Photography by Melissa Valladares
The king of Cave Creek barbecue is dead. Long live the king.
Bryan Dooley, longtime owner and pitmaster of Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue in Cave Creek, is a tough act to follow, but that’s what Cody and Beth Edgin signed up for when they opened Cryin’ Coyote Barbecue in the same location this summer. Save some minor redecoration, the place looks pretty much as it did when Dooley ran it as Bryan’s before ceasing operations last spring.
And the ’cue? Based on an early visit, I’d say the place holds great promise, but needs fine-tuning. Then again, I walk in with my own preferences regarding barbecue. Don’t we all?
CC’s menu features brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, sausage and, soon, vegetarian jackfruit, all sold by the pound, in sandwiches or on combo plates with sides. The Edgins, who live in Cave Creek, don’t hew to any one regional style, but rather pay homage to Central Texas for the brisket, South Carolina for the pulled pork and Memphis for the spareribs. All meats get a dry rub before going in the Arizona pecan wood-fueled smoker, and none are mopped with sauce during or after cooking.
I like the tender spareribs the best, but in a perfect world, their bark would be darker and crustier. I swipe them through tangy, faintly peppery barbecue sauce, which perfectly complements the meat. There are two other sauces, one thick, sweet and molasses-heavy, the other golden and mustardy.
Both the brisket and pulled pork are a tad dry, and as a person who grew up on the wet barbecue of Memphis, I’d say CC’s smoky chicken suffers for lack of basted-on sauce.
However, the brisket tastes great on a giant-size baker, loaded with cheese, sour cream, green onion and crispy bacon.
Meanwhile, side dishes are terrific, including sour-cream-dressed, bacon-strewn baked potato salad; chile relleno rice, bolstered with mild chiles and cheese; creamy, peppery, not-too-sweet coleslaw; Dr Pepper-spiked barbecue beans; and sweet mini-muffins of green chile cornbread. Also great: a giant slab of moist, chocolatey Texas sheet cake.
Is it ironic that I prefer the barbecue sides to the barbecue itself? For now, that’s how it is, but I’ll be back to see how Cryin’ Coyote evolves.
Cryin’ Coyote Barbecue
Cuisine: Barbecue
Contact: 6130 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, 480-575-7155, cryincoyotebbq.com
Hours: W-Sa 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Su 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Highlights: Pork spareribs (half slab, $16.95); loaded baked potato ($13.95); chile relleno rice ($4); Texas sheet cake ($5)
