Memphis-style barbecue facts for kids
Memphis-style barbecue is a super famous way of cooking barbecue from Memphis, Tennessee. It's one of the four main styles in the United States. Like many barbecue styles in the southern U.S., Memphis barbecue mostly uses pork. You'll often find delicious pork ribs and shoulders, though many places also serve beef and chicken.
Memphis barbecue is cooked slowly in a special "pit." Ribs can be made in two main ways: "dry" or "wet." "Dry" ribs are covered in a special mix of salt and spices, called a dry rub, before they are cooked. People usually eat them without any extra sauce. "Wet" ribs are brushed with barbecue sauce before, during, and after they cook. This makes them extra saucy!
Memphis-style barbecue is really well known because of the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. This huge event happens every May. It's even listed in Guinness World Records as the biggest pork barbecue contest in the world! Over 100,000 people come to watch. TV channels like The Food Network and the BBC often show it. Many Memphis barbecue restaurants are famous across the country. They can even send their food anywhere overnight! This is thanks to FedEx's big shipping hub in Memphis.
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History of Memphis Barbecue
After World War II, barbecue became a popular business in Memphis. Small restaurants, often called "joints," started opening. These places had special pits built just for slow-cooking meat.
Many of these small, local joints became very famous. Places like Payne's, Leonard's, and Interstate show the true beginnings of Memphis barbecue. Some larger restaurant chains also started in Memphis. These include Tops, Neely's, and Corky's.
As Memphis-style barbecue became more popular, restaurants like Corky's and The Rendezvous began shipping their food. They could send orders overnight to customers all over the country.
Famous Barbecue Spots
Memphis has many amazing barbecue restaurants. Here are a few of the most famous ones.
Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Que
Interstate Bar-B-Que started in 1978. Jim Neely opened it in an old grocery store in South Memphis. Jim wasn't a restaurant owner before. But he learned how to slow cook ribs in a pit. He also made a secret sauce from old family recipes.
Interstate became one of the best barbecue restaurants in Memphis. It was even shown on national TV, like The Food Network and The Travel Channel. People Magazine once voted Interstate the #2 barbecue restaurant in America!
Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous
Rendezvous was started by Charlie Vergos in 1948. It's located in a back alley in Downtown Memphis. Charlie found a coal chute in his diner's basement. He turned it into a barbecue pit! Eventually, he changed his diner into a barbecue restaurant. He even moved the entrance to the alley.
Rendezvous is one of the oldest and most famous barbecue spots in Memphis. It has been open for over sixty years. The Memphis City Council even named the alley where it is located "Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous Alley."
Central BBQ
Central BBQ was founded in 2002 by Roger Sapp and Craig Blondis. It's a newer place but has quickly become a favorite. Central BBQ has four locations in Memphis. They also have a food truck that goes to local events.
Even though it's new, Central BBQ has won many awards. Memphis residents vote for their favorite barbecue every year. Central BBQ often places in the top 3 for "Best Barbecue" and "Best Ribs."
Germantown Commissary
Germantown Commissary was a traditional country store for many years. In 1981, a new owner bought it. They turned it into a barbecue restaurant. It's known for its pork ribs and shoulders. Germantown Commissary was also featured on "Food Paradise" on The Travel Channel.
