Thursday, June 9, 2016
Summer has arrived and that means one thing: BBQ!! Honestly, I always love BBQ. Ribs are a guilty pleasure.
Today I have Jaime of 3000 Acre Kitchen with the ULTIMATE guide to Southern Q style BBQ, and Mary is over at Bakery Bingo.
Take it away, Jaime!
For as long as I can remember,
I’ve been fascinated by cooking with fire. Whether it be grilling over a bed of
hot embers, pit cooking, or a low and slow barbecue session in my own backyard.
Barbecue is where fire meets obsession and when done well and with care it
yields incredible results. With experience, patience, and the right ingredients
it can almost be replicated time and time again.
For this edition
of #ThursdayToursPDX, I’m going to take you on a tour of Portland’s
thriving BBQ scene. This style of cooking encompasses many cultural
backgrounds, each with their unique flavor profiles and techniques, so for the
sake of brevity I’m going to be focusing solely on Southern Q.
Reo’s Ribs, Cannon's Rib Express,
amongst many others.
Prior to writing this post, I had
already visited many local establishments since first moving to
Portland years ago; there are the known standards, but I’d be remiss if I
didn’t seek out an off the beaten path jewel.
In Peru, where I’m originally
from, we have a saying: “If you’re willing to talk about politics, religion
or soccer, you’re willing to go the distance.” When it comes to
American Barbecue, it follows a similar criteria and many times will
inspire a great debate amongst traditionalists and aficionados.
Take a trip through the Southern
Barbecue belt and you’ll come across a myriad of sauces including the vinegary
Lexington-style in Northern Carolina and its delicious mustard-based cousin nearby
in Southern Carolina. The mayo-inspired sauce rules in Alabama. And there
is the sweet and tangy saucy elixir in Memphis, add more sweetness and some
tomato, and now we’re taking a trip northwest to Kansas City. This is
just the beginning, and we haven't even gotten started on the whiskey-based
sauces yet!
There are the smoking techniques
such as the Texas Crutch, 3-2-1, amongst others. There is also the choice
between fruitwood or nutwood depending on the type of meat, as well as wood
pellets, which some may prefer. When it comes to seasoning it can be as simple
as kosher salt and black pepper or more complex dry rubs. And while we’re still
scraping the surface, there are always going to be personal preferences from
fall-off-the-bone smoked ribs, babybacks or St. Louis style or a finish
with a bit more bite that you have to tug a little harder to get to the
succulent meat.
One thing is certain, there is no
right or wrong approach to barbecue. It is all delicious in its own way and
subject to personal preference, unless of course it is just burnt, permeated by
black smoke, bone dry or worse, raw. It would be like telling somebody that
Muhammad Ali was the greatest boxer that ever stepped into the ring. But what
about Tyson, the Sugar Rays, Pacquiao, or Joe Frazier? All these and other
gladiators before them were equally as important (perhaps not as entertaining)
and a pleasure to watch while displaying their own styles round after round.
Barbecue in Portland is not (and
may never be) as good as some of the most beloved institutions in the South.
This may simply be because we are not in the South, as it isn’t
ingrained in our culture and daily way of life. That said, there are dedicated
men and women here with the passion to bring their establishments to life while
elevating this city's culinary scene.
My criteria was simple, the
barbecue had to be stellar in flavor, texture, and presentation. I kept an open
mind while visiting fifteen locations and I expected that not every single dish
they served had to be exceptional. It is tricky to pull off the perfect
trifecta: pulled pork, brisket, and ribs (or supplement pulled pork for sausage
for a Texas trinity). Instead, I focused on what was truly noteworthy, in
addition to the atmosphere and overall dining experience.
It was really hard to narrow down
my top five picks, and definitely my #1 choice because every place shines with
its own specialty and uniqueness. But if I had to choose the best I’d say that
pound per pound my all-around favorite was Matt’s BBQ on MLK.
The Main Event:
Matt himself is unassuming, works
arduous hours, and you can see the passion in his one-man operation by the
product he proudly puts out. Surprisingly enough, he is a Long Island native
who carved his craft in Melbourne, Australia, of all places. Matt focuses
on Texas-style ‘cue including the juiciest oakwood-smoked brisket I’ve had in a
long while. The side dishes were a great accompaniment, as was the slightly
sweeter sauce served alongside the beef, home-made sausage, and finger-lickin’
ribs — all on top of a slice of white bread, as it should be.
Matt’s BBQ is a cart, with a
great atmosphere and a crowd converging from all walks of life. There is no
line yet, but I’m sure there will be soon as word is getting out.
The first time I stepped into
People’s Pig I was immediately taken back to a local gem I visited in Ubud,
Bali, that specialized in pork ribs. People’s Pig does not feel like your
regular restaurant, instead it's reminiscent of those wonderful
hole-in-the-wall establishments you might find in the deep South. The smells
are in-your-face, the oven is filled with all kinds of delicacies smoked ahead
of time, and the meats being served are superb-looking with a proper smoke ring
for days. Definitely try the St. Louis style pork ribs, brisket, and the fried
chicken. The sides are equally as impressive.
People’s Pig is not for the BBQ
purists at heart, it’s not Tennessee nor Carolina-style, it’s its own, and
certainly worth checking out.
The gold standard in Portland and
synonymous with BBQ. Podnah’s has been around for over ten years at its present
location and it’s on most locals’ go-to list and on visitors’ radars. The
owner’s roots go back all the way to Texas, and it shows in the food that comes
out of the packed oak hardwood smoker. In true Southern style, the best
thing to order is the Pitboss; you get a little bit of everything in one
plate including their home-made sausage, brisket, pulled pork, and ribs with a
choice of any of their awesome sides and head-nodding cornbread.
Perhaps on a separate occasion
make sure to head on over next door to their Tex-Mex restaurant, La Taq, and
order their brisket tacos filled with the same meat which comes out of Podnah’s
smoker.
Comparing Podnah’s brisket next
to another. Check out them smoke rings!
Reverend’s has only been around
for a few years, but it has already made its mark in the local barbecue scene,
so much so that they often provide other restaurants with their cooked meats.
Their sauce game is on-point, so is their slowly-smoked brisket with a perfectly
rendered fat cap. The chopped pork doused in a vinegary Carolina style sauce is
heaven on a plate. The latter can also be found at Pine State Biscuit’s menu
known as the BBQ Biscuit and it’s
probably one of the best renditions of pulled pork I’ve ever come across.
I’ve always liked Miss Delta, going
as far as ordering their food for a small wedding party a couple of years back.
Miss Delta is the most Southern comfort food nook on this shortlist serving up
side-dishes like hush puppies, beans, and the best crunchy yet soft collard
greens around. The brisket is done with pride and patience, and it shows in its
beautiful dark bark.
The partners, Nick and Marcus,
are great guys who are happy to talk about BBQ and the quirky photos on their
walls any day of the week.
While speaking of catering, make
sure to also check out Sugars
Barbecue in St. John’s for any of your needs.
The Runners Up:
Don’t forget to try Russell St BBQ who
carries a great sauce selection with a Texas-style menu. Southland Whiskey Kitchen was also
up there on my list with proper ribs you can wash down with any of their
well-curated whiskeys or bourbons. I never thought I’d say this, but if you’re
looking for a great vegan barbecue option and meat doesn’t float your boat, order
the Slosmomofo dish at the Homegrown Smoker Vegan BBQ cart.
Unfortunately, I did not get a
chance to try Smokehouse 21 or Pine Shed Ribs and Barbecue in
Lake Oswego, which many people swear by.
Aside from the opportunity to
search high and low for the best barbecue flavors and textures around the city,
the best part of it all was the people that I met along the way which
truly made this a memorable experience. There was the passionate conversation I
had with U-licious about the history of BBQ in Portland, exchanging pulled
pork tips with Mrs. Sassy and at a later time with her husband, Boss Hogg, from
Sweet Street BBQ, to my unforgettable chats with Theodis about the future of
the Barbecue scene. Theodis runs Cason’s Fine Meats with his son, TC, in
Kenton. Make sure to pick up some of their ribs to-go on any
given weekend.
Hanging out with the pit boys
from Cason’s Fine Meats.
3000 Acre Kitchen is
where Jaime shares his adventures in cooking outdoors. Whether it
is while camping in a secluded forest, hiking up a volcano or
just grilling in his own backyard, there is great joy in making these
meals satisfying, flavorful, and memorable.
I've heard good things about Matt's but haven't been yet, definitely need to get there soon now that it's bbq summer time!
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