Big Daddy Jay’s All-American BBQ: The Best Smoked Barbecue Ribs in Town
by Katarina Antonio
Big Daddy Jay’s All-American BBQ
is located in a little corner of Cubao. Suffice it to say that it’s the
last place you expect to find the restaurant that serves one of the
best, if not the best, American-style bbq ribs in the
Philippines. I stumbled upon this amazing find by accident. It was on a
list of some of the best bbq places in Metro Manila that I first came
across Big Daddy Jay’s. Internet research led me to glowing reviews from
some of the most well-known foodies in the industry.
“Ain’t no bones about it, we’ve got the best ‘cue in town!” is the
statement that’s printed under their logo and on the wall inside the
restaurant. Bold claim? Yes. Do they do it justice? Yes, they do. Oh
boy, do they do it justice. Making the best bbq in town is a
labor-intensive process. In fact, Big Daddy Jay’s is closed on Mondays
as that is their allotted smoking day. It all starts with a thick slab
of ribs. It’s not your typical rack that barely has any meat on it but a
different cut with a good amount of meat and fat still attached to the
bones. It is rubbed down twice with a special dry rub and left to
marinate for at least a day. It is then smoked for six hours on a
special, custom-built smoker using two kinds of top-secret wood.
This is where the magic happens
The result? Succulent, flavorful, pinkish, fork-tender meat that
smells magnificently of wood smoke and tastes like you’ve died and gone
to bbq heaven. It’s already great without sauce but they serve it with a
good, sweet and tangy bbq sauce. The dry rub recipe comes from the
owner’s American brother-in-law who is based in South Carolina. They
take their bbq seriously in that part of the U.S which is why the ribs
are nothing short of excellent. A full rack of Big Daddy Jay’s original smoked ribs, good for 7-8 people (we were told that some people love it so much that they consume a whole rack all by themselves) is a steal at P880. A half slab costs P450 and a solo serving is available for P180.
One of the owners told us that some people have expressed concerns
about the blackened exterior of the ribs. Don’t worry folks, that
doesn’t mean that the meat is burned, it just means that the dry rub has
formed a nice seal on the outside of the meat which ensures that all
the yummy juices are kept inside. That is one of the reasons why the
ribs are so crazy delicious.
Big Daddy Jay’s original smoked ribs
Ribs are best eaten with some Down Home Sides like buttered rice (P25), mixed veggies (P35), herbed baby potatoes (P35), and corn on the cob (P35).
Down Home Sides
Big Daddy Jay’s also serves other Southern favorites such as chicken wings. They offer two flavors: Honey Mustard Wings and classic Buffalo Wings (P150/6pcs).
The Honey Mustard Wings are the first of its kind that I’ve encountered
and they are a must-try. The sweetness of the honey is balanced with
the distinct taste of yellow mustard. The Buffalo Wings are mildly
spicy, not at all sweet and a little tangy just like they’re supposed to
be.
Buffalo Wings and Honey Mustard Wings
They also serve a good Tomato Basil Pasta (P140) with a nice, clean flavor. The tomatoes give the sauce a natural sweetness that makes this dish a big hit with kids.
Tomato Basil Pasta
Big Daddy Jay’s All-American BBQ started serving mouthwatering ribs
in a popular weekend market sometime in 2010. A conversation between
family members gave birth to the idea of making South Carolina-style
ribs available to Filipino diners. They didn’t automatically figure out
the recipe for their ribs, it was a trial and error process that, as
many can attest to, paid off. People from as far as Cavite troop all the
way to Cubao just to get a taste of meaty bbq goodness. You might want
to call ahead before you visit just to make sure that they have ribs
left because they tend to run out every once in a while.
Big Daddy Jay’s All-American BBQ has captured the hearts of
meat-lovers everywhere. It has been said that this year’s food trend is
going to be smoked meat. With the quality of smoked ribs that they’re
dishing out, it is safe to assume that Big Daddy Jay’s will be right
there at the head of the pack.
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Big Daddy Jay’s All-American BBQ is open from Tuesday to Sunday,
they 11:00am - 2:30pm, 6pm - 10:30pm (please take note that they are
closed on Mondays). Like their Facebook page (BigDaddyJayBBQ) for
updates.
Photos by Albert Peradilla.
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