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We've been there from the beginning: the first, and the second, so it goes without saying that when we found out about the 3rd Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, we knew we'd be going. But, we'll admit that last year, even though we were ultimately placated by some of the best barbecue in the country, we were pretty annoyed by the crowds and the lines. Apparently, we weren't the only ones. This year brought some welcome changes, including moving the event from the North side of Madison Park to the East side, providing more space and room for four additional pitmasters (hooray!), and creating the "Bubba Fast Pass" option, a VIP card which allowed cardholders and a guest to access the barbecue tents through a separate entrance, with little to no waiting involved.
But enough about logistics, let's get down to the meat. We started off at Mitchell's BBQ from Wilson, North Carolina, a favorite from last year, with vinegary, tender chopped pork on a bun with coleslaw and crisp, salty pork skin. Pitmaster Ed Mitchell had roasted 30 whole hogs for the event. Next, we went local, with Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, the only New York participant other than Blue Smoke, for a pulled pork shoulder sandwich, drizzled with a modest dose of sauce, along with baked beans.
Our third stop was Southside Market & BBQ, from Elgin, Texas for some beef brisket with sausage and beans. Now the brisket was good -- very smoky and juicy -- but as pitmaster Bryan Bracewell told us, Southside's sausage is legendary; they've been using the same recipe since 1882 and they don't go anywhere without it. They had brought a half-ton of sausage up for the event.
Our first ribs of the day came from Mike Mills, of 17th Street Bar & Grill in Murphysboro, Illinois and Memphis Championship Barbecue in Las Vegas, Nevada, author of Peace Love & Barbecue. Heavily rubbed and lightly sauced, his baby backs were served with some of the most interesting beans of the day -- a combination of what appeared to be pinto beans, kidney beans, and lima beans.
We spent some time chatting with Garry Roark, of Ubon's "Champion's Choice," from Yazoo, Mississippi. Roark's pulled pork shoulder was sauced, unlike the others we tasted. He described the process for us -- the pork shoulders are treated with a spicy dry rub (which he even let us taste), then smoked at 225 degrees for 16 hours. They're hand-pulled, then mixed with their signature sauce. The result? Delicious, flavorful, smoky, tender pork. Roark, a first-timer at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, said that he was proud ot be a part of the event. "It's an experience I will never forget." Next time, he wants to add a little time to check out the city, as this time around, he spend all of his time cooking for barbecue-crazed New Yorkers. He also invited us to visit him in Yazoo, "I'll treat you so many different ways, you'll be sure to like one of them!"
Our next stop was the Mike "Sarge" Davis from the Whole Hog Cafe in Little Rock, Arkansas, for some saucy St. Louis Spareribs with slaw. They were absolutely falling-off-the-bone tender -- our favorite ribs of the day.
Slowing down, we made two final stops: Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q from Decatur, Alabama for one more dose of pulled pork shoulder, then Salt Lick BBQ, from Driftwood, Texas, for a final bit of overindulgence in the form of smoky brisket and sausage, doused with their mustardy sauce. At that point, we were in a serious meat coma (not to mention in dire need of a nap), but we pressed on for the sake of barbecue.
Our final destination was Jazz Standard, for a class entitled "Wine with Swine," taught by Danny Meyer of Blue Smoke. Stuffed as we were, we still managed to taste six wines with tiny nibbles of the barbecue and sides -- the idea was to taste each wine with each food and note your preferences on a matrix he provided. No fancy tasting notes, just a smiley face, a neutral face, or a sad face. At the end, we tallied our preferences and noted that for us, one of the most versatile wines was an El Coto de Rioja Rosado (a rose), and the food that we preferred with the most wines were the hot links, a spicy sausage.
After the class, we had to waddle home for a nap, but we fell asleep dreaming of next year's feast.
Jason Perlow of eGullet has posted some fantastic pictures. Tien's coverage of the day (and drool-inducing pictures) are on his site here and here.
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Oh, the Salt Lick! If only there could be a Salt Lick stand at every airport, as there is in Austin.
And what did you drink as you made your way through the steamy crowds?
What's the name of the restaurant that has a monthly pig roast where you have to sign up in advance?
I think you mean Biscuit, in Brooklyn, although I'm pretty sure that Blue Smoke does a pig roast too.
I had leftover Mitchell's pulled pork for lunch today. Lucky me.
I also thought the Whole Hog ribs were best in class. Just amazingly succulent and rich. Not sure which day Gothamist attended, but Sunday struck me as only slightly better organized than last year's Soviet BBQ Breadline experience. Even with a VIP wristband and Bubba Passes to spare, confusion was rampant.
- Why were there no signs on the backside of the tents so you could tell what was what?
- Failing that, why were there no maps showing the location of each vendor?
- Why could you swipe your card at some vendors and not at others, where you had to pre-buy a 'receipt'?
- Why weren't there more signs explaining who could enter the Bubba Pass areas, so that the security gaurds didn't have to repel wave after wave of stubborn people?
I guess the huge crowds render this event a success on some counts, but for the second year in a row this event struck me as well-intentioned but haphazardly executed.
Watching New Yorkers eat & discuss BBQ is like watching Alabamans discuss Matzo Ball Soup...a total joke. Good BBQ is not available in this city at any cost, not even at ribfests.
I know this is hard to swallow, but there are things New Yorkers know nothing about. In fact, when it comes to America, it is about 95% of the culture.
Gosh KeithS-maybe you should be reading the Alabamaist...oh wait they don't have computers.
pastoralia, please check the above. I'm not the one slinging about disdain for NYC.
pastoralia -
That was dumb.
Regards,
Bamaist
I call BULLSHIT on the BBQ Snobs. I went to the BBQ Block party with some friends from Texas and from North Carolina. They were exstatic to be getting some authentic cue and when we finally got our food, they assured us that it was just as good as what they have back home. NO SHIT, the pitmasters who were there were the best ones from their states. I had the Saltlick brisket, which was my favorite. Also had the NC pulled pork with pepper vinegar, the other Texas brisket and the Alabama pork sandwich. I dont need to be from a backwater sister-humping KKK state to know that it tasted awesome. They all have mail order catalogs, so we can get as much BBQ as we want year round here in NYC. So shove it.
What promise, what a disaster!
This was the most poorly executed event I have ever witnessed in NYC. It wasn't even close.
There was at LEAST a 45 minute wait for every BBQ vendor. It took me two conversations with the sparsely placed worker on the periphery of the park to finally get the info that there was no all inclusive entrance fee. Then I found out upon leaving about the all inclusive Bubba's bracelet or whatever it was called. That enabled you to cut the lines.
The event staff hardly utilized the interior of Madison Square Park instead relegating the people in line to the hot unshaded pavement of the periphery. A better idea would have been to have the lines in the park, in the shade, WHERE THEY CAN BUY BEER (make them money), and enjoy the music. I would also have doubled the vendor tents. With two of them for each vendor so that you need not spend 6 hours there to sample six different kinds of BBQ.
I LOVE BBQ and was pretty amped for it so our crew just walked over to Blue Smoke.
But I must say that I was mghtily disappointed by the clusterfuck that was this event. Horrible job by the people who put it on.
agreed. food good. event planning bad.
I've been going to street fairs and events around this city for years and have no idea why people are complaining about this one. It was actually one of the most organized street events I've ever seen in NYC.
The worst part was the wait in the line. But that was to be expected.
Outside of that, I was shocked at how clean the whole area was. The streets after an event like that are just grease soaked and filled with junk. Not in this case. And it was amazing to see beer lines and dessert lines simply breeze through. I waited longer for service at an East Village bar later in the evening than I did for the BBQ at this thing.
And outside of NYC events, back when I lived in Madison, WI the street fairs that would surround the capitol Square were WAAAAY more crowded and disorganized and STUNK (literally) than this BBQ fest.
People really need to get some perspective. This was really good.
BBQ in NYC has made it and is here to stay. The snobs need to unclog the water from holding their nose so high and smell the barbecue, haha! Too bad they can't enjoy a decent meal because they're so stuck up. Losers!
Great event. Long lines but hey at least it wasn't a bum rush. Fun was had by all (except the snobs, they're always miserable, you can't change those people, they're not that smart). De-ricious. Can't wait till next year.
Again, you may get some real BBQ to visit for a weekend, but even then, it is nowhere near the same thing as enjoying their full menu in the native, leisurely setting.
At best, you are all BBQ tourists gawking down on the real thing from a double-decker bus. Your expertise comes from a total tourist trap, and you are doing the analog of someone from Arkansas staring up at the big buildings in Midtown.
Real BBQ is not to be had in NYC at any price at any time. (and no one who knows real BBQ calls it "cue") Get over it. If you are a native New Yorker, you have never experienced real BBQ and are way way way out of your league. Yer chumped.
Go suck a bone.
I love it! True passionate discussion, no holds bared, no punches pulled.