Chuck Terry

I don’t think there is anything that says happy new year better than the smell of BBQ and a cold beer. That’s would be a ICE COLD BEER as the captain of club twenty says.   I have had the opportunity to try some great barbeque over the years and thought I would share some of my favorites with you.  First off have you ever noticed how many different ways we say and spell it, how many styles  there are and that everyone always claims that theirs is the best.  You have parts of North Carolina claiming they are the kings of the Q, you also have St. Lewis and Kansas City making the same claim.  Memphis however was what I first associated to be the best with because of a trip to Rendezvous. I am not saying it is but that’s where I got hooked.

Pork, Beef, Chicken in that order then you get into things that I wouldn’t actual call barbeque. I have tasted turkey, sausage, deer that someone claims they barbequed. I am not a believer that just because it has BBQ sauce on it, you can justifie calling it barbeque. It’s like cooking where can grill it or smoke it and I will almost except the slow oven method if your in a pinch for heat.  However, when you start boiling, using a dutch oven or stove top cooking ribs that’s when I have to throw a flag.

Every also has the BEST SAUCE to go with it or you have folks that enjoy the dry run method of cooking up they way they like it.  I am a sauce guy, doesn’t matter if it’s spicy or messy, thick or runny, I like sauce on you barbeque.

There is always a story that goes with good Bar-B-Q and I have a couple but mostly the satisfaction of great eats where ever it may be.

Dry Rub:  I was in Memphis one time with some friends, that would be the first time I ever came across Rendezvous. I think their saying is “when hogs fly” I don’t really know what that means but they do server up some good ribs. They are big on the dry run there if I remember correctly. Ether way if you are ever going through there, its worth the stop in to say you have had some of Memphis’s best ribs.  http://www.hogsfly.com/

  Vinegar base Sauce:  You have to go to Red Bridges BBQ in Shelby N.C. I had never heard of Red Bridges before I   started racing a NASCAR Goodies Dash Series Car and found myself traveling to Shelby quite often to Scott Weaver’s race shop. One day I was going to surprise the guys there and packed up some fresh All Saints BBQ to carry over. I noticed that they kept kicking it around and never got into it. I ask Floyd Weaver why no one appreciated the barbeque I hand delivered. I will never forget what he said.  “Son, you don’t bring bbq to the bbq capital and expect them to eat it.” That’s when he turned me on to Red Bridges. Keven Greven were there working on our way to race in Charlotte when I decided I had to have some. We went over about 10:00 that morning. They gave us the grand tour of the entire restaurant, sampled from the smoker then we had some of the best barbeque I have ever tasted. Hell, they even have bbq slaw.  They slipped us in and out of the back door explaining that if these little old ladies out front saw us going in or out they would be upset not being the first in the door.  http://www.bridgesbbq.com

Local Favorite: Twice a year we get to have All Saints BBQ. The thing about this barbeque is that you can start smelling it 24 hours before they sell it. It is always the same and there is no one around that can touch it. There is a fellow furnished the sauce recipe called fire and brimstone that is just that. The slaw is also something that seems to just go with it. About the time I start craving barbeque I get the notice in the mail and in just a few days I see the smoke rising from the middle of town.

17th Street BBQ and Grill:  This is a apple wood smoked barbeque that you can only find at 17th Street. Trap shooting lead me to discover this barbeque.  Jake was shooting at the Grand American when I heard about 17th Street. Of course I had to go try that out even when everyone else wanted to go downtown Sparta for a steak. After a few beers I started trying to talk the waitress out of a menu to take with me. Unknowing to me, Carolyn had arraigned to have the owner Mike Mills that just happen to be there sign it for me. Mike and I talked about many different restaurants and styles  of barbecue including Red Bridges. The story is what he put on my menu that only a couple of people had the opportunity to see but long story short, we laughed about my visit and the fact that I went back every single night while we were there. I also bought the book Peace Love and Barbecue……   http://www.17thstreetbarbecue.com