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Best BBQ in SLC?

bluenote

Well-Known Member
Contributor
What's the best non-chain BBQ restaurant in Salt Lake City? What do you usually order?
 
The one on like 600 south had awesome ribs. It was just off the freeway. Can't remember the name. Smokin bones in bountiful is off the hook. Seriously good.
 
This thread has been done before. You can search for it.
 
What's the best non-chain BBQ restaurant in Salt Lake City? What do you usually order?

I'm a fan of Pat's BBQ, and Bubba's Firehouse BBQ.

I think I like Bubba's just better than Pat's; but mostly due to the atmosphere. I really don't recommend the Mango Pork from Bubba's, but everything else I've had there has been fantastic.
 
Cool. I just wanted to have some of you back the ratings on Yelp and Urban Spoon. Can never trust those. FYI, Sugar House BBQ is just ok - it's what led to me starting the thread.

So it sounds like I need to check out R&R, Pats and Bubbas and make the journey to Smokin' Bones at some point and not waste time/$ with the others.
 
Some of the better big chains I like is Famous Dave's and Goodwood
I like famous Dave's too
Much better than focus
Dickies
 
The chains are decent for basic stuff, like ribs and pulled pork. Their brisket is normally just ok. I don't often go buy barbecue, as I prefer to cook it myself.
 
It will be worth your time and money. Other than the brisket, the food is average to just above average, but yeah, the brisket is money.

Brisket is far and away the most difficult thing to cook properly, especially on a smoker. I expect better from the commercial places since they generally have easily controllable smokers, but the tough thing for them is making enough for the demand yet finishing it as demands ramps up so the meat doesn't have to sit very long, which dries it out fast. But for a backyard smoker like me it is the pinnacle of the craft. I have actually built a home made insulation sleeve for my smoker specifically for brisket. Brisket is very sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Too high of heat for too long (as little as an hour at 30 degrees over target) can ruin the final product. You need to hold it to a pretty damn tight 15 degree range if you have a hope of getting something good in the end. For me the brisket is the measure of a good bbq joint. Now if they can do great brisket but their other stuff is just ok then it is probably a matter of not really understanding the meat that well overall. Brisket and pork butt and ribs all require different applications to get the best product, all the way down to brines and spice rubs. It is really as much as art as a science in the end.
 
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