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Bunyans on the West Side is my favorite.

My mom flew 5 pounds of the meat and several containers of the hot slaw to me for my birthday 2 weeks ago.

Everyone here raged about the hot slaw. In fact, several in my class want me to have my mom fly some more out here. Kansas City is supposed to be a BBQ capital of some sorts....doesn't even come close to Bunyans.

Brooks in Sheffield is good, too. The hot slaw will bring tears to your eyes....

What say you?
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There is no place that can serve better barbeque than what you can make at home. take the largest boston butt you can get, lrt it marinate overnight with a dry rub. The next morning take one of those 29 dollar round smoker-grills, put a whole 20 pound bag of charcoal in it. when fire is hot, put water pan on top of bottom grill. put meat on top grill. let it cook low and slow for 10 hours or so ocasionaly spraying with a mixture of beer or pepsi, steak sause, molases, and I like pinaple juice. in fact i have my grill fired up right now. I do have to admit, i do prefer Bunyan's slaw though, and you can buy it in the store now, I don't know about in K.C. but you can here localy.
I agree with un,... thats why i said mine in the post up above. I use a grill made from a 55 gal drum,.... that i made 12 years ago. I used stainless steel diamond mesh for bottom coal rack and upper cooking rack. It take about 6 hours in mine and 10 lb of charcoal, with hickory for smoke, to do a butt. And yeah, Bunyuns or even Mrs Thompsons slaw from the store is good.
We like Southern Bar-BQ in Muscle Shoals on Wilson Dam Road. They have free delivery in Muscle Shoals for orders over $8.00. Their family packs are $11.97 and their Chicken family pack is $12.89. They have a Party Pack for $22.50. Unless prices have changed from the menu I'm reading. We also have tried Mullins, which is good.

To throw this in, we like the OK Corral in Muscle Shoals across from Burger King. They have really good stew. You can get a gallon of stew (chicken), a gallon of tea & cornbread for about $25.00. This is something we like to get for friends who've had a death in their family. That way they can freeze it if they've gotten too much food brought over. Also, good to give to someone who's just been out of the hospital when their appetite may be low. They usually can handle the soup.
I prefer OK Corral for BBQ. The only down side that I see with them is, it's all take out. No place to sit and eat there.

My second choice would be Whitt'. Their closest location to Florence is the one in Rogersville. They do not have an enclosed dining area, but unlike OK Corral, they do have tables outside and adequent parking. I would suggest their "lunch box Special", which is a sandwich, and two 1/2 pint sides for about $ 4.00.
My favorite BBQ establishment of all time is Jim N Nicks. Overall, they're hard to beat. Too bad we don't have one around here...

Locally, I like Brooks pulled pork and hot slaw the best. Their chicken is great too.

Mullins on Wilson Dam Road has the best ribs in the area, quite possibly some of the best I've eaten.

Also, OK Corral has some of the best baked beans I have ever put in my mouth! I think I'll have BBQ for lunch today...........
quote:
Originally posted by OriginalBama:
I agree with un,... thats why i said mine in the post up above. I use a grill made from a 55 gal drum,.... that i made 12 years ago. I used stainless steel diamond mesh for bottom coal rack and upper cooking rack. It take about 6 hours in mine and 10 lb of charcoal, with hickory for smoke, to do a butt. And yeah, Bunyuns or even Mrs Thompsons slaw from the store is good.


The smoker I have is over 50 years old and came from Texas. I only use it when I get in the serious mood. I start with about 10lbs of charcoal and use fresh cut hickory for the smoke. Heck I use green hickory even in my small grill. There is nothing like that hickory smoke to make anything better.
50 years old?.... There is proof they dont make things like they used to. And totally agree on the hickory.... i used to cut it myself and slice it like bread instead of splitting it. I would soak and then throw on a couple of "donuts" to start. Ive tried pecan and peach too,... I like them as well. But now i mainly use the store bought chips.
quote:
Originally posted by themax:
quote:
Originally posted by OriginalBama:
I agree with un,... thats why i said mine in the post up above. I use a grill made from a 55 gal drum,.... that i made 12 years ago. I used stainless steel diamond mesh for bottom coal rack and upper cooking rack. It take about 6 hours in mine and 10 lb of charcoal, with hickory for smoke, to do a butt. And yeah, Bunyuns or even Mrs Thompsons slaw from the store is good.


The smoker I have is over 50 years old and came from Texas. I only use it when I get in the serious mood. I start with about 10lbs of charcoal and use fresh cut hickory for the smoke. Heck I use green hickory even in my small grill. There is nothing like that hickory smoke to make anything better.

I'm bbq grill poor, I use diferent grills for diferent events my bigest grills' name is joejo, and is used for whole hog, I also have various gas and charcoal grills that get used regular, depends on the mood. Sometimes I have two or three fired op at the same time. O'h yea, Iv'e built a pavilon so the weather don't interfere with my plans at the moment.
quote:
Originally posted by themax:
quote:
Originally posted by OriginalBama:
I agree with un,... thats why i said mine in the post up above. I use a grill made from a 55 gal drum,.... that i made 12 years ago. I used stainless steel diamond mesh for bottom coal rack and upper cooking rack. It take about 6 hours in mine and 10 lb of charcoal, with hickory for smoke, to do a butt. And yeah, Bunyuns or even Mrs Thompsons slaw from the store is good.


The smoker I have is over 50 years old and came from Texas. I only use it when I get in the serious mood. I start with about 10lbs of charcoal and use fresh cut hickory for the smoke. Heck I use green hickory even in my small grill. There is nothing like that hickory smoke to make anything better.



We have a huge Hickory tree in our back yard. I don't want to cut it. Can you use the nuts for smoking too?
[/QUOTE]
I'm bbq grill poor, I use diferent grills for diferent events my bigest grills' name is joejo, and is used for whole hog, I also have various gas and charcoal grills that get used regular, depends on the mood. Sometimes I have two or three fired op at the same time. O'h yea, Iv'e built a pavilon so the weather don't interfere with my plans at the moment.[/QUOTE]

Youre makin me hungry. I had a place with a cover before i divorced to cook. Dont now, she got that too lol. But Ive cooked in ice, thunder and hail storms. Even had a tornado sighted over Petersville once while i was cooking.
As far the hickory nuts,.... no,.. go to the store and get some chips,... soak them prior to cooking, maybe 30 min or so... sometimes i dont even soak them to add some quick heat or close the lid and it usually dont flame that way... just depends on what i'm cooking.
For something a little different, try Jack Daniels oak barrel chips. It's the wood from the barrels used to make JD chopped up into smoking chips. They smell awesome and work very well. I usually start soaking about 30-45 minutes prior to using, then I'll only use about a handful or two at a time to keep an even smoke.
All of the places listed in this thread so far are just so-so Q joints. IMHO, about the best in the shoals area right now is Mullins on Wilson Dam Road. If you go by and the open sign is lit, then stop and try it out. The next best place I've found is John's down in Moulton. Both places actually use some hickory in their smokers cooking the bbq. If you want to know how good the bbq is going to be, drive or walk around the back of the q-joint and see what kind of a wood pile they have.
My opinion of several of the well know places around the shoals is very low so I'll keep those to myself. However, if anyone should care to know that can PM me and I'll tell it like it is.
There's a place in huntsville on Governer's drive, just a little drive through with a smoker always going outside I had traveled by it many times, but one day while in a hurry I stopped to try it. It turned out to be the best bbq sandwich I've had since C'Mors closed. I you are in that area give it a try. Too bad I don't know the name, but it was good.
I once read a description of a great b-b-q restaurant.

1) Lots of cars in the parking lot. [that’s a given . . .]
2) Stacks of wood and smoke coming out. [another given]
3) Owner’s name as a part of the establishment name. [makes sense . . .]
4) Gotta have lots of flies! [if no flies, what do the flies know that we don’t?]
To Justme, I live where all I have to do is walk maybe 50yds. to cut my hickory. But I do try to cut the limbs that meet my needs. I am very carefull when it comes down to cutting a branch. I guess you could say I might be a very careful harvester of hickory. I also seem to notice any young growth from a stump that has been logged over close by. A good hickory tree is kinda like money in the bank. Take only what you need and leave the tree / sapling/ to grow. I have to admit that I do notice the sides of whatever road I'm on for new growth hickory and file it away in my memory bank, so if I know ahead when I'm going to grill a lot I can harvest green hickory some place other than my own growing supply.
The best renewable resource for grilling. But if you are not or have not cut your own,You may need a little help to ID the different types of hickory trees from the other look alikes.
I would hate to put a piece of sweetgum or whatever under my perfectly marinated delmonico.
quote:
Originally posted by unclegus:
justme, I don't recomend the use of nuts, It is way to easy to get to much smoke. In fact, when i am useing wood i will trim the bark off to cut back on the smoke. Fact is, you can use pure charcoal and get all the smoke you may need, this is especially true when cooking chiken or other poultry.


Unclegus, I agree about the nuts but IMO the more smoke the better. Now, I'm not talking about heat only the smoke. I like my steaks med.rare. The only way to get it just perfect with right taste and still have the tenderness is to grill it slower than one would do porkchops or chicken. IMHO
themax, when one is grilling, as you are talking about, you are right about not to much smoke. But, when one is barbequeing indirectly with low heat over several hours to much smoke can be a problem. when I am grilling I will sometimes use the bark I took off the wood so as to get more smoke on the meat.Note the diference in smoking and grilling is that true barbeque is cooked with low temperature max for me is 230 degrees. On the other hand, grilling is done directly over hot coals for shorter times. Both methods produce good results, but there is a diference. thank you, your welcome.
quote:
Originally posted by greenlake888:
I prefer the barbecued Boston butts they have out in St. Florian several times a year. You can get them either at the St. Michael's picnics on the 4th of July and Labor Day or I think at the Knights of Columbus Memorial Day Stew and Barbecue. The sauce is a long-standing tradition as is the super-slow cooking method. Good stuff!

Anything cooked out in St Florian is good!!... That would be Sloans sauce they use?... its a very liquid sauce i think. With whole spices in it. We made 5 gal of it about 10 yrs ago and back then the cost was around $50 to make. Also the BBQ place by Big Star has pretty good bbq too... I think its called Pops? not sure...
I don't know if there is a Jim & Nick's near the Shoals, but they're a chain BBQ place that's growing. They have one near my house and I tried it for the first time yesterday. I wasn't impressed at all. My quality test for a BBQ place is the brisket. Their's was a little dry, a little chewy, and didn't have a genuine smokey flavor, it tasted closer to liquid smoke. It might have been oven cooked judging by it's consistency. The bright side was the service was excellent. I always try a restaurant twice before I write them off, but for what it's worth I don't recommend Jim & Nick's at all.
Pop's in Saint Florian has a good pork sandwich with plenty of meat and it's real bbq. The only problem I've had is the lady at the counter keeps refering to me and my employee's, as working for a competitor of mine. I have no problem with the competitor ( he is also a freind of mine ), but the lack of respect has kept me from going to pop's.
quote:
Originally posted by unclegus:
Pop's in Saint Florian has a good pork sandwich with plenty of meat and it's real bbq. The only problem I've had is the lady at the counter keeps refering to me and my employee's, as working for a competitor of mine. I have no problem with the competitor ( he is also a freind of mine ), but the lack of respect has kept me from going to pop's.


IMO..Pops is the worst BBQ and ribs I have ever put in my mouth. Their smoked chicken and white sauce is OK.

C-Mors on hwy 72 west near Killen used to have a BBQ buffet and IMO he had the best BBQ around. Most of these folks in the Shoals don't know how to make good BBQ like they do in Memphis. The don't use a rub or if they do the don't put more on the meat after they pull it apart or chop it. I ate at the place close to ECM hospital the other day and I was disappointed with the sandwich and the high price.
C-Mors on hwy 72 west near Killen used to have a BBQ buffet and IMO he had the best BBQ around. Most of these folks in the Shoals don't know how to make good BBQ like they do in Memphis. The don't use a rub or if they do the don't put more on the meat after they pull it apart or chop it. I ate at the place close to ECM hospital the other day and I was disappointed with the sandwich and the high price.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you about C'mors
quote:
Originally posted by sandske1222:
Wright's BBQ on Cloverdale Rd in Petersville is my favorite. Plus the people that own it are good people.

Wrights is right down there with Ricks... May be good people but the BBQ is terrible. At one time they didnt know the differance between smoking a turkey and bbqing it. I called and was asking the price to smoke a turkey. They said they didnt smoke them they bbqed them. Thats when i started smoking them myself. Plus i got a sandwich there on my way to work, went to eat it at break and the bread was moldy. I called them and the answer i got was, "We dont serve moldy bread.".. I havent been back since and wont and will dis them every chance i get.
quote:
Originally posted by OriginalBama:
quote:
Originally posted by sandske1222:
Wright's BBQ on Cloverdale Rd in Petersville is my favorite. Plus the people that own it are good people.

Wrights is right down there with Ricks... May be good people but the BBQ is terrible. At one time they didnt know the differance between smoking a turkey and bbqing it. I called and was asking the price to smoke a turkey. They said they didnt smoke them they bbqed them. Thats when i started smoking them myself. Plus i got a sandwich there on my way to work, went to eat it at break and the bread was moldy. I called them and the answer i got was, "We dont serve moldy bread.".. I havent been back since and wont and will dis them every chance i get.


If I ever have that same experience you did getting a molded bread , I'd take the bread AND the reciept to the health department.
quote:
Originally posted by dogsmaster:
quote:
Originally posted by OriginalBama:
quote:
Originally posted by sandske1222:
Wright's BBQ on Cloverdale Rd in Petersville is my favorite. Plus the people that own it are good people.

Wrights is right down there with Ricks... May be good people but the BBQ is terrible. At one time they didnt know the differance between smoking a turkey and bbqing it. I called and was asking the price to smoke a turkey. They said they didnt smoke them they bbqed them. Thats when i started smoking them myself. Plus i got a sandwich there on my way to work, went to eat it at break and the bread was moldy. I called them and the answer i got was, "We dont serve moldy bread.".. I havent been back since and wont and will dis them every chance i get.


If I ever have that same experience you did getting a molded bread , I'd take the bread AND the reciept to the health department.


I ain't eating molded bread either! gus.

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