been to or would like to get to in the near future. Of course, since we’re geographically separated on the forum, I’d be happy to see some other great spots around the country.
My mom’s side of the family comes from coastal North Carolina. My dad’s side comes from more towards the mountains.
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I grew up with basically all the regional styles due to family being spread throughout the Carolinas, but mostly with the mustard or vinegar styles. The key to the vinegar is that the pork sandwich is always topped with a sweet, chopped coleslaw, which offsets the strong vinegar taste. (By the way, the sauce styles aren’t quite as concrete as this map makes it out to be. Twenty or thirty years ago, I’d agree with the map, but nowadays, the lines are much more blurred.)
Texas is the BBQ Capital of the world and it don't get much better than the Luling City Market!
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texas barbecue is definitely the best of all mainland barbecue..... and also the most authentic - made of beef..... ... but to me mexican style barbecue is the best of all... also made of beef.... .. ..even my dad agrees mexican style is best... and his ancestry in texas goes back to when it was spanish territory... 1700s....
kalua style pork cooked in an emu... (open pit covered in ti leaves)... is technically a hawaiian style of barbecue.... not seasoned prior to cooking like other styles of barbecues are.. ..but versatile in the number of ways it can be used.... ....and while it is very good it still doesn;t come close to texas or mexican barbecue for flavor and awesomeness... .
I get you totally. I'm not a big fan of vinegar. I prefer the smoky sweetness of KC myself. However, in the past decade or so, I've been introduced to Texas style with its spicy mesquite flavor. I've fallen in love with that peppery bite.
When I do ribs, I make a dry rub with paprika and a little brown sugar. Other spices include garlic or cracked black pepper. If I'm feeling a bit adventurous, maybe a pinch of Thai pepper flakes. Smoke over apple or hickory and serve. NO BBQ SAUCE NEEDED!
Carolina bbq is all about the pigs, and very seldomly did I eat anything cow based except for hamburgers. However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed a growing appreciation for ribs and brisket, especially since it’s healthier than pork.
Another big difference is that most of our bbq restaurants are not just strictly bbq, but rather a combination of bbq and seafood. One side of the menu has everything pork, the other offers fried flounder, shrimp burgers, etc. Regardless, hush puppies are served with both seafood and bbq meals.
Atlanta, on the other hand, has to be special and do their own bbq, which of course must include Coca-Cola in the sauce.
I had an opportunity to visit a Hawaiian barbecue restaurant a couple years ago. I was so excited and had in my mind the image of smoked pig and pineapple. Boy was I shocked when I found out that Hawaiian barbecue is basically just Asian food with macaroni salad on the side, or at least at the restaurant I went to. Maybe in actual Hawaii it’s different though.
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Got an opportunity to visit this odd restaurant while traveling through Mississippi several years ago.
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i did that too once.. when i was visiting family in california... ...i had been there for over a month and took them to a branch of L&L barbecue - which is a very popular place in hawaii... ...ordered the famous kalua pig n cabbage that we love so much to let them see what hawaiian food was all about.... .... i was appalled .....it was horrible.... done totally wrong and had some kind of seasoning in it that did not belong in there......
but the same thing happens when people try to find a mexican restaurant in hawaii ..... ot texas style barbecue.... .. neither of them exist here.... . there are places that call themselves mexican restaurants and texas barbecue grills...... but the food is flavored to please people who grew up here in hawaii... or in japan.... . real mexicans and texans don;t even recognize it....
and i;m sure it;s the same with most specialty restaurants anywhere you go... the food is going to be tailored to the local populations likes and dislikes... .... ..the only way to taste the real thing is to get it from the real source... at the place where it originated... or from people it originated with....
Last time I went to a "Barbeque" joint in California, I was seated at a table and given a menu. After I placed my order, it took over 45 minutes for the food to reach the table! "Real" barbeque does not take 45 minutes to prepare, it takes SEVERAL HOURS to properly prepare and cook barbeque and it is "Ready to serve" by the time the doors open for regular business!
Actually, I believe California's Air Quality Management Department is effectively eliminating all barbeque joints in the state of California. When I living in the Los Angeles area, the only real "Wood Pit Open Fire" barbeque joint was "The Bear Pit" and they were allowed to remain in business because they were "Grandfathered in" when they put restrictions in place.
I’m not a barbeque purist or elitist. I appreciate all styles of bbq. Growing up near the Charleston area, I’m partial to the gold (mustard) style or coleslaw with hot sauce only, but as I said, with family spread in different regions of the area, I enjoy mixing it up. When it comes to doing my own at home, I tend to stick to Eastern NC style because it’s the easiest to cook.
As far as the best bbq I’ve had, it’s probably non-American and I’d give the title to Brazil. It’s hard to beat a Brazilian churrasco, but that style of grilling is above my pay grade and expertise level, so I reserve those rare visits for a special occasion like an anniversary or whatever (not inexpensive by any means).