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Recap: Big Apple BBQ Block Party

June 16, 2009

Thanks to  Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, Madison Square Park was transformed into a giant smoke-pit for the Snapple Big Apple BBQ this past weekend. The event itself was surprisingly well organized: food and drink vendors were mapped out, friendly staff were abundanent, and trash actually found its way into various cans. With wandering paths and so much to see, the vibe was on par with the central park zoo, minus the giddy children and plus some drunken adults...

Below are some photos of the event, and in the video above check out YAH's endorsement from Oxi Clean's Billy Mays---oh yeah! We had some technical problems with uploading this video and we apologize for all of the glitches.

Here's a run down of some our samplings:

Patrick Martin's (Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint, Tennesse) Western Tennesse-Style Whole hog.  Not our favorite of the pulled port sandwiches, but definitely full of bold flavors and smoke.

Mike Mills' (17th Street Bar and Grill, Illinois) Ribs and beans. The beans were made with caramelized onions, and a combination of kidney, lima, and white beans (according to the ladies, they were "sweet and delicious").  The ribs themselves were extremely tender, falling right off the bone.

Drew Robinson's (Jim N Nick's Bar-B-Q, Alabama) Spicy sausage hot links were an unexpected treat; topped with Pimento cheese, a slice of jalapeno, and some spicy BBQ sauce, these sausages were hot, fragrant, and one of the more adventurous options at the event.

Chris Lily (Big Bob Gibsons Bar-B-Q, Alabama) Obviously a hit at this year's festival... Even the fast pass lines at Lily's tent were about 25 minutes long. Their pulled pork sandwich and coleslaw were unbeatabl, perfectly seasoned and tender, topped with a homemade sweet sauce.

Ed Mitchell (The Pit, NC) Another favorite of ours.  They also hit a home run with their pulled pork sandwich, yet their approach was quite different from Bib Bob Gibson's; instead of a sweet BBQ sauce, Mitchell prepares his pulled pork by soaking it in vinegar (a very North Carolina approach to BBQ), in lieu of a sweet sauce. 

Ken Callaghan (Blue Smoke, NY) Our final tasting.  Was it the gallons of microbrews running through our body that made these ribs taste so sublime?  Maybe.  Regardless, I am thrilled that Ken and co. are based right here in NYC...

cheery staff, with cute t-shirts

hoards of hungry people

Posted in FOOD, MUSIC on June 16, 2009 3:50pm by Seth | 32 comments

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We are young (early 20's) and hungry (for knowledge! music! art! food!) friends living on (or in areas which border) Manhattan. We moved to the city seeking higher education, and an alternative to frat parties and gin buckets. We prefer a bottle of Chianti to a keg, lunches at City Bakery to a dining hall, Joe's to Starbucks, Frankie's Amatriciana to Batali's. Our uniting factor is our love for food. For detailed, personal information, keep reading.
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