#68. Eat anything on the menu at Andy Nelson's.

Brendan and I went hog-wild today.

          And by hog-wild, I mean we ate a lot of barbeque (get your minds out of the gutter!). Today, Brendan finally earned me telling him he was right when he convinced me Andy Nelson’s Barbeque is, indeed, the best barbeque I have ever had.  I considered myself partial to Red, Hot n’ Blue, however their ‘que is the McDonald’s to Andy Nelson’s Ruth’s Chris. Andy Nelson’s is a delicious down south transplant cuisine-wise, but it is a Baltimore born and bred institution.

          Andy Nelson was not only a purveyor of finger-licking pork product, but a safety for the Baltimore Colts. Born in Tennessee (where he also played college football for Memphis State), he brought his southern football skills and barbeque recipes up north to Baltimore city. After his football career ended, Andy Nelson and his wife Betty opened up their Memphis-style barbeque restaurant on York Road in Cockeysville to instant success and acclaim.

          The three signature sauces (sweet, smoky barbeque, “Carolina Style” [made with mustard and vinegar], and pig-dipping sauce [hot sauce and vinegar-based, I do believe]) only add to the delicious, slow-cooked, divinely seasoned REAL barbeque served up in a simple manner with southern-style sides (collard greens, potato salad, cornbread, etc.).  Normally my blog is very specific on what kind of food I am to eat and/or how to prepare it, but truly, EVERYTHING at Andy Nelson’s is delicious. I sampled the dry-rub pork ribs, pulled pork, pulled turkey, beef brisket… and I really could not tell you which one was my favorite.

          Although the style of food at Andy Nelson’s is actually authentic to Tennessee, the food has been famous around Baltimore for almost as long as my parents have been alive. Although the restaurant is a little far north for some, the low prices and great food draw people from all over the region. The simple restaurant even has an outdoor barn-style room with picnic tables, making Andy Nelson’s accommodating and accessible to nearly everyone from business men to truckers. As for being culturally significant, the restaurant has been repeatedly voted Baltimore’s Best Barbeque and one of the top 15 restaurants in the area; Andy Nelson’s has become a Baltimore institution over the years and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere.

          Which is good for me because honestly, I could eat the pulled turkey BBQ and collard greens every day for the rest of my life. I even ordered an extra sandwich to take home for later. I hope you’re happy, Brendan, because your girlfriend is now an Andy Nelson’s porker.

References:

http://www.andynelsonsbbq.com/