Smoking Meat 'Slow And Low,' New Deerfield BBQ Joint Opens Doors

DEERFIELD, IL — North Shore residents now have the option of picking up some slow-cooked BBQ from a fast-growing regional chain, as the newest outpost of City Barbeque opened its doors on Lake Cook Road this week. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Monday and a grand opening is planned for Saturday at City Barbeque in Deerfield, offering its award-winning brisket, St. Louis-cut ribs, Amish farm chicken and homemade sides.

Founded in 1999 in Columbus, Ohio by Rick Malir, his wife Bonnie, and a group of friends who began by feeding friends and family in their backyards, the company developed from the roots of a competition BBQ team that won "Best Brisket" that year at the Kansas City American Royal Barbeque Society Championship.

It has since been named Best Barbecue In Columbus by Business Insider in 2012 and is a past grand champion in the Ohio Smoked Meat and Barbecue Festival.

City Barbeque has grown to include more than three dozen company-owned locations across the Midwest, the bulk of which are in Ohio. It opened up shop in Berwyn last November. In April it began operations at in Orland Park, and the company plans to open up locations in Downers Grove, Park Ridge and Vernon Hills.

Staff at new locations of the fast casual joint are trained by co-founder Frank Pizzo to smoke meat on site "low and slow" for 18 hours or more over shagbark hickory chips. It can take a year for an employee to become qualified to make the call as to when to remove the BBQ from the smoker.

"Smoking meat is truly an art," Pizzo said. "You have to take into account the humidity, the wood that you use, the cut of meat. You have to know when to check it or when to let it go longer. There are so many different factors in the product coming out great every time. I've been smoking meat for 20 years and I'm still truly learning something new."

At Saturday's grand opening, the restaurant will have kids' games, craft and tables, a face painter, a grill giveaway, a temporary tattoo artist, live music prizes and other giveaways.

Attendees will also get $10 toward their next visit, and 10 percent of all sales for the day will go toward the Deerfield Youth Baseball Association.

Limited edition baseball t-shirts will be available for $10, with all proceeds going to local DYBA ballplayers. Plus, members of the Deerfield Police Department will take part in a rib-eating contest at 12:30 p.m.

City Barbeque Deerfield is located at 365 Lake Cook Rd. Opening hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Call 847-960-4129 for more information.