By Jason Brill | Edited by Kim Scheider
Barabicu Smokehouse
Jon Ashton and Danny Cassano wanted to get sweet on Cleveland’s barbecue resurgence. But they’ve made a name for themselves by doing the opposite. Instead of putting sugar in their rubs, Ashton and Cassano cook their meats ultra slowly.
Brisket ($11 for a half-pound) is smoked for 18 hours and pulled pork ($7 for a half-pound) for 10-12, so a natural sweetness has time to develop.
“We don’t rush anything,” Ashton says. After slow love like that, sauce is an afterthought. “You shouldn’t need it,” Ashton says. Plus, it turns out that slow goes fast.
Barabicu regularly sells out of brisket and ribs within a few hours of opening at 11 a.m.
“I can’t jam enough of that stuff into the smoker, man,” Ashton says.
5767 Ridge Road, Parma, 440-481-3057, facebook.com/barabicusmokehouse
Polish Village Parma 