Kevin's BBQ Joints

If you have about five minutes of spare time you’ll do yourself a favor by watching this great video by USA Today on the North Carolina Barbecue Trail. Featured are Grady’s Barbecue in Dudley, Skylight Inn in Ayden, and Lexington BBQ #1 in Lexington.

I’ve been to Lexington BBQ #1 and know that hands down it’s one of the best bbq joints in the country. I do plan on hitting Grady’s and The Skylight Inn on my next trip out there this year. Have you been to any of these three? Do you have a favorite?

Photo of The Skylight Inn courtesy of Roadfood.com

See all of the BBQ joints in North Carolina here

There are certain BBQ Joints across the country that are deemed BBQ meccas. Places that BBQ lovers want to go to so they can scratch them off their bbq bucket list. Ridgewood Barbecue in Bluff City, Tennessee is just one of those places. To get a glimpse of what it’s like to visit, check out this video from MDracer51:

This really is one of the best joint BBQ videos I’ve seen in a while especially since it takes you behind the scenes of this down home restaurant.

Photo of Ridgewood Barbecue courtesy of Roadfood.com

You can also hear (and read a transcript) owner Larry Proffitt in a great interview here from The Southern BBQ Trail. Have you been here before? I would love to know your take.

Visit Ridgewood Barbecue yourself here:

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Smoke City Market in Sherman Oaks is really close to getting it right. The first time I visited (see here) I definitely thought that I had finally had my go to joint for a real taste of Texas BBQ (that was until I got a brisket overnighted to me from John Mueller himself (read here). Smoke City Market is close though as they smoke their meats overnight, cut them to order, weigh them out, and serve them on trays on butcher paper just like the BBQ joints in Texas that I long to visit. They even have Shiner Bock.

The last time I went the BBQ was a little mediocre, but I’m giving them a chance to have an off night. If you do go, I recommend sticking to their brisket (moist if you want some good fat), their sausage (I prefer the jalapeno/cheddar), and their beef ribs (they run out of these early each night). This video below shows the beef ribs in all their glory:

Here’s a pic from my first visit:

Check out Smoke City Market here:

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I haven’t had a chance to physically check out Blue Ribbon BBQ at either of their Arlington or Newton locations in Massachusetts, but I’ve only heard great things (and from the photos I’ve seen and emails I’ve received raving about them, I know it’ll be part of my East Coast BBQ tour later this year).

If you haven’t heard of them, here are two videos showing how they prepare their meats daily on their smokers by J & R Manufacturing.

Here’s a look at their ribs:

Here you can see their brisket:

Here are a couple of photos from one of my favorite BBQ blogs, Pigtrip.net to further whet your appetite:

Let me know if you’ve been to either spot and what your favorite meat (or side dish) they serve is.

Here are maps to both Blue Ribbon BBQ locations.

Arlington:

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Newton:

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When most people (that really know BBQ) from Los Angeles are asked what their favorite BBQ joint is, you are invariably going to hear Bludo’s BBQ in Compton. I stumbled upon a video the other day of a BBQ feast at Bludso’s in 2009. I think it gives you a good idea of the wide variety and quality of their food. Here it is courtesy of larmcc:

You can read a review from one of the correspondents from Kevin’s BBQ Joints here. Have you been to Bludo’s BBQ? What is your favorite item on their menu?

Check out Bludo’s yourself here (note they do sell out of many items so go early):

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Daniel Vaughn from Full Custom Gospel BBQ is relentless when it comes to searching out and trying Texas BBQ Joints (actually BBQ joints in general as he has a number of ‘out of Texas’ joints that have been reviewed). He’s committed all the way and after hitting the 400 BBQ Joint mark in reviews, he’s become the modern day Cal Ripkin, Jr. of BBQ aficionados. If you don’t know the man, you can see his recent visit to
Lockhart Smokehouse in the video below (via Advocate Magazine).

If you don’t follow him or check his blog out weekly (if not more), you’re really missing out.

Photo of Lockhart Smoke from Daniel’s review here

Here’s how to see his work:

Full Custom Gospel BBQ
Follow him on twitter here
See him on facebook here

A trip (BBQ or otherwsie) to New York really has to include Hill Country Barbecue. If you haven’t been, here’s a great video from Savory Cities that gives you a nice behind the scenes look as well as insight from Marc Glosserman.

Follow them on twitter here
See them on facebook here

Check out Hill Country Barbecue yourself here:

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I’ve heard nothing but good things about Sweatman’s BBQ in Holly Hill, South Carolina (seems a lot of people focus so much on North Carolina barbecue they forget about the amazing cue down south).

Here’s a great video of Sweatman’s from rtgreensc.

After seeing that video, I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to stop by. I would love to know if you’ve visited Sweatman’s or have another favorite BBQ joint in South Carolina.

Photo courtesy of Pork and Whiskey

Find it here:

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Lillie’s Q is starting to get a nice name for itself even thought it’s only been opened since July of last year. A great part of that success is because of chef Charlie McKenna and his passion for BBQ (it does help that he has the skills to put out consistent product). Here’s a great little video of him talking about Santa Maria BBQ:

Photo of Lillie’s Q’s ribs courtesy of Jeff Ruby from Chicago Time Out Magazine

Learn more about Charlie here and read a nice interview with him here
Follow Lillie Q’s on twitter here
‘Like’ them on facebook here

Visit Lillie’s Q here:

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Lockhart, Texas is a journey that most BBQ faithful want to go to and on that list is Black’s Barbecue (which is dubbed as the oldest BBQ joint in Texas). Here’s a great video of founder Edgar Black, Jr. and his wife Norma Jean from WeAreAustin. It definitely gives a behind the scenes look at Black’s and their history (even how their sauce came about).

Would love to know if you’ve been there (I’d be jealous of course).

Photo of Black’s Barbecue courtesy of Man Up: Tales of Texas BBQ

Check out Black’s yourself here:

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