I've been a certified BBQ judge for 14 years, so I much prefer the competition BBQ. Commercial joints are OK, but the competition fare is the best, although the competitors will never refer to their food as fare.

but somebody has to do it.

Was a member of KCBS for several years before starting to judge.
At that time classes were few and far between, they're everywhere now.
I took my class in Tullahoma, TN the day before the Jack Daniels International Invitational BBQ Championship in 1999.


http://www.kcbs.us/

but my husband makes the best BBQ and I'm not biased at all.

but I've learned to like the pulled pork here in the east.

Especially when my wife's Georgia cousins call us up and say "Hog's in the ground!" We have a day or two to get there for the pullin' and the eatin'.

Outside of home cooked in Georgian the only great places are non-chain, family owned joints. Sonny's huge here in FLorida and they are remarkably average. Not terrible but so underwhelming for the impression you;d get from their advertising. Smokey Bones is another just like Sonny's. Ok but nothing I'd brag about.

Cecil's in Orlando is real nice Texas style brisket complete with hot beans and white bread. Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ is the best pig around (that I've had anyway). Their hot sauce actually has some heat in it.

in Duncanville, TX. I miss that place every day. But back then we would routinely trade food with the Jack In The Box next door. God we were stupid! lol

It's too easy and cheap not to. Really. You can make yourself a smoker at home (albeit an absolute POS) for under $100. Beyond that, it's just another recipe to learn. The cost of the rub obviously depends what you use...but pork shoulder is cheap. Time it right and you can get one at Safeway for under $2/lb.

I'm not suppposed to know but I happened to over hear lol

dual side grill - one side gas and one side charcoal but the cool part is there is a bolt-on smoke box you can add to the charcoal side to make it a smoker. I haven't yet but I can't wait to start trying some pork shoulders and briskets in that sucker.

BBQ is everywhere.

My BIL does nice barbeque and I get that about once a year, which is enough for me. I like smoked brisket but I can do without the whole treatment of beans, potato salad and cornbread. I don't hate that stuff, I just don't crave it.

But then, I never was a normal West Texan.

I can definitely do without cornbread I'm not a huge fan of it. I do like potato salad in small doses, and the beans I could take or leave.

Come to Texas and I will have some GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD BBQ.

Glorious glorious BBQ.

Before I tried it I liked bbq okay but wasn't a huge fan. The only bbq I usually got was North Carolina when visiting a friend down there and it doesn't compare to Texas bbq.

... .you can never go back to NC now!

I live in far north TX and the closest restaurant to my house in the boonies is a BBQ joint. Family run place, decent BBQ.

I've smoked a brisket a couple of times but in neither case was I particularly proud of the results. Doing it right is not easy.

When I eat BBQ out I find that many places are pretty similar, with average brisket (usually on the dry side), and that the distinguishing feature is often the sides. Some make good BBQ beans and others make glorified pork'n'beans using pintos, not edible. Potato salad, almost a must is easy to ruin with too much sweet pickle juice and the like. And likewise the sauce. The good places have at least 2, a spicy and a mild, and the others have one nasty catsup/brown-sugar mess. Ugh.

Now I am hungry for some BBQ but there is an inch of ice on the road and I'n not going anywhere

There is also quite a bit of attention to detail involved, which is why homemade BBQ done right is superior to commercial BBQ. One of my co-workers attends around 20 BBQ cook-offs per year, including some of the big ones here in Texas, and generally places in the top 3 every time he goes. I've learned a lot about really good BBQ from him. The reason why most of the commercial stuff is on the dry side is because they are either not pulling it off the pit at the right time, or they are leaving it in a warm environment (must be > 140F or they run afoul of health inspectors) for too long until it's served.

You might try smoking whole pork shoulder roasts or Boston butts if you can find them. I've found them to be a bit more forgiving than brisket.

BF marinates it and ones it. We both mske the sauce.

Pulled pork is my favorite.

Yummy.

The place I went to happened to be right down the street from a budget demo I went to. I can't remember the name, and it appears to have changed.

So tender it melts in your mouth. Good basic slaw, biscuits, pintos (nothing fancy) and corn on the cob. Good eating.

Also, good variety of sauces.

Vinegar base and/or Tomato base. Both in Hot, Medium or Mild.

I forget the name of it, but it wasn't Sammy Walker's I don't think....it was awesome, though.

Also, the Rudy's chain offers some good stuff; their brisket is to die for paired with their sauce.....

Most joints I've been to make it far too sloppy and sweet.

I have a great Mexican-based recipe for pork baby back ribs, dry rubbed with chili powder and cumin, then glazed while on the grill with a super-spicy honey/lime/garlic/tabasco/jalapeno sauce.

especially when I haven't had any in a while. I like to try new places but my faves are the little hole in the wall joints spotted when I'm not really looking for them.

In NYC. If you're in the city I recommend either hometown bbq in Brooklyn or if you're in Manhattan hill country barbecue market. If you want the name of he Portuguese places tho I will share them

Any others you'd recommend?

The only question is how fast can I get there!

...the Kansas City, MO BBQ battles. He said that three different people in as many days told him about the 'best' bbq in KCMO. All three were different places. So, he decided to check online...it got worse. Apparently, there is no such thing as the 'best' bbq in KCMO. He makes his own, so he's looking forward to spring/summer when the local battles start. He had to leave his smoker behind when he moved, though. Has plans to build his own, but it won't be for a couple of years. His BBQ sauce has a subtle Asian flavor, thanks to his wife. He started experimenting with more citrusy flavors before he moved.

I'm in AZ, so I go to my cabinet and pull out a bag of JD marinade and some JD bbq sauce, find something to marinade/bbq and have a messy/awesome dinner at home. I also make my own Asian BBQ sauce.

there's also a contender across the state line in Kansas City, Kansas. It's called Oklahoma Joe's and is housed in a converted gas station!

Also, Asian BBQ is hardly an oxymoron. Koreans have their own style, featuring bul go gi (beef) and kal bi (ribs).

...that everything KCKS sucks. That valuable piece of info has come from the people of KCMO.

Seriously, I'm surprised there hasn't been a war...

And, I grew up on Asian BBQ (Chicago), though I have yet to try Korean. I've heard it's amazing. My (Okinawan) DIL loves it as does my (Chicagoan) son. Alas, Arizona is not the hotbed of Asian cuisine, so I'll have to wait. I do have to say that Asian style is my favorite.

but there are so many good BBQ places down here.

It's a Smokintex model 1100 electric smoker. It's basically as easy to operate as an oven. Put the food and wood in, slap a temperature probe in, set to desired temperature, and remove food when done. It also works as a cold smoker and a jerkey dryer if you have the right accessories.

we had a smoked turkey for turkey day. it's a crazy little thing.
but this being chicago, good bbq grows on trees.
i can literally walk to great texas bbq. or grub hub all day long.

I miss that place.

Best barbecue in Kansas City, and we are famous for it!

Gates, Arthur Bryant's, Oklahoma Joe's, Smokestack (noted above, aka Jackstack), yumyum--can't be beat!