#81 – FRIED PIG TAILS at THE BROOKLYN STAR

For the third year in a row, I’m going to attempt to eat every single item on Time Out New York’s annual 100 Best Dishes list. In no particular order, here’s my take on their Top 100. Let the gluttony continue…

SADLY, THE BROOKLYN STAR IS NOW CLOSED.

I eat all sorts of pig parts. I’ve celebrated with pork ribs, dined on pork belly, housed pork shoulder, and even nibbled on pig ears. But I’m sort of amazed that it took me this long to try pig tails.

Is it even possible to eat pig tails? Doesn’t the tail seem like it would be very bony and thin? Is there even meat on those curly cues?  Are they similar to oxtail? These were the questions we asked ourselves as we placed the order at Brooklyn Star.

The original Brooklyn Star closed after a devastating fire a few years back. Its new digs are closer to the L train and are surprisingly much roomier. The menu still consists of updated versions of Southern classics. I’ve been here for their family-style fried chicken meal and had a grand ol’ time.

Our latest meal was just as satisfying, but may have been slightly over the top. The portions sizes here, unlike most hipster restaurants in Brooklyn, err on the side of comically large.

The skillet cornbread was tasty, but nothing worth overdosing on honey and butter schmears for – even with a kick of jalapeño and a crunch from bacon. The meatloaf sandwich was humongous and the indulgent addition of mashed potatoes took away from the actual meat. Ironically enough, my favorite dishes were the two salads we tasted: a pile of raw kale with a tangy lemon dressing and delicious cheddar crisps and a delectable pile of crisp sugar snap peas dressed with smoked trout and yogurt.

But I wasn’t only keen on the greens here because the eagerly awaited pig tails were quite a revelation. They come out in a very similar fashion to buffalo chicken wings – a bowl for bones and wet naps. And the presentation gave a hint as to how to eat them.

The tail nubs were thicker than I expected and gnawing at them revealed a meaty layer of pig meat. Some bites were fatty, some were crispy, all were delicious. Imagine a dish somewhere between pork ribs and chicken wings. The sweet and garlicky tomato-based sauce was complex and rendered the provided wet naps unnecessary. Fried and seasoned hunks of corn were a wonderful touch.

Pig tails, where have you been all my life?

Would The Brooklyn Star’s Fried Pig Tails make my Top 100 of the year? They get an 8 out of 10 for being a meaty sensation that I wish I had discovered earlier and will not be quickly forgotten.