My wife and I ate at Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Cue on Tuesday. It is one of the few restaurants we can agree upon. I usually shy away from restaurants which have more than a few chain locations within a centralized area. I feel that restaurants with a lot of locations have become "commercialized" and have lost the originality and uniqueness which originally made them successful. I have already explained my disgust for Chili's in a previous post, but I also try to avoid O'Charley's, Olive Garden, and Outback Steakhouse. Red Lobster would be in this category, but it is the only seafood restaurant within driving distance from where I live. Remember, I reside in Metro-Atlanta, which is about four hours from the Atlantic and about five hours from the Gulf. I have additionally thought about dropping Applebee's into this category. However, it offers free kareoke on the weekends which makes for quality entertainment compared to the typically stale nightlife of the suburbs.
Jim 'N Nicks Bar-B-Cue
Sadly, the restaurants I have placed in the avoid category are not always avoidable. After graduations, little league baseball games, church functions, and random family gatherings, someone with no concept of what real food tastes like seems to always suggest that he and his associates extend their social outing by grabbing a bite to eat at an O'Charley's. Why did he pick O'Charley's? He saw a commercial advertising some type of 2 for 20 deal where he and his wife can share an appetizer and order two entrees for $20.00. If you have ever been caught in this situation then you know you have two options. You can lie and say your dog has pooped on your carpet and you need to go home immediately, or you can take the higher road and agree to attend because it would mean a lot for your distant fourth cousin who is visiting from Alaska.
I am an honest man, so I always take the higher road. I eat my food quickly so that it appears that I am enjoying myself. Truthfully, I am just trying to down the burger, which is the cheapest thing on the menu, because it is dry and tough to chew. Surprisingly, I occasionally walk away impressed with a commercialized dining experience. Sometimes I am so impressed with an experience that I make plans with my wife to visit that restaurant again. IHOP's all-you-can-eat pancakes fits this description. So does Red Lobster's all-you-can eat shrimp. As for barbecue, Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Cue tops the list.
When I go to Jim 'N Nicks, I always order the smoked wings as an appetizer. They have a spicy flare to them and come with carrots, celery, and blue cheese dressing. For the entree, I usually stick to the pulled pork. However, the brisket and smoked catfish are also solid choices. The menu offers a variety of sides, and one constant that I order is the collard greens. They have a smooth vinegar flavor and are cooked to just the right tenderness. Also, if you like sweet tea and lemonade, then order an Arnold Palmer. In my honest opinion, Jim 'N Nicks has the best Arnold Palmer I have ever drank.
Now I would like to hear from you. Do you agree with my assessment of Jim 'N Nicks? Are there other "commercialized" restaurants which I should try? If you disagree the "commercialized" concept, should I banish the discussion of these restaurants from the blog? Please let me know what you think.
The Infamous Collards from Jim 'N Nicks
Arnold Palmer
I do not know much about golf, but I am certain he created one of the most refreshing drinks in American history.
In a previous post I discussed a video in which an accomplished barbecue pitmaster explained that he marinated his ribs before cooking them. It is an interesting concept but one in which I was unfamiliar. Today, we will take a closer look at a more traditional technique for preparing ribs. I picked a video in which an average guy with a small backyard smoker uses a dry rub, baste, and homemade barbecue sauce to flavor his ribs. One of his many great points is that he explained that a barbecue sauce cannot be mopped on the ribs until the last hour to an hour and half of smoking. This is done because some of the ingredients in the barbecue sauce would burn if smoked for any longer. I hope you find this video inspirational and informative as you begin to prepare for your Fourth of July barbecue. I think a lot of people believe ribs are difficult to cook, but judging from my experiences, I believe even a novice can smoke up a decent rack of ribs. Look at the guy in the video. He is certainly not a barbecue expert, but he managed to successfully smoke ribs.
I encourage you to watch the video which I have inserted below before embarking on your upcoming barbecue adventures. Also, if you would like a quality recipe for a dry rub, baste, barbecue sauce, check out the post I wrote about Bobby Flay's recipe. Have a safe holiday!
Barbecue Sauce, Basting Sauce, and Dry Rub
Yummy! Ribs Done Right at Fat Matt's Rib Shack in Atlanta, GA
Once a month I will be posting a piece on barbecue happenings in print/media/music. It is my thought that barbecue has a profound impact on the everyday lives of Americans. This is just a theory, but perhaps my monthly updates will shed further light on this less than commonly held belief. For our first installment we turn to politics.
In 1992, Governor Rick Perry tasted a bit of Eastern North Carolina barbecue which was shipped to a convention in Houston. After a few bites, he remarked that it tasted worse than road kill. I fully understand that Eastern North Carolina barbecue tastes quite different from the traditional stuff in Texas. I could even foresee a newby to the whole hog concept finding the sauce to be too bitter and swine in general to be a less desirable meat compared to beef (for the record, I completely disagree). However, to declare that the barbecue tastes worse than roadkill is bold, uninformed, and over exaggerated. Governor Perry should have thought long and hard before he uttered those foolish words.
Anyways, almost 20 years later as Rick Perry campaigned for votes in North Carolina to become the Republican presidential candidate, his words came back to haunt him. A newspaper story was published, and it revealed that North Carolinians, most of whom are very prideful about their state and heritage, were still disgusted by the Governor's comments. The story even made it to the LA Times on the West Coast. Governor Perry dropped out of the race before the North Carolina primaries, but it is my guess that his decades old comment would have still negatively impacted his chances of winning the state's primary. Below the picture of Governor Perry is the link to the LA Times article.
Now it is your turn to chime in. Does barbecue have a tremendous impact on our everyday lives? Does it significantly impact politics and who people decide to vote for?
I hear First Lady Michelle Obama has also made a misinformed comment to the press. Apparently she stated that she was appreciative for her visit to North Carolina because, among other things, the barbecue was great. However, residents belief she was stretching the truth due to the fact that she only visited Charlotte. Apparently, most North Carolinians agree that Charlotte is the worst city in the state for barbecue. Funny, is it not?
As promised early this week, I have compiled a brief history of barbecue in Tennessee. This post is in tribute to Tennessee being voted by the readers of this blog as the state with the best barbecue tradition.
The State of Tennessee is Wide!!
Above is a map of the state of Tennessee. As you can probably tell, its land area lacks height, but its width certainly makes up for it. Tennessee sits on top of three states: Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. I mention this often overlooked fact because the unique shape of Tennessee greatly impacted the cultural development of its residents. You see, Tennessee has three distinct regions which are so different culturally that they may be viewed as three separate states. The three regions with their brief cultural descriptions are as follows:
1. East Tennessee: This region was too hilly to support large plantations before the Civil War. Although slavery was prevalent, the local economies did not heavily rely upon it like the people who lived near the Delta in West Tennessee. During the Civil War, the area was a bastion for Union support. Brothers literally did fight brothers as families were often split in their support for the North and the South. After the Civil War, many East Tennesseans differed politically with the rest of Tennessee by supporting and voting for Republican political candidates. The Solid South was not so solid in the hills and valleys west of the Cumberland Plateau. Today, East Tennessee is still mostly rural, but Chattanooga and Knoxville are bustling metropolitan areas with all the modern amenities a city slicker would expect.
The Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee
2. Central Tennessee: This region is a cross between the cultures of East and West Tennessee. The region is hilly like East Tennessee, but it closely resembles the gentle rolling hills of Bluegrass Country in Kentucky. Before the Civil War, large plantations were established to primarily cultivate tobacco. There were a handful of counties in Central Tennessee where the population was predominantly enslaved. Andrew Jackson's plantation is located in this region near Nashville. During the Civil War, Central Tennesseans were more homogenous in their support of the Confederacy, and after the Civil War, they aligned more with the Solid South. Today, Central Tennessee is home to the state's largest metropolitan area and state capital, Nashville, which is the world's epicenter for Country music. Vanderbilt University, arguably the South's most prestigious institution for higher learning, is also located in Nashville.
Tobacco Production in Central Tennessee
3. West Tennessee: Endless rows of cotton, wealthy plantation owners, slaves, and all of those things that Hollywood loves to mistakenly portray as the cultural heritage shared by all Southerners is typical of West Tennessee. The region borders the Mississippi Delta and sits across the river from the Arkansas Delta. Many of the region's early settlers became wealthy through cotton cultivation, and Memphis grew into a major city by aligning with the Cotton economy. West Tennessee was connected to the rest of the world through the Mississippi River. A steamboat ride could allow a West Tennessean to comfortably travel to New Orleans and beyond. The Tennessee legislature's decision to secede from the Union was largely a movement supported and promoted by the wealthy landowners of West Tennessee. Today, cotton is still a major player in the local economy, and Memphis has become a hub for Hip-Hop and Blues music and, of course, barbecue.
Cotton Producing Counties of West Tennessee
I highlight the diversity of cultures in Tennessee to demonstrate how culture has impacted barbecue throughout the state. Tennesseans, no matter what part of the state they come from, consider themselves Southern and view barbecue as a part of their heritage. Additionally, pork is the meat of choice when barbecuing throughout the state. However, how the pork is smoked and what else is smoked with the pork varies greatly from region to region. I'll start with the two most contrasting styles of barbecue and then finish with a culinary gray area.
Smoked Ham vs. Ribs vs. I'm not sure
East Tennessee is known for its pulled pork with a rich and thick tomato-based barbecue sauce. Smoked (or barbecued) ham with barbecue sauce is also common in this region. Furthermore, in my travels to East Tennessee, I have noticed that brisket is more likely to be consumed than in a place like my home state Georgia where a pink pig is even an amusement ride for kids during Christmas time. These are my own observations, but I attribute this to the abundance of dairy and cattle farms in the region. However, make no bones about it, pork is still the undisputed, heavy-weight champ in this region.
West Tennessee is also known for its pulled pork with a sweet, tomato based barbecue sauce but, in case you have been living under a rock, the ribs around there are pretty good too. Dry rub ribs are the craze in Memphis, and these rubs mimic traditional Cajun and Greek seasonings. As reported in a previous post about Charlie Vergos, the cooking traditions of New Orleans were easily accessible to Memphis due to the Mississippi River. Charlie combined the spices he saw Cajun chiefs use in New Orleans with the cooking techniques he learned from his Greek-American parents to create his world-famous ribs. It is additionally important to mention that before the Civil War, on plantations like those in West Tennessee, African Americans were experimenting with cooking techniques which tenderized tough meats, such as ribs, which were given to them by plantation owners who viewed the food as undesirable. And a quick FYI, Charlie Vergos mentioned that when he first added ribs to his restaurant's menu, they only cost $0.10 per pound, Now that people view them as more than a tough cut of meat, it is difficult to order a full slab of ribs for less than $18.00 (at least that is what I have noticed in my part of Georgia).
Central Tennessee: To be honest, I do not know much about the barbecue tradition of this region. There is not much literature written about, and I have not traveled extensively in this region. Perhaps it is because it is a mixture of the well-defined barbecuing traditions of East and West Tennessee. Could anyone fill me in?
I will post another poll question later today. Thank you to the readers who participated in the previous poll question. I encourage all of you to participate in the new one. I will keep the poll open for two weeks, and after the poll is closed I will post an article about the results. Thanks!
In keeping with the Tennessee theme for the week, I have picked a Memphis legend to highlight during this week's segment of Legendary Pitmasters. This is the second installment of the weekly, 12 part series.
Positions: Founder and former owner of Rendezvous Restaurant, background supporter and advisor to the happenings of downtown Memphis
Still Living: No, died in 2010
Restaurant: Rendezvous, Memphis, TN; Food can be ordered through FedEx and shipped to any location
Years in Business: Began barbecuing in 1948, found a coal chute in the basement of his diner and eventually expanded from serving ham and cheese sandwiches to ribs, his restaurant is now run by his kids
Vitals: Second generation Greek American, brought the concept of a dry rub to Memphis which is similar to traditional Greek and Cajun seasonings; One of the first restaurants to offer barbecue through FedEx shipping to any location in the United States; Unique in that only charcoal is used to smoke meats
Specialties: Ribs!! Although a rub is put on the ribs, the folks at Rendezvous consider their ribs a cross between wet and dry ribs. They discourage people from referring to their ribs as dry. Also, they still offer ham and cheese sandwiches on the menu as an appetizer or entree. Most people do not know that Charlie Vergos was serving ham and cheese sandwiches before he was serving ribs.The most interesting item on the menu is the barbecue shrimp. It is cooked in a skillet and requires 24 hours of advanced notice to order them.
Qoute: “People want to get into too much philosophical detail about barbecue.
From my perspective, there are two things that make barbecue special—and
two things only. One, it tastes really good. And two, it never goes out
of style,” John Vergos, co-owner of the Rendezvous and the son of Charles Vergos, menshealth.com profile of restaurants in the Southeast
Our first pole for the blog has closed. The question was "Which state has the best barbecue tradition?" The results were close, but Tennessee narrowly defeated Texas for the title of "State with the best Barbecue Tradition." Although I am a native Georgian, I voted for the Volunteer State because of Memphis. I feel that no other city has a history and culture which is interwoven with barbecue like Memphis. What I plan to do is later this week write up a brief history on barbecue in the state of Tennessee. Next week, I will create another pole question for readers to answer. Thank you for all those who participated. Until then, I leave you with a familiar victory song which, if you have ever watched a University of Tennessee football game, is played every time the Volunteers score. Also, I have included a video which briefly explains the history behind Memphis barbecue and some of the city's most famous restaurants. I hope this wets your appetite until I post the full report.
I came across this recipe on the Internet today. It is one of Bobby Flay's rib recipes, and I find it intriguing because it received solid ratings from readers. I was unaware that Bobby Flay knew anything about barbecue outside of hamburgers and hot dogs until I saw him on TV participating in a rib cooking competition in Richmond, VA. He lost the challenge, but I was impressed with his ability to think outside of the box to make Asian style ribs.
I have attached a link to the recipe below the picture of him. Also included in the link are the ratings left by readers and videos of him preparing ribs and other food. The recipe includes a dry rub for the ribs, a mop sauce to baste the ribs while they are smoking, and barbecue sauce to use for basting in conjunction with the mop sauce towards the end of the smoking period. Please note that prep time is 19 hours. He recommends letting the ribs marinate in the dry rub for upwards of 13 hours and then use the other 6 hours for smoking. Lastly, I have attached a youtube video with Bobby Flay describing one of the best things he has eaten. It just so happens to be (drum roll)...beef ribs at Salt Lick Barbecue in Texas!
Bobby Flay is certainly not a barbecue genius. I do though respect his culinary skills and trust that anything he promotes online or on TV is solid.
A Couple weeks ago my father and step-mother offered to take me and my wife out to eat. One to never turn down free food, I consulted with my wife, and we both agreed that it would be enjoyable to take them up on their offer. I had no idea where we were going, but I was delighted to learn that we were going to dine at This Is It! Barbecue and Seafood. It is arguably the most popular barbecue restaurant in Atlanta, and President Obama even ate there on a visit to the metropolitan area.
There are a number of This Is It! locations throughout Metro-Atlanta, but we decided to eat at the one off Camp Creek Parkway near the airport. When we pulled into a parking spot, I was surprised to see that it was packed. We arrived at about 4:30 PM, an awkward and undesirable time to eat by most peoples' standards.
The atmosphere inside of the restaurant was hectic. People waited patiently in a cafeteria style line while workers scurried about cooking and plating orders and serving drinks to people seated at tables. It reminded of a lunch time rush in a typical high school. Students race to the front of the lines because they only have 20 minutes to eat. Those students at the ends of the lines may be in line for the entire 20 minutes and are subsequently forced to eat while walking to their next class. My family and I steadily inched our way forward to place our order, but waiting in line was just as uncomfortable and miserable as I remember it being in high school.
Due to the long wait to place our orders, I had plenty of time to pick what I thought was the most flavorful and thus intriguing item on the menu...rib tips! I am not the type of person to usually order rib tips at any type of restaurant because they are relatively expensive and do not come with much meat on the bones. However, I looked around and saw other people ordering rib tips and I was pleased. They were receiving large plates full of rib tips which appeared to be tender and were covered with a rich barbecue sauce. Unfortunately, my keen observations were not keen enough. I overlooked something which I consider a big No, No in cooking.
When I placed my order, the server dropped two big scoops of rib tips on my plate. My mouth began to water as I began to fantasize about eating every bit of beef off the rib tips and then wiping my plate clean of leftover barbecue with a piece of moist and buttery cornbread. I held my anxious hands out to receive my plate when BAM- it happened. My dreams came tumbling down. The server turned her back to me and proceeded to place my rib tips in the microwave.
Pause...take a deep breath...and realize that I am not lying or sensationalizing this story. I am Christian man, and I do my best to be honest in life. My rib tips were placed in the microwave in plain view of the 70 or so people eating in the restaurant. They were heated for about one minute. What was even more disturbing is that the microwave was placed on a table 10 feet behind the plating area in a location convenient for the workers to access. Also, I could tell it had been used a lot throughout the day. Why? because there were dried food stains on the inside and outside of the microwave. This turn of events was devastating, appalling, inexplicable, and a whole bunch of other adjectives which are not presently flowing through my frustrated finger tips.
There are a couple things I find disgusting about using a microwave while cooking in a professional manner, i.e. offering barbecue for eleven or twelve dollars a plate to hard working and honest customers.
Number One: A microwave zaps the moistness and freshness out of any type of food, but especially barbecue. Anyone can throw a hot dog in a microwave, press the express cook button, and then wait a minute and a half for the food to be heated. That hot dog might be edible, but it lacks the smokey flavor that it would have received if it was cooked on a charcoal grill.
Number Two: After food has been cooked, it must be kept at a certain temperature so that bacteria does not grow in it. If it falls below a certain temperature while waiting for customers in the plating area, bacteria will grow in it and people who eat it will become sick. Having to microwave food to heat it up is a good indication that the food was sitting at a temperature which was too cool to kill bacteria. I ate my food to be polite to my father and step-mother who took time out of their busy day to hang out with me and my wife, but it became unsettling in the abdominal region when I realized I could have been eating bacteria infested food.
I wish I could tell you that This Is It! Barbecue and Seafood is worthy of the high praises which it promotes. However, the microwave incident is too incriminating to overlook, and frankly, I dumbfounded when I try to understand how the place got such a great reputation. My suggestion is that when you are visiting Atlanta, try other barbecue restaurants. My hometown has a great barbecue tradition and there are countless barbecue joints which serve quality food. Also, my cornbread tasted like cardboard. Have you ever had cornbread made from a Jiffy box? Well, that is exactly what the cornbread tasted like.
This post is the first installment of "What I am Reading." I will list some of the books I am reading for the month and give a brief synopsis of each one. Some of them may be barbecue related while others may not. I would like for you to share what books you are reading so I will know about any good books I will need to read in the future. Here it goes:
1. Finding the Winning Edge by Bill Walsh
I have only made it to page 18 in this book, but it has thus far lived up to its reputation. Bill Walsh explains in detail how he became a great football coach and his philosophies in managing people. This book is a MUST read if you are a football coach or manager. It is hard to find in used book stores. I bought mine on amazon for about $38.00 including shipping and handling. A good price for this book would be anything less than $40.00.
2. not a fan. by Kyle Idleman
I finished reading this book last week. It was actually given to me as a Christmas present by my sister, and for various reasons I had stalled in reading it. I thought the book was decent. The recurring theme was that followers of Christ should give everything to him and not be a follower of Christ only when it is convenient or comfortable. The book has been a big hit with readers since it came out, and the author, Kyle Idleman, has almost reached celebrity status. I read that a DVD about the book will be released in the near future.
3. Winning Sure Beats Losing and Here's What You Can do About it by Dr. Jack H. Llewellyn
I am about halfway through this book, and it has been a good read thus far. Dr. Llewellyn is a sports psychologist who has worked with many professional athletes including former baseball players Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. So far, He has emphasized maintaining a positive attitude, being courageous enough to take the risks necessary to succeed, and constantly setting challenging but attainable goals. His principles are applicable not only to athletes but to anyone who strives to become a more productive person.
4. Don't Bend Over in the Garden, Granny, You Know Them Taters Got Eyes by Lewis Grizzard
This book is one of countless pieces of literature written by the Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard. I plan to start reading this book before the month is over. Most of Grizzard's books were written when I was just a boy, but I find his humor timeless. What many people do not know about him is that he was very opinionated and well informed about barbecue. I will save this tid-bit of information for a later post and debate. Until then, I leave you with one of his comedy routines.
I have attached a video with Bob Polan from Boogers Barbecue in Texas. He describes in detail how he prepares and cooks ribs. He explains what he looks for in buying ribs, how he trims them, what marinades and dry rubs he uses, and his smoking techniques. What I find most interesting is that he marinades his ribs overnight before cooking them. Usually I just generously apply a dry rub on the ribs before placing them on my little grill (I am temporarily without a smoker). I then periodically spray apple juice on them while they are smoking to keep them moist. I also apply a barbecue sauce on the ribs towards the end of the smoking process to caramelize.
My techniques, however, may be faulty. I am certainly no cooking guru and consider myself a layman when it comes to preparing barbecue. Thus, I am always open to new ideas and am anxious to try a marinade on my ribs. Hopefully the marinade will make my ribs more tender and flavorful.
Speaking of new ideas, I would like to read about your techniques when cooking ribs. More specifically, I would like to discuss the following questions:
1. Have you ever used a typical backyard grill when cooking ribs? If so, how did they taste?
2. I have heard the argument that good ribs do not need a rub because the smoke flavoring is enough. Is this statement true? Why or why not?
3. What is the best way to remove the lining (that rubbery film which I guess would be considered the membrane) of the ribs?
4. Have you ever eaten ribs from an animal other than a pig or cow? For instance, I once ate venison ribs. This may seem like a strange question, but honestly, I would like to know if the world has a larger variety of ribs to offer.
For the next 12 weeks I will be writing weekly posts about 12 pitmasters who have made significant contributions to barbecue. It can be challenging collecting this type of research because most of these people have not written books and there are no websites including their detailed biographies. Perhaps this will change in the future as barbecue gains popularity.
To start this series, I have chosen one of the most well known faces in barbecue.
Pitmaster: Chris Lilly
Positions: VP of Big Bob Gibson's B-B-Q and head of competition team, corporate pitmaster for Kingsford Charcoal, author, TV personality
Still Living: Yes
Restaurant: Big Bob Gibson's B-B-Q; two locations in Decatur, AL and one location in Monroe, NC
Years in the Business: He began barbecuing after graduating from college. He married the great-granddaughter of Big Bob Gibson and left the pharmaceutical sales business to manage a new Bib Bob Gibson's restaurant. Through a lot of hard work and patience, he grew to become an expert pitmaster.
Vitals: World BBQ Champion, multiple Memphis in May titles, wrote Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary BBQ Joint
Specialties: He enjoys cooking large cuts of meat. His specialty is pork shoulder. He injects flavors into it, and it is so tender that he can pull the bone out by hand.
Quote: "What I love most about barbecue is actually cooking it. I like to cross
the boundaries of regional cooking styles, flavors, and cooker
temperatures. I don’t think you can classify my barbecue as any one
style or category." Chris Lilly, Meet the Pros Interview
I have decided that I will shoot for updating the blog with four posts each week. Topics will include places I eat at and whether they were good or bad, barbecue cooking tips and recipes, barbecue in print and media, the history of barbecue, updates to my bucket and top 10 lists, monthly survey questions and posts discussing the results, and other miscellaneous topics which are barbecue focused and are sure to be entertaining. The posts will contain plenty of pictures and videos which I hope you find enjoyable. Also, discussion questions will be included in the posts so that you and all of the other readers may chime in and state y'all's 10 cents. Oh, and I almost forgot, each month I will provide a list of books I am reading, and I would like for you to list the books you are reading. Perhaps we may promote literacy by sharing what we enjoy reading during our spare time. Remember, I am a school teacher so I am always looking for new avenues in which to read and learn.
If you have any suggestions for topics which I may write about in the future, please feel free to post them down at the bottom. Thanks for reading, and I encourage you to do something barbecue focused with your family this weekend. Meanwhile, watch this rib eating competition I found on youtube. It was held during halftime of a basketball game in Oklahoma. Brilliant!
I have put together a list of my top 10 favorite barbecue restaurants. This list is fluid however, and I will update it the first week of every month. Even a restaurant that is already on the list may move up or down or out of the top 10 based on its current performance or the performance of other restaurants which I have recently eaten at. I have pasted the list below and also have it as a google gadget on the right side of the blog. Take a look at it and tell me what you think. I encourage you to also leave a post listing your own favorite barbecue restaurants. I enjoy learning about where other people like to eat.
I have created my own barbecue bucket list. It includes the barbecue restaurants I would like to eat at before I die. I am 27 years old, so hopefully I have plenty of time to cross out everything on the list. Also, I will be sure to write a post on the blog about any restaurant on the list which I visit.
If you are a fan of Outkast or Goodie Mob,you have probably heard about this place in their songs. It is arguably the most well known barbecue restaurant on the southside of Atlanta.
This restaurant was recommended to me by a coworker with a trustworthy knowledge of barbecue. Take a look at the appetizers section of the menu. They serve fried squash!
This restaurant originally started by serving barbecue plates out of some one's house. Today, it has a new location and many people claim it's barbecue sauce is world renowned.
I learned about this restaurant while watching a Man v Food episode. The pit looks like what I imagine the inside of Santa's bag of toys to look like on Christmas Eve. Better yet, the pit resembles a culinary mausoleum. Sausages hang from above while various slabs of meat smoke directly over the pit.
I would like to visit Big Bob's to try the barbecue chicken with white barbecue sauce. I believe the sauce by itself would be worth the visit if all the hype about it is true.
That is what I have on my bucket list so far. Is there anything I should add to the list? Knock on wood, but I believe I have plenty of living left and this is a relatively short list for a lifetime of eating.
Below I have listed five barbecue restaurants which I have eaten at and walked out utterly disappointed. I would not eat at these restaurants again even if the food was free.
Williamson Brothers BBQ: Metro-Atlanta, GA
The Brunswick Stew tastes like a shot of canned tomato juice and the sauce tastes store bought. Also, the pulled pork is a bit dry. If you see this restaurant while driving around town, get in the far lane and put the petal to the metal!
Old South BBQ: Smyrna, GA
I believe I was 10 years old the last time I ate there. I saw roaches crawling on the wall and, needless to say, it was pretty gross. I have avoided this restaurant like the plague ever since. If you are near this restaurant at any point in your life, grab your bug spray and pass by cautiously.
Neely's BBQ: Memphis, TN
This restaurant was a highlight in my post about my trip to Memphis. To summarize, the Neely's are overrated cooks and the food taste like...hmh...BOO-BOO!
Sonny's BBQ: Is there a city in America in which it is not located?
I ate at this restaurant frequently during high school. It had an All You Can Eat salad bar and I was a growing boy. The barbecue tasted like rubber, but all I cared about back then was portions. Nowadays, a plate the size of Montana for $1.00 would not convince me to go back there. If you walk by a Sonny's while traveling to a tire shop, stop and order a rib plate. You may be able to use the ribs to patch you up a new tire.
Chili's: It may be located in every major city throughout the world!
The commercial promoting its baby back ribs was clever. However, the food is garbage. Anything on the menu tastes like fast food from Sonic. The ribs taste like they are boiled and then baked in an oven with Kroger barbecue sauce. This strategy is unacceptable according to the laws of barbecue which I was taught as a youngster. If you get the temptation to take your family out to eat at Chili's after your oldest child's baseball game, do not do it! Even though it may be late at night I am sure there is a Waffle House nearby which would be much easier on your taste buds. Oh yea, and at least Sonic has good slushies.
The Remake of the Chili's Baby Back Ribs Commercial
In December of 2011 my wife and I had the opportunity to travel to Memphis for a brief vacation. It was a trip which was well overdue. In my opinion, Memphis is THE Barbecue Mecca. No other city has a culture which is interlocked with barbecue like Memphis. Every time I turn on Food Network or the Travel Channel, it seems that Memphis barbecue is being mentioned in some way, shape, or form. It is a long drive from my hometown of Powder Springs, GA to Memphis, but with barbecue on my mind, it went by quick. I guess I was consumed by an appetite and overjoyed taste buds.
Below I have organized my experiences with Memphis barbecue by categorizing them by The Good, The Bad, and The Smokey.
The Good:
On our first full day in Memphis, my wife and I traveled to Corky's BBQ for a quick lunch. Just for your information, Corky's is not in downtown Memphis. It is still within the city limits, but I would estimate it is a 10-15 minute drive from popular tourist destinations such as Bourbon Street, the Grizzles' basketball forum, and the Civil Rights Museum. The parking around Corky's was tight, so I would not drive your new Ford F350 or a church van there.Once I managed to navigate our Toyota Corolla into a parking spot, my wife and I eagerly walked inside the restaurant. What we saw was a bit surprising.
It seemed that tourists were seated at most of the tables. How did I know they were tourists? It was easy to tell. Many of them looked as though they were from foreign countries while others talked in accents which ranged from American Standard to the nasal accents of the Midwest. What was absent from most of the tables was the Deep South drawl which is characteristic of Memphis. I was second guessing my decision to eat at Corky's since it appeared locals had avoided the place on that particular afternoon. However, it was cool to see people from so many different cultures enjoying barbecue. You have to remember, I am from the Deep South, and us Southerners from the heart of the South sometimes forget that barbecue can be found across the country.
Once seated, I ordered a full rack of dry rubbed ribs. They were good. The ribs were tender and well seasoned. They had a deep smoke flavor and the sight of them was undeniably visually appealing. I would not classify them as great. The dry rub got kind of old after a while. Perhaps me being a Georgian had something to do with my slight displeasure. Us Georgians tend to prefer our ribs wet. The best part about the meal was the portions. I was able to take a few ribs to the hotel room and eat them for breakfast the next morning.
*Corky's BBQ has multiple locations. We ate at the one in East Memphis, and there is even one in Pigeon Forge.
On our first night in Memphis, my wife and I checked into our hotel room and then traveled to Neely's Bar-B-Que for what was expected to be one of the best meals we had ever eaten. It was a disaster! When we arrived, we were not sure we had found the correct Neely's restaurant because the lights in the sign were half lit and the sign read Ne 's. My wife and I had a heart-to-heart discussion on whether we had found a liquor store or a wack imitation of the real Neely's restaurant. The experience got even worse from there.
We ordered our food and I chose the ribs. My ribs were tender, but the sauce was awful. It tasted like old bottled ketchup with a teaspoon of vinegar. It was bland and tasted worse than a generic brand of barbecue sauce found in a supermarket. My side of mac and cheese was even worse. It was made with processed cheese (a big no-no according to my culinary standards), and it also tasted store bought. The best way I can describe it is to imagine eating mac and cheese at a preschooler's birthday party. It is not homemade and comes from unmarked Styrofoam containers. YUK! My wife was severely disappointed in her barbecue and made the same mistake I did in ordering the mac and cheese.
The only enjoyable part of our dining experience were the other customers we met while eating there. We were all equally disappointed in our food, and it seemed that the shared disappointment brought us together in an unexpected bond of camaraderie and friendliness. We met another couple from Atlanta, and I felt bad because they had only one night in Memphis and wasted it on Neely's.
The most impressive aspect of our trip to Memphis was the creative ways in which people smoked food. We ate at Pearl's Oyster House on Main Street. I was expecting to eat a decent plate of seafood, but I was pleasantly surprised to eat a meal full of what I call "Southern Smoke." I ordered the char grilled oysters topped with garlic chipolte butter and Parmesan cheese. The shells of the oysters were charred to a dark black while the oysters themselves were cooked to a state of juicy goodness. What made my meal even more pleasurable was the smoke flavor which filled the oysters' juicy goodness. I was not able to sneak a peek at the kitchen, but I assume the oysters were grilled over an open flame. Ultimately, the smoke and juiciness combined with a strong flavor of chipolte and cheese to form a solid seafood dinner in a city which is not known for its quality of seafood.
On our trip back from Memphis, we decided to swing down to the Mississippi Delta to visit the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Mississippi. It was a nice museum. The most interesting part of it is that it houses the cabin in which the bluesman Muddy Waters grew up. It was actually a slave cabin which was eventually converted to a cabin for more permanent living arrangements. After we finished visiting the museum, we traveled to Como, Mississippi to eat at Como Steakhouse. It was recommended by a coworker who is a native of Mississippi. The town of Como is located in Panola County. Panola County is interesting because it is located where a portion of the Delta and Piedmont regions of Mississippi collide. When leaving the Delta and entering the Piedmont, it is interesting to be able to actually view the elevation rise and the soil turn from black to the more well known red clay which is commonly found throughout the Deep South. The landscape additionally changes from endless fields of cotton to rolling hills and cow pasture.
If you travel to Como, do not expect to see a bustling town where everybody visits main street on a Friday or Saturday afternoon. When we arrived in Como, we were a bit surprised to notice that the restaurant was the only thing bustling on an otherwise lonely small town street. The general lack of commercial activity within the town frightened us, but we trusted my coworker and proceeded inside.
I ordered the Porterhouse and my wife ordered the Pork Chops. The meat was stored in a freezer near the entrance of the restaurant, and it was fun to see the grill man pull our meat out and place it over an open grill. The meats were cooked in plain sight from where we were sitting, and it was entertaining to watch one man simultaneously cook 15 pieces of meat. It seemed it took very little time for our food to be cooked because we were so entertained, and what we ate was worth the trip to Memphis all by itself. Our food had a strong smokey flavor with a slight kick of charcoal. We also detected a hint of sweet flavor with a flare of hickory in it. I think much of the flavor stemmed from some type of fluid which was sprayed on top of the meats while they were grilled. Upon eating my steak, it immediately made it to my top five all time list (perhaps I will share that with you in a later post). My wife affirmatively stated that the pork chops were the best she had ever eaten.
Reviews of Como Steakhouse on Urbanspoon: Well Over 90%!
I have been traveling to Knoxville, TN my entire life. Most of my father's side of the family live in and around Knoxville. I have thuroughly enjoyed all of my visits to Knoxville, and while on those visits, me and my wife have not been shy in exploring all it has to offer. However, it was not until this past week when I was watching a rerun of Man v. Food that I learned about Dixson Bar-B-Q.
Located near downtown Knoxville, Dixson seems uninviting when first approaching it. It is the size of your grandfather's camper, and the building appears to be older than your grandfather. Much of the surrounding neighborhood appears to be in a state of decay, and it shares the parking lot with a redneck bar. I beg you however to separate quality barbecue from unnecessary hang ups such as boarded windows and pot holes. If not, you will find Dixson's unacceptable and miss out on a lot of good barbecue.
I traveled to Dixson with my wife, mother, sister, and two nephews. It was a struggle to convince them that good barbecue has nothing today with outward appearances, but after I did, as the young people like to say, it was "game on!" We were pleasantly surprised by the cheap prices and friendly service. I ordered two pork burgers and a side of baked beans. Total Price: I do not remember exactly, but the porkburgers were $3.00 each and the baked beans were probably $2.00. So, if I am doing my math correctly, the total comes to 7...no...5...wait...$8.00! Not bad compared to some of the prices I pay here in the Atlanta area for marginal barbecue. The pigburber was great. The baked beans were some of the best I have ever tasted. They had a spciy kick to them which was not overpowering but was enough to keep my taste bunds entertained. Remember me telling you of my family members who were skeptical of Dixson at first glance? They raved about the baked beans and barbecue and were pleased with their dining experience.
I have inserted the youtube clip featuring Man v. Food's visit to Knoxville. The show's host explains the concept of the pork burger and how it is cooked in great detail. If you are like I was before I saw this episode of the show, you do not have a clue as to what a pork burger is. As far as I know, it is unique to East Tennessee's barbecue tradition. Enjoy!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit Lexington, Kentucky on my way back from Dayton, Ohio. I was telling my wife before we reached Lexington that Kentucky is a difficult state for me to categorize. It does not seem quite Southern, but it does not seem quite Midwestern either. Eastern Kentucky represents the heart of Appalachia while Central Kentucky is home to bluegrass and race horses. Western Kentucky...well, I am not quite sure what it is all about. I have been to Bowling Green and can tell you that it looks similar to Central Kentucky. I could, however, affirmatively say that somewhere in the Bluegrass State there was bound to be good barbecue.
My wife and I reached Lexington around noon on a Sunday and decided to visit the old courthouse which now houses Lexington's museum of history.Usually at noon on Sunday we would be exiting church, but like I previously stated, we were traveling back from Dayton, Ohio. Anyways, the museum was three levels and chronicled an eclectic collection of topics including slavery, the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, public safety, horse racing, and commerce. The highlight of the museum for me was the obvious connections Lexington has with Southern culture, both past and present. The city had a large slave population prior to the Civil War. The local economy immediately outside of the city was largely based on agriculture with hemp and later tobacco being the main cash crops. Most residents supported the Confederacy during the Civil War, and the city was racially segregated after it. Finally, Lexington is home to the University of Kentucky Wildcats which, as most of you already know, is a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). All of these connections to the South indicated to me that Lexington and its surrounding areas are Southern in culture and identification. As for the rest of Kentucky, I am still undecided.
After visiting the museum, my wife and I decided to eat at the Cheapside Grill in downtown Lexington. While studying the menu, I was pleasantly surprised to read that a pulled barbecue chicken sandwich with white barbecue as an option to order. I ordered the barbecue chicken with white barbecue sauce and anxiously awaited its arrival. The food was worth the wait.
The plate that was placed in front of me contained homemade chips, a dill pickle, a barbecue chicken sandwich with a toasted bun and red onions on top, and a small side of white barbecue sauce. I spread the sauce across the red onions, mashed both buns with all of their contents together firmly, and..ready for this... ATE!
The food was excellent. Although the chicken may have been bland if eaten by itself, the onions and sauce combined with it to create a unique barbecue flavor. If I could have broken down the flavors into five parts, it would have been one part smoke, one part spice, one part black pepper, and two parts the exquisite flavor you get when mayonnaise and lemon juice are mixed together. The combined flavors unified to offer me one of the best barbecue sandwiches I have ever eaten. The city welcoming me back to the South turned out to be a great experience.
Now, I know some of you may be wondering what the heck white barbecue sauce is. I was just like you few years back. An internet search in preparation for a Fourth of July barbecue informed me that in certain parts of Alabama, a white barbecue sauce on smoked chicken is preferred over more traditional ones. The recipes for the sauce which I have found always include mayonnaise, lemon juice, and cracked black pepper. I beg you to keep an open mind. It is worth the try!
Below is an address for Cheapside Grill, a picture of the old Fayette County (Lexington) courthouse, and a picture of downtown Lexington.
