BBQ Heretic needs to be owned.

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No KC love? Really?


Really? Andrew Knowlton is always a pretentious little prick on Iron Chef American, anyway.

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The Foodist's 5 Favorite Barbecue Joints in America
8:30 AM / JUNE 29, 2011 / POSTED BY Andrew Knowlton
FILED UNDER: Restaurants
Franklin Barbecue's lean (a.k.a. flat-side or flat-cut) brisket deserves a closer look.
Photograph by Dominique LaFond

In the current issue of Bon Appetit, we name Franklin's BBQ in Austin, Texas the best barbecue spot in the country. Bold? Right on the money? Out of our minds? The reactions have been all over the place. We expected nothing less. They say you shouldn't talk about religion or politics at the dinner table. I'll add barbecue to that list. No other food--not burgers, not pizza, not fried chicken--brings out fanatics like smoked meat. At the end of the day, it's ultimately about celebrating great food and recognizing passionate people who dedicate their lives to it. That's never a bad thing.

On that note, it's my belief that every barbecue lover should have a list of his or her favorite spots across the country. On that list should be the first spot where you fell in love with barbecue--even if it hasn't fared that well over time. Also on the list should be at least one spot located in the town you live, no matter if you live in Anchorage, Alaska or Augusta, Maine. Because people who really get barbecue would rather eat it than debate it....I think. With that, here's my highly personal, very subjective list of BBQ favorites.

Holcomb's Barbeque, White Plains, Georgia
This is the first barbecue I remember eating (chopped pork and Brunswick stew), and for that reason it will always be among the best. This place (at least, what I remember of it, since the last time I ate there was maybe 25 years ago) has all the classic barbecue joint qualities: no frills atmosphere, sawdust on the floor, out of the way location, and sweet iced tea.

Allen & Son, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Again, it's all the about the chopped pork at this legendary spot. You can get the BBQ plate (with Brunswick stew and Q) but I prefer the simple sandwich piled high with pork and a some coleslaw for crunch and acidity. A bucket list sandwich if there ever was one.

Fette Sau, Brooklyn, New York
Great barbecue in Brooklyn, New York? Take it easy purists: Don't dismiss it until you've tried it. Yes, they do all the traditional styles (brisket, St. Louis pork ribs, pulled pork shoulder) and also cool stuff like Wagyu cheeks, pork belly, and sirloin tip. And unlike many spots, they use organic or small family-farmed heritage breed animals. Authenic? Who cares. It tastes good.

Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, New York, New York
For two days a year during this smoked meat miracle festival, New York City is without question the best place in the world to eat barbecue. Pitmasters from around the country gather in Madison Square Park as crowds swoon. My favorite barbecue gurus who make an annual appearance here include Mike Mills of 17th Street Bar and Grill (Murphysboro, Illinois), Patrick Martin of Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint (Nolensville, Tennessee), and Ed Mitchell, formerly of The Pit (Raleigh, North Carolina).

Podnah's Pit Barbecue, Portland, Oregon
I like Portland. I like Portland's food scene, especially the coffee, Andy Ricker's gutsy Thai cooking at Pok Pok, and Rodney Muirhead's BBQ at this temple to meat. Check the daily specials for stuff like smoke lamb ribs and bone in rib-roasts. His brisket is Texas-worthy and the pork spareribs smoked for four hours would make my granddaddy proud.

That's my list. What's yours?


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