Reader: Complaints About Quality of Barbecue Should Focus on Quality of Transplants

Smell that smoke in the air? It's not just burning leaves or roasting chiles — it's also coming from the barbecue joints that are popping up all over town. There have been so any changes on the local barbecue scene that our recent list of the Ten Best Barbecue Joints...

By Westword Staff

October 2, 2015

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Smell that smoke in the air? It's not just burning leaves or roasting chiles — it's also coming from the barbecue joints that are popping up all over town. There have been so any changes on the local barbecue scene that our recent list of the Ten Best Barbecue Joints in Denver featured some new favorites — and ousted a few old ones. But the mere mention of barbecue in Denver brings up familiar complaints about the quality of 'cue here. Where there's smoke, there's ire! Says Mane Rok:

For everyone who complains about this shit...has anyone accounted for how many of these BBQ joint owners are NOT from Denver?! Because..I mean, if they're bringing their "authentic" versions from their home states to open shop...and it sucks...it's less Denver...and more an issue of quality transplants. Just saying.

Who do you blame for complaints about Denver's barbecue scene? Transplants who bring bad versions of their hometown's 'cue? Transplants who don't understand good Denver barbecue? Or Denverites who don't appreciate the finer points of barbecue? What's your favorite spot in town today?

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.