route words

[clink]

 
 5 stars then but I do so appreciate the Roper description.

[JC w KC redux]

“Happiness is when friends recommend a place that lets vans park overnight and which also includes a barbecue restaurant and you pull up to the place and wonder if it’s even it, it’s so damn funky and weird and you wanna make sure to lock your doors overnight but then you order dinner and taste the barbecue and it’s holy, holy shit fucking good.”

They had an excellent male/female country acoustic duo from Montana playing for an hour when we were there. Killer harmonies.
We stood around outside enjoying adult beverages (BYOB) and talking to the owner for a while before indulging in the grub.

[NOAL]

North Carolina is second to Alabama for best BBQ in U.S.

[JC w KC redux]

North Carolina is second to Alabama for best BBQ in U.S.

That may be true. I have never had Alabama BBQ and that is a state we haven't been to (yet). The lady that started Dirty South couldn't find any good BBQ in Yuma so she started her own place. All the meats and side dishes are homemade family recipes and I have to say it is some of the best food I have ever eaten. Lexington (KY) used to have a good place called Billy's but they closed years ago. We did have some really good BBQ in Nashville one time when we drove there to see Todd Rundgren at a night club. We had time to kill (forgot there was a time change from KY) - so we took a look in a vintage guitar shop (amazing instruments) and then stopped in a nearby BBQ joint. No one was in there because of the time of day and while we were eating - Pat Boone walked in to eat in his stars and stripes outfit/track suit and white bucks. Kat got his autograph for her mom. He was quite cordial.

[Brad Young]

Glad you enjoyed it dude!  Best BBQ we have ever had!!!   If we are in the area we will definitely stay again!!!

I'm a firm believer that no one thing is the best ever. Well except wives. And I definitely scored the best ever in that department.

But the barbecue was way up there. It sounds like it was much more calm when we were there, just a handful of people and no noise. They must have selected just ideal Tri-Tip to cook. Tender and juicy, very little fat, but definitely not even close to dry. And the sauce was ideal. Flavorful but without compromising (and definitely not overwhelming) the taste of the meat.

All in all I'd use two words for the place: funky and tasty.

Good recommendation. I'd even go with excellent recommendation.

Today we're dispersed camping southwest of Phoenix - tomorrow we'll check out the start point for the Grand Enchantment Trail.

[NOAL]

I'm a firm believer that no one thing is the best ever 

It's not one thing.  There is probably over 200 BBQ restaurants in a 20 mile radius of where I grew up in Birmingham.  That's not counting what people in low income areas BBQ in their front yard and sell to make rent. Even the so so stuff is better than anything out West. It is part of the culture.

California and the Western U.S. is terrible for BBQ.  Generally when you come up on something decent it will be a person who moved from the South (not Texas) ate the local BBQ, realized it sucked and saw how easy it would be to open a successful business.

If I eat BBQ in California I go for the Tri Tip.  Ribs out here suck.  And I'm not going to talk about sides (or the non existance of) Meat and three joints don't exist out here. 

[JC w KC redux]

Glad you enjoyed it dude!  Best BBQ we have ever had!!!   If we are in the area we will definitely stay again!!!

I'm a firm believer that no one thing is the best ever.

If we are talking semantics she said the best we've ever had - not the best we are ever going to have. As far as Alabama - they may have the best I haven't had yet. Of course we could go on about this forever. Maybe we need a nature versus nurture thread.

I'm in complete agreement with Noal's last post. I remember going to Cole's BBQ (a local joint) when we moved here and it was some of the worst food I've ever had at a restaurant. Not quite on par with Denny's but not far off.

As far as tri-tip goes I never had any I cared for until Dirty South and their brisket was better than the tri-tip (which was/is delicious).

Best ribs I've ever had? Downtown Akron (of all places) - at a rib festival. Meat just fell off the bone and melted in your mouth.

 

[JC w KC redux]

Pig in a Poke Pillar

Smokehouse Ceiling

Pork Belly Bulge

Pulled Pork Overhangs

[Brad Young]

^^^

Crap, now you've gone and gotten on topic again....

[NOAL]

Worst BBQ I have ever had was in Bishop.  I had just finished backpacking for 6 days and I could not bring myself to eat it.  That's saying a lot because I was really hungry for a hot meal.  This BBQ was so bad that I took it back up to the counter and told them to give me my money back. Should've gone to Thai food at Bishop airport.

Tri tip is not really a thing on Deep South BBQ menus.  I think last time I went back to Alabama it might of been on some menus but there are a lot of food there now that was not when I was a kid.  They have a white sauce for BBQ which is like a mayo based something or other with a bunch of vinegar in it.  Never saw that 30 years ago.  Another non BBQ dish that is considered Southern now is Shrimp and Grits. Never saw this growing up in Bama. . I think it is a South Carolina thing.  Different states in the Southeast have their own regional dishes.

 Also remember when there was no yogurt at the grocery store.  Sometime around 1982 they started selling yogurt.  People thought it was sour cream.  There were also no bagels until late 80's

Have to say Mexican food in California and Southwest is waaay better than Alabama. Not good even in most places on the East Coast.

[NOAL]

Here's a bucket list of the top 50 BBQ joints in Alabama.
 As I posted above this just a percentage of how many there are. These are just the really good ones. There are tons more that are good not on the list as you can see in the book they have a link to in the article.

https://www.al.com/life/2021/06/the-alabama-barbecue-bucket-list.html?outputType=amp

I just did a quick tally and I am about 1/5th of the way done with the list.  I rarely go to Alabama so I doubt my count will change much.

[John.k.moore]

North Carolina is second to Alabama for best BBQ in U.S.

Now you're just distorted. Lived in NC for a long time, lived in Alabama for a while. NC stuff is hands down better. Not even close. Alabama BBQ is quite solid. But it ain't better. 

[NOAL]

I have lived in both states too.  In fact my mother lives near Asheville.  All of those south eastern states have good BBQ and other southern food. I can only eat like that for about one week and then I am good for awhile.

North Carolina  gets points deducted  for introducing the cole slaw on a BBQ pork sandwich to the world.


.

[Brad Young]

No barbecue tonight. Camped out in the desert (van camped anyway), and Vicki made wonderful Chef Salads. Together with wide open skies and a nearly full moon.

Pretty Goddamn tasty.

[John.k.moore]

North Carolina  gets points deducted  for introducing the cole slaw on a BBQ pork sandwich to the world.

Cole slaw is, generally, grizzly death that needs to be banished to the garbage can. However, I do enjoy the red slaw that they serve in joints around Lexington. It replaces the mayo (which itself should just be wholly banished to the garbage) with ketchup. Put a dash of black pepper on it and it's mighty good stuff.

[Brad Young]

Ketchup?!?! Jesus, what are you, a commie?

Actually it is I who alas, must be a commie. I don’t just hate ketchup, I abhor mustard too. And the thought of the “k” stuff in my cole slaw? I may not sleep tonight.

[JC w KC redux]

^^^
Quite a few laughs here for a few hops upthread but really just a bunch of

Hillbilly Rehash

Stance Still Laddies

Eat Your Mush

Pudding Pinnacle

[clink]

 is there a place that makes good fried chicken in California? We have discovered no such golden deliciousness in the state.

 Considering the above conversion on Barbecue, it is certainly a religion I should immediately be baptized into. Where, locally, may I find one of these said Priests of Barbecue to perform the most sacred rites on creatures predestined for fulfillment of my ever to be grateful gastric yearnings? My taste buds are going green with envy!

 Anyplace within 100 miles of Monterey Bay?

[JC w KC redux]

^^^
To quote Mr. Mud...

DIE

[NOAL]

The Central Coast is good for Tri Tip.  If you want ribs have them fedexed to you
https://shop.dreamlandbbq.com/pages/bbq-meat-packages

Here's a little film about what happens when you try to eat BBQ in Texas.  Don't watch if you are easily offended or Jackson Browne is more your speed.