8 Smokin' BBQ Joints Chefs Love

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By Find. Eat. Drink.
From HuffPost Food

Barbecue -- it's a noun, a verb and in many parts of the country, a religion.

We rounded up a list of 20 smokin' barbecue joints, some so off the beaten track you'll need to fire up the GPS to find them, others just a taxi or subway card will get you there... all recommended by the chefs and pit masters.

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Smokin' BBQ Joints

Where: Hemingway, S.C.

Recommended by: Chef Sean Brock (Husk, McCrady's, Charleston)

"Hands down, my most favorite place to eat in the entire world and obviously the South. This will blow your mind. I'm so jealous of what he does. He is a force to be reckoned with."

Smokin' BBQ Joints

Where: East Ellijay, GA

Recommended by: Chef Harold Dieterle (Kin Shop & Perilla, NYC)

"Probably the best barbecue I've ever eaten. You pay like $5 or $10 and you get a pig and you write your name on the pig. So there is a huge mound outside of the restaurant with different people's pigs. Not live pigs! Something you push into the ground like a stand."

Smokin' BBQ Joints

Where: Williamsburg / Brooklyn

Recommended By: Chef James McDuffee (Joseph Leonard, NYC)

"For pork BBQ, tasty"!

Smokin' BBQ Joints

Where: Lexington, TX.

Recommended By: Chef Rene Ortiz (La Condesa, TX)

Smokin' BBQ Joints

Where: North Miami, FL.

Recommended by: Chef David McMillan (Joe Beef, Liverpool House and McKiernan Luncheonette, Montreal)

"It's very good."

Smokin' BBQ Joints

Where: Lexington, N.C.

Recommended By: Pit Master Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)

"Order either the pulled pork or the whole hog and you want to pay close attention to the different styles of sauces that they use - like the traditional North Carolina sauce."

Smokin' BBQ Joints

Where: Bluff City, TN.

Recommended By: Pork-curer Allan Benton (Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams)

"Fabulous barbecue. It's between Bristol and Johnson City. They have a cult following and it's always busy. Some of the waitresses who work there are stereotypes. These gals have been there, some of them for 40 years, and look like they've eaten that stuff way too many times!"

Smokin' BBQ Joints

Where: Germantown, TN.

Recommended By: Pit Master Chris Lilly (Big Bob Gibson, AL)

"They do very simply smoked food, but it's always cooked to perfection. Get any of their smoked meats, the ribs or chicken would be great there."

Smokin' BBQ Joints

For details on all 20 Smokin' BBQ Joints, click here.

What are your favorite BBQ joints? Tell us where you love to go and what you love to eat.

Smokin' BBQ Joints

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Terryfalconhawke

Stanley's BBQ in Tyler,Texas-Best Pork ribs I have ever had.

July 05 2011 at 11:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

naunitaylor

Happy 4th of JULY everyone

July 04 2011 at 8:58 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

bflobaz

B-B-Q is so individualized and then, what to have when you get seated -- a sampler plate of a lot of everything? But in one category; noting I came from the Northeast where B-B-Q used to be a Ballpark Frank or Hormel skinless weiners over charcoal and we didn't know a thing about traditional B-B-Q until we started migrating or traveling into the South and Southwest.

Havings said that and in the category of St. Louis style pork ribs, about the best I've enjoyed was at a Dave & Busters location in their Eastern Hills Mall location in Williamsville, NY a Buffalo suburb. Who'd have thought? The year before when I took my adult son for a father-son night of dinner-beer-games (where he kicks my butt in that old hockey game and air hockey) I had about the worst burger in my life. You know, the one straight out of a frozen package containing more saw-dust and MSG fillers than beef. But last year, I had their St. Louis Ribs and we're talking DEE-licious and fall-off the bone. I know there's a whole lot of disagreement about whether the meat is supposed to fall-off the bone or not; but for the money and the location, they were outstanding.

July 03 2011 at 4:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

rhhintz

try dreamland

July 03 2011 at 9:58 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

nevahargest

It depends on whether the "taster" likes North Carolina BBQ or Texas style. Travelers stop in at Wiley's Championship BarBQue in Savannah, Georgia. It's listed in several travel magazines. A good 25 miles off Interstate 95, people who have read about it make a point to find it while they are on their way to or from Florida. The owners teach classes in the basics of cooking good pork BBQ. They were on the BBQ contest circuit for years and have settled in a small place that serves the best of pork (and a beef rib that's dinner for two). Their BBQ beans are to die for, Mac 'n cheese that's different but great! You can't go wrong, no matter what you choose from the menu, From beer or wine to appetizers, entrees and dessert, it's all "Championship"!

July 03 2011 at 8:34 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

melelks

You missed the best BBQ restaurant in the world! The business has been handed down to each generation since the mid 1800's. It's Airport Grill, Ayden,NC. Eastern NC BBQ ...the ONLY true BBQ.

June 13 2011 at 12:15 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

David

I can't believe Sonny's BBQ in St. Pete (St. Petersburg) Florida did not get mentioned. They have an all you can eat special every day and believe me, it's well worth waiting all day to eat before going there as their pork BBQ is just fabulous! The price can't be beat either. Sonny's charges $8 to $9 for lunch, $10 to $12 for dinner. I've eaten BBQ from about 7 states and Canada, Sonny's is the ONLY affordable for regular people BBQ place, with decent BBQ, I've ever found. Menu has pork, beef and chicken and all are prepared to perfection.

June 12 2011 at 8:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

toddshindler

Bozo's BBQ outside of Memphis,TN... Excellent place off the straight and narrow!!!!

June 12 2011 at 6:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

twinlitho

Love that BBQ

June 12 2011 at 5:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

creek1414

you guys missed best b b q pulled pork and ribs I ever had. A CIA culinary grad in an 1880 country store that was years ago in the middle of hundreds of orange groves....now 5 minutes from Tiger Woods home and other celbs million dollar manisons. Its the Yellow Dog Eats . yellowdgoeats.com In Gotha/Windermere,Fl. Chef is Fish Morgan..just read the reviews on trip advisor....pulled pork with smoked pineapple, coleslaw and blue cheese.......wow

June 12 2011 at 4:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply