Everyone knows that “BBQ”, i.e. the concept of cooking food at a low temperature for an extended period of time over wood, is a trend that is on the rise in NYC.
Chicken, ribs, bacon, and shoulder… about an hour in…
All over the five boroughs, restaurants old and new are competing for cult status and trying to claim the top prize of best BBQ, awarded when the agreement is unanimous amongst New Yorkers. We’re talking here about Harlem’s Dinosaur BBQ, Williamsburg’s Fette Sau, Chelsea’s Hill Country, Midtown’s Daisy Mae’s just to name a few, and the list goes on with the fancy small scale joints striving for authenticity vs. the Times Square tourist traps and the chains.
The truth is, that some of these places really are awesome and replicate what goes on in the South. The problem, as usual, is that it costs an arm and a leg. Shitty puns aside, the cooking brigade over here at ChezJJP is going to bring that lovin’ to you.
The Process: BBQ is a simple concept. You get cheap cuts of meat, such as spare ribs, pork shoulder (commonly called “butt”, don’t ask why) or beef brisket, or pork belly (when smoked, its called bacon) and you build a fire using hardwood charcoal and specialty woods such a hickory, mesquite, apple or cherry. The objective is to let the meat slowly cook for hours and hours at a steady temperature of circa 200 degrees F. Here’s the thing, the wood fire can’t be directly under the meat; its got to be away from it, but in a place where the heat and the smoke can get to it. In the setup I have, the meat sits in the main grilling chamber while the fire smolders away in a firebox that is connected to the side of it. In this way, the meat gets the smoke and heat but no flame, and can cook slowly and become tender while retaining its juices over a period of 5-8 hours.
Ribs in the foreground with the shoulder behind and the bacon positioned right above…
“5-8 hours!” you exclaim? Yes. Good BBQ is like many of the good things in life. It takes a damn long time, and a damn lot of patience. But, what’s a better way to spend your Sunday than drinking beer, catching up with friends, enjoying the weather and throwing a huge feast the night before the work week claims your soul ?
If you dont have a backyard, do it in Prospect Park. They have tons of space for you to cook. Don’t have a BBQ? You can buy some for super cheap at the Lowe’s near Smith/9th. You can even rig up a device of your own creation using anything from aluminum roasting pans to digging a hole in the ground . It’s a world of fun.
Ribs…finished and slathered in BBQ sauce…
And probably the best thing about BBQ, aside from the look of satisfaction on your guests’ faces, is the fact that your skill improves with every session.
