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Today, two friends and I attended the 8th Annual BIG APPLE BARBECUE BLOCK PARTY at Madison Square Park. If we'd planned enough in advance, we could have bought a "fastpass" for $125, which entitles the bearer to $100 worth of food, beverage, and merchandise (sauces from several of the BBQ sellers) and best of all an express pass. (two of us could have shared it easily or even all three of us) But by the time we decided to go the passes were sold out. To eat as you go (as we did), it was $8 a Plate.
The park, as expected, was a zoo with mobs of people jostling for beer and to hear the music. It took us a bit of time to discover the actual FOOD was outside the east entrance of the park.
The lines weren't as awful as we expected. The looked much worse than they were.
In fact, between 1-2:30 or so we sampled four different types of bbq, two of us waiting on different lines, one staying on the lawn in the park with our picnic sheet.
Jim 'n Nick's--one delicious large homemade sausage from Birmingham, Alabama--a nice crunch to the outside and very tasty/spicy inside with pimento cheese on the side
Checkered Pig (my favorite)--St. Louis-Style Ribs from Martinsville, VA--fall off the bone-well done with a sweet/hot sauce--exactly the way I love it. Two orders (three ribs each order)
Baker's Ribs-- St. Louis-Style Ribs from Dallas, TX--the outside of these wasn't as crispy as the Checkered Pig but the actual meat was delicious and lean. One order, (three ribs). Third party dropped out of this one so Claire and I ate them all.
BlackJack Barbecue--Pulled Pork Shoulder from Charleston, SC--the meat was yummy and the sauce was a bourbon sauce and excellent. On a bun. Three of us shared.
We were all stuffed by then and walked down to the Union Square Greenmarket then split.
We were lucky that it didn't rain as originally predicted. The event also takes place tomorrow so if you're in the neighborhood, check it out (although rain's predicted for tomorrow).
Big Apple BBQ Block Party
The park, as expected, was a zoo with mobs of people jostling for beer and to hear the music. It took us a bit of time to discover the actual FOOD was outside the east entrance of the park.
The lines weren't as awful as we expected. The looked much worse than they were.
In fact, between 1-2:30 or so we sampled four different types of bbq, two of us waiting on different lines, one staying on the lawn in the park with our picnic sheet.
Jim 'n Nick's--one delicious large homemade sausage from Birmingham, Alabama--a nice crunch to the outside and very tasty/spicy inside with pimento cheese on the side
Checkered Pig (my favorite)--St. Louis-Style Ribs from Martinsville, VA--fall off the bone-well done with a sweet/hot sauce--exactly the way I love it. Two orders (three ribs each order)
Baker's Ribs-- St. Louis-Style Ribs from Dallas, TX--the outside of these wasn't as crispy as the Checkered Pig but the actual meat was delicious and lean. One order, (three ribs). Third party dropped out of this one so Claire and I ate them all.
BlackJack Barbecue--Pulled Pork Shoulder from Charleston, SC--the meat was yummy and the sauce was a bourbon sauce and excellent. On a bun. Three of us shared.
We were all stuffed by then and walked down to the Union Square Greenmarket then split.
We were lucky that it didn't rain as originally predicted. The event also takes place tomorrow so if you're in the neighborhood, check it out (although rain's predicted for tomorrow).
Big Apple BBQ Block Party
