barbeque
There are seven major kinds of BBQ styles in the US; Carolina, Memphis, Kansas City, St Louis, Texas, Alabama, and Kentucky. Some are differentiated by the sauce and some by the type meat that is used. A brief description of each style is listed at the bottom of the page.
What’s wonderful is you can find great Carolina BBQ in Ohio, excellent Memphis style in Maryland, and amazing Texas BBQ in New Mexico. The last two I have found only in their respective region. So after a lot of messy fingers and teeth picking, I have found my ten favorites.
What’s wonderful is you can find great Carolina BBQ in Ohio, excellent Memphis style in Maryland, and amazing Texas BBQ in New Mexico. The last two I have found only in their respective region. So after a lot of messy fingers and teeth picking, I have found my ten favorites.
8 - Moonlight BAR-B-Q INN
Kentucky Style
2840 W. Parrish Ave
Owensboro, KY 42301
270.684.8143
moonlite.com
Kentucky Style
2840 W. Parrish Ave
Owensboro, KY 42301
270.684.8143
moonlite.com
7 - BIG BOB GIBSON BBQ
Alabama Style
1715 6th Ave. SE (US Highway 31)
Decatur, AL 35601
bigbobgibson.com
Alabama Style
1715 6th Ave. SE (US Highway 31)
Decatur, AL 35601
bigbobgibson.com
3 - SMOKI O'S BAR-B-QUE
St. Louis Style
1545 N Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102
314.621.8180
smokiosbbq.com
St. Louis Style
1545 N Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102
314.621.8180
smokiosbbq.com
2 - RAY RAY'S HOG PIT
Kansas City Style
2619 North High Street
Columbus Ohio 43202
614.753.1191
rayrayshogpit.com
Kansas City Style
2619 North High Street
Columbus Ohio 43202
614.753.1191
rayrayshogpit.com
BBQ STYLES OF AMERICA
CAROLINA
MEAT: Pork (Pork butt in the west, the whole hog in the east)
SAUCE: A thin spice-vinegar based sauce. Western North Carolina sometimes includes tomato and central and western South Carolina adds mustard and brown sugar to its spice-vinegar sauce to create “Carolina Gold”.
MEMPHIS
MEAT: Pork ribs or chopped shoulder
SAUCE: Usually served “dry” with a rub that includes garlic, paprika and other spices. However, you can get them “wet” with a tangy, thin tomato-based sauce.
KANSAS CITY
MEAT: All barbecue meats (Pork, Beef, Chicken, etc..)
SAUCE: Thick and sweet tomato and molasses-based
TEXAS
There are four distinct styles of barbeque in Texas that share the same theme; Beef. I have listed all four but my favorite is central Texas. A meat lover’s paradise.
Eastern Texas – Chopped Beef Brisket or Pork Butt with spicy BBQ or hot sauce.
Central Texas – Smoked slice brisket, ribs and sausage with smoky/spicy sauce for dipping
Western Texas – Beef, goat, and mutton directly cooked over mesquite
South Texas – (Barbacoa) A rich succulent mess o’ meat from the cow’s head.
ST LOUIS
MEAT: Pork Steaks (sliced from the shoulder) and crispy snoots (the nose and cheek area of the pig)
SAUCE: Thick and sweet tomato and molasses based. What makes St Louis style different is the meat is grilled rather slow cooked, and the sauce is slathered on after the cooking. It is often served between two pieces of punk white bread.
ALABAMA
MEAT: Smoked Pork and Chicken
SAUCE: White barbeque sauce. Typically made with Mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice
KENTUCKY
MEAT: Mutton Shoulder in the west, sliced pork shoulder everywhere else.
SAUCE: Worcestershire-based for dipping in the west, zesty blend of vinegar and peppers served over punk white bread.
VIRGINIA
MEAT: Wild Game, Virginia Ham
SAUCE: Vinegar based with bourbon, brown sugar, and peppers
CAROLINA
MEAT: Pork (Pork butt in the west, the whole hog in the east)
SAUCE: A thin spice-vinegar based sauce. Western North Carolina sometimes includes tomato and central and western South Carolina adds mustard and brown sugar to its spice-vinegar sauce to create “Carolina Gold”.
MEMPHIS
MEAT: Pork ribs or chopped shoulder
SAUCE: Usually served “dry” with a rub that includes garlic, paprika and other spices. However, you can get them “wet” with a tangy, thin tomato-based sauce.
KANSAS CITY
MEAT: All barbecue meats (Pork, Beef, Chicken, etc..)
SAUCE: Thick and sweet tomato and molasses-based
TEXAS
There are four distinct styles of barbeque in Texas that share the same theme; Beef. I have listed all four but my favorite is central Texas. A meat lover’s paradise.
Eastern Texas – Chopped Beef Brisket or Pork Butt with spicy BBQ or hot sauce.
Central Texas – Smoked slice brisket, ribs and sausage with smoky/spicy sauce for dipping
Western Texas – Beef, goat, and mutton directly cooked over mesquite
South Texas – (Barbacoa) A rich succulent mess o’ meat from the cow’s head.
ST LOUIS
MEAT: Pork Steaks (sliced from the shoulder) and crispy snoots (the nose and cheek area of the pig)
SAUCE: Thick and sweet tomato and molasses based. What makes St Louis style different is the meat is grilled rather slow cooked, and the sauce is slathered on after the cooking. It is often served between two pieces of punk white bread.
ALABAMA
MEAT: Smoked Pork and Chicken
SAUCE: White barbeque sauce. Typically made with Mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice
KENTUCKY
MEAT: Mutton Shoulder in the west, sliced pork shoulder everywhere else.
SAUCE: Worcestershire-based for dipping in the west, zesty blend of vinegar and peppers served over punk white bread.
VIRGINIA
MEAT: Wild Game, Virginia Ham
SAUCE: Vinegar based with bourbon, brown sugar, and peppers