BBQ is A-OK at Chester's in New London

by Rick Koster
Some day, one of those Ken Burns or Shelby Foote people will come out with evidence that the great difference between the North and the South is not predicated on the sad and tragic causations and persistent aftershocks of the Civil War, but rather the inability of folks above the Mason-Dixon line to create proper barbecue.

Fools like myself have speculated at length why these differences exist, and it's difficult to quantify the answers other than in generalities because barbecue -- good and bad -- varies so much in philosophy and architecture from place to place.

There are certain truths, barbecue-wise, though, that we hold to be self-evident. And chief among them is core product. You can have the finest smokers in the world, hands-on tutelage in the time-honored pits of yore in Memphis or Kansas City or Fort Worth -- but it makes little difference if you start off with stringy brisket or your ribs or pork shoulder are fatty.

Off the top of my head, these have been my major complaints since I arrived here almost 10 years ago. It's not that the folks attempting to purvey good barbecue don't know theory, it's that the baby backs or brisket would never be served to the public in self-respecting joints across the South.

There are certain signs that good barbecue is possible in our part of the world. Brian "Spent Time in Memphis" Brother is doing some exceedingly nice work at his Raiders Roost restaurant in New London, and the Big Bubba's franchise in the Mohegan Sun Casino throws out some acceptable stuff, although its significantly inflated prices can be alarming. I've had meals at Russell's Ribs in Groton that I enjoyed, and their heart is clearly in the right place -- yet at the same time, eating there is more like getting a post card from a favorite destination than actually being there.

Enter Chester's Barbecue in a tiny stand-alone building on Bank Street in New London -- the same spot, in fact, that Brother occupied for years with his Kitchen restaurant.

Out front, Chester parks one of those huge smokers -- a Monitor- or Merrimac-style monstrosity that certainly pushes all the correct barbecue buttons. And inside, the olfactory signs are stunningly indelible with the commingling scents of hickory wood and bubbling sauce.

For what is almost exclusively a one-man operation, Chester performs duties that would embarrass most yeomen. His menu features beef brisket, Memphis and Carolina pulled pork, burnt ends, hot links, smoked chicken and turkey, and three kinds of ribs: baby back, pork spare ribs and beef ribs. And the core product, as with Raiders Roost, is very encouraging.

There are plenty of sides, too, all crafted on the premises: cole slaw, potato salad, beans (and) rice, baked beans and green beans among them. Too, there's brisket chili, cornbread, and corn pudding.

Barbecue fans are all different and fervent in their convictions, of course, but on the currency exchange of my personal preference, a properly smoked baby back rib is the product by which all other things are measured. Brisket ranks right behind. If someone can negotiate these culinary formulae correctly, then, by God, I suspect they can do anything they put their mind to.

And Chester, I'm happy to say, knows what he's doing. The place is tiny and primarily a takeout emporium, though there are three small tables. There's a rack of chips and a soft drink cooler, and in-house food is served in small Styrofoam containers with the sort of plastic utensils they won't let you take on airplanes.

I prefer very lean brisket, with tender and smoke-infused meat at the heart of the slice. The exterior should be crisped with whatever seasonal rub has been applied to the surface of the brisket. This exterior serves as a flavor addendum to compliment rather than dominate the meat. There are plenty of folks, by the way, who like some fat along the edges for flavor; Chester is happy to accommodate, either way.

In the context of sandwiches ($4.95; $6.95 with one side), Chester heaps brisket slices skyward between two plain pieces of white bread, one of which has been ladled with a murky, dark, slightly peppery sauce. As Chester himself says, "Barbecue is not the sauce, it's what the sauce goes on." In other words: another supplemental part of the whole package -- but the meat should be able to absolutely stand on its own and mightily satisfy even without his very nice sauce. Chester understands this and pulls it off.

As for his baby backs, by God, I'm happy: these are lean, flavorful pork ribs ($8.50 for a half-rack platter including cornbread and two sides). Chester slow-smokes them to toothy goodness and with the charred edges. Again, you can apply sauce for more fun or let the smoked pork and contrasts between the exterior and interior of the rib work their respective brands of magic. The best thing is to take a rib gently between your teeth and tug lightly -- just enough to let the bite fall from the bone and leap into your mouth like an exuberant trapeze artist.

With the brisket and rib hurdles out of the way, we've also tried to other staples: Memphis pulled pork and Carolina pulled pork. The former is simply the actual smoked pork shoulder with sauce if so desired; the Carolina version emphasizes vinegar and mustard in its base preparation and brings a different flavor out of the smoker. Both are quite good at Chester's and it'd be interesting to see which patrons favor. I prefer the Carolina, but ...

Of the sides ingested thus far, potato salad was chunky and not too creamy, with a nice touch of mustard and mayo. The barbecue beans are a sweet, almost "baked"-style, and macaroni and cheese is served hot and very cheesy.

There are some situations that are less than ideal, having to do with physics more than any lack of skill. Though Chester's expertise and his commercial in-house smokers have turned out consistent and flavorful product, the smokers aren't always large enough to house all the brisket and ribs, links, and turkeys and chickens. (And the huge out-front smoker is used for Chester's pig-roast catering operation.) Ultimately, then, after the meats are smoked, there are times when the meat is stored in refrigerators and then brought out and microwaved back to serving temperature.

While this isn't a great situation, it's by no means pervasive and shouldn't keep you from trying Chester's largely authentic and impressive products.