BBQ Tour of America's South

The most recent in a succession of barbecue establishments cooking whole hogs on this site. Ask for rib meat, pit meat, or tenderloin if you prefer.

Smoke rings are evident in these perfect pulled-pork sandwiches, which are topped with carrot-flecked slaw and suffused with a medium-hot sauce.

Locals line up for a superb rendition of chopped pork on a bun, as well as excellent grilled short ribs.

The dining room here is more like a freestanding screened porch. Grab a seat and enjoy an outstanding pulled-pork sandwich, perfectly seasoned and lub

Located in the thick of honky-tonk bars on Music City’s tourist strip, Jack’s Bar-B-Que nevertheless draws local rockabilly kids and alt- country scen

The top spot for the Gateway City’s barbecue specialties, such as St. Louis–cut pork ribs, snoots, and rib tips.

Many like Gates for the burnt ends, mixed plate, and fries.

Buy the region’s specialties, snoots, at this takeout window frequented by a steady stream of locals. Like oversize pork rinds, the texture of a rice

Inside this circa-1920's institution, a snaking line stretches to the door. While waiting, watch as the workers: pulling a whole brisket, blackened an

The apotheosis of Owensboro’s micro- regional mutton ’cue. Order it sliced and chopped—always with “dip”—and in a meaty burgoo (a rustic Kentucky stew

Beyond the shamrock gas station’s pumps and past the racks of Hostess cakes, a warren of tables and booths makes up this barbecue joint. Oklahoma Joe’

Few champion pit masters have achieved the level of celebrity of Mike Mills, whose postmodern barn on a strip of suburban sprawl provides a range of r

North Carolina’s legendary pit master Ed Mitchell presides over this airy restaurant in a former meatpacking warehouse. (White tablecloth at a ’cue jo

Prepare yourself for the best traditional Memphis-style ribs ever—flat-out sensational. The velvety, succulent meat at A&R simply glides away from the

This BBQ mecca opens at 6 a.m. for breafast brains and eggs; country ham; grits. The pork is ready closer to 10 a.m. and is worth the wait. Sit in one