hold the pickle vol. 8 ...

the quest continues ladies and gentlemen.

for the foray into the world of sandwich i was set on covering vast tracts of baltimore county. i needed a companion. i found one again in half of the gee bros. we ny eeded a steed. we had one in the form of a scion. we needed a land to conquer. we set our controls for the heart of the sun ... i mean hunt valley. and with hunt valley on the horizon we set our sights on our target; the barbeque mecca that is andy nelsons.

more pork bbq, mom ... please!?!?

nelsons (what many folks affectionately call this beloved bbq joint) is located at the top of york rd right on the boarder between cockeysville and hunt valley. its a relatively non descriptive red shack with little sign-age, but with a large hog on top beckoning those on york rd to stop in and have some of the tastiest pig in town!

there is only one game at nelsons and thats the bbq game. their motto is 'hogs smell better barbequed' and while thats a definite truism, let me pile it on ... andys pigs taste better barbequed! but i digress. when you walk into nelsons you are transplanted into comfortable authentic setting. old photos, awards, and bbq relics adorn the walls. wooden floors tell tales of the bbq seekers that have come before you. and the chalk board menus offer you a wide variety of different parts of different animals that have been raised for the sole purpose of having these particular parts intensely cared for during a 6-12 hour cooking process. thats a flowery way of saying all the meat at nelsons is freaking awesome.

st louis spare ribs, baby back ribs (all things prok bbq ribs found here), chicken, turkey, and beef brisket are all up on the menu with options of how you want them prepared. normally im a dry st louis spare with alabama stlye bbq sauce on the side, but that would not suffice on this daunting quest to document the best sandwich offerings the town/county/state had to offer. i had to go for the brisket or the pork bbq sammy. road block again. decisions decisions. alas i was able to employ the half-sies tactic once again with a gee brother, and thus avoided any let down.

beef brisket ... king of the sandwiches so far?

our order looked like this; 1 pulled pork bbq sandwich, 1 beef brisket sandwich, 1 side of cole slaw, 1 side of corn bread, and 2 large 1/2 sweet teas 1/2 lemonades. now im not from the south, im not a bbq expert, and i never claimed to be ... but from that order i mean you have to garner that im not a rookie by any means. there pork was topped with the house made pig sauce (a thin vinegar based sauce that was sweet but at the same time carried a little heat with it) and then doctored at the table by your hero and his companion for the day with the side of coleslaw. kick ass sandwich. but the ass kicking of the pork sandwich might of been outdone by the brisket sandwich. there was no doctoring of the brisket. just a massive pile of thinly slice beef that was elastic enough to unfold like an accordian, but with the slightest jerk would come apart easily. im talking tender tender tenderoni style.

its true! they smell better bbq'd

i was surprised by the beef brisket, especially since andy is/has/and always will be about the hogs. and in no way am i saying that the pork bbq was not up to par, because it is some of if not the best in the local area/above the mason dixon. all i am saying is that the quality of both the beef brisket and the pork bbq made for a successful stop on my sandwich quest, and will be a big success on any bbq adventure that you set out on.