Okay, dear readers, I’m charging into controversial territory here…which part of the country has the best barbecue?
With Memorial Day coming up, friends and family will gather in backyards around grills and patios across the country to partake in good conversation, outdoor fun and plenty of food. Often, barbecue is on the menu. Many areas claim to have the best barbecue: Texas, Tennessee (Memphis specifically), eastern and western North Carolina, western Kentucky, just to name a few.
Personally, I like a vinegar-based barbecue, more North Carolina-style. There’s a little place in Duck, N.C., on the Outer Banks that has delicious barbecue. Hubby puts coleslaw on top of his barbecue sandwich, in traditional N.C. style.
In Kentucky, the city of Owensboro claims to be the barbecue capital of the Commonwealth, although, in my mind, the best barbecue can be found in the Paducah and Mayfield regions, my dad’s birthplace. It’s been many years since I had barbecue from that area, but I will never forget how good it was!
In Louisville, one of my favorite barbecue joints was Pepperwood, but it went out of business a few years ago. Fortunately, one of the co-owners took his smoker and is now selling his delicious food at the Frankfort Avenue Beer Depot. It’s a total dive and I won’t go in there by myself, but Hubby is brave enough to enter and order barbecue for take-out. The first time he went in there for take-out at 5 p.m., one man was calling a taxi because he was already too drunk to drive home; another man at the bar was talking about all of the pets he had accidentally killed. Umm, yeah. But, the barbecue is great!
So, I want to hear from you – where can you find the best barbecue?
Images courtesy of Martha Stewart Living and Garden & Gun
With Memorial Day coming up, friends and family will gather in backyards around grills and patios across the country to partake in good conversation, outdoor fun and plenty of food. Often, barbecue is on the menu. Many areas claim to have the best barbecue: Texas, Tennessee (Memphis specifically), eastern and western North Carolina, western Kentucky, just to name a few.
Personally, I like a vinegar-based barbecue, more North Carolina-style. There’s a little place in Duck, N.C., on the Outer Banks that has delicious barbecue. Hubby puts coleslaw on top of his barbecue sandwich, in traditional N.C. style.
In Kentucky, the city of Owensboro claims to be the barbecue capital of the Commonwealth, although, in my mind, the best barbecue can be found in the Paducah and Mayfield regions, my dad’s birthplace. It’s been many years since I had barbecue from that area, but I will never forget how good it was!
In Louisville, one of my favorite barbecue joints was Pepperwood, but it went out of business a few years ago. Fortunately, one of the co-owners took his smoker and is now selling his delicious food at the Frankfort Avenue Beer Depot. It’s a total dive and I won’t go in there by myself, but Hubby is brave enough to enter and order barbecue for take-out. The first time he went in there for take-out at 5 p.m., one man was calling a taxi because he was already too drunk to drive home; another man at the bar was talking about all of the pets he had accidentally killed. Umm, yeah. But, the barbecue is great!
So, I want to hear from you – where can you find the best barbecue?
Images courtesy of Martha Stewart Living and Garden & Gun
21 comments:
Good morning, dear! Long time not chat but I have a few moments and had to chime in.
Living in Charlotte, I'll say this-vinegar bbq is not my thing at all. Not even a little. Growing up in New Orleans, then living in Oxford and Memphis, it's always been about the sauce. Tangy, sweet, rich sauce that make you reach for multiple napkins before your second bite!
I don't even like bbq that much, but I do know which type I prefer.
That said, if you have pulled pork bbq, I always top it with slaw as well. It's to die for!!
Do you bbq on Memorial Day?
I did a post on this last week!
Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ in Madison
and
Corky's Memphis
xoox
kHm
Well I don't mean to brag, OK yes I do. Here in the heart of Yankeeland I like mine the best. I guess it's because I enjoy the cooking as much if not more as the eating.
I like my BBQ sweet. JCW is a certified BBQ judge and goes to competitions whenever he has time. He too tops his sandwiches w/ slaw but not when he is judging...he isn’t even allowed to use utensils! xx
Well, it's not us here in CA:). Barbecue for us is what we do to fish...with soy sauce.
Up here in New England a barbeque is something you have in your back yard! :)
Growing up in Texas, I thought all barbecue was beef! My family's favorite spot was Doug's in Amarillo. It was a tiny restaurant with old school desks lining the walls. The center of the room held a table with the "fixings". The chopped beef sandwiches were the best! The original owner has departed this earth, and evidently the restaurant has lost some of its old-time charm and the food some of its flavor.
When I married a Memphis boy, I discovered what I had been missing all those years -- pulled pork from Corky's! Rendezvous gets my vote for atmosphere, but the Corky's on Poplar gets my vote for best food and service!
I love BBQ, but must admit I like the chain restaurant Famous Daves-I know so WT of me! xoxo
SC
Sweeet Lucy's Smokehosue in Philadelphia, a joint in Richmond..the name of which escapes me...and my patio on MY grill!! I take it pretty seriously and fancy myself pretty good and ribs,chicken,pork buts etc.
Best ribs--Calhoun's of Knoxville and Nashville
Best vinegar-based--Henry's of Greenville, SC
Best mustard-based--Maurice's of Columbia, SC
Of course, the really, really best barbecue always comes from the guys smoking the pig next to the gas station on the way to the beach!
Ditto on what TCM said about mustard-based. That is VERY South Carolina. However, I love vinegar based....
Oooh, I'm a barbeque fanatic. I've had some pretty stellar barbeque in Kansas City and Florida (in fact, I had some here last night) with a second being Alabama.
Kelly
I also enjoy vinegar-based. Being from the east, we were used to pork and then we moved here last year and discovered the world of Texas beef bbq! I enjoy it, but my mother-in-law complained bitterly when she visited because to her bbq is pork and pork only!
oh dear, are you going to get it!
bbq is amazing many places.
when i came here, i almost fainted
because i'm afraid you might take
offense at my syesterday's blog. i had
forgotten your gorgeous 'audrey'
avatar!!!!
please believe me, that i never
thought of you! you are much too
sweet to be 'too cool'.
Love the Outer Banks! I'll have to hit up a BBQ while I'm there with my family this summer.
I prefer a dry rub, rather than the sauce/wet type. BBQ preference is such an individual taste. It's amazing how many different varieties can be found in any given city and/or parts of the country.
I love a good pulled-pork sandwich and I've never had one I couldn't/didn't eat, so I'm not sure I'm qualified to judge - it's all good.
Texas of course, yummy!! Smokey and delish!
Eastern NC pulled PORK bbq with vinegar based sauce. The best place to get it is at my mom's house. Her sauce is to die for!
My husband is also from Paducah, and I agree, they have GREAT barbecue!
I LOVE IT ALL! North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennesse, Kentucky, Texas and the elusive white sauce from Alabama. You cant go wrong no matter what you pick. I really dont think I could choose a favorite!
i am almost embarrassed to say....
'tony roma's & bobby rubino's'
xx
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