Where can you find the best BBQ in the US?

[wintermom]

20 hours ago, Zinnia2 said:

Thanks for this thread!  I spent the weekend down rabbit holes of all kinds of barbecue, and we decided to add an extra stop to our summer vacation to try out a new style for us (South Carolina style hash served with rice).  It was a fun "research" project away from reality.  Just what I needed.

Wonderful! I'm going to intentionally do more exploring BBQ this summer as well. Not sure if it'll be possible as were staying up 'north' in NY, NJ and PA. 

If anyone knows of any good BBQ restaurants around Atlantic City or Phili, I'd love to try them.

Also, any good pizza places. We won't be right in NYC, but we'll be travelling sound from Syracuse , through Phili, then over to Atlantic City.

[gardenmom5]

On 5/12/2022 at 11:41 PM, Jean in Newcastle said:

 

I am not from a region where there is a specific bbq tradition.    

Oh and someone said that sloppy joe sauce comes from a can?  I make the sauce all the time.  No can required.  (Also work to tweak it to my dietary needs.) 

If you're talking the traditional definition of BBQ - smoking meat for hours to cook it, yes, we do have a tradition.  The Indians smoked salmon  - usually over alderwood.  Most people are not going to even attempt to cook salmon they way they did.  (You can do the Tillicum Village tour. - last time I did that, the boat detoured to go see a pod of whales. - but I digress.)

 

And sloppy joes aren't bbq.  

[Spy Car]

47 minutes ago, wintermom said:

Wonderful! I'm going to intentionally do more exploring BBQ this summer as well. Not sure if it'll be possible as were staying up 'north' in NY, NJ and PA. 

If anyone knows of any good BBQ restaurants around Atlantic City or Phili, I'd love to try them.

Also, any good pizza places. We won't be right in NYC, but we'll be travelling sound from Syracuse , through Phili, then over to Atlantic City.

In Philadelphia, you might want to hit Pat's or Geno's in South Philly for a cheese steak. They are on opposite corners.

Many moons ago I stayed with a friend whose family owned a brownstone that look out on these two rivaling cheesesteak places over a spring into summer. To say this is an interesting neighborhood is quite an understatement. Worth a tour.

I was team "Pat's" but both are good. My advice if you go is to stay away from the Velveeta (at Pat's) or Cheez Whiz (at Geno's) as they are disgusting IMO.

Go with a "Provolone With."

"With" means with grilled onions. Just don't order with "grilled onions" unless you want to be treated like a tourist--not like you'll fool anyone anyway, but...

Also as summer approaches there are "lemon ice" places that open up seasonally. A good complement to a nice cheesesteak. Most refreshing.

Bill

[wintermom]

2 hours ago, Spy Car said:

In Philadelphia, you might want to hit Pat's or Geno's in South Philly for a cheese steak. They are on opposite corners.

Many moons ago I stayed with a friend whose family owned a brownstone that look out on these two rivaling cheesesteak places over a spring into summer. To say this is an interesting neighborhood is quite an understatement. Worth a tour.

I was team "Pat's" but both are good. My advice if you go is to stay away from the Velveeta (at Pat's) or Cheez Whiz (at Geno's) as they are disgusting IMO.

Go with a "Provolone With."

"With" means with grilled onions. Just don't order with "grilled onions" unless you want to be treated like a tourist--not like you'll fool anyone anyway, but...

Also as summer approaches there are "lemon ice" places that open up seasonally. A good complement to a nice cheesesteak. Most refreshing.

Bill

Thanks for the recommendation! So that's the problem ordering a cheese steak and not knowing to avoid the orange "cheese." The cheese steak I had on Long Beach Island, NJ wasn't that great because I didn't know about the cheese, and it probably wasn't a great cheese steak place, either. I'm willing to try this food again and I'll remember about the 'with' part, as the grilled onions sounds great! 😊

[Spy Car]

Just now, wintermom said:

Thanks for the recommendation! So that's the problem ordering a cheese steak and not knowing to avoid the orange "cheese." The cheese steak I had on Long Beach Island, NJ wasn't that great because I didn't know about the cheese, and it probably wasn't a great cheese steak place, either. I'm willing to try this food again and I'll remember about the 'with' part, as the grilled onions sounds great! 😊

The orange fake cheese make me want to hurl. Much better with provolone.

My good friend was a South Philly native, so he gave me all the tips. Such a picturesque scene for a person from Los Angeles. South Philly is a world of its own.

I will never forget arriving in Philly on a late flight. Then going straight to my friends place and to bed.

For some reason I woke really early and decided to venture out for some coffee and a bite to eat.

At the first place I went into (a bakery) I ordered and they said, "You must be that guys who'ze staying with Georgie." I was like, what?? Yeah. How'd you know?

Then it happened again at the cafe. Same thing. I'd been in town a few hours and had not on the streets with George at all, but EVERYONE knew who I was. Weird.

Lot's of Italians (including a fair share of schlubby mobsters) and Lebanese folks. Now I think many Vietnamese as well. Quite an experience.

Bill

 

 

[Spy Car]

d/p

Edited May 18, 2022 by Spy Car

[Spy Car]

d/p

[gstharr]

3 hours ago, Spy Car said:

 

Hey, if you don't want to sound like a tourist. It"s not "with".  It's "wit". As  a SoCal er,  I like Pat and Geno. What do I know.  BUT I recently discovered Maryland Pit Beef and it blows both of them out the water, and much cheaper.  If I could only have one, the pit beef with extra tiger sauce wins everytime.  Maryland should market pit beef the way Phiily does cheesesteak.

.

[Spy Car]

11 minutes ago, gstharr said:

Hey, if you don't want to sound like a tourist. It"s not "with".  It's "wit". As  a SoCal er,  I like Pat and Geno. What do I know.  BUT I recently discovered Maryland Pit Beef and it blows both of them out the water, and much cheaper.  If I could only have one, the pit beef with extra tiger sauce wins everytime.  Maryland should market pit beef the way Phiily does cheesesteak.

.

On a culinary level, neither Pat's or Geno's are that great. But South Philly is a trip.

It has been a very long time since I've been back I wonder how much it has changed?

Bill

[gstharr]

11 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

On a culinary level, neither Pat's or Geno's are that great. But South Philly is a trip.

Totally agree. 

[popmom]

I haven’t read a single reply to the OP. What a [unnecessary swearing removed by moderator]  to ask this question! 😂😂😂😂 I’m dying! This will be debated until our dying breath! 
 

There is no “best”. It’s a matter of taste. Even within my southern state, there are differences—significant differences. I smoke my own mostly. 😉 I like the north Alabama vinegar/pepper sauce for pork and Alabama white sauce for chicken and turkey. 
 

I’m I’m San Antonio rn. I used to live here. This trip I’m skipping bbq restaurants in favor texmex because I like my own brisket better than Rudy’s or Smoke Shack or 2M or whoever is getting the hype at the moment. I’m serious about my bbq lol. Later I’ll read all the replies. 🙂 just my 2 cents.

[stephanier.1765]

This popped up in my local news and reminded me of this thread. So here's yet more information on the different types of barbeque in the US.

https://www.news4jax.com/features/2022/05/16/holy-smokes-breaking-down-the-4-distinct-regions-of-bbq-in-the-us/

[TravelingChris]

On 5/13/2022 at 8:37 AM, cbollin said:

truth!  that well known children's cancer hospital is featuring Leonards BBQ this week. dh had his pulled pork with mustard based slaw on top.

hushpuppies and BBQ? Where I've live, hushpuppies go with fish.   never knew other regions did that differently.  oooh...  could be fun to try. LOL

Here in Al, we get hush puppies with regular BBQ

 

[wintermom]

On 5/20/2022 at 6:06 PM, popmom said:

I haven’t read a single reply to the OP. What a [unnecessary swearing removed by moderator]  to ask this question! 😂😂😂😂 I’m dying! This will be debated until our dying breath! 

There is no “best”. It’s a matter of taste. Even within my southern state, there are differences—significant differences. I smoke my own mostly. 😉 I like the north Alabama vinegar/pepper sauce for pork and Alabama white sauce for chicken and turkey. 
 

I’m I’m San Antonio rn. I used to live here. This trip I’m skipping bbq restaurants in favor texmex because I like my own brisket better than Rudy’s or Smoke Shack or 2M or whoever is getting the hype at the moment. I’m serious about my bbq lol. Later I’ll read all the replies. 🙂 just my 2 cents.

And " [unnecessary swearing removed by moderator] " means what precisely as a reaction to a genuine question? Vulgar responses not appropriate. Maybe you should read more before posting with language like this. I'll be reporting for unnecessary language. 

Thanks for your wonderful international communication skills. That's heavy sarcasm. 

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, wintermom said:

And " [unnecessary swearing removed by moderator] " means what precisely as a reaction to a genuine question? Vulgar responses not appropriate. Maybe you should read more before posting with language like this. I'll be reporting for unnecessary language. 

Thanks for your wonderful international communication skills. That's heavy sarcasm. 

Seriously? She, like many in this thread, was being silly about how serious people take barbecue. She censored her swear word as well, so reporting for language is ridiculous. 

And you can't pretend you didn't know she was kidding, given that she had a bunch of laughing until you cry emojis right in the post. 

 

[Miss Tick]

1 hour ago, wintermom said:

Thanks for your wonderful international communication skills. That's heavy sarcasm. 

😂😂 You might want to avoid Philly altogether in this case! Our friend from Philly explained that it is "The City of Brotherly Love" only when comparing to New Jersey.