South - Favorite BBQ - anywhere in the South

When I used to travel to the Carolinas and Texas. I loved the BBQ. Carloinas for their pulled pork and Texas for the beef brisket and links.

I have forgot the names of the places I used to go and am going back this fall.

What is your favorite BBQ joint? name and town would be appreciated.

Bozo's outside of Memphis is hard to beat. Red, Hot & Blues in Dallas is good pork served in a traditionally beef state.

County Line in San Antonio on the River Walk is my all time favorite. I love the beef ribs but all the BBQ is fabulous.

Maurice Bessinger's Piggy Park in West Columbia, SC.

If you like mustard based sauce with your pulled pork sandwich, you will find none better.

I like Three Little Pigs in Asheville, NC, Rick's in Rockwall, TX, Phipps in Duncan, OK

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Kreutz (pronounced "Krites") Market in Lockhart, TX is very good. Lockhart has been proclaimed by the state legislature as the BBQ Capital of Texas. Go to http://www.lockhart-tx.org for more information.

The Salt Lick in Driftwood, TX is alright. It's more of an "experience" than anything, with the long drive, the wait for a table, the BYOB and the long tables of college kids singing and carrying on.

When I was a kid, we used to go to a place called LeRoy's BBQ way back in the woods, over by where the town of Danville used to be (near Willis and Conroe, TX, where I grew up). We'd go on weekends. You had to get there before it go too late, because they'd run out. This style BBQ, the kind made in East Texas, was different than the Central Texas BBQ we find around Austin. East Texas style tends to have a tangier flavor and more sauce -- a redder sauce, too, while Central Texas BBQ tends to have a smokier flavor and is less dependent on sauce. When you get sauce, it's not as red and tangy. Kreutz doesn't have any sauce (or utensils, for that matter; you eat with a plastic knife, a slice of Butter Krust bread and your hands).

There's another place up in Huntsville, Tx that we would go to on Sundays. It was run by a church. I think the church name was something like "Mount Zion Baptist Church." It was an African American congregation. The members of the church would volunteer to run the BBQ joint after the services on Sunday. They would get huge crowds. Everyone in Huntsville and beyond knew about the place.

Another twist on BBQ is Barbacoa, which yo ucan find on Sundays at good, interior Mexican style restaurants. This is made in many different ways. As far as I can tell, the original way was to cook beef in a pit in the ground. I think in many cases, the barbacoa was the cheek meat from the cow's head. Wherever it comes from and however it's prepared, it's usually very tender, flavorful meat -- and damn good in tacos.

The best rule for judging good BBQ is this: the more questionable the sanitary conditions of the facility and/or the cook, the better the meat. It's kinda like good cheese that way.

Nice additional comments swise, thanks.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:
Maurice Bessinger's Piggy Park in West Columbia, SC.

If you like mustard based sauce with your pulled pork sandwich, you will find none better.</font>

I think Shealy's on Hwy 1 in Batesburg is better, plus it's all you can eat. Piggy Park is close and is real close to the airport and is open late.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by neverhome:
I think Shealy's on Hwy 1 in Batesburg is better, plus it's all you can eat.</font>


Hmmmm. Thanks for the "tip"... next time I cut through SC I will look this one up! Thanks neverhome

Any recommendations for Nashville?

(I have a one night stay coming up...near the airport) http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

NC barbeque places

Gary's-China Grove
Lexington-Lexington
Speedys-Lexington
Wilbers-Goldsboro (my CT sister-in-law loves this place)
Parkers-Wilson

Remember, barbeque is a religion in NC and there is eastern style and western style. Also all others, such as the lower Carolinas and TX beef (sacrilege!), are heresies. Enjoy!

For the pulled pork lovers, I suppose I should also ask,

Slaw on or off?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
For the pulled pork lovers, I suppose I should also ask,

Slaw on or off?</font>


I enjoy both so I always order two sandwiches. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Slaw on the side.

Plenty of hot sauce. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif

I went to Corky's when i was in memphis... first time it was good. espcially the dry ribs..but the second time it wasn' that good anymore....

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Al

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by afang:
I went to Corky's when i was in memphis... first time it was good. espcially the dry ribs..but the second time it wasn' that good anymore....

</font>


I grew up in the land of Elvis (Tupelo and Memphis), and I love the BBQ there. Personally, I think that both Corky's and the Rendezvous are good but over rated. My personal preference is for Neely's. There are a couple of locations, near the Med Sch and out east. All that having been said, Corky's BBQ at DaBlues in MEM terminal B is a regular stop when I fly home. Seattle has great food, but I have yet to find good BBQ here.

If you're ever in the Akron, Ohio area, try thr ribs at the Winking Lizard. Not bad for yankee ribs.

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Blindbat

Try the Iron Works in Austin, TX, on 1st Street by the Convention Center. Grab a brew or a Big Red, and prepare to eat. You'll go home smelling like your meal, but that mesquite-smoked BBQ smell is near and dear to many a heart.

Try Sonny's in Jacksonville, Florida. There are 7 locations in the Jax area.

With deference to GEO1004 and neverhome, I strongly recommend Wise's Bar-B-Que. Like the other 2 SC establishments mentioned, it also has (and only has) a mustard based sauce.

It is located in Jalapa on Hwy 76 a few (less thn 10?) miles west of Newberry (and within about 10 minutes of the Jalapa exit off of I-26 (turn right on reaching Hwy 76)). $6 or less for all you can eat, including ribs often and, of course, sweetened tea. It is only open on Fri. and Sat.

It's in a white, cinder-block building on the south side of the highway and is frequented by locals (country folk in the best sense of the term). Extremely casual.

Bon appetit!

I absolutely agree with Swise that Kreuz Market in Lockhart is among the best anywhere. No BBQ sauce. No potato salad. No forks. No plates (just sheets of brown paper). You can buy a whole tomato or a whole avocado to go along with the meat and bread.

We were there last month...they have built a huge new facility, but everything appears to still be top notch!

The church in Huntsville is still in the BBQ business -- now during the week - 5 days a week I think. It is well known in the area, and they have built a new brick church with the proceeds from BBQ sales.

[This message has been edited by Watchful (edited 08-14-2001).]

TRRed:

One of the great things about BBQ is that half the fun is the debate... of course the more important half is the sampling in the never-ending quest for BBQ Nirvana!

By the way, it's "sweet tea", never "sweetened tea" http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

OTTO's BBQ off of Memorial Drive in HOUSTON is some of the best in the nation (I promise). Don't be surprised to see George Bush (Sr.) eating at the table next to you, as he dines there quite often.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TRRed:
With deference to GEO1004 and neverhome, I strongly recommend Wise's Bar-B-Que. </font>

Yes, Wise also has excellent BBQ. Unlike Wise, Shealy's is open every day except Wed & Sun. Actually I will be eating some Wise BBQ tomorrow. they're catering lunch for my Civitan group. I'll skip breakfast.

Okay, the Lurker's favorites are as follows:

1) Salt Lick, Driftwood, Texas - just outside Austin. swise is right about the trappings, the trip, & the folks that eat there, but hey...it is the BEST as far as the BBQ goes.

2) Kreuz's Market, Lockhart, Texas - several people have already commented on the food and the atmosphere. The family had a split and part of them opened another pit down the street. The competition is raging, but I confess I haven't been down to see which is the better of the two.

3) The Iron Works, Downtown Austin near the Convention Center. Before I discovered the Salt Lick, this was IT. The beef ribs are to die for and they have their sodas in this old fashioned chest dispenser.

4) Bob's BBQ, Henderson, Texas - this is the hometown favorite...aaahhh the memories. Bob can smoke just about anything you can catch and does a superior job with beef, chicken, and pork of all kinds. Just down the street is the original Sadler's that you see in a lot of grocery stores in the frozen food section. Rumor is that Bob shut them down and forced them to sell this way instead. But that's only a rumor, mind you.

5) Just about any location that the County Line operates is great. The food is very reliable so if you had to pick a chain for BBQ, this would be a good choice.

6) We can't forget the Mikeska family either. I think there are four or five brothers with BBQ joints from Taylor, TX to Luling, TX. They are also really good just about any location. Recently featured on FoodNation with Bobby Flay.

That's about it from Austin, Texas.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MEBenson:
OTTO's BBQ off of Memorial Drive in HOUSTON is some of the best in the nation (I promise). Don't be surprised to see George Bush (Sr.) eating at the table next to you, as he dines there quite often.</font>

An added bonus...Otto's is listed in the various Miles for Dining program book!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:
One of the great things about BBQ is that half the fun is the debate...[/B]</font>

Great quote, now BBQ becomes political in SC,
see NY Times article below. (you will have to register your email w/NY Times to access article).

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/26/magazine/26BBQWARS.html

You wanna talk barbecue? Let's put up the list (especially since Georgia and Alabama are ignored here). I'll only list one's I've eaten at recently although I'm aware of many more.

In no particular order:

1. Dreamland
Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Roswell (Georgia) and Mobile
Just ain't none better when it comes to ribs. Big, smoky, slabs of pork. They have a web site you can order from, too.

2. Slopes
Roswell and Alpharetta (Georgia)
Good traditional Southern pork, good hot sauce, nice people

3. Harold's
Atlanta (down by the Federal pen)
One of Atlanta's older establishments. Good stew and cracklin' corn bread. They only use whole hams for their sliced bbq. The atmosphere appears to be what the folks in Texas have used as their template &lt;ehehe&gt;. I mean, you can't beat a place down the street from the prison that looks like it ain't been re-done in 50 years. Worth a look see. Only a 15 minute cab ride from Hartsfield.

4. Pappy Red's
Cumming and Roswell
Avoid the Cumming location. I like atmosphere but buckets full of water from a leaky roof don't cut it! Roswell location has a Cessna crash-landed on the roof (should make you flyers feel right at home) Good stew and wonderful cobblers. Sandwich on jalapeno cheese bread is heart-attack serious! Out of the way location outside Roswell (north Atlanta) but it worth it if'n you want a little funky Southern culture.

5. BBQ Kitchen
Atlanta
Mentioned here mainly because it's right across the interstate from Hartsfield.
BBQ is decent, nothing fancy. Best deal is the plate lunch. Meat and three with free re-orders on veggies for $6. So you can wind up with meatloaf and mac cheese, green beans, okra, collards, tomatoes...you get the drift. Oh, and BBQ is available on this deal.

6. Smoky Pig
Columbus, Georgia
Man, I used to live down the street from this place. Fella name of Earl (said so on his bowling shirt) used to take my order. Lady with dyed black bee-hive used to run it. Slightly modernized now (they have a drive-through) but the lady with the K-Mart blue eye shadow still remembers me and my kids when we stop in. I don't know how they make that pit achieve 100% efficiency when it comes to getting that smoke in da meat but it is good! No ribs, no chicken, just pork shoulders and a few sides.

7. Country's BBQ
Columbus, GA. Several locations.
More upscale, good variety of pork, ribs and chicken. Fun atmosphere, big local favorite. Sometimes inconsistent. If you're around there at Christmas, order one of their smoked hams to take home. Ummmmm!

8. My house
Roswell, GA.
Steaks, ribs, chicken, pork and seafood. Man, get that Weber rockin' and rollin' cause Daddy's gonna BBQ &lt;LOL&gt;

That's all I got time for today.

I have to agree with paradocs
The County Line in Austin, or anywhere they are located, has the best B-B-Que. We just moved to the DFW area from Austin, and I am having withdrawl. I emailed them and was told they are looking into building one in the DFW area. Not soon enough for us. They also have a web site www.airribs.com (http://www.airribs.com) , but the shipping charge will kill you.

Just happened upon this thread and have to add my 2 cents in here:

Dallas - the ORIGINAL Sonny Bryan's on Inwood Road just east of Harry Hines Blvd. Goes without speaking that this is for Brisket. Bring your own towel to wipe the drip off your chin.

Memphis - none other than Corkey's and their dry ribs. None better in the entire world! http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

[Austin - the Iron Works. ALL other Austin area pits are just that - the pits. BTDT for Salt Lick. Ain't worth the drive!

There is NO good BBQ north of a line from Kansas City to Richmond, Va. or west of a line from KC south to Ft Worth and on down to San Antone. So - that leaves out 3/4 of the USA in my book.

When you are outside of this BBQ zone then I say that these chains can hold you over: Red, Hot & Blue (for the best imitation of Corky's dry ribs) and County Line for all else are acceptable substitutes. If in Texas or Louisiana try Colters/Luthers as another "good" substitute chain.

Keep on searchin' -

dAAvid -

Pulled pork sandwich - I agree order two. One with and the other without.

[This message has been edited by AA SLF (edited 11-11-2001).]

[This message has been edited by AA SLF (edited 11-11-2001).]

For a North Dallas Location, I just ate at the Spring Creek BBQ located on Midway north of 635 (LBJ). About 10 minutes away (west) from the Galleria.

the ribs were spareribs and were outstanding.

The brisket was very good, not the best I've had, but very good.

Links were very mediocre.

Sauce is very tomato-black pepper based.

Was headed on my way back to Chicago from Cincinnati when I got jonesen for BBQ.
The idea of making a 5 hour detour to Owensboro Kentucky to visit the Moonlite BBQ crossed my mind. Seeing as I had the time, a beautiful Volvo 860 as a car rental and it just happened to come with the Hertz GPS Neverlost system in the car, I thought this was the perfect time to make such a detour. I just entered the address for the Moonlite into the GPS system outside of Cincinnati and it steered my right to the Moonlite.

I have seen the Moonlite written up in many places. They are know for good BBQ and are one of the only that I've read that serve Mutton BBQ. Being a lamb/mutton as well as a BBQ lover, I thought that the BBQ mutton would be a culinary highlight for me.
Sorry to report, the mutton just did not hold the BBQ flavor that brisket or pork does.
It was good, but the sliced pork was better. On your table are two bottles of sauce. One is a black pepper, tomato based BBQ sauce that goes very well w/the meats. The other is a
Worsteshire/Vinegar based sauce for the mutton, this sauce was almost all water and not anything special.

BBQ buffets served 11am-2pm and 4pm-9pm. According to the Moonlite flyer I picked up in the restaurant, the buffet serves BBQ mutton, pork, ribs, chicken, ham and beef. When I was there, only BBQ mutton, pork and chicken was present on the buffet, which for lunch cost me less than $8 w/tax.

The sliced pork (shoulder) was my favorite meat here, the brisket was next, then the chicken and finally the mutton (did I already tell you I was disappointed w/the mutton???).

Moonlite BBQ Inn
2840 West Parrish Avenue
Owensboro, KY 42301
Phone: 270.684.8143
Hours: Mon-Saturday 9am-9pm
Sun 10am-3pm

Just noticed that you can now get a Shealy's BBQ sandwich at the food court in the Columbia airport. It's not as fresh as the reataurant but if you want to try some mustard sauce, it's pretty convenient.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by neverhome:
Just noticed that you can now get a Shealy's BBQ sandwich at the food court in the Columbia airport. It's not as fresh as the reataurant but if you want to try some mustard sauce, it's pretty convenient.</font>

Always meant to try Shealy's while in Cola, but somehow never made it. I have been out to Little Pigs on Alpine, though, and of course Maurice's. LP was nice enough, but nobody beats Maurice's pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, IMESHO.

FWIW, the Publick House in Columbia has the best wings I've ever found...well, the Pterodactyl ones, anyway (a mix of teriyaki and BBQ). The Hot and Suicide wings are a bit unpredictable as to heat quantity, though.

Hmmm....mileage trip to CAE, anyone?

[This message has been edited by taucher (edited 02-12-2002).]

How about a few places a bit FARTHER South...

* In Miami, the place to go is Shorty's BBQ down in Kendall. It is fairly clode to the University of Miami. This place has been around since the 1950's, has burned down once (and rebuilt on the same exact spot), has "family-style bench seating", and some of the best ribs going. I alsd love their corn on the cob. The ribs are served wet, and they bring you a small container of extra sauce and it is served hot (temp, not spicy). There is also plastic squeeze bottles of a different sauce on the tables...I like to combine them both. Yummy!!! BTW...they have recently opened a branch location up in Cooper City off of University...but not quite as good as the original, IMO. Also, their pulled pork and brisket sandwiches are well known around the area...but being a "rib man", it is hard for me to resist the pigs on a stick every time I go!!!

* Want a truly out of the way type place? Not sure if these guys are still around, but what a great little adventure to find some good BBQ. Way out on the Tamiami Trail west of Miami is a little hole in the wall palce called The Pit. It was REALLY small and grungy, but aren't all the best 'que places like that? The ribs were good, but they are known for their pulled pork BBQ sandwiches with the slaw right on the bread. Well worth the extra effort to get out there, if they are still in business.

* Big Daddy's Lounge has some of the best baby-back ribs around. They are full of flavor, have a sticky wet sauce that is kind of sweet, but also has a nice kick to it. They also serve great curly french fries.

* If you find yourself on Marco Island, you might want to try Porky's Last Stand. Good grub all around...ribs, sandwiches, beans, fries, etc. We got a takeout order (some sort of Hog's Feast kind of deal) and no one left the table hungry. Give it a try!

* One place I'll throw in that is a bit farther North is the Montgomery Inn located on the river in downtown Cincinnati. It is an unusual atmosphere for great BBQ (kind of a bit fancier place), but the views are really cool, and the ribs are quite good.

I grew up in a little town known as Decatur, Alabama. Now ever since I remember remembering, I've been eating at a place called Gibson's (a.k.a. Big Bob's, Big Bob Gibson's). I didn't think much about it, 'cause it was just always there. Then I went to school in DC and I remember when I'd come home and pass by I'd suddenly think about it. Then I lived with my DH in Tuscaloosa and while I enjoyed the occasional Dreamland rib, which everyone should try (excellent wet rib and atmosphere/history), we were always looking for that perfect sandwich in T'town. Came close at Woodrow's (sp?) which is what we call a 'hole', short for 'hole-in-the-wall', or 'is this place open, it looks like it might fall down' but you know it's open 'cause 1) visually, of all the cars coming and going; &/or 2) that undeniable smell. We still always went by Whitt's when visiting to take some back to T'town.

My DH's uncle grew up in Decatur and has lived in Memphis for 20+ years and before Gibson's shipped it was rumored that he would drive down, pick up some Q and drive straight back (7 hr round trip)! No visiting, just Q! Noticed on their web site they won the Memphis in May grand champ in 2000, best shoulder in 1999, something in St. Louis and a bunch of other state and sauce awards. They do a great bbq turkey (yes, I said turkey) and my favorite way to the turkey-q is in one of their stuffed potatoes - yum. Actually, a great way to eat the pork too (when you eat it as much as we do, you even start puttin' on your salad!) Whitt's BBQ is in Decatur (2 walk-up/drive thru stores) and they started in Athens (sit down on picnic tables under the big old trees) and they have a great sandwich (always sweat slaw & white sauce on my sandwich) or family pack; bbq, buns, slaw, chips, beans and of course, at least here in North Alabama, white & red sauce. Whitt's has turkey too, but I like Gibson's turkey better. Both Whitt's & Gibson's have great pies too! There's also a place outside of Huntsville attached to a gas station that is wonderful, I'll try to find the name.

http://www.bigbobgibsonbbq.com

By the way, my DH says Gibson's has a place in Huntsville, he eats breakfast there a lot.

Ok, BBQ, one of the toughest to say who has the best, and everyone thinks they have found the best.

My favorites are, and I've suffered through a lot of bad places to find these. By the way I like lean BBQ, or at least meat where you can trim the excess fat off, and believe me lean ribs are difficult to find, and probably an oxymoron, but are wonderful. Here is my list:

Sonny Bryan's in Dallas - all the locations are good, but the original one is by far the best.

Kansas City- Oklahoma Joe's, 47th and Mission in Kansas City, KS - in a Total Gas Station, and you will stand in line, but the wait is well worth it. Found it this weekend, and is probably the best BBQ I've had in a long time.

Tulsa, OK - Elmer's 4130 Peoria, again a small place but has a wonderful down home wait staff. Their motto: "it be bad". It be excellent. They have a "badwich" which is a a huge sandwich made of all their meats, including a rib. I stick with any of their dinner plates or a regular sandwich.

Norman, OK- Van's Pig Stand - Gotta love a place with a black iron pig on the building.
A "Van-wich" is a pork or brisket sandwich with a little relish along with curly fries.

N. Little Rock, Arkansas - The Dixie Pig, another old-time restaurant, excellent (go figure) pork

Dreamland in Tuscaloosa, AL is tope so far for me. An American Experience.

Epicurious.com lists its 10 best BBQ joints in the US: http://eat.epicurious.com/restaurant/sterns/index.ssf?/restaurant/sterns/bbq.html

Clark's Outpost - 101 US 377, Tioga, Texas - 940-437-2414
Corky's - 5259 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee - 901-685-9744
Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ - 8136 Sepulveda Boulevard, Van Nuys, California - 818-780-6701
Lem's - 5914 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois - 773-684-5007
McClard's - 505 Albert Pike, Hot Springs, Arkansas - 817-732-2881
Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn - 2840 West Parrish Avenue, Owensboro, Kentucky - 270-684-8143
Skylight Inn - 4617 Lee Street, Ayden, North Carolina - 252-746-4113
Snead's - 171st and Holmes, Belton, Missouri - 816-331-7979
Speed Queen - 1130 West Walnut Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 203-237-6660
Uncle Willie's - 1101 Huntingdon Avenue, Waterbury, Connecticut - 203-596-7677


[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 04-28-2003).]

Barbeque defined by William Price Fox. (http://www.free-times.com/fox6.html)
Note: you now have to scroll down to get to the bbq section.

An excerpt:

To begin at the source, first of all if it's not pork, it's not barbecue. To steal a slogan from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Do Not Be Deceived By Envious Competitors. Almost every year the hawkers of beef, lamb and goat will buy a lot of air time and try an end-run around pork and respectability, but they soon become a cropper and sink to the ignominious bottom where they blessedly remain. Basically then, and to repeat, if it's not pork it's not barbecue.

Now I know you've all heard how Texas claims they have the world's best barbecue. Well, I shall now put that myth to rest where it belongs. The Lone Star State, while having many things, does not have hickory wood in good supply. Without hickory wood you cannot have barbecue. Now they may call it barbecue, because it's a free country and they can call anything they cook and serve (and some folks even eat) anything they want. But around here, if you mention Texas barbecue, someone's going to drift out to the parking lot and copy down your license plate number.

Down here in the hard lard belt, barbecue is cooked overnight with slow-burning hickory in a deep pit. Gas- and charcoal-fired grills and expensive backyard cookers, advertised on the Ronco Network, are to be avoided. You might as well heat up a can of Chef Boyardee's "Original Barbecue" or take your chances with a McDonald's Happy Meal with the advertised "tangy" sauce on the side. Down here we use mustard-based or a vinegar-and-pepper-based sauce. And that is the long and the short of it.




[This message has been edited by neverhome (edited 08-28-2002).]

I want to add my voice to Bib Bob Gibson's BBQ. We also have Whitt's here that's good. I like Alabama BBQ. It's dry and you can add your own sauce to taste.

Of course, if anyone is coming to Northern Alabama you're going to join me at our Quizno's Subs place in Athens. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:
Maurice Bessinger's Piggy Park in West Columbia, SC.

If you like mustard based sauce with your pulled pork sandwich, you will find none better.</font>


I live 300 miles from Maurice's Piggy Park and it is worth every one of those highway driven miles to eat here. This is BBQ Nirvana.

I have to agree on Gibsons' and Maurice's barbecue.

Gibson's barbecue in Alabama is very good.

Maurices Barbecue - Columbia, SC - I really enjoyed Maurice's barbecue - I prefer the barbecue sauce on the chicken over the pork, but really liked the mustard based sauce (ate there twice that week while I was working there).

Rendevouz - Memphis, TN - first time I had dry ribs was here - very interesting. If you go here, be sure to go across the street to the Peabody to see the ducks!

Joe's Bar-b-que - Alvin, Texas - this is my favorite place outside of Houston - they have huge barbecue baked potatoes and their food is always wonderful. Everytime I go there, it is busy.

Glad to see this thread still alive and kicking. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

Just as an FYI, the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas almost burned down the other day when their prep kitchen was set fire - intentionally. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/eek.gif

From the initial reports, it looks like it won't keep them down long, but just to be sure, I'm going to check it out next Wednesday night. We have to maintain quality control after all. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Well, we made it out last Wednesday evening to the Salt Lick BBQ and I have to report that the fire did no damage to the quality of the fare. Still great ribs, brisket, and sausage and a sauce that can't be duplicated.

But, you can buy it online apparently:

http://www.saltlickbbq.com/

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Starwood Lurker:
But, you can buy it online apparently:

http://www.saltlickbbq.com/
</font>

could not resist, had to order. Comes this WED! YUM

This thread warms my heart. I have been in Seattle for three years. There are lots of great things here, but I have yet to meet great BBQ (or catfish or crawfish) on the highways and byways of Puget Sound. I am thankful to fly into MEM several times a year, where I can get good BBQ right in the airport. Thanks for keeping this thread alive. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

I second that church BBQ in Huntsville, TX

Thought, my favourite spot is in New Braunfels, TX, half an hour north of San Antonio.
Dont ask me for the name, you drive Gruene Road, pass through that Gruene Village and just before the road goes down to the river is on the left side a restaurant with some female name. YUM

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Starwood Lurker:
Well, we made it out last Wednesday evening to the Salt Lick BBQ and I have to report that the fire did no damage to the quality of the fare. Still great ribs, brisket, and sausage and a sauce that can't be duplicated.

But, you can buy it online apparently:

http://www.saltlickbbq.com/</font>

Well, my package from Salt Lick came the other day. Here is my take on Salt Lick.

Brisket: VERY tender, good flavor but did not have the smoke punch I like.

Ribs: Good, but then I have my bias to Chicago ribs

Links: Excellent flavor, my favorite meat from Salt lick. If the texture had been firmer this would be my favorite link anywhere.

Sauce: Just OK, IMO it tasted like frech dressing with black pepper. When warmed it was a better sauce as the vinegar came out.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
Well, my package from Salt Lick came the other day. Here is my take on Salt Lick.

Brisket: VERY tender, good flavor but did not have the smoke punch I like.

Ribs: Good, but then I have my bias to Chicago ribs

Links: Excellent flavor, my favorite meat from Salt lick. If the texture had been firmer this would be my favorite link anywhere.

Sauce: Just OK, IMO it tasted like frech dressing with black pepper. When warmed it was a better sauce as the vinegar came out.</font>

Try the Habanero sauce next time. But, get ready to drink the Mississippi shortly thereafter. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

We'll be going back to a family reunion in East Texas the third week in October. Can't wait to revisit Bob's BBQ on Hwy 79. I'll try to remember to come back and give an update when we return.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Grew up near Lockhart, TX. No doubt about it - Kreuz is the best in country, even after the family split. Some of the atmosphere is lost in the new building, but the BBQ is still the best.
Have not lived in TX for 30 years but return to Austin annually for family events. Always plan a trip to Lockhart.
Prior to Seattle, lived in NC for 8 years. Anything served with an ice cream scoop cannot possibly be BBQ. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

I will now retreat to my flame proof bunker. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SeAAttle:
....lived in NC for 8 years. Anything served with an ice cream scoop cannot possibly be BBQ. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

I will now retreat to my flame proof bunker. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif</font>

LOL http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Charlotte, NC-Sonny's BBQ is not bad, part of a chain. Favorite hole in the wall BBQ place is Rogers BBQ.

Statesville, NC-Carolina BBQ
Shelby, NC-Bridges BBQ Lodge

Best ribs-Sticky Fingers, in Wilminton, NC
Columbia, SC, Chattanooga, TN, Charleston & Mt. Pleasant, SC.

For a different style of BBQ, try Maurices in the Columbia, SC area

Hey rocknrun, welcome to Flyertalk http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Thanks for the post.

Dateline Memphis: Tonight, I had ribs at the Isaac Hays restaurant in Peabody Place. I gotta say they (and the fried green tomatoes) were pretty darn good.

In El Paso TX

State Line
And The BBQ Company

Real good stuff http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif

R.O.’s BBQ in Gastonia, NC has been mentioned, but Saveur magazine states that sandwiches are memorable, “but it’s the R.O.’s slaw that’s truly habit-forming. Invented in 1947, this mayo and ketchup based concoction, with a nice pepper and ginger kick, is far more saucy and interesting than traditional coleslaw.” Anyone been?

Have to agree with GSW. I grew up in Memphis, too, and when I'm too lazy to make pulled pork myself I mail order it from Corky's(7 pounds, 2 bottles of sauce) next day delivery about $90.00. But I'd still rather find a bunch of people and go to the Rendezvous for ribs and a couple of sandwiches to go for the ride home.

For Lexington Style in NC, I highly recommend Country BBQ in High Point and Greensboro, for BBQ that is equal to THE Lexington BBQ in Lexington. Also if you happen to be around near breakfast NOBODY beats their tenderloin biscuit. A slab of tenderloin as big as 2 decks of cards, slight garlic kick to the breading, and so tender it melts in your mouth.
Located in High Point on Fairfield Rd, one block off of S. Main St., In Greensboro on West Wendover Ave, 1 mile east of I-40
For BBQ ribs, both beef and pork, the best in our area (High Point and Greensboro) is Carter Brothers (they have lexington style chopped pork also but the ribs are what they are famous for) This is the thick molasses/tomato/tangy sauce and the meat just falls off leaving a clean bone. Wonderful sides here too including home made potato salad, baked beans, etc besides the regular slaw and hush puppies. CASH ONLY (but they do have a teller machine inside the one on Hwy 68) Unfortunately both of these places are closed on Sunday, as just writing about them is getting my appetite up.
Located in High Point on North Main across from Home Depot, In Greensboro Near the intersection of Hwy 68 and Wendover Ave, behind Biscuitville.
Cindi

[This message has been edited by cndij (edited 01-12-2003).]

Best ribs and dinner in general, Rogers BBQ in Clearwater Florida.

Best BBQ Sandwich, US 31 BBQ in Muskegon Michigan.

I live in Alaska, so thank goodness I travel often enough to get my BBQ fix, 'cause we sure don't have much of a selection up here (with the exception of Catfish Haven in Anchorage!)

I agree with all of the postings on Texas BBQ joints, I have eaten at all of those listed in this thread plus many more. However, no one listed my all time favorite, and one that is consistanly rated as one of Texas' best, COOPERS'in LLano. The brisket is the tastiest I've ever eaten, then you have the ribs,pork chops, sirloin, sausage, and the goat all cooked in steel pits outside and over mesquite coals, this BBQ! http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Originally posted by geo1004:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">[B]Maurice Bessinger's Piggy Park in West Columbia, SC.

If you like mustard based sauce with your pulled pork sandwich, you will find none better.</font>

Their hush puppies are good, too. In addition to the original restaurant in West Columbia, SC, which I have been to, there are about nine or so thoughout greater Columbia. One at 800 Elmwood Ave. is a [long] walk north from the capitol [about 10 blocks north up Assembly St. past the library, St. Peter's church, and the Post Office, and 3 blocks west (2 blocks east of the end of I-126)], another about a three-mile jog to the east, at 4411 Devine Street (U.S. Hwy 76) and S. Beltline Blvd., the road that circles the city.

http://www.mauricesbbq.com/restaurant/index.html

All offer tremendous value . . . delicious, filling food at near fast-food prices.

The National Advocacy Center on the campus of the University of South Carolina is run jointly by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Education and the National District Attorney's Association, so lots of prosecutors make it through Columbia, SC.

Bottles of Maurice's various mustard-based BBQ sauces can be bought at the restaurants themselves or online. I always bring some home for the family, and a bottle for my secretary.

http://www.mauricesbbq.com/

You will also find online some literature (available at the restaurant counters) promoting extremely conservative states rights causes, etc.

http://www.mauricesbbq.com/politics/index.html

I recall seeing very few African Americans there during over a dozen visits on different trips. Though they were treated courteously, many would consider those who hold his opinions to have a high likelihood of also being racist--or perhaps just being former segregationists.

I myself would not hesitate to bring anyone with me who enjoys Carolina BBQ, including my Filipina wife and African-American sister-in-law and nephew.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DAL:
There's also a place outside of Huntsville attached to a gas station that is wonderful, I'll try to find the name.
</font>

The place in Huntsville is H & H Food Mart on Winchester east of the pkwy

Just had a Gibson's turkey stuffed potato last Sunday for lunch.....yummm

Central Texas BBQ

In Houston right off Airport Blvd by Hobby airport, in a run-down strip mall. Unbelievable brisket. Only open from 10:30 - 3:00. Always packed.

For the earlier post the name of the Church Bar-B-Q restrauant in Huntsville, TX is MT. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. It is currently being remodeled (long over due). Since the pits are outside the remodling won't effect the Bar-B-Q. This is Texas Bar-B-Q at its finest. Opened only Wed thru Sat. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Bump. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Corkey's Bar-B-Que BBQ
6705 Andrews Hwy
Odessa, Texas 79762
(432) 366-0338

Epicurious is right about McClard's in Hot Springs, AR. Their sauce is simply the best, and Bill Clinton used to eat there everytime he came back home. Like him or not, you know the man knows his food.

Incidentally, McClard's just celebrated their 75th anniversary.

I can't say that any of us will agree with them, as I haven't seen the article yet, but the most recent issue of Sourthern Living has a big article on the BEST BAR-B-Que all over the South: See http://www.southernliving.com/southern/onlyonaol/wspromo/sl_promo.html for the on-line publicity.

Unfortunately, that link's only for magazine or AOL subscribers.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by willie--wonka:
the most recent issue of Sourthern Living has a big article on the BEST BAR-B-Que all over the South: See http://www.southernliving.com/southern/onlyonaol/wspromo/sl_promo.html for the on-line publicity.</font>

As taucher states, only SL or AOL subscribers can access the link. Could someon cut and paste the article here on this thread? Thanks in advance.

On the way, Sweet Willie, but I hope you have a lot of space in your account:that thing runs almost 14 pages. I saved a hard copy if it doesn't come intact. I'm almost thinking it would be worth buying a copy of Southern Living for this one.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by willie--wonka:
On the way, Sweet Willie</font>

Got it, thank you very much.

As willie-wonka states, it is a large article w/lots of photos, I'll cut and paste the written in this thread after the weekend, when I'll have some time.

Looking forward to seeing that article...but please hurry!!!...I leave for SoFla on Tuesday!!!

Here is the article from Southern Living:

Someone needs your seat at Danny Edwards Famous Kansas City Barbecue so "Eat It an Beat It." So says Carolyn Wells, executive director of the 5,000-member Kansas City Barbeque Society. She lives in a city as nuts about barbecue as Memphis. October's American Royal Barbecue competition draws around 400 teams, while residents can dine at some 85 restaurants in the metropolitan area.

Kansas City speaks its own language to identify cuts of meats and styles--snoots, burnt ends, brownies, rib tips, long ends, and short ends. Diners dress up for Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue (which serves prime rib on the bone with a wine list); dress down for Danny Edwards Famous Kansas City Barbecue (with the motto "Eat It an Beat It"). Feast on beef and fries at the shrine Arthur Bryant's Barbeque. When Bryant passed on, The Kansas City Star honored his memory with an illustration depicting St. Peter at the pearly gates asking the famous cook, "Did you bring the sauce?"

On and on goes this debate about the South's best barbecue. While y'all argued, we ate. Charles Walton, the best food photographer in America, and I sniffed out nearly 100 restaurants, joints, and dives from Washington, D.C., to Kansas City, Missouri. We found that the heart of barbecue beats in Memphis. Tar Heels and Texans cook mountains of it, and between them run rivers of sauces and islands of styles. A vast feast spreads across the South. Come savor it with us. As long as there's been a South, we've loved barbecue, the one food that defines us most as a region. It suits our Southern sense of comfort, society, and the passage of time--friends and family gathering around glowing embers, drifting smoke scenting the air and seasoning the meats of animals that grazed the grass of our prairies and rooted the mast of our forests. Barbecue has moved from home to restaurant. In our Readers' Choice Awards, we asked for your favorite barbecue places. You submitted more than 7,500 restaurants. A full 47 of them sported "Bubba" somewhere in the name--from Bubba's Barbeque in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, to Bubba's Ribs & Q in Tifton, Georgia. All those Bubbas--and so many more--set a very long table of meat, sauces, and side dishes. "There are four barbecue meccas," says Carolyn Wells, a Nashville native and now the executive director of the Kansas City Barbeque Society. "The Carolinas form the cradle of American barbecue. Memphis is the undisputed pork barbecue capital of the world. The entire state of Texas considers itself a capital. Kansas City is the melting pot, where all regional styles come together." Later we'll tell you what we think is the best barbecue in the South. Travel Assistant Tanner Latham, informed of our foolhardy claim, leveled a gaze at us and said, "You do realize that readers will send death threats?" Yes. We expect them, but when you write us, please include names of your favorite restaurants so we can cover them in the future.

It (Memphis) beats in this city of 1.1 million, where more than 100 restaurants specialize in pork and ribs traditionally slow cooked over coals. Bill Scudder, a cabinet builder and amateur cook who competes in the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, doesn't hesitate when asked where good barbecue is prepared elsewhere in Tennessee. "Nowhere," he states. "Our worst is better than the best anywhere else." Bill dines where the ribs are wet (Corky's BBQ) or dry (Rendezvous). Best in the city, he believes, is Interstate Bar-B-Que, owned by the legendary Jim Neely, whose nephews now run Neely's Bar-B-Que. Jay Papasan, a Memphian living in Austin, yearns for Cozy Corner BBQ, which he calls "the most authentic place you may not have heard of." Our Richard Banks, Editorial Director of Custom Publishing, grew up near The Bar-B-Q Shop, which serves the specialty of barbecue spaghetti (noodles in sauce and a little pork). He praises the restaurant's consistency. "That's my one-word mantra when it comes to barbecue," Richard says. "Just about anybody can cook good barbecue on a given day, but who can do it consistently day after day? The Bar-B-Q Shop can."

If we don't say some place in the Old North State is one of our favorites, we'll be Tar Heel dead. Well, I love Ayden's Skylight Inn in eastern North Carolina. Wood is piled high where Pete Jones, 75, has cooked whole hogs from night till morning in this location since 1947. At noon he works at the counter beside his son and grandsons, as they serve customers small paper boats of barbecue. Behind them, a kitchen worker chops meat on a wooden block, rapping out the beat of the real song of the South. The meat, moist and tangy with clear vinegar and pepper seasoning, is served with slaw and a dense cornbread made of hot grease, water, salt, and meal. That's it: barbecue in its simplest and purest form, created by a man who was born across the street. "My mother raised 23 young'uns, 3 of her own and 20 for other people," Pete says. "We had to work as kids. When I was 7, she asked me if I wanted to stay in the house and cook or work in the fields. I said I would stay to the house."

Southerners always have whispered treasured family barbecue secrets from one generation to the next. In Beaufort, South Carolina, at 5 p.m. on a July Saturday as hot and sticky as sauce itself, we watch an intergenerational, dawn-to-dusk ritual. With sweat soaking their shirts, Jim Gibson; his son, Josh; and their friend Ray Williams chop pork on a plywood board laid over two sawhorses in their backyard. Nearby stands a pit they built of 40 cinder blocks, with a grill near the top. Since 6 a.m., two sides of hogs have been cooking 3 feet above coals. This is a "pig-picking" in which good barbecue is created through heavy lifting, perspiration, a little beer, and a lot of male bonding, Jim says. Then to accent the warm meat, he pours a concoction of tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and red and black pepper over the coarsely chopped pork. From eastern South Carolina, a clear vinegar sauce flows north toward Manning, where you'll find David McCabe, owner of McCabe's Bar-B-Q. Charles loves David's sauce so much he advises bringing an ice chest and empty jars. Also famous for sauces are Duke's Bar-B-Que in Orangeburg (it's the color of Russian dressing); Maurice's Gourmet Barbeque in West Columbia; Sweatman's BBQ near Holly Hill; Jackie Hite's Home Cooked Barbecue in Leesville; and Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ in Gaffney, a favorite of Associate Travel Editor Cassandra Vanhooser.

Rita Thomas sets her tables with three sauces at Bryan's The Pink Pig Bar-B-Que, a cinder block building the color of Pepto-Bismol, just north of Savannah in Levy, South Carolina. A former nurse, Rita founded The Pink Pig with her late brother. She now presides over the pit, which has two sunny dining rooms sparkling with fresh flowers on tables, lacy curtains, and winged pink pigs flying like little barbecue angels from the ceiling. Her sauces range from heavenly to hellish. They include Original Honey Mustard, Traditional Gullah Spice, and hot Low Country Fire. Many South Carolina barbecue shrines serve buffet style. Along with pork, look for fried chicken, pilaf, hash, rice, green beans, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and pickles.

In Texas, barbecue shrines serve as sanctuary and site of ceremony. At The Salt Lick in Driftwood, about 20 miles southwest of Austin, couples who meet in the restaurant sometimes return to wed. On a mellow afternoon last April, underneath tall pecan trees beside a creek, Matthew Ronshausen married Alisha Bronikowsky in a smoke-scented ceremony. In Huntsville, diners gather near New Zion Missionary Baptist Church Barbecue where parishioners cook and serve brisket, chicken, and ribs. Some devotees call it the "Church of the Immaculate Barbeque."

African Americans, Anglos, Germans, and Mexicans have tossed their flavors onto the grills and pits of Texas. German smoked sausages (often in hot links) and Mexican cabrito (goat) join chicken, pork ribs, slaw, beans, and potato salad on plates. Beef brisket stars, however, with a sweet, hot sauce (properly served on the side) in a color between Texas burnt orange and Aggie maroon. Some barbecue legends have as much cachet as historic Texas ranches, including Angelo's Barbecue in Fort Worth and Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse in Dallas. Many devotees in the Metroplex also love Fort Worth's Railhead Smokehouse BBQ. Texans think nothing of driving hours to eat. They journey to Joe Allen's Pit Bar-B-Que in Abilene and regularly travel to Llano or Lockhart, both towns with barbecue landmarks. At Cooper's Bar-B-Que in Llano, diners select their meat right off the pit. In Lockhart, the venerable Kreuz Market, now in a new location, still offers beef and links on butcher paper and still refuses to serve sauce. "We like the taste of the meat and don't want to cover it up," says owner Rick Schmidt. Near the courthouse, the equally respected Black's Barbecue, in the same family since 1932, cooks with fuel from the belt of large post oak trees girdling the town. Others drive northeast to Taylor, hoping the American flag flies outside Louie Mueller's Barbecue. That means Bobby and Trish Mueller still have meat in the pits, which are located inside the restaurant.

We've long loved burgoo, Kentucky's answer to Brunswick stew and hash, as well as the mutton at Owensboro's Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn and Shady Rest Barbecue, both favorites of Eleanor Griffin, native Kentuckian and our Editorial Director of Magazine Development. Copy Assistant Leah Dueffer steered us toward Starnes Barbecue in Paducah, her mom's hometown. We also enjoyed sandwiches made in Mayfield at Hill's Bar-B-Que and Carr's Barn. Mayfield cooks squish the pork, sauce, and bread together like a grilled cheese sandwich.

States west of the Mississippi and east of the Red River blend Eastern and Texas traditions with their own unique styles. Our Tom Marshall, Vice President of Marketing, swears by Joe Cobb's Barbecue, a landmark in his native Bossier City, Louisiana, since 1952. Joe and Sue Cobb's devoted following love the beef gooseneck round cooked above wood coals. Arkansas feels the tug of Southeast and Southwest. It's a state divided between beef and pork and colored with clear, yellow, and dark red sauces. How can true Razorback fans eat pork? I ask Senior Photographer and University of Arkansas alumnus Art Meripol, who shrugs and replies, "You are what you eat." In northeast Arkansas, Blytheville's Dixie Pig serves a clear, peppery vinegar sauce you'd expect in eastern North Carolina. In the southwest corner, Magnolia's Backyard Bar-B-Que drizzles brisket with a dark Texas-style concoction. Six sauces slapped me around one afternoon at Whole Hog Café & Catering in Little Rock. Elsewhere in town, I got a sandwich to go from Sims Bar-B-Que. The mustard sauce, however, had so thoroughly soaked the bread that I couldn't extract sandwich from wrapper. Glancing around and finding no one watching, I stuck my face in it and lapped it up like a dog. McClard's Bar-B-Q, a Hot Springs institution since 1928, satisfies with a dish called the Whole Spread. That hugely popular barbecue plate consists of two hot tamales covered with chopped beef, corn chips, beans, cheese, and onions. Scott McClard, fourth generation of his family to work here, nods at the next table where a patron dives into the dish. "It's a real gut bomb," he admits. Oklahoma welcomes bologna to the plate. It accompanies beef and pork at Bad Brad's Bar-B-Q in Pawhuska, Dink's Pit Bar-B-Que in Bartlesville, and Earl's Rib Palace in Oklahoma City. It also forms one layer of the Badwich, a sandwich piled high with sausage, beef, ham, and chopped pork, served at Elmer's B.B.Q. in Tulsa. After finishing a Badwich one day, I realized just how far the barbecue table stretches across our South. From the kitchen came the regular beat of a cleaver on a wooden block--an echo of Carolina in these Osage Hills.

Just sniff. From the Nation's Capital, south to Florida, across the Gulf states, and to the Oklahoma plains, barbecue scents nearly all Southern breezes. Woodsmoke curls along the roof of the South. In the D.C. area, many salute Georgetown's Old Glory All-American Bar-B-Que, which represents all Southern styles served in a senate of sauces and a congress of 'cue. The sauce is thick, red, and rather hot at Piece’s Pitt Bar-B-Queue near Williamsburg, Virginia. Southern Living reader Terry Holzman of Keswick compares Charlottesville's Jinx's Pit's-Top to Alabama's legendary Dreamland Bar-B-Que. Lynnmarie Cook, our Associate Editor of Custom Publishing, pauses at The Blue Ridge Pig before she visits Virginia's Wintergreen Resort.

Alumni of Ole Miss and Mississippi State often taste the warm memory of barbecue. Nancy Dorman-Hickson recalls dining at The Little Dooey in Starkville, Mississippi. From his Ole Miss days, Foods Editor Scott Jones fondly remembers the BBQ Sundae served at the Rebel Barn BBQ in Oxford. An entrée, not dessert, the sundae layers pork, slaw, and baked beans, all covered in thick, sweet red sauce. Mississippi Barbecue Napkins
To clean sticky sauce from your hands, pick and tear a few sassafras leaves, which release a citrus-like aroma, and rub them all over your hands. Tom Pharr, co-owner of Anchuca Mansion & Inn in Vicksburg, found the leaves to be a convenient cleanser when he attended the annual Redbone United Methodist Church reunion. "They are good for barbecue sauce and chicken grease," he reports.

Sauces coat meat in many colors in Alabama. A light vinegar soaks the chopped pork at Whitt's Barbecue in Athens (with locations in Ardmore, Hartselle, Cullman, and Decatur as well), a drive-through with alfresco dining under a big hackberry tree. In Decatur Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q serves a tangy mayonnaise sauce that is excellent with chicken. Diners may also select Gibson's mild red sauce or the fiery vinegar, then douse the flames with cool cream pies. "Sometimes the pie is as important as the pig," says Travel Assistant Tanner Latham. In the Birmingham area, we love Honey's Pies at Johnny Ray's, the famous lemon pie at Bob Sykes BarB-Q, or the Key lime pie at Pat James Full Moon Bar-B-Que. Barbecue has long seasoned community gatherings throughout Alabama. Huntsville newspapers in the 1830s headlined stories "Ball and Barbecue," while elsewhere in the region editorial writers condemned these dance-feasts for the flowing whiskey and pandering politicians. With integration in the 1960s, whites and blacks broke bread and ribs together at Dreamland Bar-B-Que, an African American-founded institution in Tuscaloosa. Later, when a location opened in a derelict Birmingham area, Dreamland's steady business helped clean up the neighborhood. (Dreamland also has locations in Atlanta and Mobile.)

Drive 50 miles in any direction in Georgia, and you'll find barbecue pulled here, chopped there, and soaked in sauces of all kinds. Our Bill McDougald, native Georgian and Executive Director of the Southern Progress Homes Group, loves the vinegar sauce of Holcomb's Barbeque in White Plains. Associate Livings Editor Nancy Dorman-Hickson and husband Mark considered an additional vow when they married: "To love, honor, and share Fincher's Barbecue." Mark grew up eating at this Macon establishment, where a mixture of ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce soaks the pork. While much of Georgia runs red with ketchup, Columbus favors mustard. "It came from millworkers," surmises Clay Gullatt, owner of Mike & Ed's Barbecue. Scott Ressmeyer of Country's Barbecue says, "It goes back to the African American cooks here. All the old barbecue places used mustard."

Charles loves Brodus' Bar-B-Que in Groveland, Florida, with its mustard and tomato sauces, and Bubbalou's Bodacious Bar-B-Que in Orlando. There he found strangers gathered at tables, wolfing down meat with red sauces ranging from mild to "psycho." "You don't see these communal tables at any other kind of restaurant," he marvels. "Barbecue is the great equalizer. It cuts through society."

Okay. Here goes. My favorites are Bodacious Bar-B-Que in Kilgore, Texas, my hometown, and Ayden, North Carolina's Skylight Inn. Reared on brisket, I also savor the purity of eastern Carolina style. I think back to North Carolina's Pete Jones. Indeed, the barbecue of our youth has "stayed to the house" of our memory. It is the food of home that feeds the heart, but we can still love other styles. "My favorite," says Charles, cleaning his sauce-spattered cameras, "is what's in front of me right now." Don't see your favorite joint in this story? Next month, watch for our special guide to the South's barbecue in bookstores and on newsstands.


[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 05-18-2003).]

Stameys, in Greensboro
Finchers, in Macon
JB's, just North of the FL/GA line in Beachton, GA

And I ommitted the Salt Lick in Driftwood, showing how memory loss affects those of us deprived of brisket for too long.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">All roads in the Lone Star State lead to barbecue—a slow-smoked way of life. In the hands of talented pitmasters, beef briskets fire a feeding frenzy in every true Texan and fill the butcher paper and plates of more than 2,100 barbecue restaurants.

When you are traveling Texas, don’t be alarmed at the sight of hazy blue smoke wafting above the horizon. It’s just a beacon to a roadside barbecue joint, a symbol of Texas as true as longhorns and longnecks.

The Lone Star State boasts more than 2,100 barbecue restaurants, a clue to the seriousness with which Texans regard their ’cue. Another meaty statistic: These businesses ring up over a half-billion dollars annually, forming a cobweb of commerce that connects a diverse, sprawling state with a common mission—Go forth, Texans, to cook and consume.

Although you can find good barbecue throughout the South, the Texas variety is different from that found in other barbecue headquarters. North Carolina barbecue is mostly pork with a vinegar-based sauce. In Tennessee, ’cue lovers find ribs wet (mopped with a tomato-based sauce) and dry (sprinkled with a paprika rub). In other parts of the Deep South, barbecue often means roasting a whole hog. And in Kansas City, you just might find cookers adding a little honey to their mixture to produce the burnt ends that are so popular in that city. In Texas, barbecue means beef brisket, basted meats, and tomato-based sauce, or sometimes no sauce at all.

Finding good Texas barbecue is easier than precisely defining it. In a state spanning over 261,000 square miles, the definition is debated from the bayous of East Texas to the Panhandle prairies to the border communities along the Rio Grande. In each region, the local barbecue is influenced by other culinary cultures, from Southern to Tex-Mex to Southwest. Cabrito, or barbecued goat, is often served in the western portion of the state, while pork or lamb is a more common offering in East Texas. Cooking styles vary, as well. Out on the West Texas plains, barbecue is usually cooked over a slow fire of mesquite wood, while in southern and central Texas pecan and oak are more common. Farther east, barbecue pits are stoked with hickory.

There is one unifying factor, however, in most Texas barbecue joints, whether the jukebox is playing cowboy, Cajun, or conjunto tunes. The star of most menus remains beef brisket, slow-smoked and sliced. Making the brisket a success is the mark of a true Texas barbecuer. Genuine Texas barbecue is never grilled but is always smoked in a closed chamber or pit, ensuring the blessed union of meat and smoke.

Just how the smoker should be arranged, however, is the topic of endless controversy. In the community of Llano, for example, pitmasters use "indirect barbecuing." Wood, primarily mesquite, is placed in the firebox and allowed to burn down to coals; then it’s transferred to the main section of the pit beneath the meat. Here it flavors and cooks the meat to perfection, imparting a delicate smoky taste that is subtler than that achieved through ordinary smoking. Many barbecue restaurants dish up their meat right out of the smoker with the tomato-based sauce on the side, usually accompanied by a shaker of hot peppers soaking in vinegar to add a tangy kick to the meal.

Unlike other barbecue hot spots like Kansas City and Memphis, there is no single "capital of ’cue" in Texas. Instead the title is shared throughout a part of the state that could be termed the Barbecue Belt, stretching from Llano in the west to Schulenburg in the east. This smoky swath slices through the capital city of Austin and extends to local havens such as Elgin, Lockhart, Taylor, and Luling, small communities where barbecue is the hottest action in town.

Barbecue got its start in this region during the frontier days of the late 1800s in meat markets and butcher shops. Pioneer merchants were determined to find a use for cuts that weren’t selling. On weekends, they began smoking those quickly aging meats, hoping to make them more palatable. It worked. Like an aromatic billboard, the smell of barbecue soon permeated the small towns and captured the attention of those doing their Saturday marketing. Farmers and ranchers in town for weekend trading came by the meat market and found an inexpensive lunch served up on the only plate a butcher had on hand: butcher paper.

Eventually, farm and ranch families began making the meat market a regular weekend stop, dining off the back of their wagons. A sign over the counter of one Texas barbecue spot says it all: "Bar-b-que, sex, and death are subjects that provoke intense speculation in most Texans. Of the three, probably bar-b-que is taken most seriously."

Louie Mueller Barbecue / Louie Mueller’s, located 35 miles northeast of Austin, is one of the most authentic barbecue joints in Texas, with a slamming screen door, smoke-covered walls, and giant fans that provide the only cool breeze on a hot summer day. Not one to waste money on fancy gimmicks like plates, Mueller’s serves up meat on a piece of white butcher paper. And don’t look for menus here, either. There’s a letter board on one wall with the offerings. You can pick from brisket, served regular or extra lean, sausage, pork ribs, chopped beef, or steak. Grab a tray, step up to the counter, and the cook will carve off a slice of meat to satisfy your own proportions. Meats are served with a cup of sauce on the side; the tomatoey broth is spiced with a Texas-sized helping of black pepper. For real fire-eaters, bottles of homemade vinegar and chile sauce top every table. For a side dish, opt for coleslaw, beans, or potato salad, a flavorful mixture of mashed potatoes spiced with celery.

206 West Second Street, Taylor; Tel: 512-352-6206. Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Meal for two about $12.

Rudy Mikeska’s Bar-B-Q Inc. / Just next to Louie Mueller Barbecue lies Rudy Mikeska’s, a restaurant that serves up equally fine offerings in a more citified atmosphere. During his lifetime, Rudy Mikeska was the dean of Texas pitmasters and a likely candidate for catering any political function. In Texas, the Mikeska name is synonymous with barbecue, thanks to Rudy and his brothers: Maurice, Clem, Jerry, Mike, and Louis. Each man founded his own barbecue restaurant, spread throughout the state. "We’re a very close family," explains Rudy’s son Tim, "but we all do things a little different." Don’t expect to see identical menus or taste identical food.

Rudy died in 1989, but he left a legacy of legendary barbecue that his children Tim and Mopsie continue. Step inside the bright red building and have a look around at the dozens of pictures of Rudy Mikeska and the wheelers and dealers of Texas. You’ll find photos of politicians here posing beside Mikeska at various events he catered. In the cafeteria line, you can order a plate of lamb ribs, but the popular favorites are brisket, sausage, and pork ribs. The sausage, thin links full of peppery fire, is made using Mikeska’s own recipe. Most diners cool the burn with a traditional barbecue restaurant dessert: banana pudding, chock full of banana slices and vanilla wafers.

300 West Second Street, Taylor; Tel: 512-352-5561. Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Meal for two $16–$20.

Cooper’s Old Time Pit Barbecue / Cooper’s has long been one of the best-known restaurants in Texas. From its huge rectangular pits located by the front door to the dining room dotted with loaves of white bread and jars of jalapeño peppers, this is the real thing. Before entering the restaurant, located about 80 miles west of Austin, you’ll place your order right at the pit, where the pitmaster opens the huge vaults to reveal a king’s treasure: brisket, pork ribs, beef ribs, chicken, goat, sausage, sirloin steak, and pork chops. Name the meat (brisket is the top choice) and the amount, and the pitman will carve it off and drop it on some butcher paper for you to take inside for weighing. Cooper’s also does catering.

604 West Young (TX 29 West), Llano; Tel: 915-247-5713. Open Monday through Thursday 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday through Sunday 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Meal for two $15–$21.

Southside Market and BBQ, Inc. / Well-known throughout the Barbecue Belt, the Southside Market in Elgin is also one of the most recognized names in Texas barbecue lore and is definitely the biggest thing in the community of Elgin, located about 25 miles east of Austin. In business since 1882, the market is known for its Elgin hot sausage, sometimes known as Elgin Hot Guts. For generations, Southside was located in a smoky den that spoke volumes about the history of barbecue. Sadly, the business outgrew its old home and now sits in a red tin building with a concrete floor, less atmospheric but one of the largest barbecue restaurants in the state. Spicy but not hot, the all-beef Southside sausage is a favorite in many barbecue restaurants in Texas. Along with links, Southside sells brisket, pork and beef ribs, beef steak, pork, and even mutton. Plates come with potato salad and beans.

1212 US 290 West, Elgin; Tel: 512-285-3407. Open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Meal for two $14–$21.

Iron Works / When ironsmith Fortunat Weigl opened his foundry in 1935, he probably never envisioned that one day Austin’s movers and shakers would gather here for power lunches. In those days, this was an ironworks shop where the German immigrant and his sons produced handwrought decorative items that were displayed in many stately homes and the Texas State Capitol.

In 1977, the ironworks closed its doors and the shop was transformed into a smokehouse. The building, complete with historic marker, is decorated with hundreds of brands, a reminder of its earlier life. Today, diners fill the restaurant and its picnic tables overlooking the banks of Waller Creek to enjoy tender brisket, smoky ribs, and spicy sausage.

100 Red River, Austin; Tel. 512-478-4855 or 800-669-3602. Open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Meal for two $16–$26.

The County Line on the Hill / Walk into most Texas barbecue joints wearing a coat and tie and you’ll immediately be branded a "city slicker." At the County Line in Austin, though, three-piece suits sit side by side with Wranglers and Levis. For all its gentrified atmosphere, however, this restaurant serves genuine Texas barbecue, with meats smoked for 18 to 20 hours daily then trimmed of any fat. This original location has spawned County Line restaurants around Texas and in neighboring states. Housed in a historic rock building with a 20-mile view of the hill country, diners can sit on the stone patio and enjoy the menu favorites: beef ribs, baby backs, brisket, and sausage. Side dishes are made from scratch daily and include huge bowls of potato salad, crunchy coleslaw, and tasty pintos.

6500 West Bee Caves Road, Austin; Tel: 512-327-1742. Open Sunday through Thursday 5 p.m–10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Dinner for two $20–$50. /END/</font>[/B][/QUOTE]

Thanks for posting the over-view on Texas BBQ, Sweet Willie. I have to say that I have had the pleasure of eating in all of the named BBQ Meccas you highlighted. All a little bit different as the article indicates, but very worthy of mention nonetheless.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

When you're traveling south on I-75 through Atlanta, take the McDonough Exit that says Highway 20/81. (there are 3 McDonough exits) OB's BBQ is to the left and then right at Wendy's. They also have ribs, steaks, hamburgers, seafood, so if everyone in your family doesn't like BBQ they have a choice. This place is usually pretty crowded on weekends, but I think they are open every night.

For a vinegar based BBQ that would make you smack your mother, Try Smithfield's BBQ on Hwy 301 North, Smithfield, NC. Great sauce!!! I was driving back from vacation and we stopped for lunch. Ten miles north on I-95, we turned around to get two more bottles of sauce!

G

"Rita Thomas sets her tables with three sauces at Bryan's The Pink Pig Bar-B-Que, a cinder block building the color of Pepto-Bismol, just north of Savannah in Levy, South Carolina. A former nurse, Rita founded The Pink Pig with her late brother. She now presides over the pit, which has two sunny dining rooms sparkling with fresh flowers on tables, lacy curtains, and winged pink pigs flying like little barbecue angels from the ceiling. Her sauces range from heavenly to hellish. They include Original Honey Mustard, Traditional Gullah Spice, and hot Low Country Fire. Many South Carolina barbecue shrines serve buffet style. Along with pork, look for fried chicken, pilaf, hash, rice, green beans, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and pickles."

The above quote from Southern Living mentions Levy, SC. I can not find Levy on the official state highway roadmap for SC. Can someone direct me to where this town is?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hackensacknj:
...just north of Savannah in Levy, South Carolina..... Can someone direct me to where this town is?</font>

Levy is on ALT 170 about 10-12 miles north of Savannah. Recommend you try http://www.mapquest.com next time, just enter your destination (even if just a city).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
Levy is on ALT 170 about 10-12 miles north of Savannah. Recommend you try http://www.mapquest.com next time, just enter your destination (even if just a city).</font>

Many thanks for this reference lead/link. I did not know of being able to use Mapquest that way!

Guy's Meat Market BBQ - Houston
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Imagine a brisket sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and mustard. It would be an abomination before the barbecue gods. A brisket sandwich is properly dressed with lots of barbecue sauce on the bun and whatever combination of onions, pickles and jalapeños the consumer sees fit. The sauce keeps the meat moist. So why not treat the barbecued hamburgers at Guy's with the same respect you'd show any other barbecue sandwich?

I order a burger with barbecue sauce and jalapeños, as instructed, and one with lettuce, tomato and mayo for the sake of comparison. I also get a half-pound of ribs because they look good and a plate of links because it's the lunch special.

The ribs are dense and chewy with a nice smoky flavor. The oversize links, made of finely ground and lightly seasoned meat, are tasty. And the burger with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise is predictably dry. But the hickory-smoked burger covered with jalapeños on a bun liberally painted with barbecue sauce is incredible.

In the Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook, I wrote that hamburgers and hot dogs aren't considered barbecue in Texas. I was trying to distinguish between the use of the word "barbecue" in Yankeeland to describe a backyard weenie roast versus what we mean in Texas. Though I may have been well intentioned, the hamburgers at Guy's have proved me wrong. There is such a thing as a barbecued hamburger, even in the Texan sense of the word.

Every day, Guy's Meat Market puts 200 cooked half-pound, ground round patties in the smoker with smoldering hickory for about an hour. They sell the burgers until they run out, which is generally a little after noon. You might get one as late as 12:45 if you're really lucky.

Guy's is a Houston landmark. Brad "Guy" Dickens opened the original Guy's Meat Market on Almeda in 1938. He opened a second store at Scott and Southmore in 1946. In 1958 he moved to the current location on OST. Dickens also bought the land next door and built a restaurant called the Blue Haven Grill for a friend. The friend had a heart attack, and Guy took over the restaurant in 1961 and ran it until 1975 as Guy's Steakhouse. You can still read the restaurant's 1961 menu, which is on display near the meat market's cash register.

Guy’s Meat Market BBQ
3106 Old Spanish Trail
Houston
713-747-6800.
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.</font>
http://www.houstonpress.com/issues/2003-08-28/cafe.html/1/index.html

There's now a Dreamland location in Huntsville, Alabama.

One place that I didn't see mentioned in this thread was Fat Matt's Rib Shack in Atlanta, on Piedmont Road. They cook their ribs so that the meat melts in your mouth. The sauce is delectably sweet.

Slicks - Muskogee, Ok.
Leo's - OKC 36th & Kelly
Goode - Houston - Kirby
Otto - Houston - Memorial

Memphis would have to be Rendevous for ribs. Neelys for Q (walk up location in Memphis airport, also).
Nashville would be Calhouns for ribs.
For barbeque, Whitt's. (Herbert's in Franklin if you are willing to make a little drive)
Still looking in Arkansas.

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The best bbq in Little Rock is a toss up between Mr. Mason's and Whole Hog.

Whole Hog has won the BBQ contest in Memphis a bunch of times, but I don't so much care for their ribs. I do like their "last night's ribs" that they sell. They sell you the ribs that didn't sell the night before, and you go home and wrap them in plastic wrap (yes, plastic wrap) and put them in the oven for a little while. When it comes out, the meat falls off the bone with no effort at all. I think they should just sell those instead of their regular ribs. Anyway, at the restaurant, they have 6 choices of sauces at each table for you to slather on your plate of meat. They also have a 7th (the Volcano sauce) but you have to ask for that specially and they don't give you much of it, b/c it's rough. And I love spicy food.

Hot Springs, AR, is famous for McClard's BBQ. It's about to be featured on the Food network and the Travel Channel as one of the best BBQ places in America. I really like their sauce - you can order it on the internet.

Mr. B's in New Orleans!

Three of the best:

McClards in Hot Springs, Arkansas, since 1928
http://www.mcclards.com/

Interstate Bar-B-Que in Memphis---and in the Tennessee Tavern at Gate B17 [NWA] at MEM. Worth a connection to try!

Angelo's in Fort Worth

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by biggs:
NC barbeque places

Gary's-China Grove
Lexington-Lexington
Speedys-Lexington
Wilbers-Goldsboro (my CT sister-in-law loves this place)
Parkers-Wilson

Remember, barbeque is a religion in NC and there is eastern style and western style. Also all others, such as the lower Carolinas and TX beef (sacrilege!), are heresies. Enjoy! </font>

I remember eating at Parkers a lot when I was a kid. Those fried cornbread sticks were the greatest. Eastern NC BBQ is the best in the world, hands down. The mustard based stuff in SC is just awful.



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Don't take life too seriously, afterall, you won't get out alive.

Swag's BBQ mini-tour of the Austin area

Down in Austin for business this week. I'm currently on Atkins, so 3 of the specialties of the area (mexican, chili, and chicken fried steak) were not good options. But BBQ is perfect, as long as it's good enough to eat with no sauce.

Tuesday night, based on a chowhound recommendation, I went to Artz Rib House on S. Lamar. I had the full slab of baby backs; it was very, very good. Not sure I'd go too far out of my way for this one, but if you're in the area, it's a fine choice.

Thursday night, I made the pilgramage down to Lockhart, the "BBQ capital of TX", about 30 minutes south of Austin. Unfortunately, Kreutz is open only until 6pm, and my work schedule would not let me get there that early. So I ate instead at Black's BBQ, open until 8pm. The brisket was very good, but one end was overly blackened. And the fat was all on one end of the meat, whick made the other end slightly dry. It was still as good as any I've had in Dallas. The sausage, which they make themselves, was sensational, maybe the best I've ever had. I picked up a half dozen cold links to go, so I'll be enjoying it again over the coming week.

Today, on the way home, I stopped for lunch at Cooper's Pit BBQ, just off I-35 in Round Rock. Again, I had brisket and sausage. The brisket was wonderful, with a nice smokey, slightly salty flavor; moist; with a uniform 1/8 trim of fat along the whole slice. The sausage (made by the Elgin Hot Sausage Co.) was also fantastic, perhaps almost as good as what I ate last night. Highly recommended.

A few other things I noticed. Both Black's and Cooper's sliced the brisket thicker than they do here in Dallas, maybe 1/2 inch vs. 1/4. Both places were happy to serve meat by the pound, even when dining in (here in Dallas, dine in BBQ means a "plate" of unspecified quantity, and usually includes sides which us Atkins-ites don't want. Both places were also bargains, especially Black's (meats were $9/pound, even the ribs, and sausages were about $1.50 each for a large "ring"; my dinner of a half pound of brisket and 2 sausage rings was a LOT of meat, and cost under $8).

Finally, I noticed all 3 places were deserted. At Artz, there were maybe a dozen folks eating, but it was after 9 on a weeknight. At Black's, there were 3 other customers at 7:30. Most surprising, Cooper's had only a half dozen customers at 1pm on a Friday, which ought to be prime lunch rush, especially with Dell right nearby.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by GeorgeBurdell:
There's now a Dreamland location in Huntsville, Alabama.</font>

Yes, but it's much too classy.

Originally Posted by hamajicky
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The best bbq in Little Rock is a toss up between Mr. Mason's and Whole Hog.
Whole Hog has won the BBQ contest in Memphis a bunch of times, but I don't so much care for their ribs. I do like their "last night's ribs" that they sell.
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I travel all over the south (and the US, for that matter) and I can tell you that everyone thinks they have the best BBQ in their town. I've eaten at most of these places you guys have mentioned (and the proof is in my waistline). Whole Hog is consistently one of the best. When you try the Volcano sauce, make sure you're next to the sweet tea containers....

While much of Georgia runs red with ketchup, Columbus favors mustard. "It came from millworkers," surmises Clay Gullatt, owner of Mike & Ed's Barbecue. Scott Ressmeyer of Country's Barbecue says, "It goes back to the African American cooks here. All the old barbecue places used mustard."
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After going through three pages of hunger building commentary on barbeque, I finally found reference to my new favorite, Mike and Ed's. I don't know much about M&E's but when I was driving through Phenix City. Alabama on my way from Columbus, GA (just across the river!) about a month ago, three of us in suits and ties sighted Mike and Ed's and decided it was lunch time.

This was the best I've ever had and I've had too much, if there is such.

Great flavors, great smells, and great portions.

Anyone else know this restaurant?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by gsw:
This thread warms my heart. I have been in Seattle for three years. There are lots of great things here, but I have yet to meet great BBQ (or catfish or crawfish) on the highways and byways of Puget Sound. I am thankful to fly into MEM several times a year, where I can get good BBQ right in the airport. Thanks for keeping this thread alive. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif</font>

Try Dixie's BBQ in Bellevue. Yeah, the way-too-hot sauce called "The Man" (optional) is more hype than edible, it's probably the best barbeque in the area.

On a different note, when you're in Austin and want great barbeque coupled with some of the best live music in town, try Stubb's BBQ.

(edited for speeling)
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I'd kill to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

[This message has been edited by WonderDude (edited Nov 27, 2003).]

Maurice's Piggy Park (Columbia, SC) has popped up a few times in this thread. Travellers need to know there is an ongoing boycott of this chain becuase of their position of supporting a return to the pattern of flying the Confederate Battle flag over the state capitol building. In any event, I far prefer Three Little Pigs for BBQ in Columbia (and Farm Boys in nearby Chapin)

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Bob Foster, San Diego

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bfson2:
Maurice's Piggy Park (Columbia, SC) has popped up a few times in this thread. Travellers need to know there is an ongoing boycott of this chain becuase of their position of supporting a return to the pattern of flying the Confederate Battle flag over the state capitol building. In any event, I far prefer Three Little Pigs for BBQ in Columbia (and Farm Boys in nearby Chapin)

</font>

I have to ask. WHY do travellers need to know this? Having just moved home from living in Columbia SC for 8 years, I can attest that the boycott was started by individuals from outside of SC. Further, the boycott, in its 4th year now I believe, has done nothing. The ONLY business that has suffered for it and closed down was the Slavery Museum in Charleston. Ironic don't you think? FWIW I don't like SC BBQ at all. Mustard belongs elsewhere IMHO.



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Don't take life too seriously, afterall, you won't get out alive.

Just a note about the MEM BBQ outlets. They're not open until 11am.

Speedy's in Lexington NC or Carter Brothers in High Point NC- both are great!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by njvj:
Speedy's in Lexington NC or Carter Brothers in High Point NC- both are great!</font>
Is that the peppery vinegar style?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by taucher:
Originally posted by njvj:
Speedy's in Lexington NC or Carter Brothers in High Point NC- both are great!</font>
Is that the peppery vinegar style?

It's got to be, thats the best BBQ IMO.



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Don't take life too seriously, afterall, you won't get out alive.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
Best in the city, he believes, is Interstate Bar-B-Que, owned by the legendary Jim Neely, whose nephews now run Neely's Bar-B-Que. </font>

Exactly right. And they have a location across from gate B17 in MEM, where they will make you a travel pack to take on your flight, including a bottle of sauce if you like.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by WonderDude:
Try Dixie's BBQ in Bellevue. Yeah, the way-too-hot sauce called "The Man" (optional) is more hype than edible, it's probably the best barbeque in the area.</font>I've been to Dixie's. It may be the best BBQ in the Puget Sound region, but it's still awful.

I concur with the Iron Works recommendation for Austin. Also agree that if you have to go chain in Texas, County Line is the way to go.

I'm astonished that nobody here mentioned Mo's BBQ in Houston. It's very close to IAH (if you have a long layover, this is the place to go). It's on FM1960 just east of Lee Road. Mo's is just about the only thing I genuinely miss about having left Houston.

Driving from Atlanta to Winston-Salem before Thanksgiving, my sister said she'd seen R.O.'s featured on "Food Finds" on the Food Channel a day or so before. So, of course, we had to detour to Gastonia to try the much-touted slaw. We all had the sliced BBQ sandwich w/slaw (on advice on a lady who was getting take-out). The BBQ was just OK - not smoky enough or greasy enough for me! But, the slaw was really good - very finely ground, i.e., pulverized, cabbage mixed w/the sauce ingredients. I couldn't define the piquant taste at the time, but thanks to you, Sweet Willie, I know now that it was the ginger kick. The slaw was so good, in fact, that I bought a quart to go, and we ate it on ham and smoked turkey sandwiches over the next few days. R.O.'s actually sells a "slaw sandwich" ($1.05), which is, according to my sister, composed of a grilled hamburger bun with no innards except slaw! I also think it would make a tasty salad dressing. Yes, I can see that it could be addictive...

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
R.O.’s BBQ in Gastonia, NC has been mentioned, but Saveur magazine states that sandwiches are memorable, “but it’s the R.O.’s slaw that’s truly habit-forming. Invented in 1947, this mayo and ketchup based concoction, with a nice pepper and ginger kick, is far more saucy and interesting than traditional coleslaw.” Anyone been?</font>



[This message has been edited by joie_de_vie (edited Dec 04, 2003).]

My favorite place in the world for BBQ is the Germantown Commissary in Germantown, TN. The place is a little shack next to some railroad tracks, and the service staff have all been there about 40 years. They are so good you can even have their products Fedex'd to you. I have often given myself long layovers in MEM to get there...

My observations on this very important topic: http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif

Salt Lick - Driftwood, TX
I think I've been half a dozen times, and am always incredibly satisfied. I'm not sure if I'd classify their actual BBQ as the best, but the overall experience (including the atmosphere) has to be my favorite of all. Usually, by the time I get back to Austin, I'm already feeling the effects of a BBQ hangover and need to hoist myself into bed.

Kreuz Market - Lockhart, TX
I've only been once, but I thought the meat was incredible.

Rudy's - Various Locations, TX
I've been to two Rudy's -- the original (I believe?) out on Boerne Stage Rd (I think ) NW of San Antonio, and the one in New Braunfels (which is our traditional post-Schlitterbahn dining experience). For a chain operation, I think Rudy's delivers prettty darn tasty BBQ. The cream corn is good too.

County Line -- Various Locations, TX
With apologies to William and others, I haven't been impressed with County Line the two or three times that I've been. The meat was dry and the prices seemed a little out of whack for what they had to offer. Maybe it's just that BBQ in a dining room isn't my thang.

Cooper's Old Time Pit BBQ -- Llano, TX
I liked the choose your meat component of Cooper's, but had less fondness for the bill. I can tell you that I was a little too ambitious with what I picked out, but I still feel like I paid more than other places. By and large, I thought the BBQ was good though, and I'd certainly go again if I found myself in Llano.

Angelos BBQ -- Fort Worth TX
I've eaten here twice. It provides an interesting juxtaposition if you've just been to the nearby Modern Art Museum. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/biggrin.gif Anyway...I have not been particuarly impressed either time that I've been. And, I don't feel that it's a very inviting place.

Sweatman's BBQ -- Holly Hill, SC
I'm amazed that this hasn't been mentioned yet -- this SC mustard based barbecue has to be one of my favorites of all time, and I always thought it was considered one of the tops in the state as well.

Woodrow's -- outside Tuscaloosa, AL
Previously mentioned -- this hole has incredibly good BBQ. My father and I were in the middle of a BBQ roadtrip (and coma) when we stopped by, so we weren't able to appreciate it in its full glory -- but I still remember it as being very good.

Curtis' All American 9th Wonder of the World BBQ -- Putney, VT
An odd location, but truly phenomonal BBQ served out of a school bus just off of I-91. It's not in the South, but I thought I'd mention it here anyway.

[This message has been edited by snorkmaster (edited Jan 30, 2004).]

I have lived in 5 southern states and tried barbeque everywhere I could find it. My favorites: Buddy's Chain out of Knoxville, TN and whoever used to make the BBQ served at Charlotte Hornets games.

AJC.com has an article on Atlanta BBQ
'Cue quest
When it comes to barbecue, everyone's an expert, and every area but ours claims greatness. But we've discovered a few tasty choices within easy driving distance (http://www.accessatlanta.com/restaurants/content/restaurants/reviews/0204/05bbq.html)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by WonderDude:
Try Dixie's BBQ in Bellevue. Yeah, the way-too-hot sauce called "The Man" (optional) is more hype than edible, it's probably the best barbeque in the area.

On a different note, when you're in Austin and want great barbeque coupled with some of the best live music in town, try Stubb's BBQ.

(edited for speeling)</font>

I would have to say Jones BBQ in the Ranier Valley is by far the best in the Seattle area. I know this is kind of like the best Sushi in Iowa comparision, but I will say it anyway. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Went to the Salt Lick again this past Sunday and for the first time, I was a bit disappointed. The brisket was fine as usual, but the pork ribs were very fatty. I know, I know, they're pork ribs after all, but these were especially greasy, which I never experienced the likes of here before. Never did like their sausage much for the same reason.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I agree about the sausage -- it's decent ebough, but pales in comparison to Kreuz and others in my opinion...

particularly comparee
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Starwood Lurker:
Went to the Salt Lick again this past Sunday and for the first time, I was a bit disappointed. The brisket was fine as usual, but the pork ribs were very fatty. I know, I know, they're pork ribs after all, but these were especially greasy, which I never experienced the likes of here before. Never did like their sausage much for the same reason.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com </font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by snorkmaster:
I agree about the sausage -- it's decent ebough, but pales in comparison to Kreuz and others in my opinion...

particularly comparee
</font>

MMMmmm. Kruez' Market. May have to make out that way soon.

I think for sausage the best around these parts comes from Elgin. I love to grill their beef sausage until almost all the fat runs out of it, but some wrap it in foil and heat it on the pit to avoid that. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

"While much of Georgia runs red with ketchup, Columbus favors mustard. "It came from millworkers," surmises Clay Gullatt, owner of Mike & Ed's Barbecue. Scott Ressmeyer of Country's Barbecue says, "It goes back to the African American cooks here. All the old barbecue places used mustard."

I grew up in Columbus. There are two good reasons to use a mustard-based sauce. The first is that it has a low sugar and high vinegar content. Sugar burns when heated too long so this style sauce can be applied to the meat while being cooked. The vinegar helps to tenderize the meat, too. Also, this sauce can be "kicked up" quite a bit. Some of the hottest BBQ sauces I've ever had originated in Columbus.

Realize too, that you don't see anything but pork at the old-style BBQ shacks in Columbus. Beef and chicken are late comers. Pork really has an affinity to mustard-based sauces.

Although Mike and Ed's is a relative late-comer to the BBQ scene in Columbus, it's pretty good. My favorite is the Smoky Pig. 14th St BBQ (not on 14th St anymore) has good BBQ but they close when they sell out so I'm always missing out on a chance to eat there. We eat at Country's a lot but mainly it's convenient and open 7 days. Their food is good but it's "city-fied" stuff.

Here in Roswell, Georgia, we're fortunate to have a decent number of BBQ places. Dreamland has a location here. Ate there twice last week. Just can't get enough of their ribs.

Sauces coat meat in many colors in Alabama. A light vinegar soaks the chopped pork at Whitt's Barbecue in Athens (with locations in Ardmore, Hartselle, Cullman, and Decatur as well), a drive-through with alfresco dining under a big hackberry tree. In Decatur Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q serves a tangy mayonnaise sauce that is excellent with chicken. Diners may also select Gibson's mild red sauce or the fiery vinegar, then douse the flames with cool cream pies. "Sometimes the pie is as important as the pig," says Travel Assistant Tanner Latham.

I guess I'm a purist and I don't use a lot of sauces. This meat is so moist I like just the pulled pork/turkey and slaw on the bun. The meat comes plain, you add the white or red sauce from the squeeze bottles on the table or they give you both w/ to-go orders.

I will sometimes put a few drops of Gibson's white sauce or red sauce on a sandwich, maybe a tablespoon on a potato. The potatoes are BIG, I've NEVER finished one at one sitting! I heard they buy them at a locally owned grocery, Holloway's, and I believe it after having one, or a half, at a friend's house.

Found Whitt's during a Christmas trip to Nashville/Opryland! Everyone was tired at dinner so looked in the phone book and there was a Whitts a couple of miles away! Kids/dad were very pleased when I came into the hotel rooms w/ a Whitt's bag. 2 kids can't read yet, but they know a Whitt's Family Pack when they see it, since we didn't have a kitchen for 2 months and Whitt's is on the way home from an after-school activity twice a week. They also know when it's 40 degrees outside and we go thru the Gibson's drive thru mom's getting some stew!

Also never been to a Dreamland except for the original! DH makes darn good ribs and it was always about the atmosphere to me. Dreamland Florence has closed, Dreamland Huntsville is open.

Driving from Atlanta to Winston-Salem before Thanksgiving, my sister said she'd seen R.O.'s featured on "Food Finds" on the Food Channel a day or so before. So, of course, we had to detour to Gastonia to try the much-touted slaw. We all had the sliced BBQ sandwich w/slaw (on advice on a lady who was getting take-out). The BBQ was just OK - not smoky enough or greasy enough for me! But, the slaw was really good - very finely ground, i.e., pulverized, cabbage mixed w/the sauce ingredients. I couldn't define the piquant taste at the time, but thanks to you, Sweet Willie, I know now that it was the ginger kick. The slaw was so good, in fact, that I bought a quart to go, and we ate it on ham and smoked turkey sandwiches over the next few days. R.O.'s actually sells a "slaw sandwich" ($1.05), which is, according to my sister, composed of a grilled hamburger bun with no innards except slaw! I also think it would make a tasty salad dressing. Yes, I can see that it could be addictive...

I ordered a quart as unfortunately I'm not getting to that area of the country anytime soon. Wife and I loved the slaw as a sauce with other BBQ I've made, not as a stand alone sandwich. Not that the stand alone slaw sandwich was not good, but with a meat is was great.

Just got a mail order of BBQ from Blacks BBQ in Lockhart, Texas.

Included Pork Ribs, Links, Brisket.

Brisket was just ok

Ribs were borderline good/great

Links were the finest I've had. Nice coarse texture and great beef smoked flavor.

Black's BBQ
215 N. Main St.
Lockhart, TX 78644
http://www.blacksbbq.com/

Thank you all for so many suggestions!

I'll have to throw in a few local faves....

Buppy's (Bryan, TX)

C&J Bbq (College Station, TX)

As someone mentioned above, Rudy's is also pretty good (locations just about everywhere in Texas). They even provide "Sissy Sauce" for the unadventurous.

Luling City BBQ is great as well.

You can't beat Sonny Bryan's in Dallas too.

From Dennis Rogers' column, July 31, www.newsobserver.com



Number 12: Bullock's in Durham. Been there forever, and the sauce is really nice. There is a long line at lunch every day.

Number 11: Holden's BBQ in Youngsville. The big surprise. This little joint has some seriously devoted fans.

Number 10: Murray's BBQ on Old Poole Road in Raleigh. The sanitation rating is B, a framed picture of Richard Petty fell off the wall and broke the day I was there, but folks swear by the wood-cooked pig.

Number 9: The Skylight Inn, Ayden. Pete Jones' legendary place for pork purists who don't need a side of charm or knotty pine decor with their meat.

Number 8: Smithfield Chicken and BBQ, any location. I'm not the only one who thinks this chain does a fine job.

Number 7: Lexington Number One, Lexington. Considered the best in a great city for barbecue. No, it isn't Eastern-style, but it is truly fine eating.

Number 6: Mitchell's BBQ, Wilson. The hottest new name in serious barbecue circles, Ed Mitchell has both pig and a place to be proud of. And he is.

Number 5: Allen & Sons' BBQ, at the railroad tracks on N.C. 86 between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. Oh my, but it is a good place to eat.

Number 4: Parkers BBQ, Wilson. Thought by many to be the Mother Church of Eastern North Carolina barbecue, it still serves my favorite corn sticks, slaw and Brunswick stew.

Number 3: Stephenson's BBQ, N.C. 50 south of Garner. Nothing short of wonderful. A Triangle swine shrine.

Number 2: B's, Greenville. Anybody who doesn't search out this place ain't serious about pig. My idea of perfection.

Number 1: Wilber's BBQ, Goldsboro. It doesn't get any better than this beloved Eastern North Carolina landmark. It's big and busy, but they still manage to cook with real wood. The competition should take a hint.

Germantown Commissary, Germantown, TN (suburb of Memphis). Good Memphis-style pork BBQ.

Rudy's, Austin, TX. Good brisket and excellent sauce.

Dave's BBQ, Taylor Lake Village, TX.

I will be visiting JAX a lot and would like some suggestions for BBQ. We can rule out Sonnys and Bonos immediately (been there, done that).

There has got to be a real hole in the wall place with great BBQ in Jax.

Thanks!

Anyone in CLT over the weekend of Sept. 24-25 should head down to "Gateway Village" for a serious BBQ festival. This is a "Memphis in May" sanctioned event, meaning that the winner will go on to compete in the Olympics of BBQ in Tennessee. Over 50 teams will be competing in Charlotte.

http://www.charlotteshout.com/bbq_info.pdf

Coming to Atlanta Sept 19 & 20, looking to dine on some BBQ with any FT'ers that are up for it, details here: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=353485

Here's one I bet nobody's mentioned: Dixie Barbecue in Johnson City, TN. Most every other place on earth where BBQ is taken seriously, the attitude is that there's only one way to do BBQ right (the local way, of course) and all other styles are the work of infidels.

Uniquely, Dixie Barbecue offers examples of nearly all of the classic southern styles. Among the offerings are both eastern and western North Carolina BBQ, East Tennessee (actually, this is very similar to western NC, but since the place is in East TN, they need to have a "local" style), the mustard-based BBQ from South Carolina, and the Mayonnaise-based style from Alabama (I know, it sounds disgusting, but I tried it once and it's surprisingly good), as well as numerous hot-for-the-sake-of-heat sauces.

None of these is truly as good as the "real thing" sampled in its indigenous environment, but it's a wonderful thing to be able to sample them all in one place.

Here's one I bet nobody's mentioned: Dixie Barbecue in Johnson City, TN.
My parents for a couple years lived in Johnson City, I can't believe I missed this place! :mad:

thanks for the post.

http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/stories/public/200405/20/0dsT_Features.html

Good review of a great place! Also reviewed Hay's in Lexington:

http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/stories/public/200405/13/0dq4_Features.html ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Raleigh native here...

Lexington #1 Barbecue - Lexington, NC
Jimmy BBQ - Exit 89 off I-85 - Lexington, NC
Murray's BBQ - Raleigh, NC
Krite's - Lockhardt, TX

Holly Eats - NC BBQ (http://www.hollyeats.com/NorthCarollina.htm)

Maurice Bessinger's Piggy Park in West Columbia, SC.

If you like mustard based sauce with your pulled pork sandwich, you will find none better.

Yes, but you can't dispute that Maurice has rather interesting views on politics and history. Some companies have actually banned company vehicles from entering Maurice's parking lots. Food's good tho'

Sconyer's in Augusta, GA is good. Only version of Southern hash I've been able to get down. Excellent pit-smoked pork, beef, turkey. And, nlike many local q-spots, they serve beer!

Raleigh native here...

Lexington #1 Barbecue - Lexington, NC
Jimmy BBQ - Exit 89 off I-85 - Lexington, NC
Murray's BBQ - Raleigh, NC
Krite's - Lockhardt, TX

Holly Eats - NC BBQ (http://www.hollyeats.com/NorthCarollina.htm)

I agree with Lexington #1. It's very good
Did you hear that Don Murray died a while ago? I wonder if his place is gonna be the same without him. That 'B' cleanliness rating adds something extra to the food :)

I'd try either Corky's in Brentwood (Old Hickory exit off I-65 South) or Jack's BBQ on Broadway downtown.

I nominate Bridge's BBQ in Shelby, NC (about 60 min west of Charlotte on US 74). The apotheosis of vinegar BBQ sauce.

Bill's BBQ in Richmond, VA is a fantastic pork BBQ sandwich with slaw. And their limeades are so tasty on a hot day.

Fred Thompson, the food critic for the News&Observer in Raleigh, published his picks on October 16, 2005:

Skipper Forsyth's, Henderson

Our journey begins in the north-central part of the state, in Henderson, home of the Nunnery-Freeman Kook Rite Kooker, the electric cooker with a wood insert that is widely used across the state. But skip the Kooker's namesake restaurant and head instead where the Vance County locals do. Turn right on U.S. 158 and pull into Skipper Forsyth's Bar-BQ. The place is packed. The 'cue is moist and almost brown instead of gray, probably because they use both shoulders and hams. The sauce, a hybrid containing tomato and vinegar, suits the barbecue. Here's a case where the electric Kook Rite Kooker works. What they lose in smoke flavor they make up for in tenderness and seasoning.

Ralph's, Weldon

We continue our Eastern route by taking U.S. 158 almost due east to Weldon, south of Roanoke Rapids and home of Ralph's Barbecue. Located at exit 173 off I-95, close to the Virginia border, Ralph's is the first opportunity for south-bound interstate travelers to get the flavor of North Carolina barbecue. The building looks like something from a 1950s movie set, but don't hesitate. Ralph's has been the caterer for dos in Richmond and D.C., where it was also the barbecue of choice for the Redskins football team. While not cooked over wood, the charred meat on the outside of the pork is added into the chopped 'cue, and you actually get a wood flavor. Besides chopped, you can get sliced and pulled styles, which I like even better. The slaw is sort of "fish house" slaw that somehow works.

Gardner's, Rocky Mount

Shooting down I-95 with an exit east on U.S. 64, our next stop is Rocky Mount. Once a hotbed of barbecue eateries, Rocky Mount has not yet recovered from the death blows dealt by Hurricane Floyd in 1999 to such institutions as Bob Melton's. What's left is Gardner's -- billboards down I-95 make sure you know where to find it. When it's right, Gardner's barbecue has a wonderful roast pork flavor that blends well with its almost neon green slaw. But many times, I've found the barbecue dry and seemingly reheated and the seasoning ineffective.

Next, we head south on U.S. 301 to the heart of Eastern barbecue country, the city of Wilson. In 1946, when U.S. 301 was the I-95 of its day, the Parker brothers staked a claim in Wilson. Not much has changed. Parker's switched from all oak to hardwood charcoal with a gas assist, but they are still cooking whole hogs to perfection. With the higher content of white meat in a whole hog versus a shoulder, chopped pork can be dry. Parker's has overcome this on most days, delivering a moist and good tasting product with a spicy vinegar sauce, and superior mustard-based slaw. My biggest complaint with Parker's and other Eastern styles is how finely it's chopped -- more minced, almost pre-chewed. A coarser chop would help.

The Skylight Inn, Ayden

From Wilson, we head east on U.S. 264, then south on N.C. 11 to the little town of Ayden, home of The Skylight Inn. The barbecue there is close to the Holy Grail for those who like Eastern-style victuals. The Jones family has a pretty clear philosophy about barbecue: "If it isn't cooked on wood, it isn't barbecue." Pete Jones is doing something right. Just about every president and state politician over the past few decades has sampled his wares. A couple of years ago, the James Beard Foundation honored him as a great regional restaurant, and National Geographic sings its praises as the best 'cue in the world. Don't expect a wide menu: Barbecue, slaw and cornbread is about all you'll get. The Jones product is pretty close to perfect, except when the fat and "cracklings" make it too greasy. It's still worth the trip.

Wilber's, Goldsboro

The perfect Eastern barbecue experience is west of Ayden, in Goldsboro, at Wilber's Barbecue. Wilber Shirley has this barbecue style figured out. The process still starts by cooking with hardwood, burned to coals outside the pit and then carried into the pithouse as needed. He cooks whole hogs and shoulders, which (with its extra moist dark meat) keeps the barbecue moist and tender. The chop is a good consistency, with an awesome blending of the different meat types. The seasoning is simple, salt and pepper while cooking, and his table sauce is the most intriguing in Eastern North Carolina. For a real treat, ask for "chunks" -- then tip the waitress extra. The slaw blends with the pork impeccably, with its extra tang, different from most Eastern-style slaws. The whole experience makes Wilber's the king of Eastern 'cue.

Smithfield's, Smithfield

Next, we swing west and north, back to I-95 and Smithfield, home base for the popular Smithfield's Chicken N' Bar-B-Q chain. I hate to admit this, but a New Yorker convinced me to try Smithfield's. I quickly found that avoiding it because it was a chain had prevented me from enjoying some truly great barbecue. You'll find no smoke, but you will find perfectly cooked pork, not overly chopped, with excellent seasoning, perfect slaw for their pork, and maybe the second best Eastern-style sauce in the state. With its multiple locations on our interstates and main roads, the Smithfield's chain is holding up its end in serving visitors and locals alike a quality product and representing Eastern style 'cue in style.

Holt Lake, Smithfield

Also in Smithfield, Holt Lake Barbecue and Seafood is another restaurant that cooks with electricity and turns out a good product. The 'cue has a good balance of brown and white meat, making it moist and flavorful, with a sauce that will eat your tongue alive by itself, but just has flavor without the fire once it hits the meat. They cook whole hogs, shoulders and hams, which they still buy locally. I never told many people about this place, but Our State Magazine "outed" them, so one of my secrets is gone. Do not leave the place without eating at least one piece of fried chicken.

Allen and Son, Orange County

Turning west along I-40, approaching that invisible line somewhere between Burlington and Greensboro and separates Eastern from Lexington-style, we find Allen and Son on N.C. 86 between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.

Allen and Son seems lost in time. Here, an artisanal approach to barbecue takes place. The hickory wood is split with ax and maul, the charcoal made from those logs added at the perfect time. The barbecue is hand- chopped with its dark, deep golden brown outside meat mixed in to perfect proportions. Keith Allen likes it this way. Pure, simple. Even after exposure in Bon Appetit Magazine, little has changed, and the barbecue is first-rate. While his sauce is more Eastern style, his methods have a Piedmont take. With Lexington- style red slaw his 'cue could be perfect.

Short Sugar's, Reidsville

Going north on N.C. 87, past Burlington, if you're lucky you'll find Short Sugar's Drive In in Reidsville. Noted barbecue authority Bob Garner likes to say that Short Sugar's has "the best name in America." They also happen to have excellent barbecue. In the early 1980s, North and South Carolina politicians living in Washington, D.C., decided to have a Barbecue Bowl between the two states. Short Sugar's represented North Carolina. The first contest was judged a draw, but the next year Short Sugar's was crowned the champion. Short Sugar's could almost be my favorite barbecue place in the state. They cook over hardwood coals and chop or slice the meat to order by hand. They cook mainly hams and some shoulders, giving them a lean product, but it's the sauce that stands out. Neither a Lexington nor Eastern style, the sauce is thin, with a Worcestershire and sugar base, plus vinegar overtones. Cooking instructor Sheri Castle and I tried to dissect this sauce and can't get it right. I never leave the place without a couple of bottles. While different, the barbecue is excellent and worth a detour to visit.

Stamey's, Greensboro

Looping back down U.S. 29, we enter true Lexington-style territory in Greensboro, home of Stamey's Barbecue. The restaurant is a living tribute to founder C. Warner Stamey, the man who more than anyone spread the gospel of Lexington-style barbecue. Still hardwood-smoked in the pits built by Stamey, the meat is permeated by beautiful wood nuances. They chop their barbecue a bit finer than other Lexington-style houses, so I prefer the sliced (which is really pulled chunks). The dip is mild, but the red slaw has a bite, and, together with the pork, create a great thing. Chip Stamey, Warner's grandson, now runs the place and vows not to change anything unless forced to. My major beef with Stamey's (other than chopping the meat too fine) is their unwillingness to serve you "outside brown," a given right in most Lexington joints. If you want a treat, order a whole smoked shoulder from Stamey's around Christmas time, and chop or pull it to your liking.

Lexington Barbecue, Lexington

Of course, our barbecue tour must include a stop in Lexington, which lies south on I-85, with a turn west on U.S. 64. Lexington, much like Wilson in the East, is hallowed ground to barbecue enthusiasts. Countless barbecue believers have made the pilgrimage to Lexington Barbecue, also known as Lexington No. 1 or "Honey Monk's," after owner Wayne "Honey" Monk. Lexington Barbecue has become famous not because "Honey" was a good promoter or traveled all over spouting the virtues of his 'cue. His children are firmly entrenched in the business and just as dedicated as Honey Monk. In fact, you can't get him away from home. When the James Beard Foundation named his joint as a great regional restaurant, he was in Lexington when the award was handed out. He doesn't ship his barbecue or cater. His reputation is all about his barbecue, its flavor and consistency.

He apprenticed with the legendary Warner Stamey and learned his lessons well, but I suspect that his East Tennessee upbringing has affected his desire for perfection and smoke. They separate the meat, giving you the option of ordering what you enjoy. I'm a fan of "outside brown" sliced, but his standard blend of coarsely chopped is an absolute balance of all the types. The meat is lightly sauced with the dip in the kitchen. For more boldness, try their smokehouse sauce on the tables. Sure, there are plenty of great barbecue houses in Lexington, but this one is the gold standard. You'll never get a so-so plate at Lexington Barbecue.

Barbecue Center, Lexington

Another of the multitude of barbecue joints that dot the city of Lexington like pepper is the Barbecue Center. Being right downtown helps them to stand out, as do their wood-burning pits, which get a lot of attention from film and TV camera crews. "Bobby Flay was just in," owner Sonny Conrad tells me. "He really liked my 'cue." So did I, in this no-frills place with curb service still available. The Barbecue Center is a good example of what Lexington style is all about -- very moist and tender meat, very coarsely chopped and with great texture. They separate out the different types of meat, white and dark from the shoulder, allowing you to order your favorite part. The chopped is always full of nice smoky pieces of "outside brown." The dip has that sweet-vinegar taste that works well with the meat and is kept warm, as at many Lexington restaurants, in a coffee pot. And, of course, there's the spicy red slaw.

Like The Skyline Inn in Ayden, they tend to add the fat as well, which creates flavor, but occasionally makes a batch that's too greasy. Their sliced is the way to go, with lots of tasty, crunchy outside brown.

Alston Bridges, Shelby

Our last stop, way south down N.C. 150, almost in South Carolina, is Alston Bridges Barbecue in Shelby. Alston Bridges learned barbecue secrets from his brother-in-law, Warner Stamey. Now, Alston Bridges Barbecue is being run by its third generation of Bridgeses. I was amused watching Reid Bridges, the current owner, doctor his barbecue sandwich with lots of Texas Pete and chopped green chiles. "Well, when you eat them every day, you got to do something different," he says.

Bridges has gone to electric cooking of his shoulders, but still finishes them over a white oak charcoal. The result is pretty good 'cue. The sauce seems to have a bit more tomato product and less sugar than many Lexington styles, and his red slaw is not as peppery. The sliced barbecue is the best, especially when ordered with "outside brown" and extra dip. The Bridgeses have almost as many customers from Charlotte and Morganton as Shelby. Even with the electric crutch, they are producing good barbecue. Try the baked beans instead of another side dish.


Dennis Rogers, a columnist, adds some more:

In Wilson is Bill's Barbecue. Owner Bill Ellis has spread the gospel of Eastern North Carolina barbecue across the country with his fleet of catering trucks that range from small panel trucks to 18-wheelers. His country cooking buffet is nothing short of amazing.

And over in Kinston, beachgoers and office seekers alike can't help but pull off U.S. 70 to eat at King's Barbecue. King's ships barbecue around the world, thanks to the miracles of air express and dry ice. Pigs, indeed, can fly.

It is easier to find bagels than barbecue in the Triangle, but old-timers swear by the Barbecue Lodge on Capitol Boulevard, Holden's Barbecue in Youngsville, Cooper's in downtown Raleigh, Bullock's in Durham, Ole Time Barbecue and Danny's in Cary, and Stephenson's between Garner and Benson.

Franchise restaurants rarely excel, but there is a new outfit getting attention from even the most curmudgeonly barbecue purists: The BBQ and Ribs Co., which opened this year in Raleigh. The secret is the wood smoke that too many barbecue joints stopped using. They shouldn't have.

Once you've sampled a few of these places, you'll be ready for the Brigadoon of Barbecue, the hard-to-find and harder to forget B's in Greenville. No advertising, no phone, no air conditioning. They open at 11 a.m. and close when the pig's gone, so don't dilly-dally around. Part of the fun is finding the place -- hint: it's near Pitt Memorial Hospital -- and don't be surprised if it's so crowded you have to eat off the hood of your car. You won't be the only one. This is as good as it gets.


http://www.newsobserver.com/print/sunday/travel/story/2818243p-9265481c.html

AL - Dreamland (Tuscaloosa)
TX - Salt Lick (Austin)

Fresh Air Barbeque 2 miles south of Jackson GA on US 23 (US 23 parallels I-75 between ATL and MCN, reachable for a lunch on a drive to or from FL) 770 775 3182 - classic old time BBQ. part of the stand still has a dirt floor.

Harold's Barbeque - mentioned above and have to second (Amen!)
You must have a sliced pork sandwich grilled over hickory wood fire coals. When this place goes, there won't be anything left like it. If you live anywhere near ATL and have not been to Harold's, shame on you. Classic 55 year old lunch spot. On one visit, there was a 12 GA shotgun leaning in the corner near the cash register. (cash only, of course!)
171 McDonough Boulevard, Atlanta, GA just up the street from the Federal Pen. 404 627 9268

Wallace Barbeque - 3035 Veterans Memorial Hwy (aka Bankhead Hwy) , Austell, GA 30168 770 739 1686
Sweet, perfectly cooked pork. Get the Pork & Stew plate - ask for "outside meat" for the best hickory smoke flavor, and the waitress will take you for a local!
Ribs are so-so, but the pork plate will make you throw rocks at your mama. Never had a bad forkfull of Q there in almost 20 years. Well worth the 30 minute drive out from town. take I-20 west to Thornton Rd turn right and right again on Veterans (Bankhead) Hwy - 1 mile on the right.

These aren't chains, friends!

HB's in Little Rock Ark. A northern boy's favorite pit. Smoky and sweet with a tangy hot sauce you can't get enough of.

In Saveur magazine, they come out with the Saveur 100 which lists food items/restaurants they found profound.

Jim N Nicks BBQ in the Birmingham AL area was listed as being terrific.

They do pork, chicken and brisket.

--

Being a North Carolina girl, I love my BBQ. There is nothing I have found here in California that is even close to being what I know as BBQ..

But, I see someone has already mentioned Garys BBQ in China Grove, NC, which I will 2nd. I was just there over Christmas and ended up eating my weight in foot long hot dogs which is also something you cant get here...

A lot of places at home though arent as good as they use to be, a lot of places have put in electric cookers and done away with the smokers they use to have, so it does make a difference in the taste. I was at one place and it was just so nasty I didnt eat it and I'd been there before and it was yummy, and yep! they had switched to electric cookers and there meat was now brought in frozen on a truck. Just ask before trying places. Like Forrest said, "ya never know what you're gonna get"...lol

Now this is a thread that I feel I have something to offer.

Cincinnati - Mongomery Inn - very good, nice view on the river, but the wrong setting for BBQ, I don't want a cloth napkin. When in Cincinnati this is my second food stop, after a stop for Chili (Skyline or Gold Star, either way you can't go wrong.

Birmingham Tuscaloosa - Dreamland - the ribs themselves have disappoined me, but I love the sauce, and would be content with a loaf of fresh bread and a cup of sauce. This is a must stop at sort of place when in town.

Memphis - For all you Northwest Flyers, don't buy the Corkey's hype and spend you layover in the airport at the Interstate BBQ stand (they compete with Corkey's in the airport). Here is the tip of the day, that I haven't read about yet, when in Memphis take a new approach to Rendezvous, and call 3 days in advance (you have to, otherwise no dice) and order the 5 lbs. of BBQ Shrip. Costs about $120. Feeds me and 3 friends, or 6 normal people. You get a giant pot of shrip swimming in sauce and all the bread you can eat. I will take this meal over the dry rub ribs any day. Only comes in 5 lbs. and you must call at least 2 or 3 days in advance.

Best BBQ I ever had (don't laugh at me, I'm serious) was in Boca Raton and Delray Beach Florida at Tom's and Tom Jr.'s. They are closed now, but they were unreal.

My absolute local favorite is the Swallow at the Hollow in Roswell, GA just north of Atlanta and now Sandy Springs. Traditional pulled pork with good flavor, texutre, and color; they serve three types of sauces. The ribs are also very good, but the real secret is the biscuits which my wife, a native Southerner, absolutely loves.

Here's a link: http://www.theswallowatthehollow.com/

Bump thread.

I will be traveling to Northeast Alabama for vacation (Gadsden, Fort Payne, Dadeville, Anniston/Osford, Boaz). Anyone have suggestions for very good Q in those areas? Probably not going over as far as Huntsville or Decatur - I am familiar with what lies over there!!

Thanks.

bump thread.

Sorry I can't help with Alabama. But I can add my thoughts for the Middle-Tennessee area.

If your in Nashville, instead of driving south, go north to Hendersonville and there is a little BBQ place called Center Point Barbeque that is truly excellent.

I will be traveling to Northeast Alabama for vacation (Gadsden, Fort Payne, Dadeville, Anniston/Osford, Boaz). Anyone have suggestions for very good Q in those areas? Probably not going over as far as Huntsville or Decatur - I am familiar with what lies over there!!

Thanks.

Sorry I missed this round of the eternal BBQ thread.

In Jacksonville, try Cooter Browns's on Hwy 204, a couple miles west of JSU. The ribs are the feature, but the BBQ pork sandwich is decent too.

Also in Jacksonville, The Rocket serves a full menu, but I like the BBQ sandwich there as well.

In Anniston, on Hwy 21 north of the city, just before you get to Fort McClellan, Dad's BBQ does a decent job with pork. It appears they smoke meat in a separate building, but I can't recall seeing smoke. However, you will smell the barbeque before you arrive in the parking lot - which they share with K-Mart. They've opened a second outlet on Noble Street, but I've not been there. Being downtown and newer, it may have a nicer atmosphere, but I still like the old one.

In Oxford, on South Quintard (Hwy 431) , there a place I like, I think it's the Old Smokehouse, but I can't clearly recall the name. Very good cue.

There are others, but I haven't tried them except one. I cannot recommend them so I will not provide them with any free advertising here.

Only Cooter Brown's has a liquor license. The others are more fast food style outlets. And when I want barbeque, I expect pulled pork on a bun. Slaw, dill pickle slices and sauce should be optional and available on the side.

NC barbeque places

Gary's-China Grove
Lexington-Lexington
Speedys-Lexington
Wilbers-Goldsboro (my CT sister-in-law loves this place)
Parkers-Wilson

Remember, barbeque is a religion in NC and there is eastern style and western style. Also all others, such as the lower Carolinas and TX beef (sacrilege!), are heresies. Enjoy!

Yeah, WILBUR's! Go with at least 4 or 6 adults and get the family style dinner.

I wish I could remember this really good place over in Raleigh.

Actually, I thought there were three styles in NC?

Another good one or two is Pierces in Williamsburg, VA and Extra Billy's in Richmond. I can't remember the name of the other good one in Richmond any more. They had two or three locations at one time.

I will be traveling to Northeast Alabama for vacation (Gadsden, Fort Payne, Dadeville, Anniston/Osford, Boaz). Anyone have suggestions for very good Q in those areas? Probably not going over as far as Huntsville or Decatur - I am familiar with what lies over there!!

Thanks.

If you're familiar with HSV, which is your preference. BBQ from the Greenbriar BBQ or Greenbriar Restaurant? What do you think of Dreamlands?

I saw a mention of Short Sugar's in a previous reply and had to represent my hometown. Living in Wisconsin now, there is nothing even remotely close to NC barbecue here. The sauce is very unique and good.

If you're familiar with HSV, which is your preference. BBQ from the Greenbriar BBQ or Greenbriar Restaurant? What do you think of Dreamlands?

I don't know if you've been to HSV yet or if you'll be comin' back, but for someone who grew up in this area I would say definately not greenbriar. I would say for a good variety (pulled pork, chix, turkey, ribs) drive past greenbriar and go on to Gibson's in Decatur - there's a reason they win Memphis and are on national tv. Oh yea, since you'll be so full get some pie to go.

If you have to stay in Huntsville, you can do dreamland if you just want to say to your friends when your watching Alabama football :D and the ESPN/ABC/CBS announcers talk about the original Dreamland, "I've had Dreamland", but just know that HSV is NOT T'town Dreamland - pretty dang close.

DH says Ole Hickory on Maysville Rd (NE of town) is the best in HSV - look on ChefMoz.org and click on the town of New Market for reviews/info.

Elmer's "it be bad" - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Dink's Pit - Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Clark's Outpost Bar-B-Q - Tioga, Texas
Sonny Bryans - Dallas, Texas
Corky's - Memphis, TN

Any Cousin's BBQ in north Texas!

Any Cousin's BBQ in north Texas! OP, if you're ever in the DFW area on a Friday or Saturday, let me know and I will take you to Main Street BBQ in Euless. That is the best BBQ I've had outside of Tennessee. :D

OP, if you're ever in the DFW area on a Friday or Saturday, let me know and I will take you to Main Street BBQ in Euless. That is the best BBQ I've had outside of Tennessee. :D

HH and op, I'd love to be to be there too.

Sweet Willie, have you found any good places between RDU, along I40 and W. of CLT? Tried Hickory-style in Hickory, NC?

The nectar of a fine NC BBQ hog lives with me for a lifetime, though I'd gladly divert into DFW to chow with a bunch of fine FTers. ^

[Y'all are welcome to join me in an Aussie BBQ (juicy, thick, grass-fed, dry-aged Angus scotch fillets!). I'll even bring 'slaw! :) ]

Have a twofer to keep Momma happy. A place called Carolina BBQ right off exit 97, I-95 Selma, NC exit. I go for bbq and Momma goes to JR's outlet for shopping.