Kevin's BBQ Joints

For good or bad, there’s always the ‘follower count’ that people look at for Twitter. I’m always interested in how many followers one has, but it’s not the key factor as to whether I will follow someone or not. One’s popularity, when it comes to social media, isn’t always based on one’s real world popularity. Sometimes all it takes is jumping on something in it’s infancy, but to continue to develop a following, especially when it comes to Twitter, you have to consistently put out good content and of course interact with your follower base.

When it comes to followers on Twitter, under the large umbrella of BBQ, there’s the undisputed champion Pork Barrel BBQ (well over 31,000 followers) and everyone else, but out of curiosity, and my penchant for creating tasks that drain my time, I decided to create a monthly list of 47 of the top twitter users according to their number of followers (you’ll see that I included people who tweet about BBQ and BBQ joints as well as BBQ joint and products that are related).

If I have missed anyone (and I know that I have) that should be on this list, please post below or tweet me I’ll be sure to update and/or add them to the next list (note all follower numbers are current as of 4/18/12.

1. Pork Barrel BBQ – @porkbarrelbbq – 31,397 followers
2. Famous Dave’s – @Famous_Daves – 27,494 followers
3. Weber Grills – @WeberGrills – 22,765 followers
4. Scott Roberts – @ScottRoberts – 8,426 followers
5. J.C. Reid – @houston_foodie – 6,140 followers
6. Robb Walsh – @robbwalsh – 6,462 followers
7. Franklin Barbecue – @FranklinBbq – 5,671 followers
8. Daniel Vaughn – @BBQSnob – 5,462 followers
9. Stubb’s BBQ Sauce – @stubbsbbqsauce – 5,426 followers
10. Man Up: Tales of Texas BBQ – @ManUpTexasBBQ – 4,929 followers
11. Jim N Nick’s Bar-B-Q – @jimnnicksbbq – 4,585 followers
12. Adam Perry Lang – @AdamPerryLang – 4,578 followers
13. Jason Day – @BBQAddictsJason – 4,139 followers
14. Pig of the Month BBQ – @iheartbbq – 3,928 followers
15. Danielle Dimovski – @DivaQBBQ – 3,681 followers
16. BBQ Pitmasters – @BBQPitmasters – 3,664 followers
17. Meyer’s Sausage – @cuetopia – 3,331 followers
18. Gary Glen – @GaryGlen – 3,301 followers
19. Steven Raichlen – @sraichlen – 3,287 follower
20. Ray Lampe – @DrBBQ – 3,255 followers
21. Larry Gaian – @BBQGrail – 3,231 followers
22. Kevin’s BBQ Joints – @KevinsBBQJoints – 3,126 followers
23. Hill Country NYC – @HillCountryNY – 2,948 followers
24. Big Mistas BBQ – @BigMistasBBQ – 2,937 followers
25. Amy Mills – @17thstreetbbq – 2,865 followers
26. Big Green Egg – @BigGreenEggInc – 2,711 followers
27. Myron Mixon – @Lord_of_Q – 2,356 followers
28. Meathead Goldwyn – @ribguy – 2,275 followers
29. Big Butz BBQ Sauce – @BigButzBBQ – 2,481 followers
30. Peg Leg Porker – @PegLegPorker – 2,477 followers
31. Fox Bros Bar-B-Q – @foxbrosbbq – 2,345 followers
32. Jack Stack Barbecue – @jackstackbbq – 2,203 followers
33. Kingsford Charcoal – @TweetKingsford – 2,084 followers
34. BBQ Pro Shop – @BBQPro – 2,076 – followers
35. Martin’s BBQ Joint – @martinsbbq – 1,980 followers
36. Oklahoma Joe’s – @OklahomaJoesBBQ – 1,981 followers
37. Southern Soul Barbeque – @southernsoulbbq – 1,833 followers
38. hanneke – @hanneke158 – 1,816 followers
39. Spring St. Smoke House – @SpringStreetBBQ – 1,663 followers
40. Whiskey Bent BBQ – @WhiskeyBentBBQ – 1,644 followers
41. Fulmer – @Fulmer – 1,560 followers
42. Ronnie Halcomb – @smokinronnie – 1,585 followers
43. Lockhart Smokehouse – @DallasLockhart – 1,547 followers
44. Wilfred Reinke – @OshawaOgre – 1,455 followers
45. Dickeys Barbecue Pit – @Dickeys – 1,467 followers
46. JMueller BBQ – @JMuellerBBQ – 1,374 followers
47. Charlotte Gonzales – @PhatMattsBBQ – 1,367 followers
48. Grilling with Rich @GrillingWRich – 1,335 followers
49. Gettin’ Sauced – @GettinSauced – 1,313 followers

What is your favorite BBQ joint? I know that’s like asking you to vote for your favorite child, so if you can’t choose just one, give me 5 or 10. Put them in order of just through them out. Every week I’ll be tallying the list up (from comments below, reader flame ratings, and emails I receive) for a new top ten list. Make your voice heard!

Men’s Health ran an article a while back (June of 2009) where Anthony Bourdain, author and host of No Reservations on the Travel Channel, chose the 13 Places to Eat Before You Die. I have the list below with links to the restaurants (it’s an impressive list and interesting to click over to the restaurant websites to see the amazing food they are putting out), but since #13 was a BBQ Joint, I wanted to highlight the piece again.

#13 Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue (Kansas City, Kansas) People may disagree on who has the best BBQ. Here, the brisket (particularly the burnt ends), pulled pork, and ribs are all of a quality that meet the high standards even of Kansas City natives. It’s the best BBQ in Kansas City, which makes it the best BBQ in the world

Photo of Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ – Olathe, KS via Lesley Zellers

From the article Tony says, “Any seasoned traveler can tell you that the “best” meals on the planet are the result of an ephemeral confluence of circumstances. A table at the most expensive restaurant in the world does not guarantee a truly great meal. That said, if you’re planning on dying in the near future and want to knock off a list of final, glorious dining experiences, these places would make a very respectable binge. Start with one. Make a reservation today. Go on an empty stomach. Trust me: This is livin’.”

Here’s the list (note he wrote his reasons why after each one which you can see at the link below):
1 – St. John (London)
2 – elBulli (Girona, Spain)
3 – The French Laundry (Napa Valley, California)
4 – Per Se (New York City)
5 – Sin Huat Eating House (Singapore)
6 – Le Bernardin (New York City)
7 – Salumi (Seattle)
8 – Russ & Daughters (New York City)
9 – Katz’s Delicatessen (New York City)
10 – Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain) Victor
11 – Sukiyabashi Jiro (Tokyo)
12 – Hot Doug’s (Chicago)

You can read the entire piece here

So what are your 13 places to eat before you die? Or even 5 places? I’m working on my list which I’ll share soon.

It’s that time of year again (actually, can’t believe it’s really that time of year again) that I provide my top 10 BBQ Sauces for gifts this holiday season. I have 7 of the 10 locked up, but have some wiggle room for the final three. If you know of an amazing sauce that I may be missing (or you are a sauce maker) please comment below or email me as I will definitely take any suggestions into consideration as I wrap up the choices by the end of the week.

As I made my selections so far, I tried to choose ones that are not necessarily the ones you’d see in the market. There are so many amazing choices from BBQ Joints, BBQ Teams, and Mom & Pop sauce makers that I would love for people to really get to know. You can see the list of BBQ Joints and Sauce makers with online stores that I’ve compiled here. Some of these will be on the Holiday List for sure.

Bed and Breakfast Inns Online came out with their list of 5 must-try Memphis BBQ Joints.

They weren’t necessarily swinging for the fences when they came up with this list. I think they went tried and true, but didn’t go outside the box. Also I feel (I know) they’ve missed some pretty important ones.

Rendezvous Ribs photo courtesy of make. see. eat. do.

Their 5 Must-Try BBQ Joints:
Central BBQ

(901) 272-9377

Jim Neely’s Interstate Barbecue

(901) 775-2304

Neely’s Barbecue

(901) 795 4177

Payne’s Bar-B-Que

(901) 272-1523

Corky’s Ribs and Barbecue

(901) 685-9744

Let me know what you think and what would your top 5 Memphis BBQ Joints be?

The Detroit Free Press has done it again (they always seem to peak my interest in something BBQ related). This time they came out with their top eight new BBQ Joints in Detroit, Michigan.

Photo of Slow’s BBQ courtesy of Sylvia Rector/DFP

Sylvia Rector, the Free Press restaurant critic, does a great job running down all the new BBQ joints that have cropped up over the last year and a half. I know, when you think of BBQ you think of Texas, North Carolina, Kansas City, and Memphis, TN, but from what I’ve been reading about lately (and from all the emails I’ve received), the Detroit, Michigan area is becoming a hot bed of BBQ from exciting chefs.

Bad Brad’s BBQ courtesy of Sylvia Rector/DFP

Here’s their list:
Slows Bar BQ
Union Woodshop
Bad Brads BBQ
Lazybones Smokehouse
Redsmoke Barbecue
Roundhouse Restaurant
Rub BBQ Pub
Lockhart’s BBQ

Lockhart’s Courtesy of Regina H. Boone / DFP

So if you live in Michigan and you’ve tried (or are planning on trying) any of these joints, shoot me an email. Would love to hear what you think. I for one plan to travel to Michigan this fall to do my own investigating.

I didn’t realize I was such a lover of lists until I became more fixated on BBQ and BBQ Joints. If you’re going to get a list of restaurants, there’s a great chance it’ll be of BBQ Joints. The North County Times in San Diego, California has put together an eclectic list of joints across the region.

BEST BARBECUE

San Diego County

Big Tiny’s Smoke’n BBQ, Vista
Brett’s BBQ, Encinitas
Enzo’s BBQ, Oceanside
Felix’s BBQ With Soul, Oceanside
Fat Ivor’s, Valley Center
Kansas City BBQ, San Diego
Lone Star BBQ, Oceanside
Phil’s BBQ, San Diego

Southwest Riverside County
Lucille’s BBQ, Temecula
Sweet Lumpy’s BBQ, Temecula

Chains
Famous Dave’s, Vista
Joey’s Smokin’ BBQ, Carlsbad

Let us know what is your favorite (I’m pretty partial to Phil’s BBQ).

Forbes.com wanted to put the age old BBQ question to the test (who has the best BBQ) to Chef John Schenk, executive chef for the Strip House: Steak House Restaurants which have (6) locations across the US, for his recommendations of the best BBQ joints in the country.

He chose:
Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que – Henderson, NV
Goode Company – Houston, TX
Brown Bag BBQ – Naples, FL
Big Ed’s BBQ – Old Bridge, NJ
The Smoke Joint, Brooklyn, NY

One thing I really like about his choices is that he didn’t hit the usual spots you’d think of in putting together a list of best BBQ joints. He did pop in a couple of chains, which some might look at as blasphemy, but as always, this kind of exercise involves someone’s taste, which of course is different from one to the next. What do you think of this list?

So here’s a top ten list (OK, it’s actually a top eleven list) I can get my head around since it’s in my neck of the woods and I’ve been to 90% of these. The Huffington Post ran their list of the Best BBQ in Los Angeles. I’ll reserve judgement and let the list stand on it’s own (even though I’m itchin’ to add some to this list).

Bludso’s BBQ – Compton, CA
Bigmista’s Barbecue – Glendale, CA
JNJ Burger & Barbeque – Los Angeles, CA
Phillip’s Bar-B-Q – Los Angeles, CA
Baby Blues BBQ – Venice, CA / West Hollywood, CA
Woody’s Bar-B-Que – Los Angeles, CA
Zeke’s Smokehouse - West Hollywood, CA
J.R.’s Bar-B-Que – Culver City, CA
Boneyard Bistro – Sherman Oaks, CA
Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas – Van Nuys, CA
Mom’s Bar-B-Q House – Van Nuys, CA

Let us know what you think.

Follow the Huffington Post on twitter here

I love best of lists, especially the ones that cover the ‘best’ BBQ joints in a particular area. They generally are not the ‘best’ and most likely will include some places that aren’t even BBQ joints (note the Korean BBQ and Pit Beef ones below). Here’s what the Baltimore Sun just put out as Baltimore’s Best BBQ Sweet Spots:

Big Bad Wolf’s House of Barbeque

Smokeys & Uncle Grubes

Joung Kak (Not BBQ)

Harborque

Chaps Charcoal Restaurant (not BBQ)

Would love to know what those in and around Baltimore thinks of this list.

Also, is it me, or did Arby’s ‘borrow’ the idea for their sandwiches from Chaps Pit Beef? I haven’t tried one (the pit beef), but from what I’ve seen on TV and online it seems extremely similar. Quality is pretty poor these days at Arby’s so I’m sure that Chaps is light years ahead.