Category: BBQ Joints

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Q39 BBQ Restaurant

Antioch Road

Kansas City

Q39 has the Wow factor! At 5:00 pm the parking lot was full. Upon entering we were greeted by three smiling hosts eager to help and answer questions I met Jay, one of the managers and identified myself as a MCBJ, pitmaster, RVBBQTrail.com, and restaurant partner and he asked if I’d like a tour, wow! 

Ronnie Martinez, aka Munchin’ Hogs BBQ competition team, greeted me and proceeded to show me the Q39 operation, wow! I was so impressed with the detail to quality, freshness, and focus on guest satisfaction. Everything is prepared on site and not too far ahead as to ensure the best experience for their guest, wow!

After seeing the Q39 operation I was thinking that it would be hard to top that experience, then the food came, and WOW!! I ordered the Judges Plate +1 extra meat.

Ribs cooked perfectly biting off the bone

Pulled Pork was spot on with just the right amount of smokiness

Brisket was hand cut with the right amount of tug and was juicy and tender

Chipotle Sausage is house made with the right amount of bite and snap

Baked Beans are house made from dry scratch with burnt ends…terrific

Apple Slaw was fresh and creamy

Experience Q39 and judge for yourself. I bet you’ll leave with several Wow’s too!

  • Q39 BBQ Restaurant on Antioch Road in Kansas City, KS
  • ‘Judges Plate’
  • Q39 Brisket
  • Q39 BBQ ready to be served!
  • Ronnie Martinez, Q39 Manager, Antioch Road
  • Q39 Awards
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Big Bob Gibson BBQ Restaurant

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q Restaurant

While heading West for our next BBQ adventure, we stopped at Big Bob Gibson BBQ Restaurant in Decatur, AL. Most people would recognize Chris Lilly, owner, from the BBQ Pitmaster TV series. What most folks wouldn’t know is that Chris & the Big Bob Gibson competition BBQ team have won the prestigious Memphis in May competition a staggering FIVE times!

We were honored to take a pit tour of the restaurant including the mobile pit they used to win the 2017 Memphis in May competition. Each of their pits is specific for the meat… they can cook 175 chickens, 110 rib slabs, and 60 whole turkeys on the separate pits.

Chicken Pit

White BBQ Sauce?! In addition to great BBQ, Big Bob Gibson is famous for its white BBQ sauce, or as some call it, Alabama White Sauce. A mild mayonnaise, vinegar, and black pepper-based sauce that goes great with chicken. Next time you are in Decatur plan to stop at this BBQ icon!

Ribs, mac & cheese and potato salad

Pulled Pork, slaw & beans

Competition Pit               

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Sweet P’s BBQ & Soul House

Traveling from Ashville, NC to Huntsville, AL Marcia and I thought it time to find another BBQ joint to try. About seven miles southwest of Knoxville, TN we found Sweet P’s BBQ & Soul House. Tucked in just off a marina of the Little River, this is a classic BBQ joint with tent covered tables, an enclosed dining room, and a beer garden. Pitmaster Dillon greeted us and explained his menu. We decided to order the Meat Sampler including brisket, pulled chicken, and ribs. Recommended sides were kale greens, macaroni & cheese, along with red beans and rice.

The beer garden is shady and has a view of the river, so it was the perfect place to have our meal. Our pups, Eli and Brooklyn, were allowed to be with us in the beer garden, a definite plus in our book! I mentioned to Dillon that I don’t judge restaurants, but I if did, the Yummms between Marcia and I would have earned him a Grand Champion.

Sweet P’s is a definite stop for delicious BBQ next time through the area!

Watch our video of Sweet P’s BBQ & Soul House.

To learn more about Sweet P’s click here.

Mike

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Velvet Smoke BBQ

Watch Velvet Smoke’s video!

Matt & Andi Schneider, owner’s of Velvet Smoke BBQ, rolled out the red carpet for RVBBQTrail’s inaugural kick-off event. VSQ is known for championship BBQ, as Matt’s team, Velvet Smoke, has more awards and trophy’s than any BBQ joint in town.

Velvet Smoke’s style is championship Kansas City style. He’s known for all his offerings, but his brisket and burnt ends are legendary! Burnt ends are not overdone; it’s just a way of preparing the point of the brisket.  Cow Candy… that’s the ticket! Matt explains this in the above video.

Neil, VSQ’s Pitmaster, has been doing ‘Q for three years. He’s a classically trained chef but has found his way through the smoke! Matt’s wife Andi runs the catering business. I’ve had them cater several meetings for me with important clients. At the end of the meeting, a VP said, “good meeting, but the BBQ was the best part… you’ve got our business”! True story!

Full disclosure, I’m a member of the Velvet Smoke Professional BBQ Cook Team.

Visit Velvet Smoke’s website for menu and additional information.

Mike