American Glory
342 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 822-1234

Thanks to a recent search on Facebook for other Q joints, I came across a new place in Hudson, NY (about 2 hours from the Hut HQ). Located in the old H. Rogers Hose Company firehouse, American Glory BBQ did an amazing job at a restoration that keeps a firehouse feel while hitting the right Q joint notes. Dark wood, a nice big bar with the coldest beer EVAH – seriously the ice on the taps is wild – & a good mix of rock, blues & country on the sound system.

We settled in at the bar & were pleased to find a nice array of microbrews on tap. Got a pint or two – forgot what we ended up drinking – & looked the menu over. As is usual when we hit a new joint, we went to a sampler platter. On the meat list, they offer pulled pork, beef brisket, St. Louis ribs, spare ribs, turkey drumstick & Texas Hash – a combo of chopped beef & pork simmered in a house sloppy joe sauce. Sides include the usual beans, mac & cheese, collard greens & slaw but add in usual items (at least for a joint in upstate NY) like pickled red cabbage & mushrooms with cherry peppers.

We went with a three meat/two sides sampler for $20. Choose pulled pork, beef brisket & Texas Hash. For sides, we went with mac & cheese & pickled red cabbage. You definitely get enough of each meat & side for two to share. Of the three meat choices – my vote goes to the Texas Hash. A great blend of pork & beef, the shred on both meats made them extremely tender. The house sloppy joe sauce had a nice kick with a touch of smokiness. Unfortunately, we were a little less impressed with the brisket & pork.

The brisket – while tender & moist – lacked a discernible smoke ring or any real smoky flavor. It had a nice roast beef flavor but not much of a “brisket” flavor. The pork also lacked any real smoke & was more sliced into long chunks – & not really chopped – than “pulled”. Again, a good moistness & nice roast pork flavor but not really my style of Q.

The positive side to both the pork & brisket is it came un-sauced. Definitely a thumbs up for that! My biggest pet peeve with Q joints are those who serve me pre-sauced meat. Always makes me wonder what they are hiding. The mac & cheese was nice enough – good creamy texture. The side winner was definitely the pickled red cabbage. Great tangy sweet pickling dressing, the cabbage was tender but still had a bit of crunch. Makes me want to look into something like this for the Hut.

While having our sampler, we noticed the couple next ot us having the smoked turkey drumstick. Think obscene Renaissance Fair turkey leg then take that up a bit & you get the idea. Again – has me thinking about a special some weekend in November/December.

All in all, I’d have to say I dug American Glory BBQ. They are working a bit of a different style of Q than mine – & that’s perfectly fine. I really dug 1/2 of what I ordered & am curious to return for more of their menu. In addition to the Q selection, they also do some fish (catfish, salmon & shrimp) as well as steaks & burgers. As with most Q joints these days – they have a small vegetarian selection. Worth the trip if only for the ice cold beer & the Texas Hash.

Fete Sau
354 Metropolitan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 963-3404

The final destination on the Meat Coma NYC 2010 Tour took me to Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Considering the density of hipsterness in this area, I am actually surprised it has taken so long for a BBQ joint to open here. Thankfully, what did open is one of the best Q joints in the Five Boroughs.

Situated in a converted garage along the still mostly warehouse-esque stretch of Metropolitan, Fete Sau is everything I want in a future Hut location. Exposed brick walls, roll up garage doors, long communal rustic wood picnic tables & funky faded meat cut artwork on the walls. It’s got a perfect Q joint vibe without being fauxbilly or too urban country.

Like Hill Country, Fete Sau is market style. You enter to find the display case filled with pork & beef. Give the carver your order by the pound & then move along to the sides. As I was somewhat full from HNH BBQ, Asia Dog & The Smoke Joint, I decided – again like Hill Country – to stick with meat only. Well meat & a beer.

Ordered a 1/2 pound each of brisket, pulled pork & pork belly. I was a little disappointed to only have the choice of lean brisket, but it was quite tasty. If I had to rank the brisket eaten over the course of the Meat Coma Tour, it would be:

1. Hill Country
2. HNH BBQ
3. Fete Sau/Capital Q Smokehouse

I’ll skip discussing where I think MY brisket falls on that list (*cough*tiedwithhnh*cough*) but it was quite wonderful to discover so many joints on the tour making what – at least to me – is REAL smoked brisket.

Fete Sau’s pulled pork was done exactly the way I believe pulled pork should be done. No sauce – nice rope pull – a bit of crusty bark – & enough smoke to flavor but not overpower the meat. I can’t say I found their use of Berkshire Shoulder to add anything to the product other than price. It’s not that I do not respect the use of heritage/organic/local meat – it’s how I learned to make Q – it’s just that rarely does it actually affect the end product. BBQ is about taking cheap cuts of meat & making them yummy. When you start with expensive meat – you’re kind of defeating the purpose of BBQ.

Then I tasted the pork belly…

OK – I get it here. This is amazing pork belly. Rich, smokey, fatty goodness. It’s not bacon – though you could fry it up like bacon. It’s like concentrated essence of pork with a smoke undertone. I seriously wish I had gotten more of this. It makes me want to start working with pork belly as soon as I can.

I certainly have to agree with those praising Fete Sau. When it comes to hardcore Q in Brooklyn, it might well be the top joint. Besides – you can buy beer by the gallon here & that’s reason enough to love the place.

Though the brilliant Q is an even better reason.

HNH BBQ
Mobile vending at various Brooklyn locations.
Check their website for a schedule.

Our final day of Meat Coma NYC 2010 took us across the river to Brooklyn. Our plan was to hit Smoke Joint in our old Fort Greene neighborhood then swing by Fete Sau in WIlliamsburg for the meaty finale. Cherie had made plans to meet an old friend at Smoke Joint & as we arrived early we had some time to kill.

We decided to wander around the old hood for a bit checking out what had changed (quite a bit actually) & what had not (the dreadful Chinese take-out was still there. REALLY!?!?) Along the wander, we ran into the Brooklyn Flea – a weekly flea market & street food extravaganza organized by the folks at Brownstoner. If we had known this existed, I guarantee we would have skipped Smoke Joint & spent most of the day eating our way through the fabulous street food here.

Rounding the corner of one of the food aisles, I saw the big “BBQ” banner & knew I was going to be eating before lunch. HNH BBQ is run by crew of young Texas transplants cranking out amazing brisket on a Weber Smoker. As we were heading off to a full lunch, we decided to just split a sandwich & skip the sides. We’re hoping to make a return visit to shop the flea market for Hut decorations & sample more of HNH’s food.

I consider myself a brisket fanatic. Up until the 2010 NY Meat Tour, I was beginning to believe I knew nothing about brisket & it was supposed to taste like roast beef. Thankfully, visits to Capital Q Smokehouse, Hill Country, Fete Sau & the folks at HNH BBQ proved this wrong. Brisket tastes like brisket if done right.

And HNH BBQ is doing brisket right.

Moist tender & a beautiful smoke ring, it’s simply seasoned with salt, crushed peppercorns & (I’m guessing here) a bit of cayenne. Excellent bark & a lucious meaty flavor. Cherie thought it was a bit too salty (I dig salty) but we both agree the cracked pepper added a great punch.

I am certain no brisket will ever beat HIll Country brisket (until I make the trip to Texas), but HNH BBQ is certainly in my Top 5. If you’re a brisket fan anywhere near Brooklyn, do yourself a favor & seek out HNH BBQ when they are vending. You’ll be glad you did.

Hill Country Texas Barbecue Market
30 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10010-2062
(212) 255-4544

This is my church
This is where I heal my hurts
For tonight
God is a Pitmaster

(with apologies to my friends in the dance music community & Faithless)

Hill Country is my church.

It is – in my opinion – the single best BBQ joint in all of New York State. No use debating with me. I’m a zealot – a fanatic – one of the truly devoted. I feel guilty if I go to NYC without making the pilgrimage. I aspire to be 1/10 the BBQ cook this place is.

The reason for my zealotry?

Brisket

Not just any brisket – but the BEST brisket anywhere in New York State. What the Hill Country pitmasters do with a whole brisket, kosher salt, Butcher Block Black Pepper, cayenne & slow smoking proves there is something divine in the universe.

(Yes – I know this is all a bit twee & gushy – but damn is this GREAT brisket!)

We chose to make Hill Country our first stop on the 2010 NYC Food Tour (what we would later rename Meat Coma 2010) & that was both a good & bad thing. Good because we did not have to spend hours or days waiting for our chance to pray to the Gods of Brisket. Bad because we realized we might have been starting the tour with no where to go but down. Luckily, we did discover other great meals while on the tour.

Though nothing came close to the brilliance of Hill Country. This is a market style joint. You get a meal ticket at the door & order everything by the pound. We chose to completely skip the sides – Cherie made a pass for research but saw nothing interesting – & stick with a pure meat orgy. Straight to the meat counter for:

1/2 lb moist brisket
(from the deckle or point end of the brisket. This is the yummy fatty part. It’s our preferred cut.)

1/3 lb lean brisket
(from the brisket flat)

a bit of brisket burnt end
(the crispy first cut from each end of a whole brisket Our carver gave us the end from the point. MMMMMMM)

1 regular Kreuz sausage
(shipped in from Texas)

1 beef back rib
(plus the carver gave us one of the end bones to “gnaw on”)

All together I’d say we picked up about 2 pounds of meat. Plus – we were given about 1/2 a loaf of white bread. Made our way to a table & got a lemonade & ice tea & got ready to worship…

OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN…

Truly I started weeping a bit about this brisket. I want MY brisket to be this amazingly tender, moist & full of flavor. Three ingredients in the rub, great beef & perfect smoking come together in way I never thought possible. Cherie sums it up nicely (if not a bit insultingly after 23 years of marriage) with “This is the best thing I’ve ever had in my mouth.” I definitely prefer the moist brisket here. Wonderful juicy fatty goodness. Always remember this: FAT IS FLAVOR! The lean was also delicious, but I still wish we had gotten more moist.

The Kreuz sausage is a classic example of smoked sausage. Great smoky beefy flavor with a snappy skin & good spice. The beef rib had a great crust & juicy meat but ultimately suffered the same problem every back & spare rib does for me. It’s a rib. I just do not get the rib obsession. (Now short ribs are something I completely understand!) Cherie pretty much left the rib to me in exchange for more of the moist brisket for her.

One thing to note – eating like this at Hill Country is not cheap. Moist brisket runs $22.25 per pound. Lean is $19.75. A 1/2 pound sausage will set you back $6. It can all add up quite quickly especially as the euphoria of food this good seizes you.

The way I look at it is it is MUCH cheaper than a trip to Texas…

Andre’s Blue Ribbon Barbeque
6047 State Hwy 7
Oneonta, NY 13820
(607) 222-1816

One of our customers told us about this joint on Route 7 in Oneonta. It’s just a few miles past the Oneonta institution of Brooks’ House of Bar-B-Q. Brooks’ ribs & chicken are pretty much what you’ll find at every town fair, church benefit or fundraiser in the greater Delaware County area. To be honest, they do have some fairly nice chicken. I’ve always felt their other food was more grilled than smoked, but that’s just my opinion. Regardless of what you may think about their food – however – one thing is undeniable: Brooks’ has quite a lock on Oneonta.

Or did until Andre’s Blue Ribbon Barbeque. I give Patrick big props for opening in the shadow of Brooks’. He’s a far braver cook than I. He’s got a “joint in a house” style place with a few tables. Look off the end of the porch & you’ll be able to check out his Old Hickory smoker. A hand written menu lists pulled pork, chicken & ribs plus a variety of sides. The night i went, he was also offering brisket. I went for the brisket with beans & buffalo chicken salad. Cherie had a sampler plate with chicken, ribs & a bit of pulled pork plus beans & macaroni salad. Two sauces are on the table: a standard ketchup based sauce & a spicy vinegar sauce.

Solid down home style cooking with chicken FAR superior to Brooks’. Nice crispy skin with juicy smoky meat. Good texture & pull to the pork though I would have liked a bit more smokiness. The ribs are dry rubbed (always a good thing) & have the right amount of tough to tender ratio. Not falling off the bone (ribs should NEVER fall off the bone) but not tough. I was somewhat disappointed in the brisket. I was good beef but not nearly smokey nor tender enough for my tastes. A tad too roast beefy for me. Then again – I am a bit obsessed with brisket.

While we often get up to Oneonta for BBQ supply shopping (thanks BJ’s Club & Lowes), we do not often get this far out Route 7 & usually not as late as Andre’s opens. I believe their hours are 4pm – 9pm & I cannot remember what days they might be closed. Guess I’ll need to make a return visit soon.