The Restaurant and Staff at Smokin’ Q:

Smokin’ Q is an owner/operator food truck. Jody Fulk is the man that makes it all happen here. His normal location is on Hwy. 11 coming out of the north side of Harrisonburg. He’s across the street from a truck stop. Smokin’ Q also works a lot of events, so you have to keep track of his Facebook page to know when he’s there. If you’re planning to be in the area, you can always message him and ask if he will be on location at certain times.

Brisket Sandwich at Smokin’ Q.

We really enjoyed talking with Jody and getting to know him a little more. He’s a hardworking and humble guy. He has been running the food truck for over 10 years. Let’s talk about some food now.

Tammy’s Choices at Smokin’ Q:

Tammy ordered a Sliced Brisket Sandwich with Pasta Salad. The brisket was wonderful. It had a nice smokering and some good bark on it. The flavor and texture were great also. As you can see in the photos, the brisket comes with sauce on it. The homemade sauce was also pretty good.

Tammy also loved the Smokin’ Q pasta salad. She said if we lived in Harrisonburg, she’d never make pasta salad again. It’s that good. I leave that to her. I don’t eat pasta salad.

My Choices at Smokin’ Q:

Pulled Pork Sandwich with Baked Beans.

My first choice at Smokin’ Q was the Pulled Pork Sandwich with Baked Beans. The pulled pork was delicious. It also had homemade sauce with some vinegar twang to it. The smoke flavor and bark were awesome.

The baked beans were wonderful too. They also had a vinegar touch to them. I’ve never had beans with this flavor, and they were killer.

Now I knew I wasn’t going to be able to eat all this but I had to order some Ribs to try. I almost cringed when Jody added the sauce to the ribs but I didn’t say anything. I wanted everything served the way it is normally served here. Harrisonburg loves sauce. None the less, the ribs were fabulous. They were tender and smoked to perfection. I loved them.

And then there was the Chicken Quarter. It was smoked to perfection and wonderful. Yes, it also comes with sauce on it.

Final Thoughts on Smokin’ Q:

Ribs at Smokin’ Q.

I want to make sure we get something straight here. Most of my readers know that I’m not a big fan of sauce. I do like some on occasion. Also, the sauces at Smokin’ Q are really good. So, it’s not like you lose out on any flavor. I talked to Jody about the sauce after we ate. He told me that most of his customers want the sauce. In fact, they want him to sell the sauce too. He said he’d like to serve meat without sauce. He believes that his meats are good enough to serve without any. I happen to agree. I didn’t ask him to not put sauce on anything because when doing a review, I want to get the same meat that any other customer will get when they walk up and order. Jody’s sauces and rubs are homemade and very good. Though I’m sure if you asked for no sauce or maybe a little on the side, he would accommodate you.

The other thing as stated before. Check the Facebook page to be sure he’s working the lot on the day you want to go. Just make sure you go. Jody is a really nice, hard-working man who puts love into his craft. You need to check them out.

Now For Your Thoughts:

That pretty much covers my thoughts on Smokin’ Q. Next time we visit Harrisonburg, they’ll be my first choice for some great BBQ. But what do you think?

Let’s hear from some of the locals and regulars out there. Share your thoughts about Smokin’ Q. What are your favorites? Just scroll down and leave a comment. I’ll get them posted as soon as I can.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/smokinqfoodtruck/

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

The post Smokin’ Q, Harrisonburg, VA appeared first on Patrick's BBQ Trail.

The Restaurant and Staff at Old City Barbeque:

Old City Barbeque has a nice location. Everything there still looks great. We loved the décor and the feel of the restaurant. We were promptly greeted and seated. Our server, Kim, was a very friendly young man. He took good care of us while we were there. He made a couple recommendations as well as explaining a few things for us.

Our Choices at Old City Barbeque:

Ribs and Pulled Pork Platter with Smoked Stout Beans and Poblano Mac N’ Cheese.

We each ordered 2 Meat Platters. Tammy went with Sliced Brisket and Pulled Pork. I chose Ribs and Pulled Pork. We both went with Smoked Stout Beans and Poblano Mac N’ Cheese for our sides.

I’ll start with the Brisket. It was wonderful. The brisket at Old City Barbeque has great flavor as well as a good smokering and some tasty bark around the edges. It was tender and I was able to just pull it apart with my fork. Yes, Tammy gave me a slice.

The Pulled Pork was also very good. I thought the flavor was outstanding. The smoke and seasoning blended well. Tammy did get a taste of something hot, like pepper, along the way which made her shy away from it. I didn’t have that problem, which meant I ended up with even more pulled pork. And that’s ok with me.

Finally, the Old City Barbeque Ribs were rocking. They did come lightly sauced. I didn’t ask if you could get them without sauce, I just went with the menu. Sauce or not, I loved the ribs. They were also tender and just pulled right off the bone like they should. If you’re a rib lover such as I am, you should give them a try. Hard to beat some good ribs.

Our Sides at Old City Barbeque:

Sliced Brisket and Pulled Pork Platter with Smoked Stout Beans and Poblano Mac N’ Cheese.

Like I said, we both chose the same sides. The Smoked Stout Beans were excellent. They had a great sauce and smoke flavor to them. I’ll order them every time I come. As for the magnificent Poblano Mac N’ Cheese I do love it also. It comes loaded with cheese and a hint of flavor from the Poblano peppers. This mac & cheese is pretty awesome.

Final Thoughts on Old City Barbeque:

I will chalk this visit to Old City Barbeque up as another successful trip. We enjoyed our meals and the people there were wonderful. We’ll be back around for another visit. I think on my next visit I’d go for some ribs and brisket or just ribs. They were my favorites today. But I don’t think you’ll go wrong with anything you pick from their menu. I do recommend Old City Barbeque if you’re in Williamsburg, VA. It’s a great spot for some great BBQ.

Now For Your Thoughts:

So now’s when I ask for your input. Have you been to Old City Barbeque? How did your visit go? Give us all some feedback on what you had and what you thought about them. Just scroll down the page and leave a comment. I’ll get them posted as soon as I can.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can check out their website at: Old City Barbeque – Barbecue Restaurant in Williamsburg, VA

You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/oldcitybbq/

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

The post Old City Barbeque, Williamsburg, VA appeared first on Patrick's BBQ Trail.

The Restaurant and Staff at Pungo Boys BBQ:

Burnt Ends and 9 Day Slaw.

The restaurant has added more dining space since the first review. The additional space gives more people a chance to sit inside and enjoy their meals. There are also some outside tables but that will have to wait a little longer for the weather. The décor is a nice mix of pigs/BBQ items and old photos of Pungo to keep the history alive. It’s a nice touch. And the staff is wonderful. Jill always greets with a smile and a welcome as she helps you with your order. Everyone working in the kitchen and food prep area are friendly and nice to speak to. Always helpful.

Tammy’s Choices at Pungo Boys BBQ:

Today Tammy went with Burnt Ends and a side of 9 Day Slaw. If you’ve never tried Burnt Ends, Pungo Boys BBQ is a wonderful place to start. The bar will be set high for when you try them elsewhere. Of course you can always come back for more. Now Tammy loves the 9 Day Slaw. You have to like vinegar to enjoy it. I enjoy it also but I believe Tammy to be their biggest fan.

My Choices at Pungo Boys BBQ:

Brisket, Pork and 2 Ribs Platter and Mac & Cheese with Smoked Andouille Sausage and Five Amigos BBQ Baked Beans

I chose the Pulled Pork, Sliced Brisket and 2 Ribs Platter. My sides were Mac & Cheese with Smoked Andouille Sausage and Five Amigos BBQ Baked Beans. I love these sides. Let me just start here to be different. I get the Smoked Andouille Sausage sometimes for a meal and love it. But when I go for the platter I got today I order the mac & cheese with the sausage in it. That way I can still get it. The mac & cheese is wonderful in itself. I’ll get it as a side when I order the sausage. Now the Baked Beans. I’m sure I can use the word Love too much but it is true about the beans as well. I love them. It is a mixture of several different beans along with their special sauce that combines to make them so good.

The meats at Pungo Boys BBQ are awesome. They slow smoke them at low temps for about 16 hours. The pulled pork is moist and tender. The smoke and seasoning blend to make some wonderful pulled pork. Of course, some people have to have sauce and they have a variety of house made choices for you. The brisket had a bark and smokering that is hard to beat. I chose the lean cut. No way to go wrong here. Finally, the ribs. They were actually my starting point. I love the St. Louis Style Ribs here. They have a crust/bark on the outside that’s just bursting with flavor. Then the smoke comes out. I think I’m ready to go back for a rack now.

The only thing we haven’t eaten is the pulled chicken. I can’t imagine it not being good. I just prefer the pork or brisket.

Final Thoughts on Pungo Boys BBQ:

Pungo Boys BBQ Homemade Banana Pudding.

I almost forgot so I’ll add it here. Save room for some Banana Pudding. For something that seems so simple this pudding is fantastic. They use cookies in place of vanilla wafers. They stay crisp longer. I think that’s a big difference. You need to try it.

I am so glad to be able to tell everyone about Pungo Boys BBQ again. The people here are great and the food is wonderful. I can’t say enough about them. I strongly recommend that you give them a try. It usually takes us a little over an hour to get there but the welcome and the food make it worth the ride. Go enjoy some great BBQ and wonderful company.

Now For Your Thoughts:

Well that’s enough from me. What do you think? We’d love to hear from others about their experiences at Pungo Boys BBQ. Here’s a chance to help your local BBQ restaurant by sharing some love with them for others to see. Scroll down the page and leave your comments. I’ll get them posted as soon as I can.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can check out their website at: https://www.pungoboysbbq.com/

You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568017112320

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

The post Pungo Boys BBQ, Virginia Beach, VA appeared first on Patrick's BBQ Trail.

Just a small part of the inside dining area.

We decided that we would wait for Redwood Smoke Shack to open their new location in Suffolk, VA to start the BBQ Trail back up. We’re going to try to visit 1 or 2 places a month. Some will be new places to us, and some will be going back to visit some old friends we met along the way. So here we are at a brand-new Redwood Smoke Shack, their 3^rd location.

We tried to make it for opening night, but they sold out. One week later we made it back and they still had pretty much their full menu.

The Restaurant and Staff at Redwood Smoke Shack:

This place is beautiful. Anyone who is familiar with the area will know that this was the old Bennett’s Creek Farm Market. The Redwood team has gutted and added on to the building to make it their own. But they also kept some of the old mementos from the Farm Market to keep some historic charm. It has been several years since we were at the Farm Market so we were thrilled to see what Redwood Smoke Shack has done with the place. Awesome job would be an understatement.

Tammy’s Choices at Redwood Smoke Shack:

Tammy ordered her favorite, Burnt Ends. These are some of the best you can get east of Kansas City. At Redwood Smoke Shack they take perfect cuts of brisket to make them and their effort is your reward if you get these. The smoke and the char makes such a wonderful treat.

Burnt Ends with White Cheddar Mac and Broccoli Salad.

For her sides, Tammy ordered White Cheddar Mac and Broccoli Salad. She wanted Corn Pudding but that was the one thing they were sold out of. The mac & cheese is wonderful. It’s thick and cheesy with plenty of flavor. The broccoli salad is pretty good too. I really liked the flavor. The sauce gave it a slight sweet taste.

And just for good measure, Bob brought out a sample of their Chicken Salad. When he bought the Farm Market he also bought their chicken salad recipe. However, he does make it with smoked chicken. She loved it. Even I liked it though I’m not a chicken person for the most part.

My Choices at Redwood Smoke Shack:

Here’s where the book comes in so pull up a chair. I ordered the Meat Sweats Sampler. Yes, this comes with 1 ½ pounds of meat. Let’s get started. First up would be the Housemade Jalapeno-

Chedder Sausage. This was some pretty good sausage. It does have a little heat to it but not too much. I think it is a good choice for someone looking to enjoy some sausage. Next up is the Pulled Chicken. Again, I’m not a major fan of chicken but let me just say, you need to try this. The smoke flavor is awesome. At times I almost thought I was eating pork. It’s that good.

So from the chicken let’s move to the Pulled Pork. The smoke and the seasoning is fantastic. To any fan of smoked pork, this is a must try. For those who would tone down the smoke a little,

The Meat Sweats Sampler with Pit Smoked Beans and Cilantro Slaw.

Redwood Smoke Shack offers plenty of housemade sauces for you. If you look at the picture of my platter you’ll notice 2 cubed chunks. They would be Pork Belly Burnt Ends. I don’t think they normally come on this sampler but how can you say no? They were awesome. I haven’t had pork belly at many places because I just have a hard time finding ones that I like. These I like. Again, the smoke and the glaze make them so good you’re just sad when you finish them.

Now we’re into the home stretch for the meats. I’ll go with the Lean Sliced Brisket. Bob ragged me for getting the lean and not the moist. But I could see the lean and it looked so good. Smokering, bark and pepper, how could I resist? I was like a kid in a candy store. The smoke and seasoning flavors were awesome. I went in the pit area after dinner and Bob showed me a smoker full of brisket for the next day. He did a pinch test and told me they were just about ready to pull them out and wrap them. I thought I was in brisket heaven. They really put a lot of love and attention into all their meats. It shows and you get the reward.

Finally, there are my Pork Spareribs. That’s them laying beside the sausage. It would not be a good idea to reach for one of them. I hate to keep saying it but the smoke and seasoning is awesome. I loved these ribs.

And quickly since this is getting long, my sides were Pit Smoked Beans and Cilantro Slaw. I love the beans. They are probably my favorite side. The slaw is also good. It has a good flavor and not too much mayo. That’s a good thing for me.

By the way, Bob did bring me a little piece of the Moist Brisket. You may look at it and see the fat but let me tell you, That fat just melts in your mouth along with the rest of the meat. It is far more tender than the lean. It’s just all personal preference.

Final Thoughts on Redwood Smoke Shack:

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have. I’ve been away too long and look forward to getting back out there. What an awesome opportunity to be able to cover the opening of a new

Just a little peak behind the scenes.

Redwood Smoke Shack. The team here is mostly new. There are a few folks from the other two locations to help get things moving. Good luck to everyone there and just keep up the good work. You’ll get better. We’ve actually known Bob since his food truck days and have watched him work hard and see his dream come true. I wish him and his team the very best. This is a wonderful addition for Suffolk as well. If you want some awesome BBQ stop by and check them out. You can’t go wrong with anything here.

Now For Your Thoughts:

I would love to hear from you on your visit to Redwood Smoke Shack. Yes, the line was probably long and sometimes slow moving. But did the food make you forget the wait? Ours did. Please scroll down and leave a comment. I’ll get them posted as soon as I can. Let everyone know how you feel about them.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can check out their website at: https://redwoodsmokeshack.com/

You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/redwoodsmoke/

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

The post Redwood Smoke Shack, Suffolk, VA appeared first on Patrick's BBQ Trail.

Good afternoon everyone. I know that it has been some time since we actively posted about our BBQ travels. Well, we haven’t been traveling much. Originally Covid shut everything down. Once the restrictions were lifted, we tried to visit some restaurants for reviewing. The problem we ran into then was the businesses were not able to get the quality meats they needed to put out an excellent product. I just didn’t feel right doing reviews on restaurants when they were struggling to stay alive. With that in mind, we just quit doing reviews.

So now I’m wondering if we should try to get this site up and running again. My wife, Tammy believes we should. I’m not totally sure. We really did enjoy doing the blog and meeting all the people we came across, not to mention some awesome food. I also have to re-learn how to use my website.

I’m going to give it a try. There is a local business about to open up a new location. I have been watching them and think I’ll try to restart my blog with their opening. That should be soon. Tammy and I will be working out a list of places to try out. Some we have been to and some we have not. Our visits will be slower than in the past. We’re thinking one or two a month. The exception would be if we take a trip and visit several locations.

Let me know.

Please let me know what your thoughts are. I’d appreciate any comments and your thoughts on whether we should go forward with this or not. I look forward to hearing from you. Really curious if my followers are still around.

And don’t forget to be watching for my first, in a long time, review coming soon. Thank you all.

The post Starting Over appeared first on Patrick's BBQ Trail.

The Restaurant and Staff:

Everything at Risin’ Smoke Barbecue was still outstanding. Everyone behind the counter was friendly and the dining area was nice and clean. There’s still plenty of seating inside plus there are picnic tables out front. We dropped in just in front of the Friday lunch rush. At first we were a little concerned at the lack of customers but they began filing in behind us. They were also

Brisket Sandwich with Onion Rings.

doing a lot of take-out business. Business did pick up after we arrived, so that’s good.

Our Choices at Risin’ Smoke Barbecue:

As I said, we were traveling and it was lunchtime at Risin’ Smoke Barbecue. Neither of us wanted a lot to eat just to ride for hours on it. So we went light, or at least we thought we did.

Today Tammy ordered a Brisket Sandwich with Onion Rings and a piece of Chocolate Chess Pie for dessert. The brisket was incredible. It had an awesome mix of seasoning and smoke. Smoked to perfection, this is some of the best brisket available. Back in 2016 I wrote that if I had a top 10 list, Risin’ Smoke Barbecue’s brisket would be right there with the best of them. I still believe that today.

Now the onion rings have changed. I will say that I loved the ones they had when we first visited. Even though I’m not as in love with these onion rings, they are still pretty awesome. The batter on these has a little kick to them. Tammy couldn’t eat them so I ended up with a double order. Along with the Southwestern sauce, which also has a little kick, I thoroughly enjoyed them. The chocolate chess pie saved the day for her. It is still as great as it was when we visited in 2016. And the same as we used to get back in the 90’s.

Large Pulled Pork Sandwich with Onion Rings.

Today I ordered a Large Pulled Pork Sandwich with Onion Rings. The pulled pork was excellent. It had great smoke flavor and every bite of that big sandwich was just as good as the first. And I did get the double order of onion rings since Tammy didn’t eat hers. So much for eating light.

Final Thoughts:

I do believe that Risin’ Smoke Barbecue is just as good as it was when we first visited back in 2016. Maybe even better. The brisket and the pork are some of the best you can find. And believe me, we find a lot of bbq out there. You folks around the South Hill area are still very lucky to have such a wonderful bbq restaurant in your hometown. I’d suggest that anyone traveling on Rt. 58 look them up and give them a try. You’ll be glad you did.

Now For Your Thoughts:

So how about some thoughts from you about Risin’ Smoke Barbecue. What do you locals and regulars think about them? Tell us about your favorites. We’d love to hear what you have to say. Just scroll down and leave your comments. I’ll get them posted as soon as I can.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can find them on Facebook at: Facebook

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

The post Risin’ Smoke Barbecue Revisited, South Hill, VA appeared first on Patrick's BBQ Trail.

Pork BBQ Plate with Smoked Mac & Cheese and Baked Beans.

We ended up making three trips here so we could get a good sampling to write about. You know that I had to wait for the brisket. The good part of that was getting to know Reggie and Karen better. So let me try to explain our meals.

Our Choices at Davis Boyz BBQ:

On our first stop at Davis Boyz BBQ, they were out of Brisket and Slaw. No problem for a first visit and them being so close to home. Tammy ordered a Smoked Chicken Plate with Green Beans and Smoked Mac & Cheese. The mac & cheese was wonderful. The flavor was great, and it had plenty of cheese. I also thought the green beans were killer. They were seasoned and cooked just right. But the smoked chicken was phenomenal. It was a large leg quarter and I do mean very large. The smoke and the seasoning were awesome. I’m not a huge chicken fan but I was thrilled when Tammy only ate the thigh and gave me the leg. It was very tender and flavorful all the way through. Just an excellent job on the chicken.

Just a note here. All the entries are served on a bed of seasoned rice. I know that sounds odd to many out there, but all I can say is have an open mind and try it. It’s cooked with smoked chicken and Reggie’s special spices, so it’s not just plain rice. We asked him why he serves everything on the rice, and he told us that he didn’t want to serve BBQ on a plate like everyone else, so he started using rice. It was surprising to us the first time, but now we look

forward to it.

Ribs with Smoked Mac & Cheese and Baked Beans.

On this trip I ordered a Pork BBQ Plate with Smoked Mac & Cheese and Baked Beans. The baked beans were so good. Made with a sweet BBQ type of sauce but not too sweet. I’ll definitely order them again. The BBQ was chopped fine but not minced. It had a great smoke flavor, along with some really good seasoning. Seemed to almost have a slight sweet taste to it, possibly

from the wood choice. It was wonderful. I’d say we’re off to a great start and there’s more to come.

More Choices at Davis Boyz BBQ:

Like I said, we made a total of three trips to Davis Boyz BBQ to be able to sample everything. This worked out pretty good for us.

On our 3^rd visit we finally were able to get the slaw. Tammy and I both agree the slaw is fantastic. It has a creamy mayo base yet has a very slight hint of vinegar. We both loved it. And the smoked mac & cheese still holds as one of our favorites.

This time I had the Spareribs. Still no brisket so Tammy ordered Pork BBQ. The ribs were great. I loved the rub. It had just enough pepper in it. The smoke and the texture were fantastic. These ribs were just wonderful. Thus far I’m loving this new find in our backyard.

Brisket with Smoked Mac & Cheese and Slaw.

So finally on our third trip, Tammy got the Brisket she’d been waiting for. I decided to try the Beef Rib. The brisket was sliced to a medium thickness. It comes with a sweet sauce on it. This was our first try with their sauce, and it is very good. They use just a little to highlight the meat’s flavor. And that flavor is wonderful.

Remember, we’ve been waiting two weeks to try the brisket. The smoke and seasoning really enhanced the meat.

Last but certainly not least was a large Beef Rib. I loved this rib. Usually, I don’t order them because of their size. I just don’t think a half-eaten rib looks good in a take-out box. Well I took care of this one so no worries about the box. This rib was big and meaty, not a lot of fat, just a lot of flavor. My thought after the first bite was, yea, I’ll do this again. Once again, the smoke and the seasoning were great.

Final Thoughts on Davis Boyz BBQ:

So now I believe we’ve tried everything except for the sausages. Davis Boyz BBQ has two different types. I’m sure I’ll try them at some point. But as you can tell, we love this place. And it’s close enough that we can carry the food back home to enjoy. Of course, they are in a large parking lot where you can enjoy your food also. I recommend you give this one a try and see what you think.

A couple of very important notes here. They are only open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday currently. Be sure to check their Facebook page before driving a long distance. They do sell out. And they seem to keep people updated on their page.

Beef Rib with Smoked Mac & Cheese and Slaw.

Now For Your Thoughts:

I can’t wait to hear back from some readers. They are new here, but my guess would be when you sell out you are serving a lot of people. So let us know what you think. What are your favorites? Scroll down the page and leave your

comments. I’ll get them posted as soon as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092347647691

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

The post Davis Boyz BBQ, Suffolk, VA appeared first on Patrick's BBQ Trail.

The Restaurant and Staff at Boss Hogg’s BBQ Shack:

Sliced Brisket with Slaw and Mac & Cheese.

When riding by, the restaurant seems to live up to its name. Boss Hogg’s BBQ Shack looks just that, like a shack. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. We’ve had some of our best Q from so called shacks. Once we went in they did have a nice dining area inside as well as an enclosed patio with tables. We chose to eat inside. Once we placed our order at the walk-up counter, we chose our seat. They brought the food to us. Everyone was very friendly and kind. Everything inside was well taken care of and clean. It had a very homey type feeling inside. Now for some food.

Our Choices at Boss Hogg’s BBQ Shack:

Tammy ordered sliced Sliced Brisket with Slaw and Mac & Cheese. The sides are homemade. The slaw was very good. It had a little vinegar bite as well as a hint of sweetness. The mac & cheese was very good as well. Lots of cheese, nice and creamy too. As for the brisket? Well, you can see the smoke ring. The smoke flavor blended really well. This brisket was so moist and tender, you just can’t get enough.

Today I ordered the BBQ Pork Plate with Baked Beans and Mac & Cheese. I simply loved the beans. They have a few different types of beans together, seasoned just right and cooked in a BBQ type sauce. The flavor was great.

I didn’t know what style of pork I was getting when I ordered, pulled, sliced or chopped. I didn’t really care as long as it was good. I wanted to try their Q.

Pork Plate with Baked Beans and Mac & Cheese.

So, you can see how it’s served. They kind of slice it but after all the time on the smoker, you end up with lots of chunks. Check out the smoke ring. It reminded me of a place in Petersburg, VA that we loved (They have closed now). Only this pork was even more moist. This pork was killer. Just pull it apart and dig in. And that dinner roll,

well it made an excellent brisket biscuit with a slice of Tammy’s brisket.

Final Thoughts on Boss Hogg’s BBQ Shack:

Thank you, Boss Hogg’s BBQ Shack, for redeeming my faith in the local BBQ! I knew there had to be some more great BBQ out there. I just had to find it. After a good start to our trip, then a couple of “crash and burn” spots, we were able to finish strong. I feel so much better now. I am so glad we stopped and tried your brand of BBQ. Everyone reading this should give them a try when visiting the Pigeon Forge area. Even if it’s a little out of your way, you’ll be glad you did. I know I’m glad we did and will be looking forward to our next trip to the area. Keep up the great work.

Now For Your Thoughts:

Now’s when I ask for your opinions. If you’re a local and go here often, tell us what you think. What are your favorites? As for travelers like us, did you enjoy your visit? Tell everyone how your experience was. Just scroll down the page and leave us your comments. I’ll get them posted as soon as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can check out their website at: https://www.bestbbqintown.com/

You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Boss-Hoggs-BBQ-747071382092845

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

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The Restaurant and Staff:

Bluegrass BBQ still has the medium sized dining room inside. What I didn’t realize because of the direction we came in from the highway is that they also have a nice sized outside dining area. I saw the pictures on their website. You still get that wonderful smell of smoke when you open the door. Now they have been open for just over 3 years. Having been through the worse of the pandemic they have managed to stay in business. I think this shows some of their strong work ethics and devotion to the craft of smoking meat. Everyone we talked with was very nice. Our waitress this time around was Kim, and she was great. She was friendly, helpful with the menu and kept tabs on us throughout our visit. She even insisted on packing our leftovers for our trip home. Thank you, Kim, for taking such good care of us.

Tammy’s Choices at Bluegrass BBQ:

Sliced Brisket and Pulled Pork Platter.

For this trip Tammy ordered a two-meat platter with Pulled Pork and Sliced Brisket. This came with your choice of 3 sides. She chose a Sweet Potato Casserole, Mac & Cheese and Hushpuppies. As you can see in the pictures, they also serve homemade pickles with the platters. I didn’t try the sweet potato casserole. Tammy said it was good but just not what she was expecting from a casserole. But if you like sweet potatoes, you’ll like this. When you look at the mac & cheese you may not think a lot about it. But, when you take that first bite, you are convinced you made the right choice. It was wonderful. And those hushpuppies. I told you three years ago that Bluegrass BBQ’s hushpuppies were to die for. They are still awesome.

The pulled pork had a wonderful smoked flavor. No sauce needed here. It has excellent taste, texture and just some outstanding pulled pork. The brisket was exceptional. Just look at the smoke ring and the bark around those slices. You know they are going to be great just by looking at them. The brisket does not disappoint.

My Choices at Bluegrass BBQ:

Pulled Pork and Baby Back Ribs Platter.

I also chose a two-meat platter. Mine was with Pulled Pork and Baby Back Ribs. My sides were the Crispy French Fries, Slaw and Hushpuppies. I love the crispy French fries. They are very thinly sliced and cooked up nice and crispy just as the name implies. The slaw was good. It’s a good mayo based slaw that goes really well with the bbq. And again with the hushpuppies. Makes me want to hit the road for 5 1/2 hours just to get some.

I remembered on our last visit I said the Baby Back Riblets were a little on the burnt side. They were still good but not as good as the rest of the food. That was then and this is now. In all fairness I had to give them another chance. I didn’t get Riblets this time, I got Baby Back Ribs, and they were awesome! I could have sat and went through a full rack of those ribs. Bluegrass BBQ did an outstanding job. The smoke flavor and the tenderness of these ribs were wonderful.

I said earlier that the brisket does not disappoint. Well nothing we had at Bluegrass BBQ disappointed. Everything was great.

A Little Extra:

Regular (4oz) Sliced Brisket Sandwich with Crispy French Fries.

Circumstances beyond our control had us make another trip to West Virginia before I got this posted. So here’s some more about Bluegrass BBQ.

We stopped on our way to WV for a late lunch. Both of us decided to try a sandwich and see what we thought. Kristen was our waitress this time. She was pretty awesome herself. Two stops and two wonderful waitresses. Thank you Bluegrass BBQ. Tammy went for the 4oz Brisket sandwich with fries and I ordered a Big Pork Poppy with fries. As you can see from the pictures the brisket looks outstanding. And it is outstanding with great smoke flavor and that awesome smoke ring. Remember, that’s only 4oz on that sandwich and she gave me some of it to finish off. Now my big pork poppy has 6oz of pulled pork with a couple slices of smoked jalapeno bacon. Unfortunately I tore into it before I took a picture. You’ll have to take my word for how fantastic it was. Smoke flavor, smoke ring and nice bark on it all add up to one killer sandwich. Not to mention the bacon. I loved it.

One More Time:

Big Beef Poppy Sandwich with Crispy French Fries.

And that just wasn’t enough. We stopped there on the way home too. Kim waited on us again this time. You see, I had to choose between the Big Pork Poppy and the Big Beef Poppy the last time so I just couldn’t help but wonder how the Brisket version would be. Tammy stuck with her tried and true Regular (4oz) Brisket Sandwich. Yes, it was just as good as the last time. Bluegrass BBQ has some awesome and consistent brisket. Then there’s my sandwich. 6oz of brisket with the two strips of smoked jalapeno bacon. And I did get a picture this time. Believe me it tastes even better than it looks. And look close at the bottom of the picture. See that little chunk of burnt end? That could have been the tie breaker between the pork and the brisket but I really don’t know which one I like the best. Both are outstanding.

Final Thoughts:

So here you have three visits worth of information. That’s pretty unusual for us to do this. My only problem with them is they’re a good 5 hours from home. But let me assure you that it will not be 3 years before we go back. Anyone traveling Hwy. 460 to or from WV should stop here and try them out. And to our friends that travel to Virginia Tech, give yourself 30 minutes to ride out and see what we found hiding in the mountains of VA.

Both Kim and Kristen were wonderful waitresses with great personalities. They really took good care of us. And they work really well together.

Bluegrass BBQ will remain one of our favorites when traveling out Highway 460. I am so glad to see they weathered the pandemic. They had a pretty good crowd each time we were there. I wish you guys the best and look forward to our next visit.

Now For Your Thoughts:

We did get a few comments when I first posted about Bluegrass BBQ. We’d really love to see some more this time around. Let everyone know how you feel about them. I’m sure they’d love to have some feedback from more of their customers. Let the folks there know how you feel and let others know what your experiences have been like. Drop your comments in the box below and I’ll get them posted as soon as I can.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can check out their website at: Bluegrass BBQ | Barbecue Restaurant in Pembroke, VA

You can also find them on Facebook at: Bluegrass BBQ | Pembroke VA | Facebook

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

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I want to tell everyone about Preacher’s Smokehouse in Sevierville, TN. Tammy and I recently took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains for a nice vacation. We were hoping that this trip, almost 2 weeks, would give me lots of BBQ to write about but that didn’t work out. For a large portion of our trip, we were both sick and just ate because we had to. We had read about Preacher’s Smokehouse online before we went and really wanted to give them a try. So, we waited towards the end of our trip to give them a fair chance. Turns out they were our only chance for this vacation. Here’s what we found hiding in those mountains.

The Restaurant and Staff at Preacher’s Smokehouse:

The restaurant definitely off the beaten path for a visitor to the Pigeon Forge, TN area. GPS did a fine job leading us there with no problems. What we found was a small family run bbq restaurant. Their dining room is in a separate building next to the building where you place your order. I was in love as soon as I saw the place.

Family Platter with Sides at Preacher’s Smokehouse in Sevierville, TN.

We met the owner, Sam Steele, when we placed our order. He is a very nice and humble man. He told us how he is still working on his recipes and techniques, but he kept being told he needed to open a restaurant. So, he did. Sam’s not a proud man but you can tell he works hard to produce the best food possible to serve others.

Our Choices at Preacher’s Smokehouse:

Today we ordered a special they had which included all their meats. It also came with 4 regular size sides. So we ended up with Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken, Ribs, Chopped Brisket, Burnt Ends and Smoked Sausage. For sides we had Brunswick Stew, Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese and Slaw. I think that covers it.

I’ll start with the sides. All the sides were wonderful. The slaw was good. I’m not the biggest fan of slaw but Preacher’s Smokehouse makes some good slaw. The mac & cheese was really cheesy, and I liked it even better than the slaw. The baked beans also brought a great flavor home to enjoy. All three of these sides were excellent but then there was the Brunswick stew. Oh mercy it was wonderful. Several types of beans in it with veggies and a tomato-based stew, I loved it. Our lesson from this, you can probably order any side available and you will not be disappointed.

The Meats at Preacher’s Smokehouse:

The Brunswick Stew and Baked Beans at Preacher’s Smokehouse.

Well like I said, we tried it all. I’ll start with the chicken. Now a lot of you know that I’m normally not a fan of chicken unless it’s fried or in dumplings. This chicken was pretty good. It has a nice flavor and we did enjoy it. The smoked sausage was good as well. You could easily make a meal out of it. It was that good. And the brisket had an excellent flavor also. Sam’s work over the years is paying off with some really good brisket for his customers to enjoy.

Then there’s the ribs. Preacher’s Smokehouse is serving some wonderful ribs. They have a good smoke flavor and were just falling off the bone. And they were so tender. The pulled pork was outstanding. It has a really good smoke flavor. Even though they offer several different sauces I did not try any. This pork did not need them. Finally there’s the burnt ends. They were outstanding. I normally don’t get many of these since they are Tammy’s favorite, but since we had so much food I was able to grab several of them for myself. You should definitely try these wonderful little chunks of brisket ends out. They’re called candy for a reason.

Final Thoughts on Preacher’s Smokehouse:

I am so glad we were able to make it to Preacher’s Smokehouse. The food was incredible. The people were awesome. Even the other customers we talked to were just so friendly and all had nothing but good to say about this place. They’re tucked away on a back road, at least it was to me, and away from all the city excitement from Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. What a great stop for us on Patrick’s BBQ Trail.

Now For Your Thoughts:

Well that pretty well covers it from my view. I’d love to get some input from others on Preacher’s Smokehouse. Are you a local supporter? Did you find them the same way we did, more by searching the web and making a stop while visiting the area. No matter how or why you got there, fill us in on your experience. Did you enjoy it as much as we did? Or did you have a different opinion on your stop there?

Scroll down and leave your comments in the box and I’ll get them posted with this review. Let us know how you feel.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.

You can check out their website at: Smokehouse – Preacher’s SmokeHouse (preacherssmokehousebbq.com)

You can also find them on Facebook at: (2) Preacher’s Smokehouse | Facebook

Enjoy the ride, good eating and thanks for stopping by.

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