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Not even rain could douse fiery pits of smoky brisket, savory ribs and succulent pulled pork
It was an overcast weekend at the Big Apple BBQ in Madison Square Park, but that didn't deter the crowds or the country's best pitmasters. We dropped by Saturday amid an afternoon downpour to witness determined eaters who donned their rain parkas, raised their umbrellas...and stayed in line.
Ed Mitchell, who dubbed himself "The Bobby Flayer," briefly alarmed his whole-hog fans when he announced earlier that he'd be bringing smoked turkey to the fest; thankfully, he brought the hog, too. Mike Mills of 17th Bar & Grill in Illinois carted along his famous baby back ribs and beans, as well as his signature sauce fountain. New York's finest were also in the house: Hill Country, Blue Smoke, Dinosaur Bar-B-Q and Rack & Soul drew lines just as long as their out-of-state friends.
Although meat reigned supreme, this year sweets scored a bigger spotlight. For the first time ever, Big Apple BBQ attendees got their fill of the vaunted fried pies from the Original Fried Pie Shop, who came up with Baker's Ribs from Dallas. They had one of the longest lines of the day, selling nearly 1,800 pies and dipping into Sunday's share before the fest wrapped up on Saturday afternoon. How's that for baking up a storm...during a downpour?
