PFB+ Debate: Where is the best BBQ in the country?

Here’s how I rank them.

  1. Lexington Style - North Carolina
  2. Eastern North Carolina
  3. Memphis
  4. Kansas City
  5. Texas

Anybody else have an opinion?

I can’t get into your first two at all. Tried and tried.

Instead of regions I’ll go with my best experiences.

My favorite overall is BBQ shop in Memphis

Best pork ribs Joe’s Kansas City

Best brisket - Franklyn in Austin

Best beef rib - Evie Mae’s in Lubbock

Best sausage - lulling city market in lulling

Best burnt ends - slaps in Kansas City

Pulled pork - eh. Hard to say.

Favorite places
BBQ shop - Memphis
Joes kc - kc
Franklyn - Austin
Snows - Lexington Texas
Evie Maes - Lubbock
Cattleack - Dallas
Pecan lodge - Dallas
Lewis barbecue - Charleston
Slaps - kc
Heim’s - ft worth (bacon burnt ends. Wow)
Labarbecue - Austin
Valentina’s - Austin
Cozy corner - Memphis

I love barbecue. I know I’ve missed some

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I love BBQ. Franklins in Austin is the one I want to try the most. If anyone is ever in St. Louis, seek out Beastcraft BBQ, it is some of the best I have ever had.

I’m with you when it comes to Carolina BBQ, I just can’t get into it, same with Alabama BBQ.

I love Texas BBQ, it’s more about the meat than the sauce. I feel like some places use their sauce as a crutch to cover up poorly cooked meat.

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Carolina is at the bottom for me…unless they don’t use the vinegar based sauce. I can’t do that at all

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Butcher Stand in Wellston can compete with the best of em’.

The chipotle cheddar sausage at Guess Family bbq in Waco is the absolute best sausage around.

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I have a conflict of interest and will therefore recuse myself from this discussion.

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I went to North Carolina recently and tried several BBQ places. One had a sauce bar with multiple types including the tomato based ones like we have here, plus mustard and vinegar based. That was the best part, trying the sauces. I have to admit I like vinegar, vinaigrette dressings, pickled veggies, etc so I like those sauces, especially on pork. The point I wanted to get to is that the meat wasn’t cooked well at all. Not much smoky flavor, no smoke ring, no nice crust on the outside. For all I know it was baked. That’s the main difference with the BBQ around here (Texas, Oklahoma, KC) the actual meat cooking is superb.

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Um, I’ve not had Oklahoma barbecue in a long time.

I really like Morgan Co. White sauce on chicken. It’s super addictive, but not traditional barbecue like OK or TX. (Mayo, vinegar, lots of pepper and a bit of mystery.) Jim & Nicks is a small chain in the AL/GA/SC area. I love their quarter chicken with Morgan Co. sauce. J&N is one of my favorites even if it is not a single store anymore.

Right now my whole family loves ribs from The Smokin’ Pig in Anderson, SC. It’s super good. Their red sweet & red spicy sauces are great. We get dry ribs and then add sauce. They have a vinegar and a mustard sauce that are good. Their brisket is good too…but not Oklahoma good. Chicken is no good.

Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa is amazing, but it’s limited. Like you get meat, white sliced bread, a very wangy sauce and southern banana pudding. Hubs gets their wet ribs. I get pulled pork. I really, really like their nachos. You can get those at the Birmingham Barrons ballpark or at a Bama game.

Honestly, the thing I miss most from Oklahoma is catfish. I cannot get good catfish anywhere else in the country. And don’t even get me started on church Friday night fish fundraisers and it’s flour based cod or haddock. What in the heck are you even eating Yankees???

So I guess if I’m ranking:

  1. Upstate SC spicy red
  2. Morgan Co white
  3. OK DP red sauce on brisket
  4. AL spicy vinegar red

I don’t care all that much for KC or Memphis barbecue. It just doesn’t live up to the hype. I like it spicy & also a bit vinegary.

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I keep hearing I need to try this place. One time I was out that way recently they were of course sold out.

Anyone in OKC I would highly recommend Clark Crew BBQ on NW expressway and Portland. Newer restaurant but the guy running it has won a huge amount of BBQ competitions over the years and the food there is wonderful ( not just the BBQ).

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Franklins was good but was not worth the four hour wait, and that was on a slow day. BBQ that is almost as good is all over Austin area without the wait.

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Burn Co. in Tulsa/Jenks is really good. Try the phatty if you like sausage.

Was a big fan of Morgan Dowels in Claremore, but he shut down, said it was to much work doing it and being an electrician.

Joe’s is my favorite place in KC when I go see my brother.

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Okay. You have my attention

With you.

I like great seasoning and great smoke. I usually don’t use sauce. My problem with the whole hog barbecue is I often find it under seasoned (for me).

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Also, can I just plug my husband’s smoked ribs top just about any restaurant I’ve ever been to. He uses a rub out of Cook’s Country Best Grilling Recipes and it’s amazing.

And my dad’s brisket. He only smoked it for his FFA banquet once a year, but it’s still the gold standard upon which I judge all brisket.

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I’ve been to franklins… it’s overhyped. Burnco in Tulsa is better. Oklahoma has some underrated BBQ spots… burnco being my personal favorite, but the one in wellston is amazing and I’ll give credit where credit is due… Clark crew BBQ in Okc is delicious. Up there with the best I’ve had in Memphis as well. The guy who owns it is from Yukon and has won multiple KC BBQ championships. Worth the try for sure!

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Can order Franklin’s to go and skip the line. Takes like $75 purchase though.

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They typically sell out- you can order ahead but still have to wait in line.

It’s a nice mid way point between OKC/Tulsa or OKC/Stillwater to fuel up on BBQ.

Great spot if you’re ever in Waco- I believe it’s fairly new. I was done in that area for the wedding last fall and read it about it in Texas Monthly. Definitely worth a visit.

My guess is this is a taste thing. Texas barbecue is not for everyone. That being said, the brisket at Franklyn is the best I’ve ever had anywhere. It’s magical.

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