Barbecue, also known as BBQ, is a cuisine that involves cooking meat slowly over low heat, usually with smoke from a wood fire. BBQ is hugely popular across the United States, with various regional styles and techniques. But what state has the best BBQ? This is a hotly debated topic among barbecue enthusiasts. Here’s a look at some of the top contenders for best barbecue state.

Texas

Texas is famous for its mouth-watering barbecue, with several distinct regional styles across the Lone Star State. What state has the best bbq? Many would argue that Texas takes the crown.

Central Texas Style

Central Texas is considered the heart of Texas barbecue culture. This style typically uses only salt and pepper to season the meat, which is usually beef brisket or pork ribs. The seasoning allows the natural flavor of the high-quality meats to shine through.

The most iconic Central Texas barbecue joint is Kreuz Market in Lockhart, which uses old-fashioned indirect heat pit-smoking over post oak wood. The results are incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs and the most flavorful brisket with a thick, peppery bark.

East Texas Style

East Texas barbecue relies on hearty pork shoulder and sausages slowly smoked over hickory wood. The pork is cooked until succulent and tender and then chopped or pulled. It’s often served doused in a sweet, tangy barbecue sauce.

Two famous East Texas barbecue restaurants are Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q in Tyler and Corky’s Ribs & BBQ in Longview.

West Texas Style

West Texas barbecue features thick cuts of prime beef seasoned with chili peppers and smoked over mesquite wood. The meat is cooked low and slow, resulting in incredibly tender and juicy brisket, ribs, and sausage.

Some of the most popular West Texas barbecue purveyors include Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que in Llano and Angelo’s Barbecue in San Angelo.

Kansas City

Kansas City is another legendary barbecue destination. KC style barbecue relies on slow smoking with a variety of woods and a tomato-molasses sauce.

Kansas City Barbecue Pork

Kansas City is known for moist, tender pulled pork shoulder and pork ribs coated in the distinctive Kansas City barbecue sauce. This tomato-based sauce has a sweet flavor from molasses along with a tangy kick.

Two standout joints for KC barbecue pork are Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que and Q39.

Kansas City Burnt Ends

A specialty of KC is burnt ends, which are smoked beef brisket trimmings seasoned, smoked again, and slathered in more barbecue sauce. They are crispy, charred, saucy, and incredibly flavorful.

Some top spots for burnt ends are LC’s Barbeque and Gates Bar-B-Q.

Memphis

Memphis barbecue revolves around pork – pork shoulders, ribs, sausages – dry rubbed with spice blends and slowly smoked over hickory and oak.

Memphis Dry Rub Ribs

Memphis is renowned for its dry rub ribs, which get their flavor from a seasoning blend rather than sauces. Common Memphis rub ingredients include paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper.

These spices infuse the pork with bold flavor as it smokes for hours over hardwood charcoal. Top establishments for Memphis ribs include The Bar-B-Q Shop and Central BBQ.

Pulled Pork

Memphis also excels at shredded smoked pork shoulder, which has absorbed plenty of smoke and spice rub flavor. It’s served piled high on buns and often paired with coleslaw.

Popular pulled pork sandwiches come from One & Only BBQ and Payne’s Bar-B-Que.

North Carolina

North Carolina barbecue relies on pork shoulder soaked in a thin, tangy vinegar-based sauce and then slow smoked over wood coals, usually hickory.

North Carolina Pulled Pork

North Carolina pulled pork shoulder is shredded into tender strands and drizzled with the signature vinegar sauce. The tangy sauce provides the perfect contrast to the rich, smoky pork.

Legendary joints for NC pulled pork are Lexington Barbecue in Lexington and Wilber’s Barbecue in Goldsboro.

Eastern Carolina Style

Eastern NC barbecue uses a whole hog and adds more vinegar to the sauce for extra tang. Top spots include the Skylight Inn in Ayden and Sam Jones BBQ in Winterville.

Western Carolina Style

Western NC uses only the pork shoulder, cooks over hickory, and balances the tangy vinegar with tomato. Ole Time Barbecue in Hendersonville is a prime example.

South Carolina

South Carolina barbecue relies on slow smoking whole hogs as well as pork shoulders over woods like hickory, oak, and pecan. A spicy mustard sauce sets SC barbecue apart.

South Carolina Pulled Pork

Like its neighbor North Carolina, South Carolina excels at tangy, tender pulled pork soaked in peppery mustard sauce. Restaurants like Bessinger’s Barbeque in Charleston and Duke’s BBQ in Irmo knock this specialty out of the park.

“Carolina Gold” Barbecue Sauce

The original Carolina gold barbecue sauce contained yellow mustard, vinegar, spices and honey. It delivers the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors.

Restaurants like Sweatman’s BBQ in Eutawville and Scott’s Bar-B-Que in Hemingway serve this quintessential South Carolina sauce.

Alabama

Alabama is devoted to pork barbecue seasoned with Alabama white sauce. This mayo-based sauce also contains vinegar and lemon juice for tang.

Alabama Pulled Pork

Smoked low and slow over pecan or hickory wood, Alabama pulled pork shoulder is tender and juicy. It’s served doused in the creamy white barbecue sauce for twangy flavor.

Top spots for white sauce-soaked pulled pork are Archibald’s Bar B Q in Northport and Saw’s BBQ in Birmingham.

Georgia

Georgia barbecue includes pork, especially sausages, as well as beef. A tomato-based sauce frequently adds flavor.

Pulled Pork

Like its Deep South neighbors, Georgia excels at gently smoked pulled pork shoulder in a tangy tomato sauce. Broad River Outpost in Comer puts out prime smoked pork.

Beef Brisket

Texas-style beef brisket smoked low and slow over oak has gained popularity in Georgia. Places like Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q in Atlanta serve up melt-in-your-mouth brisket.

Smoked Sausages

Smoked sausages often based on German or Eastern European recipes are a Georgia specialty. Look for kielbasa, bratwurst, and weisswurst smoked to perfection.

Florida

From Pensacola to Miami, Florida offers diverse barbecue that reflects many regional influences.

Pork Shoulder

Moist pulled pork and ribs smoked slowly over oak or hickory satisfy barbecue cravings Florida-style. Gainesville’s Big Lee’s Serious about Barbecue does it right.

Beef Brisket

Texas-style brisket smoked for hours over oak wood has gained fans in Florida. Look for certified Angus beef expertly smoked at places like Earnie’s Bar-B-Que in Largo.

Caribbean Influences

In south Florida, Caribbean flavors influence barbecue. Slow-cooked jerk chicken and mojo-marinated pulled pork reflect Cuban and Caribbean heritage. Little Miss BBQ in Coral Gables offers excellent Latin-fusion barbecue.

Kentucky

Kentucky barbecue relies on mutton, lamb and pork slow cooked over smoldering hardwood coals until ultra-tender.

Mutton Barbecue

Mutton barbecue from western Kentucky features savory, fork-tender smoked mutton often served with Worcestershire sauce-based dip. Old Hickory Bar-B-Q in Owensboro is legendary for its mutton.

Lamb Shoulder

Lamb shoulder smoked over hickory wood and owlseye maple has an amazing rich flavor. Central Kentucky joints like Mr. BBQ & More in Guthrie serve this specialty.

Smoked Ham

Kentucky is known for smoked ham basted with a honey glaze or dry rub and smoked over hardwood. Check out Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese in Austin for their country-style smoked ham.

California

With influences from Mexico, Asia, and Europe, California offers an eclectic barbecue scene.

Beef Brisket

Texas-style beef brisket has become popular in California. Restaurants like Rookeys BBQ in San Diego and Baby Blues BBQ in Los Angeles serve up superb brisket.

Tri-Tip

Santa Maria-style barbecue features oak-smoked tri-tip seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. Tri-tip fans will find barbecue perfection at Firestone Grill in San Luis Obispo.

Korean-Mexican Fusion

LA joints like Parks BBQ blend Korean and Mexican flavors, smoking meats like beef short ribs in the Mexican barbacoa style then serving it with Korean banchan side dishes.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Best BBQ States

Barbecue fanatics often debate which states turn out the very best ‘cue. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the top barbecue states.

What makes Texas barbecue so good?

Several factors combine to give Texas an edge:

• Prime-quality beef like brisket and high-grade pork. Texas has some of the best barbecue meat in the country.
• Smoking over flavorful woods like mesquite, oak and pecan. The wood smoke deeply permeates the meat.
• Simple salt and pepper rubs allow the meat’s flavor to take center stage.
• Low and slow cooking for hours breaks down connective tissue, making the meat incredibly tender.
• Regional styles like Central Texas and West Texas each have their own distinct flavors.

Why is Kansas City a barbecue mecca?

Kansas City has a long history of excellent barbecue built on traditions like:

• Smoking with a variety of woods like hickory, oak and fruit woods for complex flavors.
• Extended low and slow smoking which results in succulent, fall-off-the-bone meat.
• Saucing during the cooking process so sauce adheres and caramelizes onto the meat.
• Brushing on a sweet, tangy, tomato-molasses sauce that provides the perfect balance of flavors.
• Specialties like burnt ends with the unique texture of charred outsides and tender, smoky insides.

What makes Memphis barbecue stand out?

Memphis barbecue shines due to:

• Focus on pork – shoulders, ribs, sausages – often from heritage hog breeds.
• Smoking over flavorful hardwoods like hickory and oak.
• Long, low smoking times to thoroughly tenderize pork.
• Spice rubs like paprika, garlic, mustard and cayenne that infuse pork with flavor.
• Avoidance of heavy barbecue sauces that would mask the pork’s flavor.
• Serving meat dry or with thin, vinegar-based sauces to keep the pork’s flavor center stage.

Why is Texas brisket so juicy and tender?

Texas brisket masters like Franklin Barbecue in Austin smoke certified Angus beef briskets for up to 18 hours over oak. This long, low, slow method tenderizes the meat in several ways:

• It gently breaks down tough connective tissue through collagen-to-gelatin conversion.
• Fat renders from the brisket, basting it and keeping it incredibly moist.
• Enzymes naturally tenderize the meat over many hours in the smoker.
• Smoke penetrates deep into the meat, adding flavorful compounds while tenderizing.

How does Kansas City get such thick barbecue sauce coating?

KC pit masters have perfected the art of basting or “mopping” meat with sauce throughout the long smoking time. As the meat cooks, the sauce caramelizes into an incredibly thick, sticky, flavorful coating that adheres to every nook and cranny. It forms almost a savory candy shell around the smoky meat.

Why are Memphis dry rub ribs so popular?

Memphis ribs get their big flavor from special spice rubs rather than heavy sauces. The rubs contain paprika, brown sugar, garlic and pepper for aroma and sweet-spicy flavor. As the ribs slowly smoke, the spices infuse the meat, then form a flavorful crust or “bark” on the outside. This gives the ribs an amazing depth of flavor without needing sauce.

Conclusion

The debate over the best barbecue states will rage on indefinitely. While personal tastes vary, certain states like Texas, Kansas City, Memphis, and the Carolinas stand out repeatedly for exceptionally smoked meat done right. Wherever your travels take you in the United States, seek out the barbecue joints that pride themselves on traditional, time-honored smoking methods. When the meat has been perfectly seasoned, cooked low and slow, and served piping hot, you’ll know you’ve found barbecue bliss.