NE Barbecue Contests

[jmcgrath]

In the NJ Pig Pickin' thread, galleygirl asked about a barbecue contest in Lowell, MA that I mentioned. I'm starting a new thread to discuss that.

Barbecue in New England is alive and well. By barbecue, I mean tough cuts of meat lovingly cooked for hours and hours with a wood or charcoal fire. I don't mean burgers, dogs and steaks cooked hot and fast on a gas grill.

I'll first start by introducing the New England Barbecue Society web site. For a list of our activities, click on "Upcoming Events".

To answer the original question, the city of Lowell has a number of festivals throughout the year to attract people to the downtown area. The "Rib 'N Brews" festival is one of them. The Massachusetts State Barbecue Championship on September 11 and 12 is part of that festival. There are two contests, a grilling contest on Saturday, and a barbecue contest on Sunday. The barbecue contest on Sunday has been sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society.

Jim

[scrumdiddlyumptious]

Any suggestions for the best restaurants for barbecue? specifically, burnt ends, pulled pork or pork ribs?

[sacre_bleu]

Any suggestions for the best restaurants for barbecue? specifically, burnt ends, pulled pork or pork ribs?

Redbone's in Somerville, MA (especially pork iterations). Their chopped BBQ beef is excellent. Never seen burnt ends, but never asked.

[galleygirl]

Blue Ribbon, in West Newton and Arlington, is hands-down the best in Boston...I bring my father take-out from there when I want to maintain favored-daughter status.....Burnt ends are always one of the options on the menu, briskit ranks high...There are those who say the ribs are second to Uncle Pete's in East Boston, however...Uncle Pete's sides arel ower rated, except for anything fried; they know how to handle a fryer.....East Coast Grill, while not strictly 'cue, does great ribs and pulled pork, tho their briskit was dried out last time I was there...Most 'cue lovers I know agree that Redbones was over a few years ago, and doesn't rate very highly...

Fun place? yep.

Good Guinness? yep.

Good 'cue? Uh, no.....

[TrishCT]

In Connecticut, The Cookhouse in New Milford is one of the few and of the best BBQ restaurants we have. They have ribs, pulled pork, brisket etc...good stuff.

[mnebergall]

Is there any good BBQ joints in RI?

[VivreManger]

In fact there have been a number of recent posts addressing the issue of New England Q.

Check out:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=41559

BTW, although I am an RI native and regularly return, I have never heard of good Q in little Rhody.

Edited May 11, 2004 by VivreManger (log)

[mnebergall]

BTW, although I am an RI native and regularly return, I have never heard of good Q in little Rhody.

What about out near Fall River or New Bedford, Mass. or up Rt. 24?

[jmcgrath]

Any suggestions for the best restaurants for barbecue? specifically, burnt ends, pulled pork or pork ribs?

Redbone's in Somerville, MA (especially pork iterations). Their chopped BBQ beef is excellent. Never seen burnt ends, but never asked.

I think Redbone's is overrated. In order to say something nice about them, they do have a very good selection of beer. I'll second gallygirl's recommendation of Blue Ribbon. Unfornutately they are mostly takeout, and not a place where you can sit down for a meal. I also like Jake's Boss BBQ in Jamaica Plain, across the street from English HS. Firefly's in the western suburbs is good.

Jim

[rhiannonstone]

I just discovered The American Barbecue in Rowley, MA, and thus far, it's the best BBQ I've had since moving to the Great BBQless North. I prefer eastern NC-style pulled pork (that's pulled smoked pork with a spicy-sweet vinegar sauce--and East Coast Grill does it best, Chef Schlesinger having grown up in VA), but The American Barbecue's TX-style stuff is excellent, too. Tender meats, smoky sauces, and most excellent sides, not to mention an atmosphere that makes me feel right at home.

I haven't yet tried Blue Ribbon, they're next on my list...