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Big Apple BBQ and Martins BBQ
There's already been a million recaps of the 2009 Big Apple BBQ Block Party, so I'm not going to focus on a recap. Instead I just want to show you this decapitated piggy and how he went from headless to delicious. Mmmm... just the way I like it. Martin's BBQ Joint was a new addition to the event and it's a welcomed addition on a personal level. It was cool to see someone from Tennessee come and represent here at the BBQ festival. If you didn't know, I spent about six years in Tennessee before moving to New York. If anyone's curious why I hate social conservatives and think they're idiots... you can thank Tennesseans. Yea! (Of course it's not that simple, but hey, let's not completely go there).
If you went to the Block Party on Saturday, you would have had the chance to see some of the places prep more food for Sunday. Martin's BBQ Joint served whole hog sandwiches at the Block Party, and they prepped some piggies for Sunday. I don't know where they get these things at but there were a couple of them, all headless. They then put some sort of rub on the inside of the pig, but not on the outside. Then that baby goes into the smoker. When I took these pictures, there were a ton of other people with huge cameras that had better positions. So you get a picture of two legs and the piggie with an obstructed view. Oops.
After they smoke it and it's finished, they rip the skin off of the piggie and there's a huge pile of skin left. I tried some of the skin but it was uh.. not edible. I tried really hard but it was just really tough. I think perhaps the smoking temperature was enough to get a crispy looking skin... when in reality it's actually just kinda dry. Maybe you have it hit it up with high temperatures before the skin will get to that crackling quality that everyone loves so much.
Just putting it out there.. this is not BBQ... but if they have a stand next year where it's like, for $2 dollars, someone just sells you a huge bag of crackings... I bet you that'll be the longest line ever. The real long lines this year went to Big Bob Gibson's, The Salt Lick, and 17th Street. Those were also the places that ran out of food the fastest. If you go next year, go with two other friends, and go early. Those three should be the first lines that you get into, period. After you try the noteables, you can then compare it with the other guys.
Over at Martin's BBQ, the whole hog sandwich naturally draws comparison to the whole hog sandwich that Ed Mitchell does. There are bigger chunks in Martin's BBQ sandwich and the sauce is a tomato based sauce that most people are familiar with. Both of them are delicious, although a little small. It's not difficult to imagine one person spending $100 over a two day period to try all the BBQ that is offered.
And lastly I have to tell you guys that you should always watch out for ripoffs. The biggest ripoff this year was at the Blue Smoke dessert tent. I guess $4 dollars is an OK price for dessert in the city, but it was just a brownie. And if you want it with ice cream, it's $4 dollars more. And it's not some special ice cream... it's Edy's ice cream. SRSLY?!?!?! Steph and I were like, "WTF?!" Here's where they get you... you see the sign that says $4 dollar brownie, you get in line and mentally tell yourself it's OK because plenty of ppl get their ice cream with the brownie. But you finally get up to the line and you discover a brownie with ice cream is TWICE as expensive as you expected... but you already lost all this time waiting in line... so you're like, "FINE! Steal my money. I'll pay for the brownie. Goddamn it."
It's probably a bad idea to talk shit about Blue Smoke because they're a huge player in the Block Party. But man, I was disappointed at the dessert. Lame-o.
To finish up this conversation about BBQ, I have to admit that while I was living in Tennessee, I never ate much BBQ. And since Nashville wasn't the big BBQ city that Memphis was, I just never got into it. One of these days I'll make it back to that state though, and eat some Tennessee style BBQ and see how it stacks up.
Like what you've read today? Subscribe to my RSS and never miss a post!Posted by Danny on June 16 2009 at 3:05 pm
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I can't believe you put a picture of a headless pig as the front picture...I thought you wanted people to try the food.
You should definitely eat BBQ next time you are in TN...maybe you should go back in the next few weeks when I will be there.
Jack on June 16 2009 at 4:28 pm
What? No one else likes headless pigs? It's only me?!
And yea I have to make it back to TN at some point. Maybe when one of y'all get married. =D
Danny on June 16 2009 at 4:58 pm
Nice job Danny. I was one of those people who spent $100 over the two days, but I was with a small group. We sampled 10 of the 15 spots at the festival, more than we had last year, and it was a blast. The dessert was a ripoff, but we got it anyway for something sweet. Favorite bites of the day: The Pit, Big Bob Gibson, Jim 'N Nicks, 17th Street and Hill Country with their off the menu pork ribs, courtesy of Ed Mitchell's farm!
Here's my recap: http://always-eating.blogspot.com/2009/06/stuffed-big-apple-bbq-2009-recap_14.html
Always Eating on June 16 2009 at 6:05 pm
It's not so much the headless pig as the oddly phallic water bottle that makes me giggle.
Rochelle on June 16 2009 at 11:26 pm
@Aaron,
Oh man, I saw some people with some ribs near Hill Country and heard someone said they knew the pitmaster... but didn't investigate it further.. guess I should have!
@Rochelle,
haha, I didn't even notice that..
Danny on June 17 2009 at 10:43 pm
I wonder where all the pig heads go? That would be one scary dumpster.
bionicgrrrl on June 17 2009 at 11:50 pm
nice photo, very appetizing, very raw style. i noticed first the bottle and thought you did it on purpose.
lafloreetlafaune on June 19 2009 at 10:09 am
Danny, please keep your promise. And replace something pleasant. Thank you.
Lilian on June 24 2009 at 7:38 pm