5 Perfect NYC BBQ Gifts to Give Friends, Family, and Yourself

As the holidays get near, many folks (including myself) are still looking for the right gifts and stocking stuffers for friends and family. Or maybe it’s a good time to stock up on a few fun items you’ve been looking at for yourself.

If you’re looking for any barbecue-related gifts this season, here are five NYC-BBQ-related items that will make barbecue lovers happy.

Pig Beach BBQ Cookbook: Smoked, Grilled, Roasted, and Sauced — Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride
Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride cut their teeth preparing three-star Italian and French cuisine, but in their spare time, what they loved cooking (and eating) was barbecue. Eventually, they traded in their Michelin-star kitchens for smokers. Now, you can master Matt and Shane’s smoky meats and championship-winning sauces at home. With more than 50 mouthwatering recipes, Pig Beach BBQ Cookbook includes everything from traditional favorites like buffalo wings and smoked beef brisket to groundbreaking new dishes like Mojo-Marinated St. Louis Ribs and Secret Spice Pecan Candied Bacon. ORDER HERE.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Sauce Variety Pack
If you’re looking to buy something for a barbecue sauce lover, this mix-and-match variety pack from NYC staple Dinosaur Bar-B-Que will be highly satisfying. This six-pack lets you choose from sauces, including Dinosaur’s Sensuous Slathering Sauce, Wango Tango Habanero Hot BBQ Sauce, Roasted Garlic Honey BBQ Sauce, Red Chili Sour Cherry, Hot Honey Gold, Devil’s Duel Pepper, and more. You can also get some for you and some for gifts. BUY HERE.

NYC BBQ Delivered Nationwide from Goldbelly
One of the coolest food-focused startups based in New York is Goldbelly, which sends incredible dishes from restaurants all over the country. The barbecue you can get from Goldbelly is shipped frozen, and you carefully reheat it at home. (I’ve tested this, and it’s surprisingly great!) Some of the top BBQ joints in the NYC area are on Goldbelly, including Blue Smoke, Hill Country Barbecue, and Mighty Quinn’s. So send some ribs, brisket, or a holiday meal like Blue Smoke's Prime Rib to a friend!

Mike’s Hot Honey
If you’ve never tried Brooklyn-based Mike’s Hot Honey, you’re missing out. Mike’s Hot Honey can be used as a marinade, condiment, or topping. One especially great option is using it as an ingredient for barbecue, including hot honey wings. (It’s also amazing on pizza.) BUY HERE.

Pure Grit BBQ Rub
Vegan BBQ operation Pure Grit has turned heads with its quite good vegan barbecue options in Manhattan. The company also makes a fantastic barbecue rub that is good for everything, but especially vegetables. BUY HERE.

Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ

EAT ALL ABOUT IT (NEWS)

Eater NY recently visited Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue and gave it a rave review.

Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:

  • Eater NY critic Robert Sietsema had a lot of praise for Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue, which reopened two years after a fire closed its doors. Sietsema had a lot of nice words for the restaurant and said it’s in the upper echelon of NYC BBQ joints. “Be assured that Morgan’s has rejoined NYC’s brief list of great barbecues, up there with Hometown, Hill Country, and John Brown,” he writes. READ MORE

  • If you’re in need of more barbecue gift ideas, sibling newsletter The Smoke Sheet has a list of all-time great barbecue books that are worth buying for friends and loved ones. READ MORE.

  • Eater NY’s Sietsema also stopped by Bark Barbecue’s new location at the Time Out Market in Brooklyn and came away impressed with Texas brisket, pulled pork, and unique Dominican sides. READ MORE.

  • Handsome Devil BBQ in Newburgh, NY, took to social media to announce that they were honored to be asked to cater the Commissioners Club at an upcoming NY Giants game against the Eagles this Sunday. READ MORE

  • Josh Bowen, the owner of John Brown BBQ in Queens, credits the success of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs with saving his KC BBQ restaurant during harder times. READ MORE.

SAY HELLO

If you're not already subscribed to the newsletter, sign up here. You can also follow along on InstagramFacebook, and Twitter. If you want to write for NYC BBQ Weekly, sponsor the newsletter, or let me know about the best new barbecue you’ve tried, send me an email and let’s talk!

Sean Ludwig