Here our intrepid BBQ investigator captures a shot of the BBQ carnivore in its natural habitat.
There are many fine foods that New England is known for: seafood, pies, all things maple, seafood again, chowdah, the whole beans thing, and so on.
However, BBQ is not on that list. There are definitely quality spots. Firefly’s, Blue Ribbon, and Sweet Cheeks for starters. Enthusiasts will direct you to B.T.’s Smokehouse, but a real connoisseur will first school you on the history of the slow-cooked, savory meatstuff, then regale you with tales of road trips to the five BBQ hot spots of the U.S. (see: the Carolinas, Kansas City, Memphis, St. Louis and Texas) all in hot pursuit of the scrumptious varieties and regional preferences that make each state’s plate tick. I tapped the palette of one such connoisseur, Mr. Adam Miller, Gallery Curator of Vision Space in Lynn. Having eaten his way through all five BBQ meccas and back again (he’s actually on his way back from Texas now), Adam was more than eager to talk all that is proper BBQ.
First, Choose Your Weapon:
According to Adam, you must first ask yourself, “To Sauce or Not to Sauce?” Do you prefer a good rub, or would you rather slather your meat in sauce? Texan’s (the purist’s, at least) believe that adding sauce actually hides the taste of the meat and well, Texas is the BBQ capital of the planet. But give me some sweet dripping sticky sauce on my ribs and tell you what – I’m a happy girl. Everyone’s got their preference – choose accordingly.
One Ring to Rule Them All:
“A sure sign of good BBQ is the smoke (pink) ring,” Miller says. If you’re questioning whether you’ve low’d and slow’d enough, seek this 1/4in halo of thickness just under the surface crust, confirming that indeed, you have done your job.
Crust = Bark:
“Bark is key. Thick and black and crusty,” says Adam. “The smoke and temperature of the wood and the fat all congeal to make it bark, or sometimes, ‘candy.’” Candy is good. Especially on your meat.
Fall off the Bone = Kind of Bullshit:
“This is easily achieved by first boiling the ribs (which is ridiculous, but everybody does it) and finishing them in the oven with a bucket of BBQ sauce. That’s BBQ bullshit. You can do BBQ with no smoke, it’s just not what you want,” Adam says. Furthermore, “in a competition rib, you want a bite to pull cleanly from the bone (in the shape of a bite). You want the meat to be tender and cleanly released and not soggy and fall off.”
Whether you’re supporting one of New England’s fine eateries or making your own, use these guidelines as the foundation on which to create your BBQ Bible. And remember: always bring extra wet wipes.
@jillianklocke
