The Best Old-School BBQ in America

by Jim Shahin

I call these places Heritage Barbecue Sites. My definition? The joint (and it is usually a joint, not a restaurant) must be at least fifty years old and cooking its meats on an actual pit. The current barbecue craze has put barbecue restaurants (i.e., not joints) on virtually every corner. They typically use wood-enhanced ovens, which can do a fine job of reproducing the taste of old-fashioned low-and-slow barbecue. But for the real deal, you need to step into an actual smokehouse.

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