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Battle of the 'Cue
By : Chanize Thorpe
The word "barbecue" means more than grilling meat and basting it with a sauce. While some can't agree on whether this style of cooking only involves pork, vinegar and tomatoes, many concur that North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky are top dogs when it comes to the craft. Each state boasts a distinctive flavor that's captured by these legendary restaurants that have perfected their pole position in The Battle of the 'Cue.
Lexington BBQ, North Carolina
Lexington claims to be "The Barbecue Capital of the World," and one of the town's most popular spots for pit-cooked pork is Lexington BBQ. This understated luncheonette opened in 1962 under the name Honeymonk and, decor-wise, seems to have stayed there. Legendary owner Wayne Monk left his son, Rick, and son-in-law, Keith "Bubba" Wright, to carry on the family business and continue the Lexington-style tradition. Bubba is firm on what's barbecue and what's not. "If you're cooking with gas," he says, "it doesn't count." For an establishment that smokes 100 giant pork shoulders a day over hickory coals and brews up to 200 gallons of sweet tea to wash it all down, the proof is on the plate. Meat is served from chopped to sliced, with connoisseurs requesting the prized crispy outside "brown" part mixed in. Asking for more of the establishment's mild ketchup-and-vinegar-based "sauce" won't raise an eyebrow, but asking for "dip" is the vernacular of a local.
Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous, Tennessee
Memphis' 60-year-old back-alley basement establishment doesn't overwhelm its customers with a menu listing dozens of choices. They know why thousands of customers, from hungry tourists and neighbors to native son Justin Timberlake, make beelines to their 700 seats: It's to order racks of dry-rubbed and slowly charcoaled ribs, which they serve to the tune of 4 tons a week. Add sides of smoky baked beans and tongue-tingling mustard-laced coleslaw and discover what "mouth-watering" really means. The seasoning is what separates these slabs from any other—a generous amount of oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika.
hogsfly.com
Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, Kentucky
The smell of hickory has been permeating from Moonlite's custom-built pits since 1963. The Owensboro restaurant's groaning buffet is the stuff of legend and offers a smorgasbord of dishes—from traditional pork, chicken and beef brisket to smoked ham. But it's their barbecued mutton that stands out among competitors. Sheep meat is finely chopped and dressed in a tangy brown vinegar sauce and served with a toasted bun or cornbread. The sliced pork is tender and is enhanced post-cooking with Moonlite's own sweet tomato-based barbecue sauce, which the customer adds from the table's pitcher. Join others in the pilgrimage to this mecca overlooking the Ohio River during the International Bar-B-Q Festival (bbqfest.com) in May, or take advantage of the online store for savory home delivery that beats takeout.
moonlite.com
Book your trip today! Visit www.aa.com, call American/American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300, or call your travel agent for more information.
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