Hometown Bar B Que

Most of the time, we post about activities around the East End of Long Island. This time, our trip around town is a trip around Hometown Bar B Que, located in Red Hook, Brooklyn. A business conference in NYC was my setup for spending the weekend enjoying some of what my original home town, New York City, has to offer.

Red Hook was “Plan B”

Yes, Saturday was a beautiful day, cool, dry, and sunny. Our friend Kenny and I thought we would take the ferry to Rockaway Beach. The trip is a bargain, and at 59 minutes each way, it makes a great boat ride with a beach scene at the end. Our East End beaches are the best, but Rockaway holds some great childhood memories for me. Unfortunately, many other people had the same idea about heading to Rockaway that day. With a two hour wait, we elected to go with Plan B – a visit to Red Hook, Brooklyn, on the Ikea ferry. Yep, it is a free round trip on Saturday and Sunday, paid for with your patronage of Ikea. Weekdays, there is a charge. We passed on the shopping experience and began our walking tour of the Red Hook area.

Lunch Time BBQ

Hometown Bar B Que is nationally know and rated, for good reason. BBQ master Steven Raichlen notes Hometown BBQ as one of his favorites. According to Steven, Hometown is the originator of Pastrami Bacon. No, instead of Pastrami Bacon, we went with two basics, smoked brisket, and smoked lamb belly. You can purchase a variety of sandwiches, but we opted for meat by the lb. for a more fundamental eating experience. Here is the current menu, if you are curious.

Moister and Richer than my Smoked Brisket

With two Webers on the deck, I have smoked a variety of meats, including brisket. However, the Hometown version was much moister and richer. Why? I think Hometown uses the full brisket, consisting of the point and the flat. I skip the fattier point and go for the flat. Hence, a leaner and dryer result. By the way, the smoked lamb belly was really rich (read “really fatty”). Watching your fat intake? Then lamb belly is not the cut for you.

Excellent Bar with Fine Draft Selections

 

As the place had a good crowd just after Noon, we opted for eating lunch at the bar. That  was a good choice. There are a host of excellent draft beers on tap. I picked a crisp refreshing Kölsch that I have also enjoyed at Zum Schneider.   You can enjoy a raft of IPAs, and some darker choices. No worries, you won’t go thirsty.

Ready to Visit Hometown Bar B Que?

Aside from the ferry that departs from pier 11 in lower Manhattan, you can find directions here.

Life is short, so go enjoy some delicious barbecue! The Hometown Bar B Que address and contact information are right here.

Red Hook, Brooklyn
454 Van Brunt St
Brooklyn, NY — 11231

info@hometownbarbque.com
347 294-4644