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Robyn Lane

Robyn Lane

Robyn Lane

National BBQ Month – Celebrate With the Jersey Shore’s Best BBQ Joints

By Robyn Lane

It’s National BBQ Month and the Jersey Shore has some of the best BBQ joints in the state.

Lucky for us, we have MANY BBQ experts living right here in the Garden State. My friend Ray Sheehan has been running food businesses for over 25 years and has competed in dozens of BBQ competitions, plus he has his own line of sauces & rubs.

A Little About Ray Sheehan

Here’s an excerpt of Ray’s March 24, 2024 interview with BoldJourney.com: With my new company Chef Rays LLC, I am in the process of rebranding my line of award-winning, all natural sauces and seasonings. Thus, I have been spending long hours in the test kitchen working on creating new flavors. It’s so exciting to me it doesn’t even feel like work. To market the products, I participate in cooking competitions, teach cooking classes, provide tastings, and vend at farmers markets. My love for developing recipes coupled with winning awards has helped me establish myself as an expert in my field. I have written two cookbooks, contributed to two others, have a column in Barbecue News Magazine, and have been featured in many other periodicals including Taligater Magazine and the Smoke Sheet BBQ Newsletter. I have appeared on tv, radio, and podcasts to promote my brand but I must say, being a frequent guest cohost on the Baseball and BBQ podcast on the Bleav Network has been great. Finally, I am able to combine my love for two great American pastimes.

I am excited to say that I will be launching my new line of sauces and seasonings along with a new website www.raysheehan.com in the Spring of 2024.

Note: Ray has just launched his new line of sauces and seasonings. Take a look at his line and where you can get yours by heading over to his website and following Ray on Instagram and other social media platforms.

Before we hit you with some of the best BBQ on the Jersey Shore, I want to remind you that the annual New Jersey State BBQ Championship hits North Wildwood from July 12 through July 14, 2024. For more information, click HERE

  • Shore Points BBQ - 816 Arnold Ave, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742

    This is one heck of a place to start. They call themselves a barbecue restaurant, and offer many of the items you might find in a traditional barbecue joint. The website reads: Our sauces and flavor combinations have a way of catapulting the traditional southern fare straight to the coastline. So, stop in and experience the idea of barbecue through the eyes of the shore!
    They start off with a large breakfast menu that includes, omelettes, all kinds of unique hashes like, Birria Hash- Potato, birria beef, onion, peppers, corn, black beans cheddar jack, avocado, spicy crema, queso.
    A huge lunch and dinner menu, as well as plenty of weekend specials. In addition to your traditional BBQ faves, they have Loco tacos, chicken sandwiches, and smash burgers.

  • Jersey Shore BBQ - 710 Arnold Ave, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742

    Right down the road from Shore Points BBQ, you have some pretty stiff competition. JSBBQ also has some outstanding food. They too have a breakfast menu that includes, a smoked Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese sandwich, as well as their house made corned beef with egg, and Swiss on rye bread. If you love fried green tomatoes, check out the Dauphin St. BLT – It has Fried Green tomato, Bacon, Lettuce, tomato, BBQ aioli.

    The sliced brisket sandwich is a favorite lunch or dinner choice as are the jumbo smoked wings and their incredibly meaty ribs.

     

  • Local Smoke BBQ – Various locations including Neptune City, Red Bank & Seagirt

    This is one of my favorite Award Winning BBQ places. The cornbread is moist and delicious. The slow smoked St. Louis ribs are excellent, and the catfish (something I wouldn’t normally order) was crunchy and full of flavor. As far as sides and starters, I recommend the crispy Brussels Sprouts, Onion Rings (with a side of BBQ Ranch), and the Smoked Bacon Jalapeno Poppers.

    It’s like walking into BBQ Heaven.

     

  • Mutiny BBQ Company - 808 Fifth Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 07712

    This place has some of the juiciest smoked brisket I’ve ever eaten. Incorporating flavors and methods of Texas, the Carolinas, Memphis, Kansas City, and Louisiana to create a craft BBQ experience unlike any other. Everything is done in small batches, so if they run out of your favorite items, then order something else or come back another time. But please come back.  Nothing here is EVER reheated and served to customers.

    They have a Cheez-It mac & cheese that you must try, plus the pulled pork and the smoked fried thighs are things I would order again and again.

    Small place, huge flavors!

  • Monty's BBQ - 71 First Ave, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716

    My friend, Tom swears this place has some of the greatest BBQ in the area. He posts his haul every time he goes here. His last review:

    Brisket & ribs like butter!! Pulled pork so tasty!! No sauce needed however he did give us a bunch to sample and they were amazing ! Cornbread nice n moist with pieces of corn how I like!! Come check him out for yourself and I guarantee you’ll agree!!

    If you can’t decide what you want then get a BBQ Sampler Platter.  

     

  • Harry's Smokin' BBQ - 240 Dover Rd, South Toms River - Food Trailer

    Harry just announced that he will be opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 213 Route 37 in Toms River this summer. That’s right next door to C& G’s Country Café, one of my favorite places to have breakfast or brunch. Harry has won so many awards for his stellar BBQ, I  lost count. In addition to his amazing wings, brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, and smoked ribs, you must check out his large selection of melts made with his famous smoked meats. Bangin’ burgers, Texas Twinkies, killer sides, and so much more. The man is a BBQ magician.   https://www.instagram.com/p/C5I-uLBOQMp/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8c5ced2e-251c-4563-8a8b-7963e4e2dbcb&img_index=1    

  • Fire Pit Grill - 242 Atlantic City Blvd, Bayville, NJ 08721

    For something a little different, try this Portuguese & Spanish style BBQ joint. Fire roasted chicken, ribs & steaks that are grilled to perfection on a bed of wood charcoal in an open pit for maximum flavor & tenderness. My favorite is the open pit grilled chicken. There’s nothing like it! Great sides too, like the tostones or sweet plantains and the yucca fries. 

    If you’ve never had Portuguese BBQ, this would be a good place to try it for the 1st time. They also have authentic paella, empanadas, and unbelievable jumbo chicken wings.

    Fire Pit Grill Churrasqueira | Bayville, NJ

    Fire Pit Grill Churrasqueira | Bayville, NJ

     

  • Mostly Smoked Barbeque - 520 US-9, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726

    This is the first time writing about this place. Thanks to Phil in Manalapan for the heads up. Phil said this is the best BBQ in his neck of the woods. The first thing Phil mentioned was the smoked brisket sandwich topped with pickled onions and house made pickles. He made mention of the smoked fried chicken thigh sandwich with jalapeno slaw topped with Alabama white sauce.

    I had to go check the menu out for myself. OMG, the onion rings look perfect, crunchy delights ready for my mouth. The sides look as mouthwatering as the meats. They are a rock n roll joint for sure. Guitars on the walls. I have family in the area, gotta stop by next time we visit the area.

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