FOOD
The Best in Barbecue
FALL 2011
celebratedliving.com
88
Regional
STYLES
W
ORTH
A
T
RIP
There are hundreds of barbecue restau-
rants throughout the country, but these
are the ones that are pilgrimage-worthy.
If you can’tmake it, several of the na-
tion’s bestwill deliver to your doorstep.
THE SHEDBARBEQUE
&
BLUES JOINT
From trulyhumblebeginningsasa
shackbuiltof salvagedmaterials inOceanSprings,Mississippi,TheShedhasevolved
intosixbeloved locations in fourstates.Theyoffera tomato-basedsweetSouthern
sauceandbabybackand full-sizepork ribs, but it is thepulled-porksandwich that
recentlywonanationwideconteston
LIVE!withRegisandKelly
.
theshedbbq.com
BABY BLUES BBQ
Thinkyoucannotgetworld-classbarbecue inbigcities?Think
again.TheoriginalBabyBlues tookVeniceBeach,California, bystormbeforeexpand-
ing toWestHollywood, SanFrancisco, andPhiladelphia. It servesanational “bestof”
menu,withCarolinapulledpork,Memphispork ribs, andTexasbeef ribs. Sauce
choices include thevinegar-basedstyle.
babybluesbbq.com
CHARLIE VERGOS’ RENDEZVOUS
Themecca fordry-style-rib lovers, this
family-ownedMemphis institution isworld-renowned, andsince1948, ithasserved
everyone fromPresidentsBush (GeorgeW.)andClinton toBillCosby toFrankSinatra
andRollingStones frontmanMickJagger. Pork ribsare theshiningstar, but the lamb-
ribletappetizerhasa loyal following.
hogsfly.com
BARBECUE
varies around the
U.S. in terms ofwhichmeats and
sauces are favored, but guess
what? They are all delicious.
Memphis
Ribsrule, and the
term
Memphis-style
almostal-
waysmeansporkribs, but the
city ispassionatelydividedbe-
tween“wet” (cookedwitha
tomato-basedbarbecuesauce)
and“dry” (flavoredonlywitha
spicerub).
Texas
Stylesvarywidely in
theLoneStarState, but the
signatureofTexas-stylebarbe-
cue is slow-cooked, dry-rubbed
beef brisket,withoptional
sauceadded tableside.
North Carolina
As inSouth
Carolina,porkand tomato-based
sauceprevail,buthere, the true
regionalspecialty, found in the
coastalareas, isa thin,vinegar-
basedsauce,or“mop.”
South Carolina
Pork isking
—both ribsandpulledpork, a
shredded, slow-cooked shoul-
der.A traditional tomato-
basedbarbecue sauce ismost
common, but the true local
specialty isanunusual, golden-
hued,mustard-based sauce.
Kansas City
Anymeat, from
sausage toham to turkey, is
fairgame inbothMissouri and
Kansas, but thecommon theme
isa tomato-and-molassesor
brownsugarsauceappliedaf-
tercooking rather thanasa
baste.The trulyuniquesigna-
turedish is“burnt ends,” the
blackenedoutsideedgeof a
wholebeef brisket removed, re-
rubbed, resmoked, andcubed.
Thispage: CharlieVergos’
world-famousRendezvous
anda tempting ribplate;
openingpageandopposite
page from top: Salt Lick’s
arrayof barbecue; TheShed’s
eye-catchingsignandaward-
winningpulled-porksandwich
