|
|
|
|
|
|
BBQ at "The Hollow"
Visitors to the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, TN, can go up to
BBQ Hill on Fridays and Saturdays from May through September to enjoy
some old-time barbecue, some local music and a sweeping view of the Jack
Daniel's Hollow. "Barbecue is Americana and Jack Daniel's is
Americana," said Tana Shupe, manager of guest services and events for Jack Daniel
Distillery. "We have to do the Jack Daniel's low and slow. There's no
way we can rush our process, and with barbecue, we think it's the same
way," she added. "To do barbecue, you're going to almost have to do it
very low and very slow to keep it moist and to get that smoky flavor in there."
|
|
|
Bell-Ringing BBQ
KK's BBQ, located at the Rancho Del Rio Resort on the banks
of the Upper Colorado River, is known for it's barbecued beef ribs, its many bells and the owner, chief cook
and bell ringer Karen Gravenhorst who is better known as KK. "We just deal with the basics. No fancy stuff,
but it's good chow," KK said. "My dream all my life was to have a little five-stool diner," she said "I never
expected this all to happen and I sure as hell didn't expect to do it for 20 years," she added. It's been a
wonderful thing." KK's is open Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays between Memorial Day and the last weekend in September.
|
|
|
Mutton by Moonlite
The Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn of Owensboro, KY is famous for it's extensive buffet and
its barbequed mutton. "We probably serve more mutton than any place in the
United States," said Moonlite co-owner Ken Bosley. Davis County has a long
tradition of barbequing mutton with church picnics serving up barbequed
mutton almost every weekend during the summer. Bosley said he encourages
customers at the Moonlite to try the mutton. "We tell them look, you're
in the only place you'll be able to get mutton in the whole country.
You oughta try it because that's something you can't get no where else.
And we get a lot of converts," he added.
|
|
|
Legendary Barbecue
Known throughout the BBQ world simply as "The Legend," Mike Mills and his Apple City Barbecue Team
is the only three-time Grand Champion of the Memphis in May Barbecue Competition. "I barbecued
all my life. I've learned from a lot of people and I've helped a lot of people," Mills said. He is well known for
his willingness to share his knowledge of barbecue, and has helped many people get into the barbecue business.
He also co-authored the book, Peace Love and Barbecue, along with his daughter Amy, which
shares stories and recipes of bbq pitmasters from around the country.
|
|
|
Memphis Memory
Mike Mills recalls his experience at the 1990 Memphis in May Barbecue
Competition where he won the first of his three Grand Championships.
"This was just our fourth barbecue competition," Mills said. "We pulled
in and saw all these fancy rigs and barbecue pits and we just had a little
10 x 10 tent and a 50-gallon drum. We didn't think we belonged," he added.
"We were scared to death. It wouldn't have taken much for us to pack up and go home."
|
|
|
Memphis in May
"It's the largest pork barbecue contest on the planet," said Memphis in May executive vice president,
Diane Hampton. Also known as the "Superbowl of Swine" and the "College of Pig Knowledge," the event is
held on the third Saturday in May each year on the banks of the Mississippi River at Tom Lee Park in
Downtown Memphis. Barbecue competitors and enthusiasts come from all over the world to participate
in the annual event, one of the biggest and best known bbq competitions held each year.
|
|
|
Where Dinosaurs Rule
The Dinosaur BBQ, home to world-class bbq and blues, started in Syracuse, NY in 1988
and has since opened up restaurants in Rochester and Harlem. Co-owner and original
pitmaster John Stage says he believes bbq is the most difficult type of restaurant
business. "Barbecue ain't easy, It will kick your ass sometimes and it will humble you,"
Stage said. "You never want to think you know it all, because that's when you're done.
I know more about barbecue now than I did ten years ago, and I'll know more about it
in ten years than I do now. And that's a beautiful thing."
|
|
|
Service With a ‘Style’
The Dinosaur Barbecue is as well known for its front of the house staff as it is
for its bbq. The waitresses, bartenders and hostesses are famous for being a little
bit "edgier" than your average server. "I've come to believe there's an urban myth
about some of our servers," said owner John Stage. "Basically we've got a good bunch
of people and they're great at what they do. They're real and they're fun and there's
no script for them to follow."
|
|
|
A BBQ With Teeth
"Downhome cooking with a Florida flavor is the whole theme of our
restaurant and bar," said Carl Pacillo, owner and chef of Alligator
Alley restaurant and bar located in Ft. Lauderdale. One of the more
unusual items on the menu is barbecued alligator ribs. "The ribs are unique,
the ribs are unusual," he said. "Gator ribs have kind of a natural swampiness,
y'know. You can taste nature in it." Pacillo, a well known local musician also
known as Kilmo, said his goal is to promote and serve up local flavor with
both the food and the music he offers. "I'm just trying to embrace this
local culture that I love. It's the real Florida, the one I grew up in."
|
|
|
Minister of BBQ
Former United Methodist Church Minister Oscar Poole, changed
careers to start Col. Poole's Georgia BBQ Inc. in East Ellijay, GA.
Dressed in his yellow suit, and playing the piano for his customers,
Oscar Poole has become widely known for his eccentricities as well as his barbecue.
From the creation of his "Pig Hill of Fame" in back of his restaurant, to his
"Pigmobile," Poole says that at the age of 75, he is just trying to have fun. "you
ever hear that song Brighten the corner where you are," he asked.
"Well, I'll just tell you I got this yellow suit on and I go over in the corner
and brighten the corner where I am."
|
|
|
Sound of the Cannons
Brice and Ray Cannon learned to barbecue from their daddy and they continue
the tradition of the style of bbq common to the Dutch Fork area of South
Carolina. "We do it the old fashioned way," Brice Cannon said. "We do it
with all wood. I don't know how to cook with gas and I don't wanna learn,"
At their restaurant in Little Mountain, SC, Wednesdays often seem more like
a family gathering than a business as the brothers are joined by friends and
family who help them prepare. "Volunteers, all volunteers," Brice said. "The
more they eat and the more they drink, the more they get paid."
|
|
|
The Hite of BBQ
Jackie Hite has been working in the barbecue business for 55 years
beginning as a ten-year-old when he helped his father cook whole hogs.
He says people love the smell of hickory wood coming from the pits at his
restaurant, in Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. "You come through here in the night
it smells so damn good," Hite said with pride. "People tell me all the time,
I can't wait till Thursday night Friday morning to smell your place, that's
the best smell you'll ever smelled, that barbeque cooking."
|
|
|
A N.C. BBQ Capitol
The Lexington area is the home to about 21 bbq restaurants (or stands as they're
often called in that area), and with a population of about 21,000 people, that's
1 bbq stand for every 1,000 people - "That's a pretty good ratio" said Mayor
Richard Thomas. When people talk about Western North Carolina style barbecue,
they are talking about Lexington style Barbecue — Pork shoulders cooked for
long hours over wood (usually hickory).
|
|
|
The Lexington #1
Wayne Monk opened The Lexington Barbecue restaurant in Lexington, NC 43 years ago and had
been in the barbecue business for 10 years before that, starting out as a car hop. His brother
opened a barbecue stand and it became the Lexington Barbecue #2. "After he sold out, I dropped
the #1," Monk said. "But many people still refer to it as the Lexington #1" Aside for some
minor changes, Monk said his business is still the same as when he opened. "We're still in
the past but I like that. That's the way I want to live my life. I'm still back in the 50s
and 60s and I really don't want to change"
|
|
|
|
Every year, The James Beard Foundation honors
"America's Classic" restaurants. "Each is a restaurant with timeless appeal, beloved for quality food
that reflects the history and character of its community." In 2003 the foundation gave the award in the
Southeastern category to The Lexington #1 (above) and The Skylight Inn (below) — the only time that award
was shared according to a foundation spokesperson.
|
|
|
A Family Tradition
The Jones Family has been cooking and serving up Eastern N.C. style bbq (whole hog) in the Ayden, NC
area since the 1800s! And at The Skylight Inn, they continue to prepare their barbecue the same way
their ancestors did. "We believe if it's not cooked on wood, it's not barbecue," said co-owner Jeff
Jones. "And we believe if you don't use the whole hog, from the head to the tail, it's not barbecue."
Busy lunch and dinner crowds at the restaurant are handled quickly because there are only three items
on the menu - Barbecue, coleslaw and cornbread. They also round their prices off to the nearest quarter
(taxes included) and operate without the use of a cash register.
|
|
|
Tuff Love
Curtis Tuff has been cooking and serving up BBQ in Putney Vermont since 1965.
"After 39 years I'm starting to get the hang of it," Curtis joked. "another five
more years and I should have it down pretty good," he added. Curtis said the
part of his business he most enjoys is being able to meet and talk with his
customers. Curtis, along with his pet pot-bellied pig C.J. are known to people
from all over the country who make his barbecue a regular stop when they visit
Vermont between April and October, the months they are open for business.
|
|
|
The Supervisor
C.J. the pot-bellied pig entertains visitors young and old who come to Curtis' Barbecue in Putney,
Vermont. But Curtis points out that the good-natured pig also has another important role. "He's my
supervisor," Curtis said. "He makes sure I'm doing a good job." This is the second pot bellied pig
that Curtis has had for a pet. "The first one, Isabelle was 250 pounds," he said. "C.J.'s only about
80 pounds. But he's a good little guy"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
