Who wants BBQ?
- Thread starter T-Odd
- Start date
T-Odd
Member
Corky's is the place we take tourists... along with The Rendezvous. Both places are visitor's favorites, but we locals tend to stay away from them unless there's someone we want to introduce to Memphis BBQ.
After that introduction, you might find that some have better meat, some have better sauce, some have better slaw, some have better beans, some have better ribs (dry isn't as Memphis-style as people think... everyone I know that cooks them in the backyard do 'em wet), some have a fairly acceptable balance of ALL. And even then, it's all personal taste and preference anyway right?
Top's and Corky's are really the most generic "you'll always get a good meal here" type places. Nothing real fancy, but you can bet it'll be acceptable.
A friend has been doing a BBQ Blog for the last month or so, trying to visit as many off the beaten path BBQ restaurants in the area.
http://memphisque.blogspot.com/
Had Top's BBQ last Friday night at our Lodge's 50th Birthday / 25yr / 50yr / Widow's Dinner. Same as always; good. Not one complaint from anyone.
NOW, we'll talk about fried chicken later... or just say, you gotta try the grammatically incorrectly named Gus's Fried Chicken.
Once you have a piece of Gus' fried chicken... well, let's just say it's on the Top Ten places to eat in the World for a reason.
After that introduction, you might find that some have better meat, some have better sauce, some have better slaw, some have better beans, some have better ribs (dry isn't as Memphis-style as people think... everyone I know that cooks them in the backyard do 'em wet), some have a fairly acceptable balance of ALL. And even then, it's all personal taste and preference anyway right?
Top's and Corky's are really the most generic "you'll always get a good meal here" type places. Nothing real fancy, but you can bet it'll be acceptable.
A friend has been doing a BBQ Blog for the last month or so, trying to visit as many off the beaten path BBQ restaurants in the area.
http://memphisque.blogspot.com/
Had Top's BBQ last Friday night at our Lodge's 50th Birthday / 25yr / 50yr / Widow's Dinner. Same as always; good. Not one complaint from anyone.
NOW, we'll talk about fried chicken later... or just say, you gotta try the grammatically incorrectly named Gus's Fried Chicken.
Once you have a piece of Gus' fried chicken... well, let's just say it's on the Top Ten places to eat in the World for a reason.
Mr T Bucket
Member
Was at The BBQ Shop about 4 weeks ago. T-odd, ran across that video a while back. Pretty funny, and quite accurate, except for leaving KC Que out of the tune, LOL.
Mike
Well-Known Member
Be careful around that clucker meat, as if you eat it, it tends to get in your mouth.
uke:My son's mother worked at KFC and I don't care to ever see another piece of chicken, in my life. I am generally not a ral finicky eater, but I do draw the line at bird.
T-Odd
Member
Chris, the reason they left out KC is because KC ain't the south. The left out St. Louis also, and I know a couple of those guys know how to do proper BBQ too!
I know some guys in Oklahoma that know how to smoke a shoulder... or at least a Boston Butt. Even though I would consider them as southern and redneck as anyone that lives in these here parts, they are excluded in the video as well.
I suppose I'm a bit like you in that I loved the taste of some well prepared smoked meat, be it a messy sauce poured over pulled (or lulled chopped) pork shoulder WITH some good cole slaw on the sandwich, some tasty Texas style brisket, or even BBQ Baloney. BBQ chicken is another treat, or even game hens like they serve at the Cozy Corner (I'll post a video).
Heck, I even like a Brat and a hot dog every now and then too!
Wow, it seems this guy from whatever TV show this is hit some real hotspots in Memphis; Leonard's BBQ, the Cozy Corner, Uncle Lou's...
I know some guys in Oklahoma that know how to smoke a shoulder... or at least a Boston Butt. Even though I would consider them as southern and redneck as anyone that lives in these here parts, they are excluded in the video as well.
I suppose I'm a bit like you in that I loved the taste of some well prepared smoked meat, be it a messy sauce poured over pulled (or lulled chopped) pork shoulder WITH some good cole slaw on the sandwich, some tasty Texas style brisket, or even BBQ Baloney. BBQ chicken is another treat, or even game hens like they serve at the Cozy Corner (I'll post a video).
Heck, I even like a Brat and a hot dog every now and then too!
Wow, it seems this guy from whatever TV show this is hit some real hotspots in Memphis; Leonard's BBQ, the Cozy Corner, Uncle Lou's...
Mr T Bucket
Member
I seem to recall that episode. I remember the lever and sliding door.
I was telling the people I was visiting with when I was down there, that I need to take a week off and just go down to Memphis and eat BBQ. Maybe Graceland, but mainly to just eat BBQ. Good thing we're having BBQ for lunch today. You're killing me.
I was telling the people I was visiting with when I was down there, that I need to take a week off and just go down to Memphis and eat BBQ. Maybe Graceland, but mainly to just eat BBQ. Good thing we're having BBQ for lunch today. You're killing me.
Mr T Bucket
Member
I want to go here:
Rendezvous is very good in my eyes. The only thing that sucks is getting haggled on your way there. To many homeless people that haggle you nearly around every turn. I love the dry rub they put over the ribs.
T-Odd
Member
The haggling has almost stopped in that area. Memphis has a new Mayor and one of the first things he did was start to clean up the big tourist areas and try to get rid of the panhandlers.
Chris, that Carolina sauce sure looks thin, I'd like to try it but I'm really not a huge Vinegar fan (I loathe pickles), but I'm so accustomed to thick sweet sauce.
A Memphis BBQ tour would take a couple of weeks eating three meals a day. Sure would be FUN though.
A quick search, and there are more than 50 BBQ restaurants within ten miles of my house LOL.
Chris, that Carolina sauce sure looks thin, I'd like to try it but I'm really not a huge Vinegar fan (I loathe pickles), but I'm so accustomed to thick sweet sauce.
A Memphis BBQ tour would take a couple of weeks eating three meals a day. Sure would be FUN though.
A quick search, and there are more than 50 BBQ restaurants within ten miles of my house LOL.
T-Odd
Member
Probably the best chance you'll get to understand what BBQ means to Memphis is the contest in May. Memphis in May World Championship BBQ cook off is so big that when I watched a video on youtube, I realized that I knew at least one person on every BBQ Team they showed and they only showed a small percentage of the teams, haha.
Seriously... I know guys that took welding classes at the Vo-Tech just so they could learn how to build a trailer. The best one so far I think was the tin roof 16' with fold out sides (to make a dance floor). BBQ Smoker was on one end and the ice chest was on the other end. The sides folded down and the roof expanded out. Leveling system, Ceiling fans and a Disco ball, fancy computer controlled LED nightclub lighting, built in sound system, you name it (except for AC).
These folks go all out. Imaging scheduling your vacation just so you can stay in town and smoke some pork. LOTS of people do it year after year.
Seriously... I know guys that took welding classes at the Vo-Tech just so they could learn how to build a trailer. The best one so far I think was the tin roof 16' with fold out sides (to make a dance floor). BBQ Smoker was on one end and the ice chest was on the other end. The sides folded down and the roof expanded out. Leveling system, Ceiling fans and a Disco ball, fancy computer controlled LED nightclub lighting, built in sound system, you name it (except for AC).
These folks go all out. Imaging scheduling your vacation just so you can stay in town and smoke some pork. LOTS of people do it year after year.
Mike
Well-Known Member
Todd, we flew to Santa Clara in 1994, to display at the first PRI-West Trade Show. It was a nightmare, as the show opened just a couple days after the Northridge earthquake. I've a really good pal who stays in Richmond, up on the NE side of the Bay and he was our tour guide while we were there. The last night we were in town, he asked if we like BBQ. Oh, Hell, yes! So he drove us to some obscure little joint, up in Pleasanton, because they had BBQ that would "knock your socks off".
I ordered a pork plate and when the plate hit the table, I'm wondering where the BBQ is. They came back to the table with some bottles of alleged BBQ sauce. The pork was actually mighty tasty, but even here in Indiana, we have ketchup that could kick that so-called BBQ sauce to the curb. We were sitting in the airport, the next morning, and the boss looked over and asked, "Do you think they messed up and brought us ketchup, instead of sauce?" Amos was raving about how great it was, but we knew better. :nod:
I ordered a pork plate and when the plate hit the table, I'm wondering where the BBQ is. They came back to the table with some bottles of alleged BBQ sauce. The pork was actually mighty tasty, but even here in Indiana, we have ketchup that could kick that so-called BBQ sauce to the curb. We were sitting in the airport, the next morning, and the boss looked over and asked, "Do you think they messed up and brought us ketchup, instead of sauce?" Amos was raving about how great it was, but we knew better. :nod:
T-Odd
Member
Don't order ketchup in Europe... it's kinda like tomato soup.
I bet of they tasted some of our sauces they'd go crying home to momma. Every place has its own style sauce here though - some are a little thinner but not watery, most of the thinner kinds taste "thin" also. The thicker than normal stuff is usually sweeter, and then you also have the redish-hot-saucy kinds. Some are brownish like Top's (ate it last night as a matter of fact!) and some are almost tomato red - those are usually pretty bland.
Our Treasurer knows the owner of Top's and I asked if he might be able to find out something about their recipe for me since I haven't been able to replicate it yet.
There's something that I can't figure out. Cumin, maybe lots more than I tried, or something like that.
Now, if you're ever in this area and have a chance to get some Pancho's Cheese dip... Ya gotta do that too!
I bet of they tasted some of our sauces they'd go crying home to momma. Every place has its own style sauce here though - some are a little thinner but not watery, most of the thinner kinds taste "thin" also. The thicker than normal stuff is usually sweeter, and then you also have the redish-hot-saucy kinds. Some are brownish like Top's (ate it last night as a matter of fact!) and some are almost tomato red - those are usually pretty bland.
Our Treasurer knows the owner of Top's and I asked if he might be able to find out something about their recipe for me since I haven't been able to replicate it yet.
There's something that I can't figure out. Cumin, maybe lots more than I tried, or something like that.
Now, if you're ever in this area and have a chance to get some Pancho's Cheese dip... Ya gotta do that too!
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