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27 Comments:
I prefer Texas Hill Country 'cue over anything, but if I had to choose between these two I'd take Kansas City cos they've got burnt ends. Mmmmm....fatty, crispy, smoky, beefy burnt ends! I'd never had them until I started eating at RUB on a regular basis and I've become hooked. Hello, my name is Lisa and I'm a burnt ends addict!
homesicktexan at 10:16AM on 12/12/06
there is no question - it's CAROLINA period! for tooooo many reasons to list here. any 'Q' person worth his "boston butt" will tell u that!!!!!!
baruch at 10:36AM on 12/12/06
since i'm from kansas city, i'm hardly impartial. but:
kansas city for beef and ribs.
carolina for pulled pork.
there's room for both in my world, and my stomach.
onthestereo at 11:01AM on 12/12/06
Baruch, though you're probably right, I'm going to have to say ... "Yeah: what Onthestereo said."
Even down to the part about being from Kansas City -- in that I was raised there (though don't live there currently). I'm hardly impartial, either; I'll say KC every time out of stubborn allegiance to the hometown. And burnt ends are delicious. I think I know where I'll head for lunch today; thanks for the reminder, HST.
Adam Kuban at 11:14AM on 12/12/06
actually, the REAL questions is: Pork - vs. - Beef? either u are a REAL 'Q' person or not, & the determination of that is: whether u prefer real over simulated? which only has 1 answer, which includes the carolinaS for pulled pork, & memphis for ribs (& pulled pork). beef is for steaks, beef is brisket!!! beef is not really 'Q' -
the gauntlet is thrown - Let the "Slings & arrows" commence!
baruch at 11:15AM on 12/12/06
Where r u going for lunch Adam? Blue Smoke, Daisy May's. Mmmm Daisy May Chili..
nelson5757 at 11:18AM on 12/12/06
I was thinking of R.U.B. for burnt ends, Nelson5757. Will depend on if I have time to make it over there.
Adam Kuban at 11:22AM on 12/12/06
A third to what onthestereo said. A pulled pork sandwich with that soft, vinegary taste, a touch of sauce, and of course a heap of the side of coleslaw dumped right on top is quite simply heaven on a bun. But KC-style ribs simply cannot be beat.
smalera at 11:41AM on 12/12/06
adam, just by coincidence, i had the pulled pork sandwich, the fried onion rings, & the burnt ends at R.U.B. 2 nites ago. firstly, having any bbq (pork) is better than not having any bbq; however, i cannot figure out why paul kirk has such a big rep?? his bbq is bland, mushy, no character, homogenized, & generally has no "taste". the sauces are a joke. so, where does this rep come from???? btw, his onion ring rendition are the little itty bitty stringy ones that somehow he must think are tasty?? & YES, i used ketchup. as for the burnt ends, ok, but just to put them into perspective -- they ARE just the side show. as for blue smoke, i'm still looking for a good review of their bbq & ribs themselves, not the hamburger, not the fried chicken, not the sides, not the bourbon selection, but the 'Q' itself. have not yet tasted daisy mae's chili, but HIS 'Q' wouldn't make it anywhere down South (in pork country), maybe those in kansas (like Dorothy) would like it ???? :))))))))))))))
ENJOY! :)
baruch at 11:48AM on 12/12/06
I grew up in Kansas City as well, and am moving back in the spring... so out of stubbornness, I would have to Say KC... though NC does have great pulled pork.
Alm25 at 12:07PM on 12/12/06
I would also say KC for ribs, Carolina for pulled pork, though I am not one of those people who gets all worked up about BBQ. Memphis dry rubbed ribs can also be very good and the ribs that I make up here in Wisconsin are also quite good.
EatWisconsin at 12:26PM on 12/12/06
Kansas City. Not a big fan of the overwhelming vinegar taste/smell of Carolina bbq.
Melissa at 12:31PM on 12/12/06
with ALL due respect, & i mean that sincerely - proclaiming a preference for... simply because from area/region is misguided, i.e., comment just above. as for not getting worked up about bbq, also is a disqualifier "IF" one would like to be taken seriously + being from a non-bbq region is a total disqualifier, no ability to understand the history, etc..... as for those who profess a dislike of "overwhelming vinegar taste/smell of carolina bbq" view, comment not even worth explaining the disqualification :))))))))))))))))))
baruch at 1:03PM on 12/12/06
Carolina. Mmmmmm, pulled pork. Ahhhhh, pig-pickins.
thepictsie at 1:18PM on 12/12/06
In Carolina barbeque means pork - the entire pig sometimes - pulled or otherwise. Those other wannabes may do beef and chicken but nobody does pork like North Carolina (and yes I used to live there). Put the emphasis on North also - I know nothing of that other carolina's contribution to this art.
Now that we have that straight - you now have to remember that there are two different sauces in North Carolina BBQ - western and eastern - both vinegar based with lots of interesting spices, with the western having a tomato base added to it.
So that's it, plain and simple. To repeat the best pork bbq in the world is North Carolina, which has two different sauces.
Test will be tomorrow.
Livetotravel at 3:09PM on 12/12/06
Both please! They are almost in such different classes that you can't really compare them. However, if anyone is hosting a cook-off I'll be more than happy to judge.
Acme Instant Food at 3:53PM on 12/12/06
Kansas Cit, mainly the ribs found at Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue! Delicious!
Kristen at 4:36PM on 12/12/06
LOL - spoken like a true NORTH carolinean!!! uneducated, biased, inward-looking, etc, etc..... someday, u "might" like to travel just a touch SOUTH as in SOUTH carolina, & experience some of the best 'Q' that exists; with either a vinegar-based sauce, similar to what you've been brain-washed with; or tomato-based , more towards charleston; or the ultimate - a mustard-based sauce found generally in the middle of the state. & as usual, particularly for someone who "claims" to be an "expert", have overlooked another very large distinction between your eastern - vs. - western Q's!!!!!!!!! LOL - it's all good :)))
baruch at 5:00PM on 12/12/06
seriously, eastern north carolina bbq is the only one that balances all the flavors you look for in bbq. its tart, a little sweet, (hopefully from the pork), spicy and salty. B's BBQ in greenville is the epicenter.
driving through memphis and arkansas to try what had been said was the best of its kind i was sadly disappointed. too many similarities to national bottled sauces for me
eggplantconfit at 8:05PM on 12/12/06
barch - perfect! You take the bait better than anyone I've blogged with recently. Good to know we can expect curmudgeon-like, all-knowing consistency from you. Are you a a banished poster from e-gullet?
Livetotravel at 8:47PM on 12/12/06
OK, this is a troll...
What's best depends on the day's taste. On one day there's nothing like NC vinegary-peppery pulled pork with a dose of slaw on top; on another day there's nothing like SC yellow mustardy pork. On yet another day pork with a KC-style sauce is what's required. None is best, ALL are best.
Todays Q is far, far better than no Q at all!
---
jbh
Propaganda Minister
PascoNudistForum.com
SpitBBQ.com (under construction)
jbh at 10:16PM on 12/12/06
livetotravel - LOL unfortunately, no bait, but appreciate the "attempt". it's those like u who make statements like these, that "appear" to be interesting & erudite, but sadly, at-the-end-of-the-day are simply pedantic. i would guess, u are young, fairly unsophisticated, somewhat of a wannabe, but just don't make enough, so then the only thing left is to hide behind a facade pretending. u can't debate the merits, so why not cast slings & arrows. it may work for some observers, but for those "been there, seen that" another example of ... what ever-- it's actually not worth the effort!
baruch at 11:24PM on 12/12/06
I like Carolina barbecue (pork) and Kansas City brisket. I lived in NC for a few years and got hooked on barbecue. I now make my own vinegar based sause that I use. It is very easy. When I smoke brisket I also make my own tomato based bbq sauce. There is truely no one brand of tomato based sauce I really like. When I drive through NC I always stop and grab a bottle of Wilbur's bbq sauce or Bob's. Now I am hungry. Pig Picking cake anyone?
JerzeeTomato at 3:25AM on 12/13/06
Baruch (may I call you Bernard of is it Mr de Spinoza?) - afraid you have once again rendered an uninformed opinion. I won't burden this thread with biographically data but rest assured I am very much on the other end of your fantasy of me. Every blog has a bully and you are certainly warming to the task. Following the advice of my therapist, I will no longer address you directly.
Livetotravel at 9:56AM on 12/13/06
Hey folks, just a reminder to please keep the comments on topic. We realize that barbecue is a hot-button issue with many people, but we want to keep the discussion civil and avoid character attacks on other Serious Eaters. The Talk section is a cocktail party; let's save the brawls for the dive bars.
Adam Kuban at 10:23AM on 12/13/06
Being a Pan-Southerner who has tried almost all kinds of 'que (including my vegan phase and my special tofu 'que....) I must say I feel that each regional variation must be judge within its own confines. It is fine to compare what is the best place that serves that style of bbq (carolina, texas, memphis, kc etc) but I do not even try to rate which style or region is the 'best". I love them all for their own uniqueness. Some days I want that vinegary pulled pork sandwich, some days a dry rubbed rib, or a texas brisket sandwich, or a thick KC sauced up sliced beef. And horrors of horrors I sometimes have TWO Regional styles at the same time and enjoy both for just being what they are.
goingsouth at 11:45AM on 12/13/06
My personal favorite is the tasty minced pork barbeque at Doumar's in Norfolk, VA. Check out their menu!
ndgold at 10:42AM on 12/15/06