2023’s Best BBQ Cities in America

What makes a true barbecue city for aficionados?

A city that offers fresh and local ingredients to shoppers, providing high-quality meat to customers, as well as high-quality ingredients for side dishes.

Equipment is, of course, just as important, and places where the community can gather. Barbecuing next to a community garden where you can pick some fresh veggies to put on the grill — what can be better?

Which non-iconic BBQ cities, if any, can fans expect to emerge in the national barbecue scene in the next few years? What makes those cities stand out?

The Phoenix metro area offers great variety with fresh and local ingredients putting a spin on things with unique flavor, such as prickly pear.

What are some non-traditional barbecue dishes (such as BBQ tacos) that every serious fan must try?

• Being from Germany, I would go with some German-style brats that will taste delicious if made on a charcoal grill. Simply pair it with a bun and some mustard, or go all out by adding German-style potato salad. You can find original brats at Trader Joe’s or Aldi.
• Wrap small sausages in bacon, and grill them until crisp (if you can find cheese-filled sausages, all the better).

Meatless alternatives:

• Fish packs: Fish of choice (e.g., salmon), add spices or fresh herbs to taste, top it with some butter, wrap in foil, and grill until tender.
• Tofu packs: Same as fish packs but with tofu

What are some fresh barbecue side-dish ideas to try this Fourth of July?

• Veggie packs: Cut up your favorite produce (think bell peppers, tomatoes, squash), add some spices/herbs and butter, wrap in foil, and grill until tender.
• Stuffed mushrooms: Prepare butter spread (mix well soft Irish butter, parsley, garlic, onion, pepper, salt, paprika powder, Worcestershire sauce — all to taste), remove stems from mushrooms and fill with butter, and grill until butter has melted.
• Grilled bread: Make butter spread, get a big loaf of white bread with a nice crust (think oversized baguette), cut the whole bread in slices (cut about two-thirds through, leaving the bottom of the bread intact), slather on the spread in between the slices, wrap in foil, and grill until butter has melted and bread is crisp and toasty.

Barbecue vs. barbeque: Apart from spelling, is there a difference?

As a German native, I would say no.

Besides visiting the top BBQ cities in the country, what’s the best way to discover one’s favorite style of ’cue?

Gather family and friends for a cookout, and enjoy spending time together while indulging in great food.

What makes a true barbecue city for aficionados?

Authenticity and history are key components in identifying a true barbecue city. Aficionados should look for cities and regions that have a history of great pitmasters and family-owned businesses. The best barbeque cities have plenty of independently owned barbeque restaurants.

What are some non-traditional barbecue dishes (such as BBQ tacos) that every serious fan must try?

• Barbeque breakfast hash is a great way to incorporate barbeque into every meal of the day.
• Barbeque tamales are an amazing way to combine smoked meats, masa, and your favorite sauce and cheese.

What are some fresh barbecue side-dish ideas to try this Fourth of July?

Summer vegetable salads pair perfectly with barbeque. It is easy to create salads with just about any type of vegetable or greens, and using a vinaigrette dressing, you can complement the sweet flavors that are associated with many barbeque seasonings and sauces. This is why you traditionally see coleslaw as a staple side with barbeque.

Barbecue vs. barbeque: Apart from spelling, is there a difference?

There is no difference in the cooking techniques for either version of the word “barbeque/ barbecue.” The spelling of the word is more related to the region you live in, similar to debate over “pop or soda.”

There is, however, a difference in how the word is used. Many will use the term “barbeque” as a gathering of friends for a meal that consists of various grilled items, whereas the verb meaning of “barbeque” relates to the actual cooking process of foods.

Many people use “grilling” and “barbequing” interchangeably, but that is incorrect — grilling is a fast cooking technique that uses more direct heat, and barbequing uses slow and low indirect cooking.

Besides visiting the top BBQ cities in the country, what’s the best way to discover one’s favorite style of ’cue?

A great way to discover your favorite style of barbeque without traveling is to cook barbeque yourself! Smokers are easily accessible now, and the internet is full of recipes to guide you on your barbeque adventure.

Try cooking with different woods, cuts of meats, marinades, rubs, and sauces to determine what works best for your palate. Many of the best barbeque restaurants started off with someone creating a great barbecue item at home and then turning it into a business.

What makes a true barbecue city for aficionados?

A true barbecue city has a respect for the traditions. BBQ is an old and honorable art. Serious BBQ people want pitmasters who understand what it takes to make the classics correctly; pitmasters who are willing to spend the time to do it right — there is no “hurry up” shortcut to great BBQ.

A city also needs a critical mass of people who love BBQ. I’ve seen some great barbecue joints close because the locals didn’t support it with their wallets.

Which non-iconic BBQ cities, if any, can fans expect to emerge in the national barbecue scene in the next few years? What makes those cities stand out?

It is really more regions that are coming on than individual towns. BBQ has always been associated with the South in general, the Carolinas and Texas, and few great cities like Memphis and Kansas City.

But great BBQ can be had in a lot of places now. Some great BBQ is coming out of the Midwest. Oklahoma has always had a great BBQ tradition that is just now getting recognized. The whole belt across southern Kansas, southern Missouri, northern Oklahoma, and northern Arkansas is growing great BBQ traditions.

What are some non-traditional barbecue dishes (such as BBQ tacos) that every serious fan must try?

While the classics are hard to beat, there are a few outliers to try:

• If a place has a bologna sandwich on the menu, try it. There is some great BBQ bologna in Oklahoma.
• BBQ corned beef can be really good.
• I wish there was more BBQ lamb. The place I miss the most is the late, lamented Prospect BBQ in Kansas City. They had BBQ lamb shanks and lamb riblets that I still dream about.

What are some fresh barbecue side-dish ideas to try this Fourth of July?

• Anything with dark leafy greens like collards: They pair perfectly with the smoke of real BBQ.
• Try some really sweet watermelon with feta cheese crumbles. You can never go wrong with sweet and salty.
• Hawaiian-style mac salad is always great with ribs.

Barbecue vs. barbeque: Apart from spelling, is there a difference?

It’s not the spelling; it’s the process. A steak on the grill is a treat, but it’s not BBQ. Low and slow wins the race.

Besides visiting the top BBQ cities in the country, what’s the best way to discover one’s favorite style of ’cue?

One thing the pandemic did was blow food delivery wide open. You can order BBQ from nearly anywhere. You can enjoy most of the great BBQ styles of America from the comfort of your own patio.