Tuesday, March 6, 2012

What's it Take to be a "BBQ Expert"?


Here's the timeline:

- A 23 year old New Yorker hops in the car with her dad to eat BBQ across the US.

- Over three days in Texas, they visit a total of nine BBQ joints in four towns.

- This morning she's hailed as an expert on the subject of Texas BBQ by the Today Show.

Here's the offending article.

For the record, I don't know Molly Baz, but I like her style. She said 'screw it' to the cooking job in New York and took part in many a BBQ fiend's dream by traveling the country in search of barbecue nirvana in many regions famous for smoked meat. She then kept track of the journey on her blog and was recently profiled by NPR. I like her even more for declaring that Texas has the best barbecue after having tried plenty of other great barbecue along the way. What I do not understand is how she is now an expert on the subject of smoked meat in Texas. I don't blame her, I blame the Today Show and their laziness. Why not call Robb Walsh, Pat Sharpe, Wyatt McSpadden, John Morthland, Patio Palace, The Texas BBQ Posse...? Nope, the expert is the New Yorker who visited Texas for three days.

To all of the probable responses to this rant: Yes, I'm biased. Yes, I'd have rather written the article. Yes, I take this BS too personally, but the Today Show has cheapened the term expert in this case.

- BBQ Snob

7 comments:

Scott--DFW said...

Give Audie Cornish a call and tell her what a real barbecue road trip is like.

mtmcd said...

They don't call it the "fly by media" for nothing.

Terry

Oklahoma BBQ Eaters Anonymous said...

Well an -ex- is a has been and a -(s)pert- is a drip under pressure.

So by that definition she may very well be an expert.

PM Summer said...

She has an expensive New York publicist is all it means.

By my scorecard, no one under 70 is a BBQ expert. No offense to present company intended, but much offense is intended to some current companies operating in metro areas. They will be the death of smoked meat.

David said...

Here is twitter's answer

Great Minds Quotes ‏ @GreatestQuotes Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
"An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made, in a narrow field." - Niels Bohr

Texzilla said...

First, it's the f'n Today Show. Anyone with a lick of sense avoids a scumbag like Matt Lauer like the plague. It's a bunch of New Yorkers that don't know barbecue from roast beef. F 'em.

The Impulsive Texan said...

Yeah, a life long New Yorker blogging about BBQ in Texas is like a life long Texan blogging about sushi in Los Angeles...there's just a certain amount of disconnect and ignorance...

Forgive her Lord, she knows not what she says...in Jesus name, Amen...

The Impulsive Texan

DISCLAIMER:

Each joint is judged on the essence of Texas 'cue...sliced brisket and pork ribs. Sausage is only considered if house made. Sauce is good, but good meat needs no adornment to satisfy. Each review can only be based on specific cuts of meat on that particular day. Finally, if the place fries up catfish or serves a caesar salad, then chances are they aren't paying enough attention to the pits, so we mostly steered clear.

-THE PROPHETS OF SMOKED MEAT