Building the Dream Four-Meat BBQ Platter

Beef brisket

Spread of food from 2Fifty BBQ in Riverdale Park, Maryland.

Rey Lopez Photo/Courtesy 2 Fifty BBQ

2Fifty Texas BBQ in Riverdale Park, Maryland

Ranked as The Washington Post’s top regional barbecue spot in 2020 and 2022, 2Fifty has brought Texas barbecue to just outside the nation’s capital. The Salvadoran owners’ low-and-slow approach to their tender Wagyu brisket starts at around 6 a.m. and takes 12 to 14 hours in an offset smoker to produce a “silky, moist, accordion texture,” as described by pitmaster and co-owner Fernando Gonzalez.

What the experts say: “This is Central Texas barbecue with a Central American soul,” Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman wrote.

Owner and Chef Matt Horn with a smoker named Lucille. Oakland, California.

Andrew Thomas Lee/Quarto Publishing Group

Horn Barbecue in Oakland, California

Rising chef Matt Horn has quite the résumé, with his West Coast barbecue joint being recognized by the Michelin Guide (as one of California’s best affordable eateries in 2021) and the James Beard Foundation (as a national finalist for best new restaurant in 2022). As the accolades have come pouring in, so have the customers. And the smoky and moist beef brisket, which takes at least 15 hours of love to cook, is worth the wait in lines that often wrap around the restaurant.

What the experts say: “The brisket [is] cut to order so it’s still hot and steamy, the fat soft and sweet and gelatinous, the meat itself a little wobbly,” New York Times critic Tejal Rao wrote.

Beef ribs

The brisket sandwich on a sesame roll.

Hometown Barb B Que

Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn, New York

Billy Durney has gone from bodyguard to the stars to James Beard Award semifinalist. With jerk rib tips, char siu baby back ribs, Korean sticky ribs, Oaxacan chicken and Vietnamese hot wings, Durney’s menu is as eclectic as his background. But Hometown’s hallmark is its dinosaur-sized beef rib that could feed a small army.

What the experts say: “His ginormous beef ribs, rubbed simply with salt and pepper and smoked for hours? Forget a drive. They’re worth a plane ticket,” wrote Andrew Knowlton, restaurant editor at Bon Appétit magazine.

Bludso’s Bar & Que in Los Angeles

Chef Kevin Bludso’s smoking expertise is so in demand that Netflix came calling. Bludso — who has been a judge on multiple TV shows, including Barbecue Showdown — was born and raised in Compton, California, but his barbecue expertise came from summers spent in Corsicana, Texas. The beef ribs at Bludso’s Bar & Que were ranked one of LA Weekly’s 100 favorite dishes.

What the experts say: “Those thick cut beef ribs in particular, crusted with black char and beautifully tender, are a must order,” LA Weekly’s Garrett Snyder wrote. “This temple of meat, smoke, and fire deserves regular pilgrimages.”

Sausage

Interior view of the dining room, ZZQ in Richmond, Virginia.

Kate Thompson

ZZQ in Richmond, Virginia

The biggest barbecue badge of honor for this Richmond establishment might be the glowing 2018 review in Texas Monthly with the headline “ZZQ Brings Flawless Texas Barbecue to Virginia.” Since then, ZZQ’s popularity has only grown, even earning a date with Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. The smoked habanero fontina sausage has a crisp bite and a spicy kick, and it’s featured in ZZQ’s Tres Hombres sandwich, along with chopped brisket and pulled pork.

What the experts say: “This casual joint is proof positive you don’t have to be in Texas to score some seriously solid barbecue,” Forbes contributor Katie Chang wrote.

Spread of food including corn, brisket, red onions, potato salad, ribs, and coleslaw.

Post Oak Barbecue

Post Oak Barbecue in Denver

Post Oak has introduced Central Texas barbecue tradition — as well as its namesake smoking wood that’s delivered directly from Austin — to the Rockies. The relatively new go-to spot (it opened in 2019) features all the Texas barbecue staples, from juicy brisket to fall-off-the-bone beef ribs, and the sausage is made in-house with their brisket and pork shoulder.

What the experts say: “When a friend from home comes to visit, the first spot on our itinerary is Post Oak Barbecue, my favorite overall spot in Denver,” wrote the Denver Post’s Lily O’Neill, a Kansas City native who is a “huge fan” of the jalapeño-cheddar sausage.

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