New York is Barbeque Country II

When I first started this blog, I didn't know anyone in the world of barbecue.

When I first started this blog, acceptable barbecue in New York was restaurants where they'd "broil their ribs and pour in some liquid-smoke flavoring."

When I first started this blog, there were a few lone voices in the NYC barbecue world who were the purist and were creating true barbeque. There were Rob Ritcher with his Big Island BBQ team, the boys at the WaterFront Ale House, Matt Fisher and his Hampton Smoker, Bruce Kain out in New Jersey, Will Breakstone out on Long Island and a couple of rare others scattered about. I was one of them, but not out there competing. I was kindling the flames of in my own little way in Brooklyn.

Now I look around and find that NYC is becoming a new barbecue Mecca and that NYC BBQ restaurants are opening all the time.

Now I look around and find that NYC's barbecue restaurants are standing on their own merits. No longer do we need to compare them to their Southern forefathers.

Now I look around and find that NYC is hosting it's own BBQ contest every year, Grillin' On The Bay out in Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn.

Now NYC hosts at least three huge annual barbeque celebrations, The Big Apple Block Party, Brooklyn Brewery's Pig Fest and Rob Richter's BBQ NYC every year.

Now I look around and find that Kingsford chose NYC to host a free pulled pork give away with BBQ legend Chris Lilly at the helm.

Now I look around and find that when Charbroil wants to introduce a new line of TEC grills, it chooses NYC's Bryant Park for the rollout.

NYC barbecue has come a long way baby.