When Justin Ekstrom, Minnesota-based sports writer, went out to dinner the other night, I’m not sure he expected a picture of his plate to go viral. The photo of his rib platter from Linsey’s BBQ in Jordan, Minnesota, generated a lot of online commentary, but it was the kind of commentary you’d expect from motorists at a gapers’ block. Bring Me The News has the story.
The tweet in question even had me feeling sorry bout Ekstrom’s lunch. Those ribs look like they were expertly cooked at the wrong temperature to maximize chewiness, and there’s a lack of color on both the outside and the inside of the meat. So, of course, the peanut gallery had plenty to say online.
Jemele Hill, writer and former ESPN host, said, “In one of my group chats somebody called this ribs the filibuster and I’ve been laughing for 20 minutes.”
Then some people spent their time dunking on the pic with photos of their own homemade versions:
Other Twitter users bragged about the barbecue they had access to in their own hometowns:
Ekstrom told Bring Me The News, “The internet is weird. I just ate the ribs and they tasted fine. I guess I have much more influence and more avid BBQ followers than I ever thought.”
Bring Me The News also spoke to the owner of Linsey’s BBQ, Lindsey Green. “I would like to invite all who are criticizing from a photo to try our bbq. Pictures do not show our true flavors. I have supporters who love our bbq and come here on a regular basis. I really don’t know what else to say! I am a newer business and this negativity is a hard pill to swallow when I’m trying to build it.”
Sounds like it’s safe to assume the food tasted way better than the picture looked. And with both Ekstrom’s and Green’s endorsement, I’d be more than willing to give this a try the next time I’m in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.