The Truest Cue of Them All

My wife, our daughter Alice, and I left the Lowcountry around noon with a bag of ham biscuits, some fruit and a box of the to-die-for homemade Heath bars that my sister-in-law Ginger makes for us every Christmas. The bag was empty before we got to Orangeburg and by the time we crossed the North Carolina line, we were all mighty hungry — but not for the same thing. Of course we got lost trying to get to Honey Monk’s by the back roads in the fog, and my daughter kept pointing out that she really doesn’t care for barbecue. And, no, she’d didn’t remember trying the cue at Lexington No. 1 as a wee child, or any of the times I’d brought it home on business trips to Charlotte. Yes, she allowed she would eat with us, but she was making no further promises; in fact, she’d probably get a hamburger.
Friends, perhaps you may have children who don’t share your passion for certain foods. Mind you, I’m not complaining. A couple of summers ago Alice went to Berkeley and became a full-fleged foodie. We flew out to visit, and in three days of eating nonstop, we were hardly able to begin to try all the incredible eats she’d scouted out. We even got a last minute seating at Chez Panisse — unheard of good fortune– where they didn’t have barbecue on the menu, but they did have sand dabs and quail, which certainly worked just fine. In addition to her lukewarm feeling for barbecue, Alice inexplicably, given her parentage, doesn’t like anchovies or crabs or shrimp or eggplant, though she loves calimari and grilled meats. No family is perfect, after all. I’m slowly gaining acceptance for these things that I can’t change in life, and I was resigned to my daughter eating a hamburger in what I consider the restaurant with North Carolina’s finest barbecue. But I did consider wearing a disguise.
When we pulled into the parking lot at 6:30 on a Saturday, there was a line out the door, and I thought about just getting take out. But I heard Alice tell her mother, “That does smell incredibly good.” I pointed out the smokestacks and the plate glass window through which you can watch the behind-the-scenes chopping of succulent browned pork shoulders. We decided to eat at the counter and I was amazed after I’d ordered a sandwich of outside meat to hear Alice say, “Bring me the same.” Minutes later, the toasted bun came to the counter, spilling its chopped contents onto the plate and filling the air with the fragrant mix of seared pork, piquant pepper and pungent smoke. As I tucked into my sandwich ravenously, I noted that when you get barbecue this good, it’s flavor maxes out your taste buds and permeates your nostrils with smoky overtones. After the first few bites, some barbecue loses its definition and character and you might as well be eating roast pork. The smidgens of barbecue at Lexington No. 1 that I picked up off of my plate after I’d inhaled my sandwich were just as flavorful as the first bites. “Order another one and let’s split it,” Alice said. “I thought you didn’t really like barbecue,” I said offhandedly. And then, giving her dad one of the best Christmas presents he’s been given in years, she said, “This is not just barbecue; this is what barbecue ought to be.” That’s my daughter.

Father Knows Best

You have to want to go to Springfield, South Carolina, west of Orangeburg in a town that time has seemingly forgot, except for the Governor’s Frog Jump and International Egg Strike and, oh yes, Goodland Barbecue restaurant. Look for the jumble of pickup trucks outside, cueing up to the restaurant like hogs at a trough.

They’re all there to get a week’s worth of food — for $8 on weekdays, a little more on weekends (but a dollar off if you bring your church bulletin). Once you get inside, do like my daddy would have done, look over the buffet before even think about getting in line.

It’s not by accident that the potatoes and rice and hush puppies and other starchy foods are usually first on a buffet. Often the best is last, which is where the barbecue was, along with the pork skins — and what was easily the best thing I ate at Goodland, the ribs.

Next, make sure you’re standing in the line behind everyone else in your party, even if there are only two of you. That way you can issue advisories to those in front of you such as, “Look at that fried okra.” Or “MMM, m, Mmmm: Potato salad made with boiled eggs.” While I usually find fried okra and potato salad disappointing on buffets, that doesn’t mean they always are. So I prey upon the preternatural weakness on the part of my wife for fried okra or my sister’s irrational love of potato salad, even if it’s mediocre, so they’ll pile up their plates and then I have advantage of their opinion without taking up room on my plate or in my stomach. (By the way, Goodland has a sign at the front of the line that asks patrons to wait until they get to their tables to begin eating. That may seem obvious from a sanitary perspective but by the time I got to the end of the line, I needed the reminder to keep me from pinching at the pulled pork.)

Rule two: Be sure to look at what others are doing. As I was checking out the multiple rice choices, I noticed that the woman behind me was using the sweet-potato ladle to dip out the pan juices that had mixed with the barbecue sauce to form a thick gel. They’d sort of caramelized with the sweet sauce in the bottom of the pan. “Is that good chicken,” I asked her, not even noticing it was chicken when I went by. “Gravy’s as good as the chicken,” she said. “Here, let me borrow that ladle while you have it out,” I said.

Rule three — and I don’t need to tell you this, but it’s so easy to say and so hard to do. Take small portions, no matter how good it looks and how much you like it. Unlike church picnic, they’re not likely to run out of something.

Consider doing what I did: As you can see, I got just a little of the gooey chicken, one pork rind to see whether it was potato-chip crunchy, a good portion of the barbecue (It’s very lean and perfectly moist), a big enough rib so I could judge both its taste and texture (I resisting getting two to check for consistency), some rice and, OK, a whole bunch of collards (I could see they were almost chunky with black pepper and shiny with seasoning, i.e., fat back.

By the way, the ribs were cooked to perfection, slightly chewy, so that you had to pull a little to get them off the bone and not in the least soggy. In short, first-rate).

Now look at my wife’s plate.

She loaded up on the first thing she saw, sweet potatoes, which turned out to be too sweet and cinnamony for my taste, but which suited my wife’s sweet tooth; two kinds of rice and lots of it (she IS from South Carolina) a whole bunch of butterbeans and green beans; a hush puppy I induced her to get; a little barbecue, a tiny pork skin and a little bit of barbecue hash, all because she ran out of room — DUH! That’s why she had to get a separate plate for slaw and potato salad.

Which is not a bad strategy. Nothing other than the stares of other people (and perhaps the hostess) should keep you from utilizing multiple plates. However, if you’re an innately shy person like myself, you can, without attracting undue attention, assemble a collection of small bowls to assemble your own mini-buffet. You’ll that notice that, at my suggestion, my wife used a separate bowl for her slaw and potato salad. I’m so glad because the potato salad was a good as I’ve ever had, worth a trip in itself. The decor, in fact, is worth a visit. Instead of farm implements and 19- and early 20-century “junque” collected by some interior decorator, the photographs and memorabilia commemorate the hunter-gatherer culture of this area of South Carolina, with an incredible selection of largemouth bass, photos of catfish weighing more than my first- and second-born children combined, and a marvelous collection of hunting dogs, some nearly as fine as my springer spaniel.

Finally, a word about etiquette. Buffets like this where you can eat fried fish and chicken, three kinds of barbecue, homemade vegetables and side dishes and other delights until you feel as if you’re going to pop will be a thing of the past if we aren’t careful not to waste food. My Pennsylvannia mother had an old saying about this: “Better bad belly burst than good food waste.” The good at Goodland is, in fact, way too good to waste. Y’all behave and be nice.

The Truest of Cue in Orangeburg and Holly Hill, South Carolina

This post from guest lecturer and barbecue obsessive, Wilton Stribling:

Earl Dukes’ BBQ in Orangeburg, SC is a specific style of Q, which has evolved right in the Orangeburg County area. I went to church with Mr Earl and his family in the 60s, and grew up on this Q.

I saw mention of Antley’s BBQ in your blog, so I thought I should throw in my opinion. I went to school at Edisto with the Antley boys, and they’re good guys and their Q is also very good.

I have to say, though, that my favorite BBQ in Orangeburg (and, of course, the world) is at Earl Dukes BBQ on Whitman St (across from the Pepsi plant, a block off 301N). It is the original location where Mr Earl made his Q famous. there have been a number of “Earl Dukes” establishments over the years, since Earl sold it out, including Earl Jr’s. Most of them, unfortunately, did not do the style justice, and actually hurt the genre.

A close second best for me is Sweatman’s BBQ (started by Miss Margie Sweatman)at Crane Pond between Holly Hill and Eutawville in Orangeburg County. Sweatman’s has much better atmosphere, set in an old farmhouse in large oak trees, in the country. Very nice atmosphere, and great food as well.

All of these Qs are the lowcountry-style pulled pork with mustard based sauce, cole slaw, “hash and rice”(more of a sauce and rice), fresh pork skins as long as they last, and best eaten with light bread and sweet tea. In the past 20 years or so, other foods have shown up on the bar, such as fried chicken, etc.

As far as I know, all these places are “take what you want, eat what you take”, and still priced well under $10/person.

With the cultural erosion of the past 20 years or so (downright lack of manners), the format of returning for seconds has been strained by people loading up purses, etc, and taking food with them. They’re still sticking with it, though, and it’s all you can eat, but no taking leftovers.

So, there’s a brief intro of Orangeburg BBQ. As has been alluded to, the best is according to where you are and what you like. I’ve found that the best pork is Orangeburg, the best ribs Memphis area, and the best beef brisket around Center, TX. There’s my two cents’ worth!

Oh Bury Me, in Barbecue

Tell me about this Ultimate Road Trip thing you’re doing.
This summer, we’ve been on a road trip across the U.S., visiting famous restaurants and food festivals. It’s sponsored by Alka Seltzer.
Rhett and I shoot the videos ourselves, passing the camera back and forth, and then we edit each stop into something memorable. We’re making 21 videos total. You can watch em all here
Where’s it taken you?
San Diego, San Bernardino, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Branson, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Boston, Ogunquit, N.Y.C., D.C
How many restaurants would you estimate you’ve eaten in?
40 . . . though less than half actually made it into a video
How many of them were good?
We found that most every spot is famous for good reason. My personal favorite is Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in L.A. We wrote a song about it and shot a music video on location
How about barbecue joints?
Rhett and I are big BBQ fans. Being from the South, it’s almost a weekly thing. So, as we traveled outside of the South, eating signature foods from each region, we really didn’t eat any barbecue until we got to Branson, Missouri. They were having a BBQ and Bluegrass Festival at a local amusement park–Silver Dollar City. So we took that as the perfect opportunity to write a song that would expand Missourians’ definition of barbecue. And it was cool, because,
with literally a few minutes notice, the performing bluegrass band–The Homestead Pickers–agreed to back us up.

Do you have a favorite barbecue restaurant?

My wife is from “down East”…Kinston, N.C. So vinegar-based barbecue is king. (There’s actually a restaurant called King’s that serves it.)

I know all about King’s. I have a “BBQ” sticker on my Jeep from King’s. So that’s your favorite?
My in-laws may deep fry me for this one…but…mustard-based Columbia, S.C.-style BBQ is my favorite. And the interesting thing is that I don’t even like mustard! It’s just a perfect mixture of tangy,spicy sweetness. Very interesting. Very memorable.
And you were born in North Carolina!?!? Did you like the liver hash too?
Columbia’s hash wasn’t really for me (no offense, Maurice). I’ll take barbecue as a side next time.

There’s a recipe for barbecue hash on my Blog, if you’re interested here but you better steel yourself before you look at it. Tell me about barbecue in Lillington.
Howard’s Barbeque is within walking distance of our basement studio. We take visiting fans there when they come in to town. It’s all vinegar-based. And very good. Killer hushpuppies too. You’re invited!
You don’t mention Lexington Style bbq and the ketchup-based thing. Is that because it doesn’t retard decay?
Yeah, we felt bad about that. We definitely admit that our song is not completely exhaustive. I really like that tomato based sauce. Driving to the N.C. mountains, you don’t have to go far off I-40 to get some good stuff for lunch . . . or breakfast even.
Is there a common thread in the good barbecue that you’ve eaten?
the service, the people. the style of sauce many vary greatly, but
the style in delivery is always consistent–with pride. gotta love
that.
Thanks for the interview and for making my day with your song. From looking at the 374 comments it’s generated, I’m a little surprised that you didn’t get more infuriated comments from people defending their regional cue. It’s a tribute to your “getting it,” I think, understanding that barbecue can be many different things as long as it’s good, and that there’s no best barbecue — Also sprach Professor B.B. Cue.

Back to True Cue, from Dr. Hoggly Woggly’s to Memphis Minnie’s

When we first invited barbecue addicts to write to Sky, we were flummoxed by the response, as I’ve mentioned earlier on this blog: http://www.delta-sky.com/cueconfessions/reader-recommendations/
Since the June issue when we again invited you to write in and add to the growing list of Reader Barbecue Recommendations (http://delta-sky.com/2008_07/bbq/), True Cue has once again been flooded by enthusiastic emails. What I love is the umbrage and sometimes downright outrage that arises from the true-cue addict when he or she discovers that our readers somehow haven’t heard about some little hole in the wall in a remote part of these United States. And that’s what this blog is all about — sharing spots that you’d otherwise miss if there weren’t a community of barbecue lovers. Here’s just a sampling:

• Dear True Cue,

As I await for my BWI to ATL flight I happen to notice on the header of Sky
Magazine “Barbeque Addicts.” I can’t wait to see what is truly America’s
best ribs touted in your article. To my great dismay not only is Fat
Matts in Atlanta not proclaimed the #1 rib in the U.S., but you say there is
no such thing as the “Best Rib Joint.” Then I realize this could only mean
one thing, you have never entered the hollowed grounds of what is certainly
the ribs that will cause you to never want another rib imitator again.

I hesitated to let you and any others know of this “hog heaven” as the
crowds are already starting to make getting a place to sit and enjoy my
feast, but I felt obligated to being you to your senses. I can tell you are
a true lover of America’s greatest gift to the world, BBQ, so I felt
obligated to let you in on Atlanta’s little secret.

Enjoy!

Mark Adamson

• I’m sitting on a delta flight to atlanta and just read the barbecue addicts article in the sky magazine . . . I spent 4yrs in richmond, va, and had quite a few meals at the houndstooth cafe in hanover, va. This is a little cottage house about 20 miles outside richmond where on a weekend evening we’d drink bottles of beer on the porch waiting an hour+ to get in. Pickup trucks and bmws sharing the small lot. The pulled pork and hush puppies were my favorite… But one had to save room for the homemade derby pie.
I haven’t lived in richmond since ’99 but recently justified a business trip to richmond and forced my group to go there for dinner. Everyone loved it, so I feel I can still recommend it.

Mike Carroll

• You don’t need to head to Austin or Memphis to find the world’s best barbecue. Instead, just hop on a plane to South Korea for the acclaimed Poolside Barbeque at Grand Hyatt Seoul.

The city’s favorite outdoor dining spot provides diners with a romantic setting, overlooking sparkling blue waters, scenic gardens and breathtaking night views of the city. Diners can experience the Poolside Barbeque’s daily catch of ocean-fresh seafood, including prawns, lobsters and sea snails, along with a selection of prime lamb, beef, chicken and sausages, all charcoal-grilled to perfection. http://www.seoul.grand.hyatt.com
Cheers,
Stacey

• I’m a pilot for Delta and get a chance to try barbecue places all over the country. Here are my absolute favorites (in order):
Whole Hog Cafe – Little Rock, AR
Corky’s BBQ – Memphis, TN
Dinosaur BBQ – Syracuse, NY and Rochester, NY
Jim and Nicks – Birmingham, AL
Neely’s BBQ – Memphis, TN

• Your list is missing the best BBQ in Los Angeles – Dr. Hoggly Woggly’s Tyler Texas BBQ. They say the beef ribs here come straight out of Jurrasic Park.

• Back Yard Barbeque in Jacksonville, Oregon

The beef ribs are succulent, meaty, flavorful and tender without being at all mushy.  The smoked flavor is mouthwatering—even driving by the restaurant at night, well after closing, makes one’s mouth water as the smoked meat fragrance lingers over this historic little town.

Joe and Cathy Broom

• Hi True Cue
Check out Memphis Minnie’s BBQ in San Francisco – great slow smoked brisket & pork – fabulous ribs; greens and slaw that a vegetarian would love..and made from scratch sweet potato and pecan pies …not to mention the banana puddin’ …yum
(just picked up the blog article in Delta Skylight magazine – on my way home from Lafayette, LA and places south.)
Minnie’s is in the “Lower Haight” – between Steiner & Filmore Streets. check it out!
thanks!

• The assertion that there is a “best” barbeque is too absolute for true connoisseurs of the fine art of barbeque. Much like art and music, there are many forms of excellence. Barbeque can be, however, assessed in a very binary way. There is GREAT barbeque and there is everything else. Great barbeque can be had in many places and in many forms: for instance, Henry’s Smokehouse in Simpsonville, SC has great smoked pulled pork with a claim for the “leanest butt in town”. One would be hard pressed to find better. Just down the road in the same area is Charlie’s Bar-b-que which is also great, but with a slightly different taste. Then there’s Railhead barbeque in Ft. Worth which has unbelievable (i.e. great) beef brisket.

Bar-b-que has many forms and many flavors but, it’s either great or it’s not (kinda like lukewarm water). One other corrolary in the world of Bar-b-que, I have yet to find great bar-b-que at any national or regional chain restaurant, even those that specialize in the artform.

After going to school in East Tennessee, I was spoiled with the best barbeque in the country. Dixie Barbeque, The Firehouse Restaurant, and Ridgewood Barbecue are some of the local favorites in the Johnson City, Tennessee area. They are hard to beat- a part of true southern tradition (“pork, the other white meat”). Here are the links to these excellent bbq restaurants:

Dixie Barbeque http://www.dixiebarbeque.com/

The Firehouse Restaurant http://www.thefirehouse.com/

Ridgewood Barbecue- I could not find a website for Ridgewood, but found this site with reviews and the restaurant location information:

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=446

Also, when I was in East Texas, I was introduced to excellent beef bbq (they do not serve pork) at Bodacious Bar-B-Q in Longview. Here is a review link, with the restaurant address information as well (I could not find a website location for them either):

http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=18786529

Enjoy!

Walt

• Just finished a month-long trip to Florida from Orange County, CA. In Ft. Myers I was referred by the hotel desk to Famous Dave’s BBQ. Liked the ribs and chicken so much went back on a second day. Only after I got home did I find out that they have locations throughout the US, including two of them not more than 25 miles from my home!

But there is a smaller group of BBQ restaurants, called Lucille’s that is limited to Los Angeles and Orange County, CA locations.

Lucille’s has a website at http://www.lucillesbbq.com We eat at the one in Brea. Food is fantastic, place is always mobbed no matter what time of day or night. I love my ribs smoked, without a sauce, except for the one they cook it in, and falling off the bone. No added sauce on top. Gives me the best chance to really taste the meat the way it was prepared. Sauce is usually either on the table or I ask for it on the side.

Chuck Rosen

• With Delta being an Atlanta based airline, I am embarrassed that Sky would overlook Daddy Dz only two blocks from the “Gold Dome.” Daddy Dz (http://www.daddydz.com/ ) has the following credits:
– Creative Loafing Critics Choice rates Daddy Dz as “The Best BBQ in Atlanta”

– Atlanta’s only BBQ restaurant featured on the “Food Network”

– Picked by USA Today as “The best place to eat”

– Rated “Number One” by the New York Times

– Rated “Best Ribs” by Atlanta Magazine

– Featured in “Good and Cheap” by the Atlanta Constitution

– Featured in Rolling Stones Magazines
I’m sorry your article missed this spot. I hope that you don’t personally make the same mistake.

Regards,

Jim
• Starnes BBQ in Paducah, KY rules!

• Hi TC,
I really enjoyed reading the latest Q & A in the June SKY magazine. I, like you, are a barbeque aficionado, and had to journey away from home and be open minded when it comes to the “best barbeque”. Here are some of my favorites that I hope you can visit and enjoy:

Dreamland-Started in Tuscaloosa and spread to other parts of Alabama and the Atlanta area. I frequent the Roswell, GA location. Get the pork ribs, they are awesome either wet or dry.
Fresh Air Barbeque-Jackson, GA-Best chopped pork sandwich and the sauce is incredible.
Fincher’s-Macon, GA-Great pulled pork sandwich with yummy cole slaw perfect for a “pig special” sandwich (barbeque and cole slaw on toasted bread). Their sauce is also great.
Old Brick Pit-Chamblee, GA-very similar to Fresh Air in Jackson.
Old Clinton Barbeque-Gray, GA (just outside Macon)

I hope these suggestions help. I look forward to hearing how much you liked each one.

Bruce Thigpen

• Yes, after 28 years of travel you get the opportunity to come across some good BBQ joints all over the country. I am a pork bigot but do love a good beef brisket from Texas, or some burnt ends from KC. If you like Brunswick stew and crackling corn bread, you need to go to Harold’s in Atlanta.

If you ever are headed to some place in GA, let me know and I will recommend the best local BBQ establishment. But, you probably know most of them.

Take care and have a great weekend!
Bruce

• The Antley’s BBQ in Orangeburg SC serves up some of the finest BBQ with mustard based sauce. Also one of the best hash on rices you’ll find anywhere since the revered Mr. Duke died (Dukes BBQ.) A legend in himself. Hooks in Greenville,Al is good for Alabama. Thanks..Woody

• White Swan in Smithfield, NC has the best BBQ…Check us out on the web @ http://www.whiteswanbarbeque.com <http://www.whiteswanbarbeque.com&gt;

• My wife and I were looking for a quick lunch while in Sedona last week and a nice woman at an information both sent us to the Bistro Bella Terra Restaurant in the Shops at Pinon Point, 1 North Highway 89 A Sedona, AZ Phone 1-928-203-7771

We both ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich, smaller size and really were surprised that it was a great BBQ sandwich in the west. Just the right amount of flavorings. Wow.

Rick and Loretta Porvaznik

• Stickey fingers, charleston,sc
It’s fantastic.

Paul Gour

• You should try Darrell’s Bar B Que in the little out of the way town in Rockwell, NC. It’s better than a lot of the better known places in Lexington, just smaller and stuck out of the way. The best NC style BBQ in my not so humble opinion!
Mitch Rowland

• I enjoy your articles in the Sky Magazine about the Cue as I’m from NC and have eaten some of the best between Bridges in Shelby (by the hospital, not on Hwy 74, but it is OK if you need a Q fix and the other one is closed), Short Sugars, Parkers, etc. Recently I encountered a new place in Jacksonville, FL, MoJo’s on University Blvd and it has several nice selections based on NC and Texas Q that I would put in the very good category (excellent meat and no sause is needed). Give MoJo’s a try if you are in the area and the NC pull pork shoulder is a good choice. It comes with a small red slaw and two sides for about $8. Keep writing.

Ray A. Parker

• OK, I have a spot! In Frederick MD there sits a blue truck on the side of the road. I tell you it’s the best pulled pork I have ever had and I’ve had my share-and I know fries aren’t BBQ, but they are addicting. Actually, they call them “crack fries.” I never swayed from the pit beef until the owner told me to try the ribs. For about two months I never swayed from the ribs until he told me to try the pulled pork, now after trying everything I always go back to the pulled pork. Oh, the brisket-Just go! I can’t stop this addiction. You need to go when you’re in the area. They are expanding but plan on keeping the blue truck. I noticed the Buffalo Trace add, In Roanoke they have a restaurant with 80 bourbons. Just wanted to let you know! Q on!!!!!!!
Kimberly

• You have all the best in GA on your list!!!! I was in Asheville last week, if you get a chance to get to 12 bones–Go!!! They have great ribs!!!

“When you meet someone else who loves BBQ -It’s like talking to an old friend right away!!”
-Bob Herndon President Atlanta BBQ
atlbbqclub@yahoo.com

• It amazes me that people fly into NC expecting BBQ, but Raleigh-Durham International Airport doesn’t have any!
Jonathan C Lee

• Hey True –

If Jim Neely’s Interstate Bar-B-Que (with not 1 but 2 locations in Terminal B of the Memphis airport) is not on your list, it should be. The chopped shoulder sandwich with a smidgen of slaw and a dollop of their special sauce was just the ticket for two weary travelers on their way home from California.

• earl quicks bbq
1007 merriam lane
kansas city ks 66103
913-236-7228
quicksbbqandcatering.com

best ribs and chili dogs i had in the whole state

• Pigs R’ Us is doing a real nice job with Q in Martinsville – fantastic ribs, too. Nice folks.

melvin bessinger’s bbq
538 folly rd
charleston sc 29412
843-762-0511

also located at

925 houston northcutt blvd
mt pleasant sc 29464
843-881-0549

both should be listed in complete guide to south carolina bbq.

• First – I see Moonlite in Owensboro, Ky is already on your list – so I can
only second that motion. They have a variety of BBQ. Mutton is something
Kentucky BBQ is known for – and they have that and it is good if you like
mutton – but they also have Beef and Pork on their buffet – which is what I
go for – among other things (I think ribs and chicken too). If you do
make it there, however, – you do need to try the Burgoo Soup – different –
but good. If you go on the weekend you will also get Catfish and and
Shrimp and other seafood as well – so if you want to save room for just the
‘cue – better be disciplined or go on a weekday.

Second – I see Bodacious BBQ in Arlington, TX is not on your list – good
Briskit and Sausage. They have other offerings – but if you go there –
that is what you want. Nothing fancy here. Not far from where the new
Texas Stadium is being built – that may turn them into a gold mine – I just
hope it does not change the food.

Third – I always make a point of hitting Westwood BBQ in Hartsville South
Carolina whenever I pass through. This is shredded BBQ – but they offer
both the “vinegar” base and “mustard” base. A few other things there. Is
a little mom and pop hole in the wall – but I like it.

Fourth – This is getting a little out of “traditional” BBQ territory – but
there is a little town in Iowa called Boone (yes – this is where the term
“Boone-Docks” originated – no – really). It is about 15 minutes directly
west of Ames. There is a little BBQ downtown -they make a shredded BBQ
that is very good on sandwiches. It is sauced up – but makes a good,
sloppy, messy sandwich. If you get close to the region and start asking
for BBQ’s – people will likely direct you to Hickory Park – but that is in
Ames – the one I am talking about is a little small place in Boone.

Well as you can tell – I travel a lot and like BBQ. I live in Cinci – and
pretty much have to make my own BBQ to stave off my cravings when at home.
The Montgomery Inn here in Cinci makes great ribs – but ribs is not my
thing.

• I would add The Brick Pit in Chamblee, Deans in Jonesboro, and Sprayberry’s (the original one in Newnan) to that list of real good barbeque in Georgia. I am unable to pass these without purchasing a pork sandwich at least. If you desire more specifics, or a review, let me know. I’m always happy to share good barbeque with others. Regards, Craig

• I rely on your BBQ directory and thought you should know the following:

As a New Yorker it is a right of passage to go East (The Hamptons) as much as you can from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Its all about the beach and its all about the food. It was always about the lobster rolls and oysters until an unexpected stroke of luck last summer – Townline BBQ. My craving for summer seafood made an unexpected 180 and went to the smoky side. Townline BBQ is as authentic as it gets from the ribs to the brisket to the SWEET sweet tea. They get it right and they do it with the type of service you would hope to receive.

I still crave the raw bar, but I’ll take a Townline pulled pork sandwich over it any day.

Vincent

• Jim n Nicks BBQ – outstanding!!!

The company started in Birmingham, AL and I have personally eaten, many times, at the location in SanDestin, FL. SanDestin is a popular destination for MANY travelers on Delta, by the way!!!!

Jim n NIcks prepare all of their own food from scratch..and put their meats on the smoker every day 365 days a year. Nothing is frozen, etc.

They have restaraunts in AL and GA also, but I bet a story on the restaraunt in SanDestin wouldn’t hurt in the next Sky magazine that featured our FL Gulf Coast as a destination!!

Denny Tutwiler

• Add to the list:
Sprayberry’s BBQ in Newnan, GA

http://www.sprayberrysbbq.com/

• Originally from Atlanta, Ga Tech and the Varsity, but lived all over the South and found great Bar-B-Q…then moved to Denver…took a while, best so far is a small place in Englewood (I25 south to Araphahoe Rd)…Jabo’s Bar B Q.

Here’s more info:

http://denver.citysearch.com/review/37382056

If you make it to Denver, shouldn’t miss it.

H Young

• My entry to your blog is about a place in Putney and Chester, VT, Curtis’ All American BBQ and Restaurant. The Putney cookery is an out doors place open only in the Spring through Fall and located at Exit 4 off I-91. The Chester location is a restaurant just opened last year, but using the same recipe as the Putney location. The restaurant is located on Rt. 103 as you enter into the town of Chester, VT. DAD set up the original.

They have several BBQ sauces which they sell. From my 2 experiences with them, the sauces could be very good, if they were on a better cue. The pulled pork I had at the Puney location was tough and dry. It lacked a good smoked flavor and this is probably due to the fact Curtis was burning the meat over an open grill, flaming away.

In Chester, they have a smoker which is going all afternoon when they are open. The ribs looked delicious and fell off the bone as you tried to eat them. Unfortunately, once again the meat was dry and a bit tough. Even though they had the smoker, that deep smoked flavor was lacking.

They say give a place at least 2 tries to see if it was just a bad day or experience, but I am not sure I wish to return. Since the Restaurant is in its first year I will probably give it another try. Should I have a different experience, I would be sure to let you know.

Tried several while we were in Florida. Sonny’s was not that good, either for baby backs or chicken. Also tried a chain called Woody’s. Very disappointing for chicken and baby backs.

There’s one small chain here in So. Cal. that people rave about and there is always a line waiting to get it, Wood Ranch BBQ, based out of Woodland Hills. Very upscale in appearance and not a ‘ranchie BBQ’ decore. We have eaten at two of them, Anaheim Hills and Cerritos. Chicken is good, but the baby backs were terrible from my prospective. As I said before, I like them smoked and falling off the ribs. Theirs are like to many others, firm meat and have to tear it off with your teeth and not smokey at all.

As for others in So. Cal, we have a number of them here in Orange County. Never truly happy with any of them except Lucille’s, but will re-test and send you results.

Chuck Rosen

Oh, year . . . forgot – esp. since you judged Jack Daniels contest.

Went to the distillery several years go and fell in love with Jack Daniels. Drink their Gentleman Jack now, but love to cook with Jack Daniels original. (Gentleman Jack is the same formula and taste as regular Jack, but with far less bite. The only difference is that they filter it through 12 or 16 feet of maple charcoal rather than the usual 6 or 8 feet. Takes twice as long to drip through before they can barrel it for aging, but removes a lot of bite and leaves the taste. Also it’s only a buck or two more per bottle.) Don’t confuse it with their Single Barrel bottlings. Completely different story and did not impress me for the extra money.

Anyway, as you probably know there are a lot of restaurants now cooking with Jack Daniels. Some good, some not so good. Friday’s restaurant chain seems to have mastered the flavor on both their ribs, baby backs and chicken. They also add a little heat to it with chili’s which I don’t care too much for. Not ‘falling off the bone’ as I like it, but truly good flavor. My samplings have come from their restaurants in Yorba Linda, CA (my town) and nearby Brea.

Chuck Rosen

• King Ribs – Indianapolis, IN

Home

Several locations in Kansas City

http://www.hoggys.com/
Several locations in Columbus, Ohio

Jl’s Bar-B-Q
3 1/2 S Mill St
Pryor, OK 74361
Phone: (918) 825-1829

Neely’s Barbeque
http://www.neelysbbq.com/home.htm
670 Jefferson
Memphis , Tennessee 38103

M & M Catering (sometimes known as Big Daddy Riches)
7409 Middlebrook Pike
Knoxville, TN 37909

• B and C Creations is a Wichita hideout for great Cue. I travel every other
week for weeks at a time. And this is the place. Get there early though,
the line goes out the door on a regular basis.
Thomas Anderson

Reader Barbecue Recommendations

Carolina Barbecue, 109 Main Street, New Ellenton, South Carolina; 803-652-2919
I have made a habit of sampling barbecue (including so-called barbecue at pretender establishments) all around the country in my travels, and I think I have developed a pretty good taste for what is authentic versus mass-appeal cooking. I have never had barbecue at any of the fashionable restaurants (you know, the ones with a collection of pig statues and farm implements bolted to the walls) that compares to the no-atmosphere family-owned and -operated local cookeries.—Terry Kuykendall, Harvest, Alabama

Stameys Barbecue, 2206 High Point Road, Greensboro, North Carolina; 336-299-9888
Truth be told, if you want to get the best barbecue you just have to stop at the side of any two-lane blacktop road, where it’s being sold out of a large black smoker made from an old oil drum, next to a pickup truck. Or where it is being sold out of what appears to be a condemned building. Look for large groups of vehicles parked every which way on the grass, people dressed in all manner of clothing and everyone licking their fingers. That’s always the best!—Brian Keller, Greensboro, North Carolina

Scott’s Barbecue, 1201 North William Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina; 919-734-0711 — Open only Thursday and Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
When you’re talking barbeque, you’re talking five imperatives: pork, slaw, hush puppies, sweet tea and North Carolina. There’s other stuff around the country called “barbeque,” but genuine pit-cooked BBQ requires the above five fundamentals. . . . Scott’s is a shining shrine to eastern Carolina cuisine. This is BBQ Heaven.—David Plyler, Jacksonville, Florida

Tar Heel Q, 3865 U.S. Highway 64 West, Lexington, North Carolina; 336-787-4550
You probably won’t get a menu unless you ask, since patrons of Lexington-style barbeque restaurants already know what they want! . . . Enjoy a glass of iced tea with your meal (real barbeque restaurants do not serve beer), and be sure to save room for some banana pudding, the “official” barbeque dessert.—Donald Downs, Arden, North Carolina

Vandy’s Bar-B-Q, Statesboro Mall, Statesboro, Georgia; 912-764-3033
Boyd’s Pit Barbecue, 302 Northside Drive, Statesboro, Georgia; 912-764-9995
Vandy’s, where the ’cue is smoked over an open pit until the outside is burnt and crispy, and the inside is tender as pork can ever be. The two contrasting textures are then chopped into a succulent mixture, drizzled with a tangy, vinegary-sweet sauce worthy of drinking by itself, and served—as it should be—on plain white bread. . . . In the same league is Boyd’s. . . . The sauce is a bit thicker, creamier and milder than Vandy’s. . . . The proprietor, David Colley, always has a tall tale or two to add to the down-home atmosphere of a long-worshiped Southern dining treasure. Go hungry. You won’t leave that way.—Michael Pennington, Birmingham, Alabama

Lexington Barbecue (“Honey Monk’s”), 10 U.S. Highway 29/70 South, Lexington, North Carolina; 336-249-9814
Surely, you must know that the “BBQ capital of the World” is in your backyard. . . . Every time I make it home to N.C., we always go to the Monk for Chopped BBQ and Cheerwine!—Tina Graham Steed, Centreville, Virginia

J.B.’s Barbecue Restaurant, Interstate Highway 10 and Old Highway 90, Orange, Texas; 409-886-9823
Of the many types of BBQ around the country, east Texas is the best for me. J.B.’s barbeque in Orange, Texas, has been there since the ’70s and has all the right stuff. The beef, ribs or “Yankee cow” (which is pork) has that sort of auburn color on the edges from the mesquite smoke. I pick one of those as an entree, add a small side of smoked sausage, coleslaw, “dirty rice,” a scoop of beans, smother the beef with a sauce that has perfect bite to it. Top it all with a slice of fresh cut Texas sweet onion, dill pickle slices and a pickled jalapeño pepper. A small roll for mopping up is a must. Fine eating . . . Big Time every time.—Stephen Meadows, Medina, Ohio

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, 246 West Willow Street, Syracuse, New York; 888-476-1662 or 315-476-1662
That’s right!!! The best mouth-watering, succulent, flavorful and addicting barbecue in the country is in upstate New York. The smoke from the outside smokers can be smelled for many city blocks. . . . All of the pork, beef and chicken is slow-smoked to mouth-watering, fall-off-of-the-bone perfection. They don’t drown the meat in sauce. The right amount is applied at the right time to allow you to taste the flavorful meat.—Mark Winschel, Cincinnati

Casey’s Barbecue, 327 East Nakoma Road, San Antonio; 210-490-1200
The original location has barbecue that is so good that they drew a crowd even before they got air conditioning two years ago. Remember to wash it down with a cold Shiner Bock.—Jim Garity, San Antonio

Brown’s Barbecue, U.S. Highway 52, Kingstree, South Carolina; 843-382-2753
Brown’s Barbecue has a flavorful bite that will wake you up if you’re not already. . . . We pick up five pounds of chopped pork each time we head to the beach and bring it home to savor on soft buns. When we’re out we just consider it a good reason to head back to the beach.—Diana Noriega, Columbia, South Carolina

Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue, 13441 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Kansas; 816-942-9141
Kansas City, Kansas, and K.C., Missouri, have at least 80 BBQ joints, and I have only been able to try 21 of them, so far. t is by far and away the finest BBQ area in these United States. ou may have heard about Arrowhead Stadium (home of the K.C. Chiefs football team) having the best-smelling parking lot in the NFL. he smoke from the tailgaters BBQing ribs, brisket, sausages and steak is fantastic.—Harold Patrick, Aloha, Oregon

Starnes Bar-B-Q, 1008 Joe Clifton Drive, Paducah, Kentucky; 270-444-9555
I am 68 years old and I have eaten barbecue for most of those years from coast to coast. Never have I found any barbecue that compares to Starnes’ from Paducah, Kentucky! I and my family will drive literally hundreds of miles out of our way to visit this very unimpressive “diner” restaurant, and after having the barbecue, we never regret the extra miles! I only wish they had a branch or two closer.—Joe Middleton, Sarasota, Florida

Coopers Country Store, U.S. Highway 521, Salters, South Carolina; 843-387-5772
The completely authentic old store is without dining room, but you can step over the dog on the front steps and go on in to get you a sandwich and a Yoo-Hoo to go.—Dr. Corinne Taylor, Atlanta