A Boston butt is part of a pig
At 6:55 every Thursday morning, I take a big Boston butt to the face.
How's that for an opening line?
For four years now, I've met with a group of guys on Thursday mornings to drink a cup of coffee and pray with/for each other. We meet at a friend's restaurant, and when we get there just before 7 a.m., the smokehouse has been workin' a room full of pork all night long.
The smell in the air outside the restaurant is simply UNBELIEVABLE. It truly is like a slap to the face. It makes me want pork drippings in my coffee.
I usually don't get an appetite until around 10 a.m., but when I smell that stuff on Thursdays, I'm instantly hungry. And what I want is a big, fat sliced pork sandwich with slaw on top and beans on the side.
At 7 a.m.
I don't think my cardiologist would approve.
But all this talk of pork and smoke and whatnot raises an interesting question:
What, to you, is barbecue? And where's the best place to get it?
To me, barbecue is smoked pork served either pulled or sliced. If it's a sandwich you put slaw on the sandwich and you eat beans on the side. If it's just a big platter of meat, you cover it with sauce and go to town.
My favorite barbecue is from my friend's place. It's the real deal. Featured in Southern Living. It has both a loyal in-town crowd and draws folks from out of town.
My runner-up place may not still exist, but when I was in high school there was a place named "Mrs. Campbell's Alabama Bar-B-Q."
Mrs. Campbell worked behind the counter, along with about 600 of her kids and grandkids. On Sundays, the restaurant was closed and they had church there.
You know you're eating good barbecue when they close on Sunday and have church in the restaurant. You can taste the love.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've drooled all over myself writing this. Time to see what's in the fridge.
How's that for an opening line?
For four years now, I've met with a group of guys on Thursday mornings to drink a cup of coffee and pray with/for each other. We meet at a friend's restaurant, and when we get there just before 7 a.m., the smokehouse has been workin' a room full of pork all night long.
The smell in the air outside the restaurant is simply UNBELIEVABLE. It truly is like a slap to the face. It makes me want pork drippings in my coffee.
I usually don't get an appetite until around 10 a.m., but when I smell that stuff on Thursdays, I'm instantly hungry. And what I want is a big, fat sliced pork sandwich with slaw on top and beans on the side.
At 7 a.m.
I don't think my cardiologist would approve.
But all this talk of pork and smoke and whatnot raises an interesting question:
What, to you, is barbecue? And where's the best place to get it?
To me, barbecue is smoked pork served either pulled or sliced. If it's a sandwich you put slaw on the sandwich and you eat beans on the side. If it's just a big platter of meat, you cover it with sauce and go to town.
My favorite barbecue is from my friend's place. It's the real deal. Featured in Southern Living. It has both a loyal in-town crowd and draws folks from out of town.
My runner-up place may not still exist, but when I was in high school there was a place named "Mrs. Campbell's Alabama Bar-B-Q."
Mrs. Campbell worked behind the counter, along with about 600 of her kids and grandkids. On Sundays, the restaurant was closed and they had church there.
You know you're eating good barbecue when they close on Sunday and have church in the restaurant. You can taste the love.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've drooled all over myself writing this. Time to see what's in the fridge.
posted by Leighton @ My Best Investments at
5:57 PM
4 Comments:
Hello! I found your blog thanks to a link at BooMama's blog, and this post is right up my alley. I have to say this in all neighborliness and Christian love, but unless you've had BBQ from the BBQ capital of the world, which of course is my home of Memphis, TN, then you haven't had the best BBQ. So, come on over to Memphis and take a trip downtown to the Rendzevous for some dry rub ribs or down to southeast Memphis to the Germantown Commissary for good ol' pulled pork, with some deviled eggs on the side and a big bowl of banana pudding for dessert. ;)
Here by suggestion of Boomama.
And I too grew up in the land of pork and bbq where the slaw belongs on top of the pulled pork. God was so good to me when he lead me to THAT promised land. Now I'M drooling all over my myself... it's a good think I've only got a half our to lunch.
So delighted to make your aquaintance. And if you see my name pop up quite often in your email, have no fear. I'm not stalking; I'm just rootin' through your archives.
Since I'm a Connecticut boy who's only lived here, Massachusetts and New York (and only been in Florida as far as the South is concerned), I'll admit that I've probably never had real barbecue. I can recommend some great places for lobstahs and chowdah though.
But I'm wondering, why is it called Boston butt?
I'm a "here at Boomama's suggestion" girl too. Great blog.
We live in CO now, but grew up in the South. Out here, the closest we can get is Bono's. It's a chain, you can get pork or beef (pork is real BBQ to me) and it's yummy. The baked beans (or pork-n-beans, as I grew up calling them) are sweet and wonderful - it's just all good.
mmm... do you think 10:00 is too late to go get some??
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