7 BBQ sides around the country you need to try (plus top news and events)
When it comes to American barbecue restaurants, side dishes are often overlooked. Sometimes that is OK, especially when the meats are so good you don’t care much about anything else. However, we are now in a time where we’re expecting more from barbecue restaurants and sometimes want to see diverse or just-plain-good side dishes as well.
We have both been to many of the best barbecue joints around the country and would say at least half of the places we visited didn’t feature memorable sides. So we decided it would be fun to spotlight seven of the best sides we’ve had the pleasure of trying. Let’s dig in!
Moroccan Spiced Carrots - Feges BBQ, Houston, Texas
Houston’s Patrick and Erin Feges manage to deliver top notch food, including whole hog barbecue, in an office food court. While the meats are fantastic, the unique side dishes really shine, from the elote corn salad to the braised collard greens to the roasted sweet and spicy Brussel sprouts. However, the tender and flavorful Moroccan spiced baby carrots, drizzled with yogurt dressing are truly spectacular.
Cornbread - John Brown Smokehouse - Queens, New York
Most cornbread at barbecue joints, unfortunately, is dry and underwhelming. That’s not the case at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City, Queens. It might be the only joint that serves a cornbread that is insanely soft and similar to a sweet bread pudding. It’s sweet, savory, and should be eaten with a spoon. Pair them with John Brown’s burnt ends and you’ll be in heaven.
BBQ Spaghetti - The Bar-B-Q Shop - Memphis, Tennessee
When it comes to unique sides in barbecue, the BBQ spaghetti at The Bar-B-Q Shop in Memphis might be the most one-of-a-kind. It doesn’t really taste like American barbecue or Italian spaghetti, but it is tasty with tomato sauce and pulled pork on top. It’s something you’ll only find in Memphis, so be sure to try it when visiting. On a final note, we would consider this to be a side but if you really liked it, you could also order more and make a whole meal of it.
Mac ‘N’ Cheese - Peg Leg Porker - Nashville, Tennessee
Carey Bringle’s Peg Leg Poker has helped put Nashville on the map for barbecue. While it’s easy to jump into the famed dry rub ribs, the mac ‘n’ cheese should not be overlooked. It’s made with shells, and it’s extremely creamy and full of flavor. If you go with a group, get more than one serving of it.
Hickory Pit Beans - Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue - Martin City, Missouri
Founded by Jack Fiorella in Martin City in 1974, Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue now boasts five locations in the Kansas City metro area. The menu at Jack Stack is extensive and includes slow smoked meats, steaks, seafood, and more. The sweet, smoked Hickory Pit Beans might be the best we have had anywhere.
Jalapeño Cheese Grits - Micklethwait Market & Grocery - Smithville, Texas
Despite being located a stone’s throw away from Franklin Barbecue in Austin, pitmaster Tom Micklethwait’s barbecue trailer Micklethwait Craft Meats has earned accolades and gained a significant following since its opening. Recently, Micklethwait opened the gorgeous and stylish Micklethwait Market & Grocery in the small town of Smithville. The smoked meats are accompanied by delicious made-from-scratch side dishes, including the wonderfully creamy Jalapeño Cheese Grits.
Coleslaw - Skylight Inn - Ayden, North Carolina
Much is made of the barbecue at Skylight Inn, the iconic restaurant opened by Pete Jones in 1947, and for good reason. While the chopped barbecue is the star of the show, coleslaw is just as integral to the Eastern Carolina Whole Hog barbecue experience. The coleslaw at Skylight Inn has perfectly chopped cabbage with just the right ratio of mustard and mayo.
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While this list was hard to make (we’ve had so many good sides!), a few more honorable mentions include the carrot souffle at Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue outside of Houston, the baked potato casserole at Slap’s in Kansas City, the Hash and rice at Buxton Hall in Asheville, and the waffle mac n cheese at Arrogant Swine in Brooklyn.
Did we miss any sides you simply love and can't get enough of? Let us know!
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ) and Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
The San Francisco Chronicle calls the much-buzzed-about pitmaster Matt Horn the future of barbecue in Northern California.
While California’s Bay Area may not known for barbecue, there are some very good joints there despite the high costs and challenging logistics. But if there’s one standout in the area right now, it’s Matt Horn, who the San Francisco Chronicle calls “the future of Bay Area barbecue.”
The anticipated barbecue joint Juicy Lucy BBQ just opened on Staten Island in New York City, and it’s already in contention to be one of the best barbecue joints in the Northeast.
Potato salad may be one of barbecue’s most quintessential side dishes but according to author and culinary historian Michael Twitty, it is also the “most controversial summer dish known to American culture.”
Robert Moss took a look at the fascinating and misunderstood history of barbecued ribs in this article for Serious Eats and discovered they are a relatively new innovation.
Smokelore author Jim Auchmutey recently wrote an article for CNN about the often-overlooked and “taken-for-granted” barbecue found in the states of Georgia and Alabama.
Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn has been exploring barbecue outside of Texas as of late and recently highlighted the best of New Orleans barbecue. Meanwhile, Ann Maloney of the New Orleans Times-Picayune examined the side dishes that are being served at local New Orleans barbecue joints.
If you’re planning a trip to Kansas City, The Takeout has a new guide to help you eat KC barbecue for the first time.
Forbes Senior Contributor Larry Olmsted makes the case in a new article that your best barbecue will come from using better meat. It might sound obvious, but his argument is compelling.
The Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid highlighted the increasing frequency of stolen barbecue trailers as one negative impact of the growth in the popularity of barbecue.
WFAA in Ft. Worth talked with Panther City BBQ owners Chris Magallenes and Ernie Morales about their leap of faith in moving from the corporate world to leading the charge for the barbecue renaissance taking place in their city.
Georgia Public Broadcasting talked with history professors Craig Pascoe and Trae Welborn about their efforts to document the story of barbecue in Georgia as part of the Georgia BBQ Trails project.
NPR recently highlighted the great work that Operation BBQ Relief does around the country, serving nearly 3 million meals to people in need during 60 natural disasters.
Texas Monthly Top 50 ranked restaurant BBQ on the Brazos is moving from its Cresson location to west Fort Worth, adding to the already booming scene.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Ben and Brent from Prime Time sit down with pitmaster Rodney Scott to talk (and eat) ribs.
Watch: How Legendary Pitmaster Rodney Scott Makes Ribs — Prime Time
In this episode of Prime Time from Eater, hosts Ben and Brent meet up with James-Beard-award-winning pitmaster Rodney Scott. Rodney shows them how he prepares ribs at his Charleston restaurant. They discuss different cuts of ribs, how to prepare and season them, and how to cook them so that they are perfectly tender and flavorful. Watch it here.
Listen: BBQ Road Trips Part 2 - Tales from the Pits
In their first episode on BBQ road trips, Tales from the Pits hosts Bryan and Andrew offer tips for casual barbecue fans, prospective restaurateurs, and history buffs. In this second installment of the BBQ road trip tips episode, they provide sample itineraries for the hardcore BBQ fan trying to visit as many restaurants as possible in a short amount of time. They give tips on what to order, the timing of each stop, and various other pieces of advice to maximize your time in order to get in as many stops as possible in both Austin, Houston, and DFW. This episode is brought to you by The Smoke Sheet. Listen to the episode here.
Read: Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking - by Adam Perry Lang
Ten years ago, Adam Perry Lang published his book Serious Barbecue, providing advice to backyard cooks to help them unleash the raw power of one of the most flavor-packed cuisines around: American barbecue. Lang spent years training with the world's best chefs before giving up four-star kitchens for the thrill of cooking with just meat and fire. In Serious Barbecue, he begins with the fundamentals of barbecue. Then he takes readers on a trip through the butcher's case, describing exactly what makes each kind of meat special, explaining how to select with the skill of a master, and providing his favorite recipes for almost every available cut of pork, beef, veal, lamb, chicken, and turkey. Order it here.
The Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival takes place this weekend in Chicago and we will be there on site.
July 12-14: Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival - Chicago, Illinois
Get ready for beer, BBQ, and country tunes, because the Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival is returning to Chicago. The Windy City Smokeout is one of the largest barbecue festivals in the U.S. and this year it will feature 20 of the world’s best pitmasters and more than 15 musical acts. Ryan and Sean from The Smoke Sheet will be attending, so if you go, be sure to say hello. More info here.
July 13: South Sound BBQ Festival 2019 - Lacey, Washington
The South Sound BBQ Festival is one of the largest BBQ events for the Pacific Northwest. It will include a pro cook-off sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association plus an assortment of food vendors and non-food vendors from around the South Sound. There will be live entertainment, free kids activities, chicken wing eating contest, adult-only beer & wine garden, and much more. More info here.
July 14: Tex-Mex BBQ Block Party 2019 - Houston, Texas
The Houston Barbecue Festival and Saint Arnold Brewing Company announce the inaugural Tex-Mex BBQ Block Party to celebrate the growing influence of Tejano and Tex-Mex cooking traditions in contemporary Central Texas-style craft barbecue. Ticket holders will taste unlimited samples of each vendor's barbecue dish as well as enjoy great Saint Arnold beer. More info here.
August 17: Stumptown Beer Revival and BBQ Cook Off 2019 - Monte Rio, California
This event, which is also called the “Russian River Beer Revival & BBQ Cookoff,” features copious amounts of beer and barbecue. An entry fee includes beer, cider, and barbecue tastings for the duration of the day, along with live music and activities. More than 40 breweries and 30 barbecue teams will participate. More info here.
September 7: Pig Island NYC - Brooklyn, New York
For those that love all things pork, the 10th annual Pig Island NYC in Brooklyn will be a can’t-miss affair. Held outdoors at beautiful Erie Basin Park in Red Hook, this all-inclusive event will feature great food from top Northeastern pitmasters, plus a ton of beer, cider, and liquor. More info here.
September 12-15: American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Kansas City, Missouri
The American Royal is celebrating 40 years of competition barbecue in 2019. On top of a huge KCBS competition with teams from around the country, this signature Kansas City event includes public-facing activities, including incredible live music, delicious BBQ and local food, a full line up of kids activities, and a vendor fair authentic to Kansas City and BBQ enthusiasts. More info here.
September 19-21: 2019 Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off - Murphysboro, Illinois
The Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-off is a unique dual cook contest sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network and the Kansas City Barbeque Society. The event will also include a steak cookoff and a bloody mary contest as well as a kids Que competition. More info here.
September 27-29: Q In The Lou - St. Louis, Missouri
Get ready to go hog wild and get your BBQ fix at another great year of Q in the Lou. Many of the country’s biggest names in BBQ are back once again, including Peg Leg Porker, Ubons BBQ, The Shed Barbeque & Blues Joint, Sugarfire Smokehouse, and more. There will also be live music all three days. More info here.
See the full Smoke Sheet events calendar online here.
Grilled Tri Tip with Chimichurri Sauce
For this Recipe of the Week, we selected a video from Malcolm Reed of How to BBQ Right for Grilled Tri Tip with Chimichurri Sauce. He starts with olive oil and coarse ground seasoning that includes black pepper, salt, garlic and herbs. Then he lightly smokes them low and slow and then finishes with a hot sear. The Trip Tip is served with Chimichurri Sauce for a fresh tasting sauce that pairs perfectly with beef. View the recipe here.
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