NEW YORK BBQ
I work, with one of my various hats on, in the cured meat sector and part of this work is about teaching, sharing and promoting quality cured meats all over the world including with our global Facebook collective ‘The Salt Cured Pig’, which is very lucky to count amongst it’s membership the very best in the business in terms of producers, chefs, writers, butchers and farmers. As part of this work, I was invited last year to judge at the Charcuterie Masters in New York, where the best of American cured meats all came together for sampling, feedback and recognition by a group of esteemed professionals who I had the honour to join.
Whilst I was in the city for the week, I decided to make it my mission to also take a snapshot of what was a blossoming New York BBQ scene and to find out what was on offer and who the movers & shakers were. It was a tough job, but one I was willing to do on behalf of the British public! Figuring I could report back and see if there was anything we could learn from somewhere that isn’t thought of as synonymous with BBQ in the way say Texas or the Carolina’s may be.
Actually, it was this lack of ingrained BBQ ‘culture’ or heritage that was of particular interest to me, as it’s something that is often said of the UK itself. I wanted to think about that and how it might affect the way BBQ develops in a place, with all the elements that that includes, from mimicry or homage to ‘classic Que’, the melting pot of external influences to the eventual, inevitable search for its own ‘style’. All of these things felt just as applicable to the UK scene as they did to New York City.
In fact, one of my favourite things to bang on about is that, of course, the UK has a huge, deep and rich tradition of fire cooking meats that stretches back since before America was even a thing. The endless cliched remarks about burnt sausages and pink chicken is really all just lazy copy, which reinforces false ideas and says nothing about our genuine culinary traditions. We were not known as ‘rosbifs’ for nothing! The fact that there are a large number of terrible cooks who stand around grills
stinking of lighter fluid, incinerating cheap sausages is not a reason to suggest we don’t know about BBQ here, anymore than the fact that large numbers of people go out getting hammered on alcopops would indicate that somehow we don’t have a long history of brewing quality ales in this Country. I wanted to see in NYC what happened when a diverse and concentrated population,
similar to our own in many ways, bringing culinary influences from all over the world, got hold of BBQ and where it went with it.
So, my trip took in a glutinous few days hitting all sorts of joints, from the small hidden gems to the well known crowd pleasers and went a little something like this;
First stop was ‘Harry & Ida’s Meat & Supply Co.’ in the East Village to touch base with Will Horowitz, who is always pushing the boundaries with all things cured, smoked or pickled. The pastrami sandwiches are the best in town. In fact, next time you’re thinking of heading to ‘Katz’s Deli’ because you think that’s where you have to go for your visitors taste of New York pastrami, do
yourself a favour and take a quick walk down Avenue A to ‘Harry & Ida’s’, where you will get a roll filled with preserve lemon mustard, thick sliced brisket point pastrami, smoked and then steamed to perfection with great homemade pickles and sprigs of fresh dill. In a city of sandwiches,
I have yet to find one better than this.
Next I head down to a landmark spot, ‘Fette Sau’. When Joe Carroll started this hip little bar & BBQ joint it quickly caught on and set something of a trend for folks trying to put a slightly New York spin on traditional BBQ classics. The food has always been highly thought of and it’s a great sociable place to hang out. Nice décor, great beers on tap and a crowd of people far cooler than me.
What I would say, is that there is a possible price to pay for such popularity, which is that the more successful a joint like this becomes, the more it’s going to look to understandably meet the volume of demand and this will lead, sometimes, to output becoming more ‘safe’ and less exciting. Prices will also climb in direct correlation to how trendy a place is and I think all of these things are true of
‘Fette Sau’ as it stands today. This is not to say it’s not a great place to hang out and have a good
night, as this is definitely true, but the days of it being at the forefront of what New York BBQ is all
about may be a little way behind it.
Next I went to ‘Mighty Quinn’s’ on 2nd Ave. I went here because it’s one of those places that
everyone says is great and I will admit, I thought this was because it was well known, accessible
and part of a chain, you know, like people will often recommend a Grillstock or a Red’s etc. here,
just because there’s a few of them about. These sorts of places have never really been my thing as I
think bad BBQ is some of the worst stuff you can eat as it really has no saving graces and that tends
to be what I associate ‘chains’ with. However, in the case of ‘Mighty Quinn’s’, it’s growth under
Hugh Mangum can be put purely down to how damn good it is. Like a chain by public demand,
rather than just corporate intent. The brisket was insane! Everything else was the moist, tender type
of BBQ you always hope you’re going to find, but the brisket actually changed the way I cook. It
reconfirmed for me that lower and slower, in a world where people are getting hotter and faster, is
where I am at. It also taught me to introduce water, much more water, within the cooking chamber
and I have actually adapted one of my smokers as a result of that visit. If you are looking for all of
the convenience of accessible, commercial BBQ done exactly as you’d expect in terms of classic
meats and sides, you could do a lot worse than hitting your local MQ’s.
Next, I actually hit a Korean BBQ joint in Flushing, Queen’s. I know it doesn’t really fit with the
story so far but it was late at night, after several too many beers as part of an epic trek of bars, noisy
games of kol-hpai and sampling of various unknown spirits, and yet there we were in the early
hours of the morning, sobered up by the sheer quality of the endless procession of beautifully
prepared meats and sides being put on the grill on the middle of our table. I mention this stop
because it really is worth remembering that ‘BBQ’ means lots of things to lots of people and to visit
New York and not partake in some good Korean grilled meats is an opportunity wasted. We were at
24hr place, Sansookapsan on Union St, Flushing but there are literally hundreds of options, both in
Queen’s and in Manhattan to sample and learn about the simple wonders of slicing your meat thin,
so that those marinades can really go to work.
Back on the BBQ trail we headed over to Brooklyn to see Matt Fisher at Fletcher’s. Matt’s approach
is pure, honest, smoky goodness. In fact, as one excited customer shrieked the last time I was there,
“This is some low down, ignant sheeyat!”. She then ordered takeout for the entire cast of ‘Set it Off’
that she was producing at the amazing King’s Theatre up the road. She’s also entirely correct, as
whatever Matt and the team cook, it’s done simple and it’s done right. No hipster frills, no
pretension and nothing that doesn’t add to the enjoyment of a tray of some of the best BBQ you
could ever want to sit down and eat.
From Brooklyn, I headed out to Red Hook, to find ‘Hometown’, Billy Durney’s meat mecca. As
soon as you walk in, you smell the woodsmoke drifting through the huge dining area and know
you’re in the right place. ‘Hometown’ have all the essentials on the menu, but have given them just
enough of a twist to make it hard to decide what to have because they all pique your interest. This is
a clever ploy because it means the answer is usually you’ll have a bit of everything and combined
with the great staff and the outrageously stocked bar means it’s somewhere very easy to end up
staying for quite a while. Korean ribs are delicious, meaty baby-backs with a classic Korean style
glaze and garnish of chopped spring onion and crushed cashews. The Oaxacan Chicken is a tasty
change from the norm and the ‘porkstrami’ style thick cut belly is nearly as good as ours! However,
the show stopper for me is the beef rib which gives you everything you could possibly want. Great
bark, luscious tender meat shot through with smoke, and huge, it’s literally enough for two to share.
Last came an evening visit in the company of some great people to what I will admit, was the best
of the bunch for me. This is Josh Bowen’s ‘John Brown’s Smokehouse’ in Long Island City. I had
had Josh’s pastrami short rib previously, but this was a chance to go all in and see what else they
could conjure up given his Kansas City roots.
Now, here’s the thing, for some people or at some times, BBQ is all about the food. But there is also
something about atmosphere and approach that can be often overlooked ingredients and this is
where Josh and his familys take on BBQ really comes into its own. There is such a good vibe about
the whole place and not one that’s been worked on or created as part of a marketing strategy but one
that’s born out of their warmth and character. As we sat at our table and ploughed our way through a
huge assortment of ribs, burnt ends, smoked belly slices, pulled meats and brisket as well as
cornbread, slaws and glass boots full of beer, I realised that for one of the first times on the trip, I
wasn’t concentrating too hard on the quality of every individual aspect of the food but was instead
really enjoying the whole experience. Josh’s wife was front of house for the evening and made us
feel so welcome, the place was buzzing and jam packed, the food and drinks came thick and fast
and it was one of those places you just didn’t really want to leave. The smokehouse is involved in a
lot of community works locally, helping do some great work and cementing its place as more than
just a restaurant but an active local resident. A fixture in the neighbourhood, in fact everything a real
BBQ joint should be and everything that for me, BBQ is all about. People, as well as meat.
This idea is reenforced by Josh’s latest venture at the Mothership meat co. where an old auto shop
warehouse in Dutch Kills has been repurposed as a monster, super laid back, Texas style meat
market eatery and community space for smoky cookouts, live gigs and also a focal point for
fundraising and community projects. I hope to be a part of that in future and cook in its huge pit
next time I’m in town for a popup showcase of some UK BBQ.
Talking of the importance of people in BBQ, that trip to New York in 2017 allowed me to spend
some time, and a drink or two, with the genuine legend that is Jimmy Carbone. Owner of ‘Jimmy’s
No43’, aficionado of all things ale brewing based in the New York area and also, most importantly,
the man behind events like the annual ‘Pig island’ and ‘Brisket King NYC’. Events that celebrate
BBQ food, but also, just as importantly, the sociable coming together of great people under the
loose guise of a competition.
Fast forward a year to early Spring 2018 and I find myself given the opportunity to be the first UK
entrant into the amazing ‘Brisket King NYC’ competition. All I needed to do to be part of this crazy
event was get myself to the States, enlist some help from friendly natives, find someone to supply
me with enough full packer briskets, find someone/somewhere that will let me cook them and then
get my finished project in front of the judges plus serve 500 other portions to the crowd and VIP’s.
How hard could that be, right?
The field in this competition is made up of professional smoke house cooks, and restaurant teams
from all over the place and so, whilst perhaps out of my depth, it was a field that was more suited to
my approach than something like say a sanctioned BBQ competition would be. Professional English
Pit botherer vs. a load of folks that actually deserve the name ‘Pitmasters’. I admit, I was simply
glad to be given the chance to take part and fly the flag in some small way for how we do things
over here.
The judging panel was not a little intimidating too, featuring food writing hero Peter Kaminsky (the
guy who’s books made Mallmann global news after his years in the wilderness), Eater NY meat
man Nick Solares, Food Network stars, Food & Wine magazine editor Dana Cowin etc. Overall, a
crowd who knew their stuff and wouldn’t be suffering any fools gladly. I thought I may be in
trouble.
My dish was one of our custom rubs, featuring smoked chilli and some cumin with other spices and
tempered with some sugar, coffee and chocolate. I thought it was a good mix to provide a flavour
that might not be what the judges were used to, a really good crusty bark and I planned to serve this
with that great British condiment, homemade horseradish cream. So much for the plan, but
thankfully the New York BBQ family came to the rescue on the practicalities too. Matt at Fletcher’s
graciously let me use a little bit of space in one of his Oyler pits for the cook and his meat supplier
‘Green Tree Packing’ generously agreed to supply me with some Choice grade USDA briskets. We
were on!
John Patterson and I trimmed the meat which I explained wasn’t something I was used to in the UK
where you need all the fat you can get on your brisket. After a good, thick coating of our rub, the
briskets were slid into the smoker over some good, dry oak and after wrapping in the later stages,
they were pulled out when they hit between 85-90c internal. Then wrapped tightly and packed into
a cambro for what would be about 3 hours prior to opening them up ready for judging. After a slight
hitch with our car being towed by NYPD we Uber’ed everything to the venue and hit the noise and
hustle of a whole new side to NY BBQ.
Here were all of the chefs and their teams, busily prepping a multitude of dishes, putting finishing
touches to sides, opening up jars of homemade pickles and wildly busying themselves with other
fixings ready for the off. A huge contingent of the NY kosher BBQ scene was a big presence, along
with the likes of Chefs from Dinosaur, Hill Country, Hometown, Salt & Bone, Kimchi Smoke &
Butcher Bar. All of whom were looking to be top dog in this prestigious fight for the Crown of
‘Brisket King of New York’. We had little to do by comparison; sauce was made, briskets were
resting, so despite having very little space to move we didn’t need a lot compared to some folks. It
did make me realise though, that our dish was going to have to really stand out in it’s simplicity
given all the ‘extras’ that were being prepared around me. We literally just had meat and sauce.
At the allotted time I handed in to the judges in what was a maelstrom of bodies by them by then,
the venue was literally packed. Smoke and steam filling the air to compliment all the excited voices
and glasses being raised. As soon as that was over, the full realisation that we now had to sling 500
portions out to the ticket buying guests and all of the VIP’s hit me and I just got my head down,
kept slicing - “bit of fat, bit of lean” for everybody. I repeated my description of the main themes of
the dish, it’s flavours, as well as an explanation of what an English bloke was doing amongst all of
this, so many times that I actually got quite good at it by the time the last few portions went out. In
fact, there was even a mini celebration when a group of VIP’s who’d been queueing and queueing
to try our food thought they’d been left high and dry when we ran out, only for me to remember that
I still had what was left of the judge’s turn in brisket in the cambro. Cheers went up, more potions
were passed out and then with a big hug of thanks to John Patterson and Johnathan Forgash who
had helped get me through this storm, we hit the bar. I was satisfied that ,against all of the logistical
odds, I had actually made it to the States and had turned in and served a dish that I was both happy
with and pretty much reflected my approach to BBQ. Not standard, classic fare, but honest and with
a twist. Quiet Waters BBQ.
We were several drinks in when the prize giving announcement started and we were happily
cheering somewhere near the back of the crowd when, in a slightly surreal moment, Jimmy
announced I had come in second place. There is a chaotic video somewhere that captured the
genuine shock on my face and my disbelieving acceptance speech. Clearly the UK must know
something about good BBQ and it seemed fitting that a city built on welcoming immigrants from all
over the world and valuing what they bring to the mix should have appreciated me and my offering
to the BBQ Gods.
So, what have I learnt of New York BBQ? I know that for some people it will never be authentic
and that those are the same people who would probably feel similarly about UK BBQ. That what
they would call authentic is only a merging of many foreign influences and cultures, says quite a bit
about the concept of authenticity itself but also it misses the point that New York, like the UK, is all
about taking influences from all over the place and mixing those with traditional methods and styles
to form any number of variations, too numerous to nail down with any single set definition. It’s just
excited and inspired folks doing their own thing with smoke and fire, just like it is here.
© John Gower May 2018
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By John Gower