Happy New Year from NYC BBQ
Here’s to 2021 being full of great feasts and fun times.
As 2021 begins, this is an opportune time to take stock of what happened in 2020 and think about what changes to make in 2021. In 2020, we saw a lot of transformational changes in barbecue — revamped business models, an explosion in mail-order smoked meats, more people cooking at home, etc. — and these changes aren’t going to go away. Even more changes will come in 2021 after the threat of COVID-19 subsides.
With this in mind, I’m announcing today that the NYC BBQ Weekly newsletter will be going on (hopefully short) hiatus. Traditionally, January and February have been slow barbecue months in the Northeast, and with COVID-19 still far from over, it’s worse than usual. Indoor dining is banned in NYC and as such, it’s difficult to evaluate and write about restaurants. Taking a step back for the next few months will also help me recharge and prepare for the spring.
This means that, for the time being, you won’t be seeing this newsletter in your inbox each Friday morning. However, I’ll still be posting updates regularly on social media channels including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I may also release a newsletter if something important happens, such as an iconic barbecue restaurant closure or the announcement of a big, new barbecue event.
While the NYC BBQ Weekly newsletter will be on hiatus, sister newsletter The Smoke Sheet will not be, and I will continue to deliver a national barbecue news digest there every week. The Smoke Sheet also includes updates about the Northeast barbecue scene, along with tasty recipes, fun videos to watch, insightful barbecue books to read, and much more. Please subscribe to The Smoke Sheet if this sounds like something you’d be into or if you just love learning about barbecue.
I wish you all good luck and good health in the new year, and I hope we can all see each other in person again soon. Let’s hope 2021 brings a substantial amount of hope, joy, opportunity, and delicious food to everyone.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
Michelin-starred chef Bryce Shuman is offering New Yorkers spare ribs, fried chicken, and more for delivery.
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
Michelin-starred chef Bryce Shuman was profiled in the New Yorker for launching a clever delivery-only BBQ service in New York City called Ribs N Reds. “Bryce, who grew up in North Carolina, built a heat-and-serve menu around [spare ribs]: half and full racks, delivered with a choice of sauce — smoked-honey barbecue, hot pepper, or sweet molasses — to glaze them in before warming them in the oven.” You can order from Shuman directly here.
Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse, one of the top barbecue joints in NYC, will soon open a new location on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, reports Yeah That’s Kosher. Izzy’s Smokehouse on the UWS is set to open sometime in January or February and will be located at 660 Amsterdam Ave.
NorthJersey.com checked in on some of the top restaurants in Northern NJ to see how they were faring during the second wave of COVID-19, including Kimchi Smoke in Westwood. Owner Robert Austin Cho told them he’d seen success as a mostly takeout operation from May to November. "People were comfortable with what we were doing," Cho said. "We definitely did pretty well just doing takeout."
B.T.’s Fried Chicken & BBQ in Worcester, Massachusetts has reconstructed and reopened its doors after a car crashed through the entrance this past weekend. No injuries were reported, but the shop itself suffered some damage — and the owners appear to have a good sense of humor about it. "For those that were curious, unfortunately we do not have a drive-thru," co-owner Brian Treitman joked in a Facebook post.
The New York Times included Blue Smoke and sister joint Jazz Standard in its roundup of nationally important restaurants we’ve lost in 2020. “When it opened, it introduced the notion of regional smoked-meat styles to a city where many residents still thought barbecued and grilled were synonymous.” (As a reminder Blue Smoke’s Battery Park City location is still open today and serving up great barbecue and Southern staples.)
Peaches HotHouse, the acclaimed fried chicken and Southern restaurant, was included in Eater NY’s roundup of the 19 great restaurants with heated outdoor dining in Brooklyn.
IRL BBQ EVENTS
The 11th Annual Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival in Brooklyn is scheduled for July 31 and August 1, 2021, so be sure to mark your calendars.
April 21, 2021: If you love brisket, you won’t want to miss Brisket King 2021. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their take on brisket and pastrami. Read more about the 2019 edition of Brisket King or about the importance of Brisket King to the BBQ community. Buy tickets here.
April 30 and May 1, 2021: The NYC BBQ Cookoff returns to Staten Island’s Historic Richmond Town on April 30 and May 1. Pitmasters and competition teams from around the Northeast and the country will compete at New York City’s only officially sanctioned Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) contest. Teams will be competing to make the best brisket, pork ribs, chicken, and more. Keep an eye on the Historic Richmond Town page for more upcoming information.
July 31 & August 1st, 2021: The 11th Annual Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival will be back at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint for a two-day event. This event focuses on bourbon and beer tastings, along with multiple barbecue joints serving up lots of excellent smoked meats. Buy tickets here.
NOTE: Due to COVID-19, information concerning events in NYC is subject to change, and events may be rescheduled. Check out the full up-to-date NYC BBQ calendar here.
SAY HELLO
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