Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Bold statement: St. Louis is the best barbecue city in Missouri. To prove the point, and to honor this month’s inaugural Q in the Lou festival, we decided to put together an Ultimate Barbecue Feast (patent pending), pulling one dish each from some of the region’s premier ’cue joints. If you had one low-and-slow meal left on this planet—and you could persuade the city’s top pitmasters to throw a potluck in your honor—this is what you’d want on the menu.
Pulled Pork |The Shaved Duck
Slow-smoked over locally sourced cherry and hickory woods, this pulled pork doesn’t depend on sauce for flavor, though the house-made sauces are excellent, too.
Ribs | Bogart’s Smokehouse
It’s St. Louis’ most poorly kept secret: These dry-rubbed bad boys are finished with an apricot glaze that’s caramelized with the use of a blowtorch, à la crème brûlée.
Pit Baked Beans | Dalie’s Smokehouse
Possibly the region’s heartiest side dish, these peppery beans are loaded with molasses and pork drippings.
Brisket | Salt + Smoke
When given the choice between a lean and a fatty cut, choose the latter. During as much as 18 hours in the smoker, the fat melts into the tender meat, which in turn ends up melting in your mouth.
Big Muddy | Sugarfire Smoke House
This gargantuan sandwich is piled high with juicy brisket, smoked sausage, lettuce, and pickles, plus a slathering of horseradish and barbecue sauces.
“Old Glory” Slaw | BBQ Saloon
The classic cabbage-and-mayo combo is spruced up with an American flag of red cabbage, Greek yogurt, and blueberries for a fresher, lighter taste.
Cornbread | Vernon’s BBQ
Whoever came up with the term “comfort food” was thinking about this moist and cakey cornbread. It’s like an edible version of a pillow, equally capable of inducing a nap.
Smoked Wings | Gobble Stop Smokehouse
Doused in a thick, sticky sauce, these sweet ’n’ smoky ’n’ spicy wings are a welcome departure from the dry-rubbed drummies that dominate the local barbecue scene.
Burnt Ends | Pappy’s Smokehouse
Cut from the end of a brisket, these leftover hunks pack a one-two punch of crunchy, smoky bark on the outside and rich, fatty meat within.
Deviled Egg Potato Salad | Bogart’s Smokehouse
Yeah, we’re breaking our own rules by choosing a second dish from Bogart’s. Take one bite of this and you’ll forget all about the rules.
