FWIW..28 Best BBQ Restaurants

[gtr]

^^^looks like they caught them on one of their better days. :heh:

 

[pocketflask]

This makes me think of the first time I had BBQ in NC. I grew up in the PNW, but was visiting a Navy friend's hometown of Ayden. He said his mom was going to get BBQ and asked if I wanted any and I (thinking BBQ ribs or chicken or something) said heck yeah! When they got back with the food I opened up the take out carton and asked where was the BBQ? He looked at mine and said right there! I said that looks like shredded meat, and he said yeah that's BBQ! I've since come to love it, but still prefer the pulled pork over the finely chopped NC style.

Yep, BBQ means one thing in NC and that's chopped pork.

 

[SmokinJohn]

I noticed #28 was one of about a dozen Chicago places that does Tips and Links combo very well.

I'm curious.

Do you all in other parts of the country do rib tips and hot links in your bbq establishments?

I've seen them sporadically on menus when I travel, but nearly every BBQ place in Chicago has the tip/link combo.

For anyone that hasn't tried it, it is a complete mess to eat, gnawing away on knuckles and spitting the cartilage, but man is it good eating. I need a bib and a roll of paper towel eating it.

My observation:

If the owners are from down south, hot links are mandatory.

Rib Tips are another issue.

Many owners buy their ribs in the St. Louis configuration, so no tips are available. Some owners use the tips to make sausage (or snacks), with the same result. Some owners don't know how to make rib tips. Some don't want to take the extra time to make them (same way some BBQ joints don't offer burnt ends).

There was a place out here called Woody's that served rib tips. THey were so tender, I didn't need to waste time eating around the cartilage; it was soft enough to be chewed.

 

[Cook]

My observation:

If the owners are from down south, hot links are mandatory.

Rib Tips are another issue.

Many owners buy their ribs in the St. Louis configuration, so no tips are available. Some owners use the tips to make sausage (or snacks), with the same result. Some owners don't know how to make rib tips. Some don't want to take the extra time to make them (same way some BBQ joints don't offer burnt ends).

There was a place out here called Woody's that served rib tips. THey were so tender, I didn't need to waste time eating around the cartilage; it was soft enough to be chewed.

In defense of "some" BBQ joints...most don't offer burnt ends because you don't "make" burnt ends to begin with. You make fake burnt ends, yes, but most restaurants would rather offer a moist/fatty option to their patrons...which is the point end of the brisket. You can't offer this cut if you waste the point on making fake burnt ends.

 

[EdF]

My observation:

If the owners are from down south, hot links are mandatory.

Rib Tips are another issue.

Many owners buy their ribs in the St. Louis configuration, so no tips are available. Some owners use the tips to make sausage (or snacks), with the same result. Some owners don't know how to make rib tips. Some don't want to take the extra time to make them (same way some BBQ joints don't offer burnt ends).

There was a place out here called Woody's that served rib tips. THey were so tender, I didn't need to waste time eating around the cartilage; it was soft enough to be chewed.

For me, rib tips are chef's percs. And there are too many BBQ places lacking hot links!