Day 9: NJ

Home sweet home - we're adjusting back to non-barbecue food and withdrawing from sweet tea overload. Now if only I could find the storage at home for the new stockpile of sauces and rubs!

So how was the trip?

Over the course of 3,460 miles, 15 barbecue joints and 13 states, we were able to connect with and learn from the finest pitmasters, eat-and often times overeat-some of the best barbecue in the country, explore some interesting countryside and have lots of fun in the process.

A huge thanks to Mike Mills, Amy Mills Tunnicliffe, Tommy Houston, Chris Lilly, Don & Carolyn McLemore, Patrick Martin, Leslie Roark Scott & Garry Roark for their advice and hospitality, and to all the other folks we met during our trek.

We'll keep you posted on phase two of our barbecue odyssey. Up next...Texas and the Carolina's?!

Day 9: VA-MD-PA-NJ

We spent last night visiting a friend in Charlottesville, VA and began the detox process with a dinner of sushi and sake. On our drive back to NYC however, we learned the our love affair with meat has not ended. As we were headed back on I-78 in Pennsylvania, I was lured off the highway by a billboard promising "smoked meats" at Dietrich's Meats and Country Store in Krumsville, PA (http://www.dietrichsmeats.com). How could I pass that up? You name it, they had it - pig snout and feet, kidneys, stomach, veal brains, along with the more traditional ribs, bacon, pepperoni, sausage etc.

While a little bit different than the slow cooked 'cue we have been sampling for nine days, it was a great way to close out the trip and pick up a few last mementos to bring home. Kristin made me stick with ground beef and pepperoni, rather than something more of the more exotic meats like rocky mountain oysters (a.k.a. bull testicles)!

Day 8: VA

We spent this afternoon visiting Tommy Houston, pitmaster and owner of restaurants Pigs R Us in Martinsville, VA and the new Checkered Pig in Danville, VA (http://checkeredpig.com). He also does a huge catering business and is active on the barbecue competition circuit. First up was some R&R for the road trippers at the Houston’s house where we met his wife, Lisa and kids, Hunter and Brooke. This was especially the highlight of the trip for Marley who got to run, play and swim in the creek with their black lab, Lance.


Ready to sample Tommy’s barbecue, we headed over to Pigs R Us, which has been open for 12 years. There wasn’t an open table to be had a lunch time – clearly a popular place with a lot of regulars. Tommy and his family joined us and again we were able to try a little bit of everything and we dug right in: chopped pork (a little different than the pulled pork we had been getting used to but just as good), lightly sauced St. Louis style-pork ribs, chicken and a very moist brisket seasoned with a secret dry rub. The choices of sides were quite extensive as well and a great ways to balance out the meat: homemade onion rings, hush puppies, mac and cheese, cole slaw, hot slaw, macaroni salad, chicken salad, green beans and baked beans. To top it all off, we had homemade banana pudding to satisfy Kristin’s sweet tooth and loads of sweet tea.

Tommy gave us a tour of his kitchen, layout, smokers and catering trucks. I can definitely see how all of the different elements of his business keep him busy. He then took us over to his new location, Checkered Pig. It’s a slightly different set up than Pigs R Us – this one is “quick & casual” where customers order their food at the counter upon entering and then food is delivered to their tables once ready. This is in a highly trafficked area in Danville, VA and sees a lot of business – even more to come once the drive thru window is set up.
We had a great day with Tommy – lots of advice, a great lunch and some down time as well. Tonight we’re off to Charlottesville, VA to visit a friend before heading home tomorrow.

Day 7: TN - VA

We went just outside of Nashville to check out Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint (www.martinsbbqjoint.com) in Nolensville, TN. I had met owner Patrick Martin for the first time at this year’s Big Apple BBQ Block Party and was happy to find him working away in the kitchen when we got there and he was quite surprised to see unexpected visitors from NYC.

Martin’s is small, casual place with décor of old license plates, posters and other knick-knacks – definitely lives up to the name “joint.” A covered deck out front with tables adds to the laid-back vibe. We got there for an early lunch around 11:30 and soon enough the place was packed – mostly locals on their lunch break from work (everyone from 8 guys from a landscaping place to a state senator) and Patrick welcomed most by name. Orders are placed at the counter and then called out when ready. We didn’t order straight off the menu since Patrick brought out trays for us to sample everything.

They have 5 different sauces, our favorite being the Sweet Dixie Mild – tangy with a vinegar base and the perfect complement to the pulled pork, which was fantastic and had a nice smoky flavor. The St. Louis pork ribs were tender, yet had good structure and very meaty. He also does a white sauce for their chicken similar to the one at Big Bob Gibson’s – also very good and a nice switch from the usual barbecue sauces. The brisket had a similar taste and texture to mine at Hill Country – extremely juicy and smoky.

I particularly loved the chicken wings – smoked and flash-fried, they were saucy (using the white sauce) and sweet.

For sides, we had hoecakes, beans, slaw – we couldn’t get enough. Overall it was a great meal and even better hospitality and conversation with Patrick.

One restaurant on our list that we hadn’t had a chance to visit yet was Jim ‘N Nick’s (http://www.jimnnicks.com/). Patrick Martin encouraged us to swing by the Murfreesboro, TN location on our way out of town to meet with John Haire and check out their operation. I was curious to learn more about how the place that serves fresh barbecue every day and makes everything from scratch could successfully expand to 27 locations in 7 states across the south and west.

Unfortunately for us, we were stuffed from our huge lunch at Martin’s and didn’t have much room to eat, but we did get to sample their freshly-baked cheese biscuits, pork spare ribs, smoked turkey and their home-brewed Reverend Mudbone’s beer. John gave us a tour of their kitchen and pits – I was especially intrigued and jealous of their wood-burning grills and tried to think of how I could squeeze one in to our kitchen at Hill Country.

Glad we were able to meet John and I hope to see them again next year at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party.

Onto Vriginia tomorrow to see pitmaster Tommy Houston and his two restaurants - Pigs R Us in Martinsville, VA and Checkered Pig in Danville VA.

Day 6: MS – AL – TN

We had a long drive today from Biloxi, MS up to Decatur, AL to our next stop. Thankfully, we have really lucked out weather-wise: blue skies and picture-perfect days, no humidity, lots of sunshine. Perfect driving-with-the-top-down-in-the-Jeep weather and apparently one of the coolest July’s on record down here, which has been great for our travels.

By the time we got to Decatur, it was after 2:00 PM so we were ready for our next barbecue fix. We had planned on stopping at Big Bob Gibson's (www.bigbobgibson.com) all along and the sweet smell of smoke from the parking lot only got us more excited. They are a fourth-generation business, around since 1925, and have made quite a name for themselves with three restaurants, a line of award-winning sauces and rubs and also on the competition circuit. Having tried their barbecue at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party in NYC the past few years, I knew I wanted to see them in person.






We had a great visit with pitmaster and chef Chris Lilly and also owner Don McLemore and his wife, Carolyn – they couldn’t have been more welcoming and appreciative of our visit and curious to hear about our barbecue odyssey. I’ve spent some time with Chris in NY and Miami at other events, but it was great to see him in his element and hometown. They were kind enough to bring us a little bit of everything to sample (well, actually it was enough to feed an army) but we did a pretty good job at making a dent in it all.





The Brunswick stew was a new one for us, but it was excellent – tomato based, vegetables, potatoes and pulled pork served with crackers. Their brisket was extremely juicy and the flavor of the beef really came through. One of our favorites was the moist and succulent pulled pork, which they serve separated out into piles of the “inside” and “outside” (with the bark). While we tried some with their Championship Red Sauce, it wasn’t necessary and could stand on its own.








We also had the St. Louis-style pork spare ribs – very meaty and tender.








This was the first time on this trip that we had smoked turkey and it was a nice change – juicy, light and went well with their mustard sauce. I had been looking forward to trying their signature white sauce, different than any of the sauces we’ve had on this trip -- mayo-based, peppery and tangy, it was the perfect complement to their chicken. Sides were cole slaw (finely diced which was a twist to the kinds we have tried), potato salad and smoky beans flavored with green peppers. We left completely full and content – happy for the afternoon of great food and good company, and also for the doggie bag of leftovers for the road.

Tomorrow we’re checking out Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Nolensville, TN, outside of Nashville.

Day 5: MS

Only one state today since we are travelling the complete length of Ole Miss and have a few stops to make. On the way down to the Gulf, we checked out Leatha’s in Hattiesburg, MS.

Located behind an RV dealership, it’s a little tricky to find but once you do, it’s well worth it. Leatha’s is a family business that has been around for over 30 years and has had a few different locations before settling in the latest in Hattiesburg. The building almost looks like an old meeting hall with plywood floors/ceilings and long tables with an assortment of random chairs. The curtains are made from beach towels and the walls are covered with articles, reviews and photos of Leatha and guests. They are usually closed on Sundays, but lucky for us, they were doing a church fundraiser that day with all proceeds being donated.

There was a limited menu on this Sunday, so we stuck with their specialty: pork ribs. They were heavily sauced, with the tender meat easily separating from the bone, but yet they still had structure – this was definitely “fall off the bone” in a good way. Overall, an excellent rib. The cole slaw was different from any we have had, with a unique mustard base – a nice twist. The potato salad – made with chunky, skin-on potatoes -- also had a mustard base, but we found it to be a bit creamy.

I was able to get a tour of their homemade pit out back. It was four oil drums -- the largest, standing upright, was their main smoker and the three others were lying lengthwise – one acting as the fire pit and the other two as grills. A far cry from the way I do it back home.


Heading as far down south as the Gulf was not part of our original itinerary, but Amy Mills Tunnicliffe convinced us to make a trip down to The Shed in Ocean Springs, MS, not just for the food, but for the overall atmosphere and experience.

There’s an interesting story about owner Brad Orson and his years of “junkyard diving” and how that led to the development of The Shed what it is today (http://www.theshedbbq.com/home/). The parking lot was packed on a Sunday night and the place filled with families, little kids, big groups and small groups packing both the indoor and outdoor picnic tables. It’s huge space, with kitschy décor, two bars, plus an outdoor stage for live music on the weekends. Marley got to hang out with us at our table and when she wasn’t in a stare-down with a local cat or getting some attention from the passers-by, she was waiting for meat drippings to fall to the ground.

We jumped on a line inside to place our order, and then once the food was ready, a waitress finds you by calling out your name and drops off the ‘cue. We went with the Jumbo Sampler to try a little bit of everything – six different kinds of meat and three sides, served with pickles and onions. The entire sampler was served in one large Styrofoam container, so the meats were all stacked on top of each other, which had me skeptical at first because I wasn't sure if everything would blend together and taste the same, but the distinct flavor of each meat really came through and all were impressive. We had pulled pork, brisket (loosely shredded), chicken (leg and thigh), chicken wings and baby backs – all very moist so we got more of that melting in your mouth feeling. A good amount of sauce topped all of the meats -- sweet, smoky, a little bite to it, but not too spicy. The sides were also stacked up like a pyramid – slaw, potato salad and beans – and complemented the meat well.

All in all, this dive has a very fun, relaxed vibe that goes perfectly with barbecue and had we had room for a few beers, we would have stayed longer to chill out to enjoy it.

We start the trek back north tomorrow, but are looking forward to Big Bob Gibson’s and a visit with Chris Lilly and Don McLemore in Decatur, AL.

Day 4: TN-MS

We were told we couldn’t leave Memphis without trying Gus’ World Famous Fried Chicken. So even though it’s not barbecue, we took a walk this morning to do a little recon and check it out. Total hole in the wall, but we knew it was going to be good because at 10:45 AM there were people waiting outside and it wasn’t even open yet.

We went back about an hour later and got half a chicken (breast, thigh and leg) for a little pre-lunch appetizer. Kristin and I sat on the side of the road on a curb, with Marley salivating in the Jeep above us, and dug in. Quite frankly, it was the best fried chicken we have ever had. Perfectly crisp on the outside, mouthwatering and juicy on the inside, and surprisingly not greasy at all. Each bite got better and better and by the time we were done, there was nothing left but bones.

We could have eaten more at Gus’, but knew we were on our way to Cozy Corner (http://cozycornerbbq.com/) on the other side of Memphis. In operation for over 30 years, Cozy Corner is a small, unassuming, bare bones barbecue joint with a simple menu. The firs thing you see behind the self-service counter is their pit, which has a glass front (not the norm for most smokers). It was also surprisingly kind of small for a pretty busy place that churns out a lot of cue, both in the restaurant and take out.

We were greeted by Desiree Robinson who couldn’t have been more kind and welcoming. She has kept the restaurant running the exact same way her late husband, Raymond Robinson, did. Desiree sat down with us and explained there are now four generations involved in the restaurant – we had the chance to meet her daughter and grandson, and got a good laugh watching him working behind the counter, calling out order numbers and busting some sweet Michael Jackson dance moves in the process. Desiree also told us about her 2-year old great-granddaughter who already knows how to wipe down the tables and say “thank you for coming.”

The southern hospitality wasn’t the only thing memorable about Cozy Corner. We had a pretty solid meal: pork spare ribs, cornish hen, pork shoulder sandwich, beans, corn on the cob and lots of sweet tea. Our favorite out of everything was the pork sandwich - slow cooked and sliced pork served on a long seeded soft hoagie roll topped with cole slaw and sauce. It was smoky, rich and sweet, and melted in your mouth. The cornish hen, a house specialty, was covered in hot barbecue sauce, burnished on the outside and remained very juicy and moist on the inside. The pork ribs were tender but not mushy, and seasoned just enough to let the taste of the meat really come through, which is always a plus for me. Sides of beans and corn on the cob balanced out the meal and lots of sweet tea to wash it down.

Though not in our original itinerary, we took a side trip and stopped in Oxford, MS – a historical, artsy, college town – to take a walk around the town square. We were planning on grabbing a bite at City Grocery (http://www.citygroceryonline.com/), a restaurant in town, because we’ve heard great things about chef John Currence, but timing was off and they were closed between lunch and dinner service. Instead, we were happy to find that Holli's Sweet Tooth, a candy/ice cream parlor, served Blue Bell ice cream and we both devoured mint chocolate chip cones.

Next up we were off to Yazoo City, MS to try out the 'cue at Ubon's (http://www.ubons.net/). I first met Garry Roark and his daughter, Leslie, at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party in NYC a few years back. Aside from the restaurant, they are also big players on the barbecue competition circuit. Unfortunately, Garry and Leslie were away during our visit, but their staff, Shirley and Debra, treated us like celebs and were happy to see us. The restaurant itself was also unassuming from the outside, and inside was a proud display of photos, articles and some of the many trophies they have received in competition.

We shared a combo platter of pork ribs (wet and dry), beef brisket with decal (moist) and flat (lean) thinly sliced together, pulled pork, chicken and sausage (which I especially enjoyed). Garry’s homemade Dipping Bar-B-Q sauce was excellent – tomato-based, tangy and sweet with minced onions – that we gladly used for all of the meats, which were great on their own, but even better with the sauce.

While we were disappointed to miss the Roark’s, we left Ubon’s very content, with new friends and about six bottles of sauce to take home. And we joined the other well-wishers and visitors that have lined their walls with autographs.

Tomorrow is Mississippi part two – with a trip all the way down to the Gulf to The Shed and a stop at Leatha’s in Hattiesburg along the way.

Day 3: IL-MO-AR-TN

We woke up this morning surprised that our cabin didn’t pick up, take flight and land in another state after a major wind, lightening and thunderstorm that happened overnight. Lucky for us – no tornadoes.

Not long after waking up, Kristin found me on the deck of the cabin polishing off what was left of the full rack of ribs from 17th street. Cold or hot, still the best in my opinion. And at first a little horrified, she even joined in for a few bites.

We then spent the morning/afternoon in Murphysboro – took a nice walk on the grounds of Green Retreat, and then through town. Believe it or not, we had breakfast #2 at a local place, Tippey’s Restaurant, but I kept it simple with two eggs over easy and hash browns. No meat!




We then spent some more time at 17th Street, checked out their catering facilities and said our goodbyes – but only after stocking up on t-shirts, hats, sauces and rub to bring home.




I hate to admit this, but we skipped a big barbecue lunch today because after two breakfasts for me, there was just no way it could be done and still make it to dinner in Memphis. We did, however, give in to a dairy craving and stopped for some DQ before we left M'boro.

We drove about an hour to the small town of Cape Girardeau, Missouri to visit Ole Hickory Pits (http://www.olehickorypits). They fabricate the smokers that are used at renowned barbecue joints across country, including my home in NYC, Hill Country Barbecue (http://hillcountryny.com). They were very gracious and gave me a tour of all of the different shapes and sizes of smokers that they are in the process of building. Kevin gave me a great tutorial on the many ins and outs of pit maintenance, troubleshooting and the various parts and pieces. I'm sure the in-person education will come in handy down the line.

Kristin and I arrived in Memphis close to sundown and caught a great sunset over the Mississippi before heading out for dinner.





We knew there was going to be a lot of barbecue in Memphis, so deciding where to go was tough. For our first stop, we went with Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous (http://www.hogsfly.com/) to see why it’s such a Memphis institution.




It's a different style than what I'm used to since their ribs are charcoal grilled, so I was curious to try them. The place is down a random alley in downtown Memphis and is huge. It was packed when we got there after 9:00 PM, but we sat right away at the bar. The sausage and cheese appetizer platter was simple and surprisingly very good -- I believe they used kielbasa which was heavily-seasoned with their signature rub. It was served with a mild cheddar cheese, sliced into sticks, plus dill pickle spears, pepperocini peppers and crackers.




We ordered the ribs and also chicken and pork shoulder, which were served chopped, rubbed and sauced atop white bread. Grilled ribs aren't my favorite style but they had a crunchy bark and a nice char-grilled, well-seasoned flavor to them. However, the meat was a little tough and chewy. The vinegar-based cole slaw had a little kick to it and I found the pork shoulder and chicken to be just average.



After dinner, we took a walk through town to check out the Peabody Hotel and Beale Street, but retired early to gear up several for several spots on the tour tomorrow – Cozy Corner in Memphis is up first, followed by Ubon’s in Yazoo City, MS with a few pit stops along the way.

Day 2: KY-IN-IL

We woke up and hit the road by 6:30am. Kristin managed to sneak in a yogurt without me looking, but I snapped her back into place with a trip to Waffle House (http://wafflehouse.com/) in Morehead, KY.

Yup that’s right, most normal people wouldn’t wake up thinking about food after the day of eating we had yesterday. After the standard two eggs over-easy (topped with Waffle House’s own chunky picante hot sauce and several dashes of Tabasco), and a side of scattered, smothered and covered hash browns (plus bacon, of course), I proceeded to witness my usually overly innocent wife arrange to meet the waitress in the bathroom to smuggle out a Waffle House coffee mug. She was told they weren’t worth purchasing and then “you’re an itty bitty little thing – now hide it down your pants!” I kinda feel a little guilty that my sneakiness is rubbing off, but proud at the same time.


Rather than random, unplanned stops like yesterday, today’s barbecue was carefully calculated and all about one thing: Mike Mills and crew at 17th Street Bar and Grill (http://www.17thstreetbarbecue.com/). For lunch, we visited one of four location in the area (this one in Marion, IL) and pulled up to find a packed parking lot -- and with good reason.

We were warmly greeted by the staff and soon chowed down to our apps - deep fried pickles and fried crawfish. Both were addictive – the pickles had the briny flavor of salt and vinegar chips and the crawfish were juicy bits of tail meat lightly battered and fried.

In an attempt to try a little bit of everything, we shared two combo platters – baby backs, hot links, BBQ chicken and BBQ pork. Sides were cole slaw, baked beans, hush puppies and – dare I say – steamed vegetables (!) that Kristin made us order….but that didn’t mean I had to eat any. Everything was fantastic, with our faves being the BBQ pork (sprinkled with Mike’s Magic Dust, smoked and chopped – the result succulent and full of flavor) and the vinegar-based cole slaw (clean, light and cleansed the palate).

Chris, the manager, treated us like family and gave us a tour of the whole operation: from the kitchen to the pits and right down to the cherry and apple wood stacks.

We left happy and content with new friends and even a bag full of bones our waiter gave us for Marley. I think she was more excited than we were.

Amy recommended a place for us to stay a little bit outside of town and off the beaten path in Murphysboro. That afternoon, we settle in at Green Retreat, a family-owned working farm with three brand new cabins and other houses you can rent in the countryside (http://www.greenretreat.com/). Again, Marley was more probably was more excited than we were for the freedom to run around, but for us, it was a welcome break from chain hotels.

After some downtime, we went into town to meet everyone at 17th Street Bar & Grill in Murphysboro, IL – Mike Mills, Amy Mills Tunnicliffe, Becky Streuter, Phillip Heern etc. All I can say is tonight for me was what barbecue is all about – great food, great friends and lots of laughs. We sat outside on a cool night, shot the breeze and had a few beers. As we were hanging out, it was evident why Mike is known as “The Legend.”

http://www.17thstreetbarbecue.com/AboutMike.htm

People from all over – in this case, a family from Cleveland, OH – come just to eat his food, hear his stories and have the experience. We loved the small-town vibe and hospitality as well.

Having had sampled a lot of the meats during lunch, the idea for dinner was to go with a selection of apps for the group – homemade potato chips and creamy dipping sauce, fried pickles (again!), chicken wings, potato skins, pimiento cheese and hot links, and our favorite – the BBQ nachos. These were smothered in shredded pork, chili, baked beans, cheddar cheese, sour cream, lettuce, diced tomatoes and jalepenos. We couldn’t get enough!

Had I not been eating at Mike Mills’ place, that likely would have been enough food, but there was no way I could leave without getting some of Pitmaster Phillip’s "sexy" baby back ribs. The original idea was to get a small order of riblets to sample, but then thought a half rack would be better, and finally decided to go for it with the full slab ensuring leftovers for breakfast. Definitely the right decision. A warning to the other BBQ joints on this tour: The bar has been set. And it’s been set high. These ribs were outstanding!

Kristin had been craving dessert so Mike was nice enough to pull the waiter aside and order their homemade bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream and also strawberry shortcake with whipped cream. Despite being filled to the brim, we managed to polish those off without a problem.

A HUGE thanks to Mike, Amy and everyone else at 17th Street – it was a great visit and I hope to be back in Murphysboro for the cook-off in September.

On the itinerary for tomorrow- some more quality time at 17th Street, a visit to Old Hickory Pits in Cape Girardeau, MO, and then on-the-town in Memphis, TN with a visit to Rendezvous.

Day 1: NY-NJ-PA-MD-WV-KY

It’s time to hit the road and sample some of the best barbecue east of the Mississippi…and outside of Hill Country BBQ, of course. Kristin, Marley and I are ready to hop in the Jeep and go!

Our anticipated 5:00am departure time proved to be a little ambitious, especially after I participated in the Celebrate Flatiron Chefs tasting event the night before and got about 5 hours of sleep. After a few detours that didn’t help our slow start (pit stop at Hill Country, a missed exit that had us circling around Newark Airport and a small electrical fire with a plug-in lighter/adapter in the Jeep), we were on our way by 9:00am.

Our GPS (a.k.a. Australian Kate) led us west through New Jersey, Pennsylvania and then a bit south to the tip of Maryland. Due to the Jeep’s unfailing ability to guzzle gas, we stopped in Hagerstown, MD to fill up. Not thinking we’d find much barbecue in Maryland, I gave it a shot and asked a local at the truck stop for suggestions on where to go. As luck would have it, Redneck Ribs, a road side shack, was two lights away up the road.

We pulled in to an empty lot on a corner to find a small log-cabin trailer/smoker which I recognized from Southern Yankee barbecue (http://sybbq.com/b_con_cabin.php). We met Ted and Dee Chuparkoff, relative newcomers to the business, who were smoking up ribs, pulled pork, pit beef and chicken with their own homemade sauces. Ted was a little sketched out and confused about my probing interest in his smoker, wood, meat etc., but after some conversation and explanation about my background and our trip, he was happy to talk shop.

I had a half rack of pork spare ribs. In my first attempt to pick up a rib, which was drowning in sauce, the bone slipped right out and the meat fell off. I like my ribs tender, but these were a bit overcooked and texture a bit mushy for my liking -- almost more like pulled pork. The sauce was sweet and tasty, but I would have preferred more of the smoky meat flavor to come through, which I thought was lacking.

Kristin had one of their specials -- the “Korn Dodger” -- a split corn muffin topped with pulled pork, BBQ sauce and fresh cole slaw. The three worked well together, but it was a bit of a gluttonous portion and way too much for lunch. The homemade from a family recipe cole slaw was excellent (mayo-based, but light).

Full, but relatively-pleased with our first random find, we continued the drive. Seeing a horrific car accident on the opposite side of the road (one car charred, the other completely flipped over on top of the guard rail and split in half) was very sobering and made us pause, hoping for the best for those involved.

After many more hours of driving and attempting to avoid the lopsided jeep/seat belt farmer’s tan/sunburn, we continued west towards Murphysboro, IL, home of 17th Street Bar & Grill and our first planned destination.

Dinnertime found us in Charleston, WV but after two failed attempts at local joints, we decided to keep heading west and landed in the next big town at Buddy’s All-American Barbecue in Huntington, WV. It had a bit of a chain restaurant feel (complete with the cartoon pig on the sign) but there was a great smoky smell in the air as we pulled up coming from their Southern Pride smokers.

We got there a little too late and were the last customers in the relatively empty place. We have to get used to the fact that outside the city, 9pm for dinner is not normal. Unfortunately, there was no one there to speak to about their wood, smoking methods, etc. While very nice, our waitress had “no idea” what kind of wood they used – “maybe maple?” - and when asked for recommendations she replied “I’ve worked here for years and don’t like barbecue anymore but the ribs are $2 off tonight.” Sold!

We split a rack of baby backs and an order of wings -- half “Buddy’s Bomb” for me (supposed to be the hottest of 8 different kinds) and half barbecue for Kris. The level of heat in mine was a bit disappointing, but my opinion might be skewed because I’ve been known to use an entire bottle of Tabasco in one sitting. The baby backs had great texture -- didn’t fall off the bone until you bit into them -- and the smoky flavor was light and fruity. The beans were sweet, spicy and smoky with a deep dark molasses flavor.

All in all, a decent start to the trip, but we’re anxiously awaiting Mike Mills’ barbecue at 17th Street Bar & Grill tomorrow.