Return to main article
Wet or dry?
Ribs can be ordered basted with sauce or seasoned with dry rub. Your best bet is the platter with half of each.Meat should be tender, not mushy.
To achieve this, Memphis barbecue pork is smoked on grates suspended over hardwood charcoal in the traditional fashion; some newer places may simply use wood. Look for the smoke ring.
If you examine the inside edge of the meat closely, you should be able to see the trace of a pinkish line, which indicates a job well done. Carry a detailed map.
Most locals have been going to the same barbecue joint for so long that they tend to be loosey-goosey about exact directions. Don’t expect fancy.
Barbecue houses rarely have a restaurant-like ambience. Most started out as roadside take-out shacks and retain their original on-the-fly feel. White bread is the right bread.
Don’t let the Wonder Bread truck parked outside put you off; barbecue requires the soft squares for sopping up what’s left on your plate.
Copyright © 2009, American Express Publishing. All rights reserved.
AddThis