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Best BBQ cities not in Texas?


lmao

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Really depends on the item and the style. Have had some very good whole hog bbq in Carolina. About 1/3 down this article they mention a few others that still serve it:

https://www.eater.com/2018/9/5/17795590/whole-hog-barbecue-style-explained-american-tradition-tennessee-carolinas-rodney-scott

 

Edit: going down the rabbit hole of search results, Daniel Vaughn did this article cooking a whole hog at home:

https://tastecooking.com/crushing-truth-cooking-whole-pig-home/

Edited by Sam Lin
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TX bbq has really become a global phenomenon over the last 10 years. 
 

Lots of ppl try, thus there’s a lot of bad imitations out there, and nothing beats the concentration of TX.  So there is no second best. 
 

But I’ve had some really really good BBQ in Norway. 

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6 hours ago, lmao said:

Where did you in Kansas City that makes it the worst? Do they have any decent Q?

No.

If you find yourself outside of Texas and you think BBQ is your best bet for a choice in cuisine, or if you're ever basing your travel outside of Texas on getting BBQ...you're doing it wrong.

This thread sucks.

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2 hours ago, Landomatic said:

No.

If you find yourself outside of Texas and you think BBQ is your best bet for a choice in cuisine, or if you're ever basing your travel outside of Texas on getting BBQ...you're doing it wrong.

This thread sucks.

It's not that deep bro

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10 hours ago, C-Man said:

Charleston has Rodney Strong BBQ (James Beard winner who does whole hogs) and Lewis Barbecue (bad ass who relocated from La BBQ and I *think* spent some time with Franklin).

He did spend some time with Aaron.  He has also opened a Mexican food restaurant, which I have not had the pleasure of eating at yet, but that will change in a few weeks.  I have heard it’s really good as well from people who know what they’re talking about when it comes to food.

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16 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

This is the most pointless thread ever started on this board.

Hahaha no doubt.  OP would have had better luck with a "who's your favorite team other than UT" thread in the football board.

Quote

There are answers to the questions, good ones.

Wrong.

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1 hour ago, Landomatic said:

Hahaha no doubt.  OP would have had better luck with a "who's your favorite team other than UT" thread in the football board.

Wrong.

I don't think you're off on this at all.

Rarely does Texas Exceptionalism get as eye rolling to non-Texans as BBQ discussion.  Even if it does have the best BBQ (I would vote for Central Texas as having the best BBQ scene in the country), there are plenty of other places making great BBQ and there's some real shit BBQ (isn't Dickey's from Texas?) in Texas too.

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44 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Rarely does Texas Exceptionalism get as eye rolling to non-Texans as BBQ discussion.  Even if it does have the best BBQ (I would vote for Central Texas as having the best BBQ scene in the country), there are plenty of other places making great BBQ and there's some real shit BBQ (isn't Dickey's from Texas?) in Texas too.

I know you and I have been round and round about this.  I'm sure there are a handful of "places making great BBQ" outside of Texas (none of them are in Kansas City BTW).  But that's not really the point.  There are exceptions to everything in the bell curve of BBQ...both in those one-off great places that exist outside of Texas, and in those one-off shitty places that exist in Texas.  On the whole though, Texas just has more great BBQ places than anywhere else.  In fact, I'd be willing to bet that we have more great BBQ places in Texas than everywhere else in the world combined.  And also on the whole, our average places are very much in line with what most other states would consider their best places.

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First off there are none.....I was stationed in NC and they have "BBQ" there. Its just pulled pork with seasoned vinegar as the sauce. I didn't like it at first but it grew on me. The only problem I have with it is that they call it BBQ.

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25 minutes ago, Doug E. Fresh said:

Yeah that one confused me. I live in London and while there’s been a spike in places trying cue, it doesn’t mean it’s done well.

Y'all picked London out of that list?  They're all EQUALLY proficient at BBQ.  That's the joke.gif :)

 

 

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33 minutes ago, Doug E. Fresh said:

Yeah that one confused me. I live in London and while there’s been a spike in places trying cue, it doesn’t mean it’s done well.

Was in London Last fall, snapped this pic walking to the Tube.  Can't imagine how awful the food had to be.....

 

Chicken & Ribs London.jpg

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5 hours ago, Landomatic said:

I know you and I have been round and round about this.  I'm sure there are a handful of "places making great BBQ" outside of Texas (none of them are in Kansas City BTW).  But that's not really the point.  There are exceptions to everything in the bell curve of BBQ...both in those one-off great places that exist outside of Texas, and in those one-off shitty places that exist in Texas.  On the whole though, Texas just has more great BBQ places than anywhere else.  In fact, I'd be willing to bet that we have more great BBQ places in Texas than everywhere else in the world combined.  And also on the whole, our average places are very much in line with what most other states would consider their best places.

From an outsider's perspective, it really does look like the ultimate self made myth, or just an unwillingness to be objective about your home, which is sorta admirable in it's own right.  I would probably fight someone who argued the best bratwurst in the US was made in Wisconsin if I were the right kind of drunk when the claim was made, so while I mock it (and will continue to do so), I do get it.  Kind of.

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31 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Was in London Last fall, snapped this pic walking to the Tube.  Can't imagine how awful the food had to be.....

 

Chicken & Ribs London.jpg

Gonna get a bit weird and off topic, cause I think I know what’s going on here. Outside of North America, Church’s Chicken is known as Texas Chicken. The Middle East and South Asia is a spot where they are found.  I think I see some Arab or Persian script in the window, so betting this is a Pakistani or other Middle Eastern immigrant in London who opened an off brand of the Texas Chicken chain, which if you saw— you’d think was an off-brand but isn’t.

Now the ribs part is befuddling me, since pork ribs aren’t halal. But they could be slinging mutton or lamb ribs, which are crazy popular. 

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28 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

From an outsider's perspective, it really does look like the ultimate self made myth, or just an unwillingness to be objective about your home, which is sorta admirable in it's own right.  I would probably fight someone who argued the best bratwurst in the US was made in Wisconsin if I were the right kind of drunk when the claim was made, so while I mock it (and will continue to do so), I do get it.  Kind of.

BBQ in Texas is better than anywhere else. If you find good bbq elsewhere, a Texan taught them or moved there.   A brisket is superior barbecue, but when Texans cook ribs or even pork butt, it’s better than ribs and pork elsewhere aside from a few real outlier type places that are considered special where they are located. 
 

This isn’t bluster it’s fact. If you live in Texas, it’s almost never worth your time seeking out barbecue when you travel unless you are away for a long time and need a fix. 

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Agree with Carolina pulled pork... not too bad.  

Company I worked for a few years back flew us from Austin to HQ in Raleigh.  Half the Austin office headed to a place called 'The Pit'.  Guy working behind the counter got wind we were from Texas and basically said, "You will not like our brisket... might I suggest the following...".  Had some great fried chicken that night. 

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24 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

BBQ in Texas is better than anywhere else. If you find good bbq elsewhere, a Texan taught them or moved there.   A brisket is superior barbecue, but when Texans cook ribs or even pork butt, it’s better than ribs and pork elsewhere aside from a few real outlier type places that are considered special where they are located. 
 

This isn’t bluster it’s fact. If you live in Texas, it’s almost never worth your time seeking out barbecue when you travel unless you are away for a long time and need a fix. 

This is kind of exactly bluster.

And I actually agree that the Texas style is best.

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1 hour ago, Al_4_ISU said:

From an outsider's perspective, it really does look like the ultimate self made myth, or just an unwillingness to be objective about your home, which is sorta admirable in it's own right.  I would probably fight someone who argued the best bratwurst in the US was made in Wisconsin if I were the right kind of drunk when the claim was made, so while I mock it (and will continue to do so), I do get it.  Kind of.

Somewhat of a backhanded compliment I guess?  It may look like a "self made myth, or just an unwillingness to be objective about your home" but it is not.  What I posted earlier is just a fact.  On the whole, Texas has better BBQ than anywhere else and it's not even close.  And no, Kansas City doesn't come close.  I ate at every single BBQ joint in town when I lived there for 2+ years and their best wouldn't even crack Texas' top 25.  I am very objective.  I don't own a BBQ place.  I don't even smoke my own meat often.  I just know a better product when I eat it.  And Texas has it across the board.

42 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

BBQ in Texas is better than anywhere else. If you find good bbq elsewhere, a Texan taught them or moved there.   A brisket is superior barbecue, but when Texans cook ribs or even pork butt, it’s better than ribs and pork elsewhere aside from a few real outlier type places that are considered special where they are located.

This isn’t bluster it’s fact. If you live in Texas, it’s almost never worth your time seeking out barbecue when you travel unless you are away for a long time and need a fix. 

This is 100% correct ^

7 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

This is kind of exactly bluster.

And I actually agree that the Texas style is best.

No it isn't.  Again, these are facts we're talking about here.  It's like Sushi in Japan.  Sure, there may be sushi other places as good, but it's an exception to their rule.  And I'm sure there are shitty sushi places in Japan, but not nearly as many as there are other places.

And it isn't just Texas style that's the best, our BBQ is simply a superior product all the way around.

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1 hour ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Gonna get a bit weird and off topic, cause I think I know what’s going on here. Outside of North America, Church’s Chicken is known as Texas Chicken. The Middle East and South Asia is a spot where they are found.  I think I see some Arab or Persian script in the window, so betting this is a Pakistani or other Middle Eastern immigrant in London who opened an off brand of the Texas Chicken chain, which if you saw— you’d think was an off-brand but isn’t.

Now the ribs part is befuddling me, since pork ribs aren’t halal. But they could be slinging mutton or lamb ribs, which are crazy popular. 

I looked in the window, it looked like breaded, frozen chicken strips and short ribs.  Like if McDonalds sold ribs.  

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24 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

Somewhat of a backhanded compliment I guess?  It may look like a "self made myth, or just an unwillingness to be objective about your home" but it is not.  What I posted earlier is just a fact.  On the whole, Texas has better BBQ than anywhere else and it's not even close.  And no, Kansas City doesn't come close.  I ate at every single BBQ joint in town when I lived there for 2+ years and their best wouldn't even crack Texas' top 25.  I am very objective.  I don't own a BBQ place.  I don't even smoke my own meat often.  I just know a better product when I eat it.  And Texas has it across the board.

This is 100% correct ^

No it isn't.  Again, these are facts we're talking about here.  It's like Sushi in Japan.  Sure, there may be sushi other places as good, but it's an exception to their rule.  And I'm sure there are shitty sushi places in Japan, but not nearly as many as there are other places.

And it isn't just Texas style that's the best, our BBQ is simply a superior product all the way around.

you-keep-using-that-word.jpg

I've heard a similar spiel from people in Kansas City, and in Memphis.  Everyone has the best BBQ, and it's a fucking fact.  Just ask them.  You are also not objective by nature of an emotional connection to these places.  Which is fine.  A lack of objectivity doesn't mean you don't know your shit.

I have my preference.  It aligns with your fact.  But I'm not conflating the meanings of what these things are.  Facts are empirical.  Quality of a cooking style is not empirical.

Edited by Al_4_ISU
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16 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

you-keep-using-that-word.jpg

I've heard a similar spiel from people in Kansas City, and in Memphis.  Everyone has the best BBQ, and it's a fucking fact.  Just ask them.  You are also not objective by nature of an emotional connection to these places.  Which is fine.  A lack of objectivity doesn't mean you don't know your shit.

I have my preference.  It aligns with your fact.  But I'm not conflating the meanings of what these things are.  Facts are empirical.  Quality of a cooking style is not empirical.

How many James Beard winning BBQ cooks are there in Kansas or Memphis?

Name me 10 places outside of Texas that are better than our top 10.  Never mind from one state, I’ll give you the whole damn world.

I’ll save you some time...they don’t exist.

Facts son

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8 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

How many James Beard winning BBQ cooks are there in Kansas or Memphis?

Name me 10 places outside of Texas that are better than our top 10.  Never mind from one state, I’ll give you the whole damn world.

I’ll save you some time...they don’t exist.

Facts son

So the first query, that's factual.  Now you've got it!

The second?  There's that sneaky little opinion part creeping back in.  And I would agree with you that the Texas Top 10 is probably better than the field's.  I do prefer it.  Prefer.  

I'm sorry, I just have too much fun with this.  Like I'm going to change anyone's mind, right?

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On 3/31/2021 at 1:10 AM, C-Man said:

Charleston has Rodney Strong BBQ (James Beard winner who does whole hogs) and Lewis Barbecue (bad ass who relocated from La BBQ and I *think* spent some time with Franklin).

Is he the guy that was on the same series with Tootsie from Snow's?

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