On the evening of Monday, March 16, Food Network Kitchen entered the 5th annual Brisket King NYC competition. A few hundred giddy patrons were able to taste some of the best briskets, which ranged in style from smoked and cured to downright innovative. There were 13 players fighting for the crown, and everyone put their best brisket forward. Below are three of my most-noteworthy bites of the night.

Richmond Flores of Food Network Kitchen created and served a beautiful brisket, which he first marinated and rubbed in a fermented black bean “love mixture” and then oak-smoked for 14 hours. He served it over a lemongrass-scented jasmine rice topped with pickled carrot-daikon with a crunch of fried shallot. Delicious umami flavor and soft, slightly tacky texture, to say the least.

There was a kosher guy from Wandering Que serving up brisket sushi style. That’s right: Beef Brisket Sushi-Nigiri Style. This was a salty, luscious and buttery brisket with a paper-thin crisp of lamb-brisket bacon on top, and it was served over warm rice. Double flames torched this thing of beauty right before curious and drooling brisketeers’ eyes.

There's not much to say about the winner, Hometown BBQ, as that team brought it home with the best brisket in the room. Served simply with raw onion and pickle (sauce not needed), it was a delight that my mouth still yearns for. After taking the first bite, I thought, ”Yup. That is the winner.”