Guess where you can get the best barbecue dinner   now?  This time of year all men   claim to be masters of the grill but we all know they don’t know what they are doing.  We always thought   the best place to find the best barbecue was in the south but a few good   places have opened up in the New York area.  Everyone likes to fire up the grill these days from rank amateurs to decorated chefs and they   all are   firing up the grill.  The question is who   does it best and what is the best way to do it?  I have made a few decisions on this subject.

I love Texas barbeque but does it have to take place in Texas? Hell No.  In Texas alone there are  1900 great places like Mike Anderson’s A True Texas BBQ or Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse Barbeque since 1910 or Hickory House Barbeque to name a few. A typical day at Franklyn’s in Austin the lines to purchase food can stretch all the way down the block all day long and then a paper bag goes on the door that   simply   says   “sold out.” Nobody seems to mind as long as they get a chance to have that tasty meat that seems to melt in your mouth.

The   best advertisement for the barbeque   business is the customers themselves.  Barbeque is big business   nationwide mostly in Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, the Carolinas and now in New York. That’s right!  East coast   barbecue is a top contender against the southern kings of meat.  The key is all in the process.  Throw away that brand new shining stainless steel monster in your backyard.  Instead, get   yourself    a   wood    burning grill that looks like a giant horizontal trash can and after about 4 hours of slow cooking with seasoned oak logs   burning, you are in business for a great meal.  The problem is who the hell has   four   hours  burning wood   to spend on a   meal?

Billy   Durney   is a body guard who turned himself into a grill master and   opened Hometown Barbeque   in Brooklyn less than a year ago and just 5 miles down the road head to Daniel Delaney Barbeque with his Texas inspired brisket .A barbeque isn’t a great barbeque unless you got pork ribs, sausage, brisket, pulled pork and turkey roasting. Forget that lame franks and burger crap. And leave those sickly looking vegan gluten   free   vegetarian folks home too. I don’t need any guilt trips on barbeque day. As I said,   If    you can’t do it yourself, then these guys will get it done for   you.

Daniel Vaughn is the BBQ editor of Texas Monthly Magazine who says these two New York places are just as good as any barbeque in Texas.. They have already become foody destinations. The secret is in a good hot low fire with white oak logs burning evenly. They will cook about 3 to 400 pounds of   meat at a time and slow cook the meat for about three hours before serving. On a weekend they will cook thousands of pounds of meat.  All you need is salt and pepper and not any goopy sauces or fancy rubs. Just good old fashioned slow cooking for the most   tender   meats.

So sit back play with your wood and serve your tender meat. Wow did I just say that?