Pitmaster Anthony Scerri of Brooklyn-based Smoke Sweats BBQ was ultimately crowned the new Brisket King of NYC. Scerri served up two excellent dishes. One was a “Limp Brisket,” a Wagyu brisket that was cold-smoked for 6 hours in almond wood before a 15-hour cook using post oak wood. The second was “BBQ Cereal,” made with chopped Wagyu brisket over cornbread cream, corn, scallions, sweet soy jalapenos, and Achilles Heat smoked chili crisp. Judges and attendees alike were impressed with the creativity and quality of the dishes.

The journey to Brisket King winner has been a long time coming for Scerri. After years of hosting intimate BBQ events, he began doing larger public pop-ups in 2019 and then started competing in 2021. He has been a runner-up three times — Brisket King 2024, Rib King 2024, and Rib King 2023 — and now he is a grand prize winner.

Read more about Scerri’s journey and find out who else walked away with big awards at Brisket King® NYC on NYC BBQ.

The post Brisket King® NYC 2025 Recap first appeared on Brisket King.

This year’s Brisket King NYC was hosted at Pig Beach BBQ in Queens, and hundreds of hungry New York and New Jersey residents came together to taste-test some of the best brisket dishes in the region. Both established names and newcomers brought the heat.

The runner-up for Brisket King 2024 was Brooklyn-based Smoke Sweats. Anthony Scerri, the most humorous pitmaster around, keeps getting better and better as he competes more, and his brisket was some of the most flavorful I’ve had in a long time.

Read on for all the winners and more from NYCBBQ.

The post Brisket King® NYC 2024 Recap first appeared on Brisket King.

On Wednesday night, a new Brisket King was crowned. The team behind newcomer Wildwoods BBQ in North Wildwood, NJ, won both the top prize and People’s Choice trophies at Brisket King NYC, beating out several past winners. Held this year at Pig Beach NYC in Queens, Brisket King attracted hundreds of barbecue fans who were able to try a fantastic assortment of smoked brisket, sides, and drinks.

Wildwoods BBQ was a frontrunner going into Brisket King based on pedigree. Led by pitmasters David Gill and Joel Romano, Wildwoods BBQ opened in mid-2021 and has since become a Jersey Shore favorite for smoked meats and creative sides. Gill previously ran the pits at renowned Hometown BBQ in Brooklyn, and he had been mentored by previous Brisket King winner Billy Durney. Romano was the executive chef for The Goat’s Beard in Philadelphia for eight years.

The runner-up trophy was awarded to pitmaster Bret Lunsford of Blue Smoke in Manhattan, who has wowed the crowds in the past with his authentic, tender Texas-style brisket. His brisket was served over gooey, tasty mac and cheese, which was one of the night’s best sides. Blue Smoke in Battery Park City is one of the best places to eat brisket in NYC, so the award was well deserved.

Read on for all the winners and more from NYCBBQ.

The post Brisket King® NYC 2023 Recap first appeared on Brisket King.

We’re getting fired up for the return of Brisket King® NYC on Wednesday, April 20th, from 6:00-9:00PM (VIP entry 5PM) at Pig Beach in Gowanus!

Food Karma Projects is excited to kick off barbecue season with the 10th edition of this meat lover’s fest. The event falls during Passover this year, which couldn’t be more fitting. We will have plenty of Passover-friendly dishes and drinks in the lineup of brisket and beverages you know and love. This is one of our biggest events, and the enthusiasm of the chefs is contagious. Read on for a list of participating chefs and brands.

Tickets now on sale

VIP Tickets ($85 + fee) include:

• One ALL-INCLUSIVE ticket with 5:00 PM early admission
• One-hour head start to taste the brisket and mingle with the chefs
• An exclusive Brisket King t-shirt

VIP Tables ($850) include:

• 8 ALL-INCLUSIVE tickets with 5:00 PM early admission
• Designated seating
• Early access at 5:00 PM to chat with pitmasters and get the first bites of brisket
• 8 exclusive Brisket King t-shirts

General Admission ($65 + fee) includes:

• One ALL-INCLUSIVE ticket with 6:00 PM admission

All sales final. Lineup subject to change. Rain or Shine. 21 and over.

2022 Brisket King Participants:

• • Joe Musngi, SmoKING of Meats, Belleville, NJ
  • Matt Fisher, Queens Custom Barbecue, Queens, NY
  • Cenobillo Canalizo, Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue, Brooklyn, NY
  • Leeland Avellino, Avellino Family Barbecue, Norwalk, CT
  • Charles and Chef Tony from Zabb PuTawn, Manhattan, NY
  • Bret Lunsford, Blue Smoke, Manhattan, NY
  • Jesse Jones, Chef Jesse Concepts, NJ
  • Robert Austin Cho, Kimchi Smoke, Westwood, NJ
  • Nicholas Bavaro, Friends of Firefighters, Engine 157, Staten Island
  • Darlene Lawrence, Sand’s Jerk Hut, Brooklyn, NY
  • Ruben Santana, Bark Barbecue, Queens, NY
  • Tong Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY
  • Jeff Schmidt, Hindsight Barbecue, Waterbury, CT
  • Chef Paul Austin, East Village Meat Market, Manhattan, NY
  • With Aaron Epstein (Coney Island Saucery) and Jeff Blane (Rocket Fuel Foods) bringing on the sauces!
  • And More to Come!

PLUS

• New this year: Friends of Firefighters People’s Choice Award!
• Beer and cider from Aval, Brooklyn Cider House, Boulevard Brewing Co., Ramstein, Romilly and Austin Eastciders
• Brisket & Cider Collaborations from Blue Smoke, Sand’s Jerk Hut and Brooklyn Cider House
• Spirits from Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Laphroaig
• Hot sauce tastings from Coney Island Saucery and Rocket Fuel Foods

**list of participants subject to change**

This will be an outdoor event, rain or shine. Expect the variety of chefs and dishes you’ve come to love at past Brisket King® events, once again outdoors! After the event, keep the party going at Pig Beach’s bar and restaurant. We are thankful for our community partner, Friends of Firefighters, and our venue host Pig Beach. A portion of the proceeds from each ticket will go to the Jeff Michner Foundation.

More About Brisket King

You Don’t Want To Miss Brisket King 2020, NYC BBQ

Why Brisket King Is So Important to NYC’S BBQ Scene, NYC BBQ

The post Brisket King NYC 2022 first appeared on Brisket King.

Save the date for next year’s Brisket King NYC event on April 26, 2023… stay tuned!

Brisket King 2022 Award Winners Summary:

Top Prize –
Joe Musngi – Belleville, New Jersey-based SmoKing of Meats was crowned the new Brisket King NYC 2022

Runner Up –
Hindsight BBQ from Warerbury, Connecticut won the runner-up prize. 2nd Place Trophy.

The People’s Choice Award –
All Hands BBQ, helmed by firefighter Nicholas Bavaro, representing community 501c3 partner Friends of Firefighters

Best Traditional Brisket –
Blue Smoke NYC

Best Bite –
Bark Barbecue

Best Bark –
Allman’s Bar-B-Q

Best Dish –
Tong (Massaman Brisket Curry)

Brought The Sauce –
Sands Jerk Hut (Jerk Brisket Over Mac N Cheese)

Read more in this Awesome Brisket King 2022 Recap by Sean Ludwig on nycbbq.com

The post Brisket King 2022 Recap & Thanks! first appeared on Brisket King.

Buy Tickets Here

We are excited to celebrate the 10th anniversary and 9th edition of Brisket King® NYC outdoors at Pig Beach in Gowanus, Brooklyn on April 21, 2021 at 6:00 PM. The all-inclusive event will feature 15 chefs and pitmasters cooking up the juiciest brisket you can find plus craft beer, hard cider and spirits. This will be an outdoor event, rain or shine, and follow all CDC guidelines including social distancing and mandatory mask wearing when not eating. Expect the variety of chefs and dishes you’ve come to love at past Brisket King events – just outdoors! After the awards are presented, stay for the afterparty and enjoy the food and drink at Pig Beach (not included in admission price). We are thankful for our community partner, Friends of Firefighters, and our venue host Pig Beach. A portion of the net proceeds will be donated to the Jeff Michner Foundation. Please buy your tickets early to support Food Karma Projects and make future events possible.

Get Your Tickets Now!

2021 Participants:

Avellino Family Barbecue: Leland Avellino, Stamford, CT
Award winning pitmaster

Blue Smoke: Bret Lunsford, Manhattan, NY

Carlitos Tacos: Carlos Castillo, Paramus, NJ
2019 Competitor

Central City BBQ: James Cruse, New Orleans, LA
Award winning pitmaster on the competitive barbecue circuit

Chef Jesse Concepts: Jesse Jones, NJ
Author of “Pow! My Life in 40 Feasts”

Friends of Firefighters: Firefighters Eric Howard and Aaron Clark plus Stephen Shea of Gramercy Ale House, NY
FDNY Firefighter, chef and MasterChef Season 7 Top 8 Finalist Eric Howard and fellow FDNY Firefighter Aaron Clark are proud to represent community partner Friends of Firefighters!

Handsome Devil: Ed Randolph, Newburgh, NY
A six-time state BBQ championship award winner, NYCWFF Best BBQ Champion, Food Network CHOPPED champion, North Jersey BBQ Showcase winner and barbecue cookbook author

Hill Country BBQ: Ash Fulk & Seth Gurka, Manhattan, NY
Classic Texas ‘cue

Juicy Lucy BBQ: Richie Holmes, Staten Island, NY
The 2019 Brisket King winner is returning to defend the title!

Kimchi Smoke: Robert Austin Cho, Westwood, NJ
2019 People’s Choice Winner

Matt Fisher: Formerly of Fletcher’s Brooklyn Barbecue, Brooklyn, NY
Winner of Pig Island NYC 2020 “Best Bite”

Gentle Giant Brewing Company: Matt Worgul, Pearl River, NY

Pulkies: Harris Mayer-Selinger, Manhattan, NY
“What is a food loving NYC jew to do without a smoker?” The answer lies in the fat.

Smokehouse Tailgate Grill: Michael Hofer, Westchester, NY

Queens Bully: Pitmasters Cesar Torres & Abe Reyes, Owners Rohan Aggarwal & Suraj Patel, Queens, NY
Smokin’ it up in QUEENS!

**list of chefs subject to change**

PLUS

• Beer and cider from Alementary, Bronx Brewery, Indian Ladder Farm, Romily, Original Sin and Austin Eastciders
• Cocktails from Long Drink and Volley
• Spirits from Knob Creek
• Hot sauce tastings from Marie Sharpe’s

Tickets now on sale

VIP Tickets ($150 + fee) include an all-inclusive ticket with a one hour head start to taste the brisket and mingle with the chefs before general admission guests arrive plus guaranteed seating, a Brisket King t-shirt and a Cabot Cheese gift basket mailed to you. Only 100 VIP tickets are available and the offer is only good through March 15th.

VIP Tables ($1,250) include 8 all-inclusive tickets, designated seating, early access at 5:00 PM to chat with pitmasters and get the first bites of brisket, Brisket King t-shirts and a Cabot Cheese gift basket mailed to you.

Early Bird Tickets ($55 + fee) include an all-inclusive food and drink ticket at a discounted price for 6:00 PM general admission, discounted price only available through April 1.

General Admission ($60 + fee) include an all-inclusive food and drink ticket  for 6:00 PM admission.

No Refunds.

Rain or Shine.

21 and over.

More About Brisket King

You Don’t Want To Miss Brisket King 2020, NYC BBQ

Why Brisket King Is So Important to NYC’S BBQ Scene, NYC BBQ 

A special shout out to Billy Durney of Hometown BBQ, the original Brisket King in 2015. Thank you for all your support for our event over the last decade.

The post Brisket King 2021 first appeared on Brisket King.

Second place went to James Cruse who came all the way from Central City Barbecue in New Orleans and served excellent brisket with Cajun dirty rice. Long time competitor Robert Austin Cho of Kimchi Smoke served up a brisket and donut sandwiched dubbed the “Chonut” that earned him the award for Most Creative Combo.

Food Karma event mainstay Chef Jesse Jones won the Unsung Hero award for his brisket served with his mother’s biscuits. Rounding out the winners, Leland Avellino of Avellino Family Barbecue took home a year’s worth of Cabot Cheese for his Texas-style brisket.

Other dishes included brisket tacos with birria consome from Carlito’s Tacos, brisket with pastrami and brisket sausage from Ed Randolph of Handsome Devil, confit brisket from Pulkie’s and a classic version served with white bread from Hill Country BBQ.

Read more from NYC BBQ

Be on the lookout for Brisket King® NYC 2021 and join us at our next event: Pig Island on September 11th at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden. Tickets are on sale now.

The post Thanks for Attending Brisket King 2021! first appeared on Brisket King.

Photographs by Justin Aharoni @jaharoni

AWARDS

The 2019 Brisket King: Juicy Lucy BBQ, featuring pitmaster Mauro Cheifari. 
Juicy Lucy BBQ is opening soon in Staten Island.
Mauro Cheifaro was formerly the pitmaster at Franklin BBQ in Austin, Texas and is ready to show New Yorkers his skills!

2nd Place & People’s Choice Award: Kimchi Smoke featuring Rob Cho

Judges’ Prizes 
Hometown Hero…#ForChefJeff Brisket Sandwich from Pig Beach featuring Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride

Best Creative Taco…Brisket Taco from Izzy’s Taqueria featuring Sruli Eidelman

Best Classic Texas BBQ…Brisket with Pickles from Hill Country Barbecue Market featuring Ash Fulk

Best BBQ Innovation…Brisket Tostada from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que featuring John Stage and Leland Avellino

If They Had Only Won the Revolutionary War…Brisket with Yorkshire Pudding and Horseraddish Cream from Quiet Waters Farm featuring John Gower and John Patterson

Next year, you can expect even more categories and prizes!

Judges with 2019 Brisket King Champion, Juicy Lucy BBQ
Photograph by Justin Aharoni @jaharoni

Keep Reading: From NYC BBQ “We were shocked by who won Brisket King NYC 2019”

Keep Watching: Check out this video from Nick Solares, Host of Meat Life

The post Re-Cap 8th Annual Brisket King NYC™ 2019 first appeared on Brisket King.

Food Karma Projects presents Pastrami on Rye, a featured event of New York’s Third Annual Rye Week! On October 16th, join us to sample the world of rye with rye whiskey, farm beers, breads, and more! Plus, as the producers of Pig Island and Brisket King NYC, when we think rye, we think pastrami!

Get Tickets Here!

Pastrami on Rye Will be an All-Inclusive Food & Drink Tasting Featuring:

Welcome Rye Whiskey Cocktails for Every Guest!

Old Forester Old Fashioned Cocktails

Pastrami Tasting from Featured Chefs

East Village Meat Market & Happy Valley Meat

Morgan’s Brooklyn BBQ

Randall’s Barbecue

Nestor Laracuente da bklyn_pit_rat

Roni-Sue’s Chocolate-Covered Pastrami

Rye Whiskey from Featured Distilleries 

New York Distilling, Brooklyn NY

Van Brunt Stillhouse, Brooklyn NY

Finger Lakes Distilling, Burdett NY

Honeoye Falls Distillery, Honeoye Falls NY

Hudson Whiskey, Tuthilltown Distillery, Gardiner, NY

Gunpowder Rye Whyskey, New England Distilling, Portland ME

Woodford Reserve, KY

Rye Bread, Grain Salad, and More!

Moonrise Bakehouse

She Wolf Bakery

River Valley Community Grains

Amy Halloran’s Cornmeal Rye Pancakes

Szechuan Black Vinegar Pickles Japanese Miso BBQ Slaw, Just Add Beer Sauce

Consider Bardwell Cheese

Cheese and Hot Sauce, Rocket Fuel

Craft Beer made with Local Grains and Malts

Empire Farm Brewery

Pastrami on Rye is proud to work with Grow NYC Grains, who will be featured at the event

Pastrami on Rye is Proud to Host:

Lew Bryson has been writing about beer and spirits full-time since 1995. He was the managing editor of Whisky Advocate from 1996 through 2015. He is currently a Senior Drinks Writer for the Daily Beast, and also writes for ScotchWhisky.com, Artisan Spirit, and Bourbon+. Bryson is also the author of Whiskey Master Class as well as Tasting Whiskey.

From Lew: “If you look at historical periods like the 1950s to the 1960s, or even the 1890s to the 1900s, rye was a much more prominent drink. We believe it can be once again. I do believe a new generation are that key demographic.”

Celebrate 500+ episodes of Beer Sessions Radio

Food Karma’s founder, Jimmy Carbone will also be celebrating 500 episodes of his podcast, Beer Sessions Radio at the event! Join us and the team at the event to raise a glass to 10 years of food radio!

More About Beer Sessions Radio:
Through discussions with beer industry insiders and knowledgeable beer fans from across the country, this audio ale salon explores every aspect of the brewer’s craft from grains to pint glass and tasting to toasting.
Listen here!

Get Tickets Here

All-inclusive Tickets: $55

Date: October 16, 2019

Time: 6:00pm-9:30pm

Location: Biba of Williamsburg, 110 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11249

21 and over event.

No Refunds.

More About NY Rye Week

“This ancient grain has an important place in New York’s history beginning with its cultivation in the both the Dutch and English colonial eras. Used for making rye flour, rye beer, and rye whiskey, the versatile grain thrived in New York’s glacial soil and northern climate. For hundreds of years it enjoyed a prominent place in New York agriculture.

In recent decades, its popularity waned. Consumer tastes shifted to lighter breads and beer. Bourbon became more fashionable than rye whiskey, and historic cocktails originally developed for rye whiskey began to be made with corn whiskey instead. New York farmers still grew rye as a winter cover crop but lacked a strong commercial market to sell into.

As consumer tastes shift once again, now toward spicier and more characterful products, rye is enjoying a renaissance.”

Learn more about New York Rye Week here.

Learn More about the Intersection of Rye Whiskey, Farm Beer, and Grains:

From Jimmy Carbone on CulEpi

From the Experts on Beer Sessions Radio on Episode 409: NY State Grains & Rye

More About New York Rye Week

The post Pastrami on Rye 2019 first appeared on Brisket King.

Food Karma Projects presents Pastrami on Rye, a featured event of New York’s Third Annual Rye Week! On October 16th, join us to sample the world of rye with rye whiskey, farm beers, breads, and more! Plus, as the producers of Pig Island and Brisket King NYC, when we think rye, we think pastrami!

Get Tickets Here!

Pastrami on Rye Will be an All-Inclusive Food & Drink Tasting Featuring:

Welcome Rye Whiskey Cocktails for Every Guest!

Old Forester Old Fashioned Cocktails

Pastrami Tasting from Featured Chefs

East Village Meat Market & Happy Valley Meat

Morgan’s Brooklyn BBQ

Randall’s Barbecue

Nestor Laracuente da bklyn_pit_rat

Roni-Sue’s Chocolate-Covered Pastrami

Rye Whiskey from Featured Distilleries 

New York Distilling, Brooklyn NY

Van Brunt Stillhouse, Brooklyn NY

Finger Lakes Distilling, Burdett NY

Honeoye Falls Distillery, Honeoye Falls NY

Hudson Whiskey, Tuthilltown Distillery, Gardiner, NY

Gunpowder Rye Whyskey, New England Distilling, Portland ME

Woodford Reserve, KY

Rye Bread, Grain Salad, and More!

Moonrise Bakehouse

She Wolf Bakery

River Valley Community Grains

Amy Halloran’s Cornmeal Rye Pancakes

Szechuan Black Vinegar Pickles Japanese Miso BBQ Slaw, Just Add Beer Sauce

Consider Bardwell Cheese

Cheese and Hot Sauce, Rocket Fuel

Craft Beer made with Local Grains and Malts

Empire Farm Brewery

Pastrami on Rye is proud to work with Grow NYC Grains, who will be featured at the event

Pastrami on Rye is Proud to Host:

Lew Bryson has been writing about beer and spirits full-time since 1995. He was the managing editor of Whisky Advocate from 1996 through 2015. He is currently a Senior Drinks Writer for the Daily Beast, and also writes for ScotchWhisky.com, Artisan Spirit, and Bourbon+. Bryson is also the author of Whiskey Master Class as well as Tasting Whiskey.

From Lew: “If you look at historical periods like the 1950s to the 1960s, or even the 1890s to the 1900s, rye was a much more prominent drink. We believe it can be once again. I do believe a new generation are that key demographic.”

Celebrate 500+ episodes of Beer Sessions Radio

Food Karma’s founder, Jimmy Carbone will also be celebrating 500 episodes of his podcast, Beer Sessions Radio at the event! Join us and the team at the event to raise a glass to 10 years of food radio!

More About Beer Sessions Radio:
Through discussions with beer industry insiders and knowledgeable beer fans from across the country, this audio ale salon explores every aspect of the brewer’s craft from grains to pint glass and tasting to toasting.
Listen here!

Get Tickets Here

All-inclusive Tickets: $55

Date: October 16, 2019

Time: 6:00pm-9:30pm

Location: Biba of Williamsburg, 110 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11249

21 and over event.

No Refunds.

More About NY Rye Week

“This ancient grain has an important place in New York’s history beginning with its cultivation in the both the Dutch and English colonial eras. Used for making rye flour, rye beer, and rye whiskey, the versatile grain thrived in New York’s glacial soil and northern climate. For hundreds of years it enjoyed a prominent place in New York agriculture.

In recent decades, its popularity waned. Consumer tastes shifted to lighter breads and beer. Bourbon became more fashionable than rye whiskey, and historic cocktails originally developed for rye whiskey began to be made with corn whiskey instead. New York farmers still grew rye as a winter cover crop but lacked a strong commercial market to sell into.

As consumer tastes shift once again, now toward spicier and more characterful products, rye is enjoying a renaissance.”

Learn more about New York Rye Week here.

Learn More about the Intersection of Rye Whiskey, Farm Beer, and Grains:

From Jimmy Carbone on CulEpi

From the Experts on Beer Sessions Radio on Episode 409: NY State Grains & Rye

More About New York Rye Week

Re-Cap 8th Annual Brisket King NYC 2019

Photographs by Justin Aharoni @jaharoni

AWARDS

The 2019 Brisket King: Juicy Lucy BBQ, featuring pitmaster Mauro Cheifari. 
Juicy Lucy BBQ is opening soon in Staten Island.
Mauro Cheifaro was formerly the pitmaster at Franklin BBQ in Austin, Texas and is ready to show New Yorkers his skills!

2nd Place & People’s Choice Award: Kimchi Smoke featuring Rob Cho

Judges’ Prizes 
Hometown Hero…#ForChefJeff Brisket Sandwich from Pig Beach featuring Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride

Best Creative Taco…Brisket Taco from Izzy’s Taqueria featuring Sruli Eidelman

Best Classic Texas BBQ…Brisket with Pickles from Hill Country Barbecue Market featuring Ash Fulk

Best BBQ Innovation…Brisket Tostada from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que featuring John Stage and Leland Avellino

If They Had Only Won the Revolutionary War…Brisket with Yorkshire Pudding and Horseraddish Cream from Quiet Waters Farm featuring John Gower and John Patterson

Next year, you can expect even more categories and prizes!

Judges with 2019 Brisket King Champion, Juicy Lucy BBQ
Photograph by Justin Aharoni @jaharoni

Keep Reading: From NYC BBQ “We were shocked by who won Brisket King NYC 2019”

Keep Watching: Check out this video from Nick Solares, Host of Meat Life

Keep up with Jimmy Carbone and Food Karma Projects as we head into summer!
@jimmypotsandpans
@foodkarmanyc
@jimmysno43

The post Pastrami on Rye 2019 – NY Rye Week first appeared on Brisket King.