Look, I’m sure there is actually some good (not great) barbecue in the Pacific Northwest but you have to give it to the South when we actually do something right. And there are two things we do better than anyone else: 1) racism and 2) barbecue. You might think you’ve had good barbecue up north but that’s like saying you fully understand the conflict in the middle east because you read Dune. You just don’t have a proper barometer by which to measure your meats (note: meats should always me measured with a properly calibrated, stainless steel meat barometer).
I say all of that not to offend my northern brothers, but to make myself feel better for living in Texas. It’s hot, bigoted, and really super crazy hot. Let me have the meats. That’s all I ask.
Though I do take full responsibility for possibly offending Seattle meat enthusiasts (the name of my L7 cover band), I do have to give credit for the idea that sparked this comic to Stephen “Stepto” Toulouse. He is a former fellow Dallasite, current Seattle transplant and the Director of Policy and Enforcement for Xbox LIVE. I think that means he wields a giant ban-hammer. I don’t really know for sure. Anyway, like most who leave the south for hipper pastures he soon learned that there are Texas Rangers posted in turrets all along the northern border of Texas who instantly shoot and kill (and occasionally roundhouse kick to death) anyone who tries to leave Texas with our barbecue secrets. The only Texan ever allowed to leave the state with “The Lonestar Rub” was Sam Houston and that was only so he could throw it in the face of Ohio Congressmen William Stanbery to blind him before he beat him to death with a hickory stick. We take this shit seriously, is all I’m saying.
Why do I tell you all of this? In order to tell you this:
IF YOU ARE IN DALLAS YOU MUST COME TO W00TSTOCK TONIGHT AT THE GRANADA THEATRE!
Those of you wise enough to head my call will witness performances by Adam Savage of Mythbusters, Paul and Storm, comedian Paul F. Tompkins (playing the part of Wil Wheaton), the aforementioned Stepto, Bill Amend, Molly Lewis, Jason Finn and possibly if not certainly additional surprises! Also, I will be there just hanging out! GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!
Dude, there is ONE place in New England, reputedly, where you can get great Barbecue. Bub's. Bub's is actually one of the most decorated restaurants in the state, and one of the most disgusting. Admittedly I have never tried real southern barbecue, but Bub's gets great reviews from even the southernliest of critics.
in the future an email or a twitter msg would be more appreciated. Also you being a bit nicer about it would be super keen.
I tried to be funny. I failed miserably. The lesson is: never try. No offense intended. I'll go die in a fire now.
This comic is HUGE!
Funny as hell too. At least to BBQ enthusiasts such as myself 🙂
Actually, what I'm getting out of this is:
Step 1: Leave Atlanta for the Pacific Northwest
Step 2: Open a BBQ joint using my Dad's BBQ recipes
Step 3: Profit
Could this work?
Yes. It would work. Please. do it. (from a BBQ Adict in Seattle) I've been looking for so long for good BBQ, and while I've found ok (heavily Texas style, which is good, but I want North Carolina style) I need something different.
Which North Carolina style, Eastern or Lexington?
Folks around here take their barbecue almost as seriously as they do politics and religion, and there are HUGE debates about which is better, Eastern or Lexington. Me? I just wanna know why no one in this state can do cole slaw right.
There is actually Eastern, Lexington, and Western…the more west you go, the more ketchup/tomato in the sauce as opposed to vinegar. I live a short distance from Lexington and am always spitting distance from a decent BBQ place with hush puppies.
Also, BBQ in NC is different from BBQ in Texas, BBQ just means to slow cook meat, we differ on the meat. They like beef, we like pork (for obvious reasons).
No, Seattle (mostly) doesn't care about real quality. If it's ovepriced low-end garbage with celery foam and plays hipster crap on TV's and Audio systems it's awesome, otherwise it won't last.
I'll pay through the nose for amazing food, but I rarely go out around here.
I eat at Smokey Bones… and I'm fine with that.
In Vancouver, there's this place called Memphis Blues. Great BBQ.
We have good barbecue in Massachusetts, I think. Lucky for me, I've never had real barbecue, so I can assume it's good.
You have obviously never met The Man.
But The Man is dead! (Long live The Man!)
What! I came here to tell the same thing. But it's closed? Nooooooooo!!!!!!
Another vote for the man. Pretty good by even by TX standards.
Sho'nuff, up on Whidbey Island. And they cater…
The Caveman is OK (good smoked meats, forgettable sauce). The real answer is to go to the Central district, go back about 20 years, and visit Hills Brothers. They were the genuine Shiznit, long before that regrettable word was invented.
It's a little known fact that Seattle is also home to a huge number of Asians. Chinese and Korean cuisine in particular have some terrific recipes for barbecue but you can find some form of barbecue all over the world.
Sure, the American South has some really good recipes but, guess what – they didn't invent it either. The term originates with the Taino people of the Caribbean and the first Europeans to learn the technique were the Spanish who learned it from the American Indians.
Seattle is also home to a large number of American Indians and is named after an American Indian.
I would not dispute that white people in Seattle aren't well associated with barbecue but if your gag revolves around the concept of how these white people over here don't understand barbecue as well as these other white people over there, you're missing out on a huge part of the history of barbecue.
know it all.
Yet for those of us who grew up on American barbecue it's not the same. Especially if it's a particular region you long for…
So what we're saying here is just a reiteration of the eternal constant: Texas is just Extremely North Mexico.
I REALLY want to take this seriously but all I'm feeling is Alice Cooper in Wayne's World.
Anyone?
I love how your scientist looks like Doc Brown!
Marty! I have some bad news! In the future your musician kids get killed by an asteroid! We must travel back to 1955 AGAIN to bring good BBQ to the West Coast! And Marty…your kids….they're hipsters….
Man I need to buy Back to the Future on Blueray…
Hrm … is the accordion player supposed to be Jason Webley? Or is it just me?
I can't speak for Seattle, but in the Portland area, we've got BBQ by Snoop Dogg's uncle. Yes, for real. And it is THE SHIT.
I used to live about 5 miles from his place before he moved. It was freaking wonderful. The restaurant was in this old house on Tualatin Valley Highway, and the highway would smell like amazing barbecue for MILES. I really miss it. He moved to downtown Portland and a whole bunch of people who live near the restaurant complained to the city about the BBQ smoke. How extremely not human are you if you think amazing BBQ is stinky?
So, seriously, if you are ever in Portland, check it out: http://www.reosribsbbq.com/index.html
I'm from NY, the girlfriend is from TX. We have had this argument already.
I'm told the Frontier Grill in Seattle has good barbecue
I can't argue with your BBQ assertions. The best barbeque I've ever had was when I took a trip to east Texas earlier this year. We found this little A-Frame house in Kountze, TX; Caroline's Quality and Quantity, I believe it was called. It was a small mom and pop place; the owners were really nice and even took the time to show us their BBQ pit in the backyard. As for the food, If there is a heaven, this is the BBQ that would be served there.
… I don't get it.
Native Northern California boy here. I visited Austin three years ago. I had real BBQ for the first time. Before that point, I wasn't aware that real barbecue chicken was supposed to melt just resting on my tongue.
… dammit, now I want barbecue.
are you still in NoCal? if so, go to T-Rex (in Berzerkely), your tastebuds will thank you
Lexington styled BBQ… it's what's for dinner.
if you wanted food, you shoulda moved to Portland instead….
I'd concede the BBQ to you, since we got the World Series, but then I just went to T-Rex the other night and cannot so easily dismiss their tasty tasty meats.
As a native Seattlite I wish i could argue this point; but my husband is from Houston, and he agrees with you.
A Texan friend has assured me that RoRo's is close enough to 'real BBQ' as to be acceptable to him. (I am okay with this, as long as I have excuses to get a pulled chicken sandwich and slather the house 'Rowdy Sass' sauce all over it.)
Come on, Watson– we're not "The South", we're Texas.
Hey, when you're in Austin for WizardWorld and the Dragon's Lair gig, try to get someone to drive you down to Lockhart; it's not called "The Barbecue Capital of Texas" for nothin'. Kreuz's, Chisholm Trail, Black's, and Smitty's are all legendary, and Lockhart is only about forty five minutes drive from Dragon's Lair on US183. Another fifteen minutes south gets you to Luling (hometown of Michael Dorn!) and the world famous City Market and Luling Barbecue.
Lockhart barbecue is made of win. Which makes me sad, as I am now living in Seattle. Also, the gospel brunch at Stubb's in Austin was a wonderful thing to behold.
Of course, Lockhart doesn't have dim sum or fish tacos that can compare with up here, but that's not exactly a fair trade, especially once you throw in chicken fried steak and mexican food.
Hopefully I'm headed back to the Lone Star State next month to visit family. Much barbecue will ensue.
when you said there were texas rangers posted on the border to keep the barbecue secrets from escaping….
i instantly pictured baseball players in game uniforms, sitting in guard towers on the border.
iFail 🙂
2 things,
1. Good BBQ exists in small pockets out side the south. We do that stuff right here in Chicago.
2. From now on I'm going to tell people i'm an expert onf the middle east becasue I have read Dune. Hijinks will surely Ensue
If haven't eaten BBQ in Kansas City, you haven't eaten BBQ.
If haven't eaten BBQ in Kansas City, you haven't eaten
BBQabout five pounds of repulsive syrupy sauce per pound of meat.Fixed for accuracy.
You gotta try Casper's (site). Though technically it's in Shoreline and not Seattle. The owner is a transplant from the South, and I found it awesome.
http://www.ranchhousebbq.com/
Obviously, you have not been to Smokin' Pete's.
http://www.smokinpetesbbq.com/
As a Seattleite I'd take exception to this comic… except now I'm craving salmon for some strange reason. Hawaii has better pork than Texas any day of the week dude, sorry.
All we've got up here is Old Bay seasoning and some crabs. Sometimes they come from the bay, the rest of the time we just steal 'em from Louisiana. I'd sure love some brisket from the Hill Country.
LOL, you crazy Americans, clearly the best people for BBQ live in the arse-end of the world. (AKA Australia).
True fact.
When you hear "Australian Cuisine" you think BBQ
Nobody, NOBODY, barbecues better than Australians. (if by barbecue you mean burning red meat whilst watching sports and drinking yourself into a coma.)