101 Urban BBQ Joints

There are two topics that I simply won't discuss with most people, let alone argue about: religion and politics.

Barbecue/BBQ might soon join the list.

Seems like anybody who goes out on a limb to suggest that they like BBQ Joint A more than BBQ Joint B opens themselves up to a lot of potential insults, suggestions about their manhood, and maybe even questions about their lineage.

Frankly, I even find myself doing like, like when NY Magazine's Grub Street sent me a link to their new list of 101 Urban BBQ Joints. Compiled with input from chefs, food writers and other journalists the list features a wide-ranging selection of urban 'cue joints as well as some tried-and-true classics.

Of course, the first thing I did was scroll through the slideshow (hey guys, how about an easier to navigate list?) to find Baltimore's representatives, sure that I'd find my beloved Andy Nelson's in there.

Nope, the list features Big Bad Wolf (which seems to be the yin to Andy Nelson's yang) and ... Chaps? Granted, I'm not from Baltimore so I don't get the whole "pit beef" thing. Sure, it's okay and I enjoyed my one visit to Chap's back in 2005, but I'd venture that The Canopy is better and if you're going to talk urban 'cue in Baltimore I just don't know how you leave Andy Nelson's off that list.

See, there I go. I better stop before I insult somebody!