BBQ Styles Across the USA
BBQ is a favorite type of food all across the United States. Each part of the country tends to have their own opinion on exactly which way is best for preparing that savory, mouthwatering 'que. For example, you might find similar items on our Lake of the Ozarks BBQ restaurant's menu at a place in Texas or Kentucky, but it's very likely to taste slightly different at each place.
In today's blog, we've featured a few of the different ways you're likely to discover BBQ depending on what part of the country you're in. (If reading this happens to make you hungry, The Barn-B-Que Smokehouse opens at 11:00 am daily! Come on by!)
Kansas City
Do you like a variety? Kansas City style BBQ has everything from pork, beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, sausage, and sometimes even fish. Kansas City style is spice-rubbed and smoked over a variety of woods. The meats are served with a thick sweet and spicy BBQ sauce. A crowd favorite is the burnt ends, which are the crusty, fatty, flavorful meat cut from the point of a smoked beef brisket. (A dish you can also enjoy here at The Barn-B-Que... while they last!)
St. Louis
Folks in St. Louis are said to consume more BBQ sauce per capita than any other city in the nation! The popular sauce in these parts is generally described as a sweet yet slightly acidic tomato-based sauce. It's not quite as sweet as KC BBQ sauce and a little thinner because of the small amounts of vinegar used in it. The dish they are most well-known for preparing is spare ribs which are usually slow-cooked over indirect heat with smoke. (Hmmm... that sounds familiar...) The specific way spare ribs are cut in this area even earned its own classification from the USDA as "Pork Ribs, St. Louis Style."
Texas
In southern Texas, you will find mesquite-smoked BBQ, while central Texas is known for brisket smoked over oak, as well as hot sausages and pork ribs. On the east side of Texas, chopped pork and beef sandwiches are the most common.
North Carolina
There are two main strategies in North Carolina. In the eastern half of the state, they smoke a whole hog, chop it and serve it with a vinegar-based sauce. The west side typically only smokes the pork shoulder and they serve it on a sandwich with a tomato-based sauce.
South Carolina
Like the eastern side of North Carolina, South Carolina is known to smoke a whole hog. Here locals like to serve it up with many choices of sauces. In the southern part of the state, a mustard sauce is used and is called Carolina Gold. Part of southern South Carolina is actually called the Mustard Belt because of this sauce.
Memphis
Blues and pork - they take both seriously here! The Memphis in May International Festival has tons of events and is home to the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Memphis is famous for its smoked pulled pork and ribs. Ribs in Memphis are served wet or dry. Dry ribs are covered in a rub before smoke, while wet ribs are layered in sauces before they go in the smoker.
Alabama
Home of the famous Alabama white sauce! The meat here is chopped and served on sandwiches, typically pork and chicken. The white sauce you will see on meats in Alabama is typically made with mayonnaise, vinegar, pepper, lemon juice, and horseradish.
Kentucky
In western Kentucky, they love their mutton. Mutton is the meat of sheep, smoked with hickory chips, and then eaten with a Worcestershire-based sauce. Pulled pork and sliced pork are common in most parts of the rest of Kentucky.
Lake Ozark
Last, but certainly not least, you'll find the best BBQ at the Lake of the Ozarks down Horseshoe Bend Parkway in a reconstructed barn! (At least, that's our humble opinion. You can come in and taste it yourself for proof!) We cook all of our smoked meats in small batches each day to ensure that you get the freshest food possible. As for our sauces, well, we've got 5 for you to choose from that were inspired by some of the places covered above.
- House Sweet - a sweet yet slightly tangy sauce
- Mustard Sauce - Carolina-style vinegar-based sauce, excellent with pork, turkey, or chicken
- Alabama White Sauce - our take on a mayonnaise, horseradish, and vinegar sauce
- Tangy - similar to our sweet sauce but slightly thinner and with more vinegar
- Tennessee Hot - sweet start with a little heat on the back end, but not too much
Those sauces can be added to a wide variety of meats, including (but not limited to) pulled pork, beef brisket, turkey, sausage, ribs, wings, burnt ends, and chicken. All of our savory sides and homemade desserts are made-from-scratch, complimenting our version of BBQ beautifully!
Did reading all of that make you hungry? Head on over to The Barn-B-Que Smokehouse in Lake Ozark and get yourself a plate. We've got lots of seating inside and even more outside on the lake view patio. If you need to place an order to go, you can easily order BBQ online through our website too. We'll even bring it out to your car if you'd like! We're always happy to do whatever we can do to get you the BBQ you deserve!
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