There's no doubt about it — barbecue food is delicious! However, some barbecue restaurants are definitely better than others. How can you tell if a certain barbecue restaurant is "worth their sauce?" Watch out for these classic indications.
1. They serve ribs.
You can barbecue pork, chicken, and brisket, but if a barbecue restaurant serves ribs, they are really top-notch. Ribs take a little longer to prepare and are also more intricate to prepare since they're a bone-in cut with a lot of connective tissue. If the restaurant has ribs on the menu, then you can tell they are serious.
2. The meat has a pink smoke ring.
If you look at the pork, brisket, or chicken prepared at a real barbecue joint, it will have a pink ring just inside the surface of the meat. This is not because the meat is rare or raw. It's because they've used real wood smoke to prepare it. (The pink ring should also be present on ribs, but it's a bit harder to see on ribs than on other meats.) If the meat does not have a pink ring, it may not have been smoked as long, or at all.
3. They have a house sauce.
True barbecue fans have their own signature sauce, and they're very proud of it. A restaurant that loudly sings the praises of their own sauce is likely to be a good one. If a restaurant is using someone else's pre-jarred sauce, it probably won't be as good.
4. They rub their meat.
While a good sauce is important, good barbecue needs a little sauce as a complement. It does not need to be covered in sauce. The best restaurants also have signature rubs that they use on their meats, so the meat has plenty of flavor and spice even before the sauce has been added.
5. The sides are important, too.
The best barbecue restaurants do not just plop cornbread and coleslaw on every plate and call it a day. They also have a good selection of sides, which they take pride in. Macaroni and cheese, barbecue baked beans, and greens are common options. If the sides garner as much attention as the meat, you know you're in a good spot!
Start visiting various barbecue restaurants, like Grumpy's Bar B Que Roadhouse, and look for the indications above. Chances are, you'll agree — the places with ribs, a pink ring, homemade sauces and rubs, and good sides are the best ones.