Anyone who doesn’t like good barbecue deserves a lump of charcoal in his stocking. Barbecue, like politics, should be local. So get your special someone a gift pack of some of the South’s best regional barbecue sauces:
Owensboro, Kentucky’s Moonlite Bar-B-Q’s sweet tomato based sauce
The original white sauce (terrific on chicken) from Decatur, Alabama’s Big Bob Gibson
Ain’t nothin’ like Tuscaloosa’s Dreamland Bar-B-Que sauce
South Carolina mustard-based sauce from Shealy’s Bar-B-Que in Batesburg-Leesville
Classic Memphis sauce from Charlie Vergo’s Rendezvous
Eastern North Carolina sauce from Wilber’s Barbecue in Goldsboro
Far Western North Carolina sauce from Fat Buddies BBQ in Waynesville
Be sure to include some dry rub. Charlie Vergo’s Rendezvous has an excellent rub. So does New Market BBQ in Alabama.
I would be thrilled to find a package of Jim ‘n Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q’s famous cheese biscuit mix in my stocking.
Many of the places listed above will also ship barbecue. Or consider giving a cap or t-shirt from one of these restaurants. This one from Jim ‘n Nick’s is nice.
Finally, the best book I’ve read on barbecue is John Shelton Reed’s Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue.
Sean,
Great article, thanks! I’m a young guy learning true conservatism and real BBQ, didn’t realize they went hand-in-hand 🙂
Merry Christmas
Thank you, Jonathan. I’m glad you enjoyed it.