A Sea Of Red

Barbecue comes in many different shapes, sizes and flavors. And it inspires passionate feelings for many based on regional favorites. I consider myself somewhat of a connoiseur of the sauced meat genre. But I'm always anxious to hear about your favorites.

I am a big fan of three styles in particular:

1. Kansas City - This city knows sauce better than anybody else. There are a slew of choices that have never left me disappointed. I'm a Gates guy for lunch and then at dinner I could hit a number of different places on back to back night (and I have on many occassions). The tangy flavor is what distinguishes this style for me.

2. Memphis - These guys put pulled pork on the map. Again their sauces tend to be tangy but I would put a pulled pork sandwich with the obligatory cole slaw on top right up with any sandwich in America. Once again, there are a bunch of great spots in this city. Even the franchised Red, Hot & Blue serves up serviceable grub.

3. Central Texas - I know, I know. How could I possibly not bring up a Texan style? But I believe Badger can back me up that this region knows how to barbecue their beef better than anywhere in America. From Austin to the outlying areas of Llano, Taylor & Lockhart (shoutout to the Luling Meat Market as well) this is heaven for anyone who feels the sauce isn't necessary when you cook your meat properly.

All that said, my favorite place for barbecue ribs in America is the Boathouse in Cincinnati. It has the view on the riverfront to go along with the legendary Montgomery Inn ribs that guys like Bob Hope and Johnny Carson used to have flown out to L.A. once a week. Get the Saratoga Chips on the side and you'll never be disappointed in the experience.

So what do you think? I'm expecting a barrage of north carolinians telling me I have no idea what I'm talking about.

well, i'm from nc....
i'm not gonna criticize that for the sole fact that i haven't traveled as much as you and tasted all these different places.
but i have had some terrible bbq, and i have had some good bbq. and some eastern nc bbq is the best.

I don't eat barbeque, but I enjoy the scenery at Speedy's.

Only 2 BBQ joints in the greater Lynchburg area:

(1) Silver Pig in Madison Heights
(2) Schmokies (sp?) in Wyndhurst

But neither place serves baby back ribs. For my tastes, the best ribs in town are at Logan's Roadhouse.

I went to college in Chattanooga & grad school in Oxford, MS, so I've had some good Deep South BBQ.
My brother used to live in Tallahassee, so I used to love eating at Sonny's there and in Charlotte on the drive back.

I've had great BBQ in KC, Texas, Memphis, St Louis (Super Smokers may be some of the best I've had), and NC (Smithfield's). In Lynchburg, there is a place in Wyndhurst called SCHMOKIES...which is very good also. I know there are some Sonny's fans around these parts, too, but I'm not that of a fan. There's a chain call Smokey Bones that is horrible, IMHO. Give me a nice pulled pork and some good tangy sauce, and I'm in hog heaven.

Sly Fox wrote:All that said, my favorite place for barbecue ribs in America is the Boathouse in Cincinnati. It has the view on the riverfront to go along with the legendary Montgomery Inn ribs that guys like Bob Hope and Johnny Carson used to have flown out to L.A. once a week. Get the Saratoga Chips on the side and you'll never be disappointed in the experience.

Undoubtably...the BEST ribs out there. Add in the entire atmosphere of being on the river...it is by far one of my favorite resturants I have ever eaten in. I am really hungry right now!

when i talk bbq, i'm talkin pulled pork bbq sandwhich. not ribs, beef, or anything else. to me, those are different. i guess thats b/c i'm from nc

Let me get something off of my chest right away. I hate beef brisket. Hate. So, for me, that's an entire category of barbecue that's out for me. I'm okay with that.

That leaves pork ribs, pulled pork and chicken, if you're going by official competition categories.

I like my ribs with a dry rub, and for my money, there's a small SC-based chain called Sticky Fingers that has amazing ribs. (I believe they have locations in NC and GA as well.) A rack of their ribs with their dry rub is heaven for me. Having said that, they've got a lot of great sauces, too. They'll ship all of their stuff to you in dry ice and it's still pretty incredible. The wife bought me an entire chest of their stuff for my birthday the year before last. www.stickyfingersonline.com, if you're interested. Locally, I'm a fan of the ribs at New London Steakhouse, even though they're nothing like the ribs from Sticky Fingers.

I grew up in North Carolina, so I'm obviously biased toward NC style pulled pork, but I have absolutely no problem with Memphis-style pulled pork either. I just prefer the taste of home, as I'm sure a lot of people do. As long as the pork is done right, I'm not going to complain about a plate of pulled pork. I will say that I have been completely dissatisfied with the local offerings. The Silver Pig is too greasy and Schmokies is too hit or miss. They've got a killer SC-style mustard sauce, if you're into that, though.

As for chicken, there doesn't really seem to be a lot of variance out there. I think a lot of people tend to put a little too much smoke on their chicken, as it typically requires less than pork and beef. There's a sauce you can find around NC called "Carolina Treat" that's phenomenal on chicken, if you ever get to pick up a bottle. And no, it's not vinegar based. I haven't really found anyone that's into chicken around here yet.

The wife got me a small smoker for Christmas. If I can find the time, I'm going to start some serious work on it over the summer. Hopefully I'll have reason to by a much larger one by the time football season rolls around. Perhaps we can work on a sampling of styles, if I can get my game together.

El Scorcho wrote:
I like my ribs with a dry rub, and for my money, there's a small SC-based chain called Sticky Fingers that has amazing ribs.

Sticky's bbq is more of a NC-style but it's fantastic. If you like SC-style pulled pork, you've got to stop by Sheely's in Irmo.

Yes, but I don't eat their pulled pork. Sticky Fingers is known for their ribs, which is what I eat there. I've never even tried their chicken.

Does anybody remember the Texas-style BBQ joint that used to be between Target and Barnes & Noble in Lynchburg? I think it was called Remington Grill. I mourned the day it went out of business. It wasn't good BBQ, but at least it was BBQ.

Cider Jim wrote:Does anybody remember the Texas-style BBQ joint that used to be between Target and Barnes & Noble in Lynchburg? I think it was called Remington Grill. I mourned the day it went out of business. It wasn't good BBQ, but at least it was BBQ.

You don't want to know what was in that BBQ, Jim. Let's just say that Wilbur and Templeton were both in the pot back there.

I like Extra Billy's. I'm not sure if it's a chain or not, but the only one I know of is right here next to my work, and it is delicious.

el, the reason you probalby don't like brisket is because you've never had really really good brisket...what i've found is most restaurants use only the flats instead of the whole packer...i too wasn't a huge fan until i had a smoked brisket from a neighbor....it was awwesome....he showed me what to do and now i can do it just as good...

big bbq guy here....

anyone do it at home?

i have a thermos 3 burner gas grill. 1 of the burners i've taken out and built a charcoal chamber for smoking...it does a great job.... i also recently got a New Brownfeld barrel smoker at a garage sale for 20 bucks.. its probabbly a 300 dollar smoker....i just had to replace the wheels and the wood shelf in the front...its got the side box on it and man i love it...

i'd like either a drum smoker or a big green egg....

i'm pretty good at smoking pork butts for pulled pork, i'm also dominating at ribs....babybacks and std pork ribs...., my borrowed brisket recipe is awesome it just takes 24 hours because you have to use a packer not a flat.....

i do bcc's as well as turkeys....

i've also been to zillions of restaurants but i'll talk about htem later...

I don't smoke 'em ... but I do inhale.

I personally only work my gas grill at La Casa de Sly.

I'm curious what sauces you use for all of that well-prepared meat, RM.

i make my own tomato based sauce....i also buy a local sauce from a place called jim's ribs

for dark sauces i prefer sweet baby rays....its pretty good...

jack's bbq makes a mustard based bbq sauce thats phenominal as well as a white whine based sauce....the are both out of this world...

oh and the best bbq places in NC are Scotts and Allen and sons...

Sly Fox wrote: I personally only work my gas grill at La Casa de Sly.

i couldn't get a good smoke out of my gas grill...hence why i had to convert it....

Some of you BBQ snobs may laugh, but Lowry's makes an amazing Lime BBQ marinade. That is the only sauce I use on chicken at home.

http://www.chiavettas.com/products.php3

these guys make a chicken marinade that is out of this world...

RubberMallet wrote:http://www.chiavettas.com/products.php3

these guys make a chicken marinade that is out of this world...

Mallett...I thought I was the only one that new about Chivettas That is the ONLY marinade I use on chicken. I can only find it at home...so whenever I visit I have to bring back 3 or 4 gallons of the stuff. I hate vinegar based BBQ pork, but even though this is vinegar based, it may be the best marinade for chicken out there.

you from buffalo?...

i'm running out...i only brought 2 gallons back last year...

So are we gonna have bbq at the spring game?

a bcc of mine....



and a pork butt i did in october

The place we went was the big white building called Lexington BBQ. Just off the highway through town. Tasted more boiled than BBQd. Central texas has many great place in and around Austin and most do a good brisket which takes time and talent. Nobody does pork ribs which are better than beef. The best are some of the small country joints within an hour of Austin.
For pork I like Memphis dry rub, KC, and good pulled pork with a little of the tangy red sauce. For that the Blue Ridge Pig is very good.


If that pork tastes half as good as it looks........................................I'm hungry.

seriously, I'm practically licking the screen. How is Scorcho doing with the smoker anyway?