Tennessee BBQ

Time to review some BBQ places I have  been to lately.  But before I do that I want to say one personal thing.  My super cousin and his amazing wife just grew our little family.  I have a new little cousin and she is the prettiest baby since my babies.  So congrats Brandon and Brittany.  Little Cate is beautiful and she is blessed with two awesome parents and two grandparents that will help her as much as they helped me.  She is one lucky little girl.  Now on to the BBQ....

I have spent this week in Tennessee and so what better thing to do in the Volunteer state than eat some BBQ.  I have been in the town of Kingsport the last two nights.  I tried two BBQ places that were very different.

Pratt's Real Pit BBQ
I went here last night.  I was just driving trying to find something to eat and ran across this unique little establishment.  They have a giant Indian in a loin cloth in front of the building so that alone was hilarious.  I went in and met this awesome greeter, Tiffany G.  She was very helpful and directed me in the right way to get the house specialty.  I had some chicken and ribs.  I have to say that the service was great but the food was just average.  The chicken was very dry and the ribs were too.  You had to have sauce on meat to eat it so when that happens, I am just not that happy with the BBQ.  I will say they had some awesome smoked corn.  It was very good.  So, if you are in Kingsport, stop by Pratt's, say hello to Tiffany and get some corn.  

Ridgewood BBQ,  Bluff City, TN
I had Ridgewood recommended to me by one of my customers.  It was a bit of drive but it was a beautiful drive into the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.  I drove up to a small restaurant in the middle of the woods.  Pulled into the packed gravel parking lot and knew I had found a great place.  The smell as soon as I walked in was awesome.  Smoke and frying.  It was a small dining room that had been added on to several times.  The kitchen was literally in the dining room.  The wait staff was great and very friendly.  I had a pulled pork sandwich, baked beans and sweet tea.   The pork was done a little different.  It wasn't really pulled.  It was sliced very thin but man was it good.  The baked beans were just amazing and there really is nothing like good sweet tea in the South.  The whole meal was only 12 bucks! I have to say I was very happy with the drive to some very good BBQ.  If you are ever in the Tri-Cities area of NorthEastern Tennessee make some time to go to Ridgewood.  You will enjoy the drive and love the food.  Ridgewood is an old school restaurant so don't look for  a website.  Just look up the address and go.  You will love it!!  Tell them Trinity BBQ sent you.

I hope you get some help from these reviews.  Share them with your friends and let's Keep on Smokin!!!!!!

Sauced!!!

Sauced!!

You would think that sauced would mean something else that you did way too much of and now you have a headache!  Well not for this blog.  It was a few weeks back but Shannon and I went and attended the Gettin' Sauced BBQ Sauce competition in Austin at Hops and Grains brewery.  What a great time.  We tried so many sauces that you forgot what was what.   I got to meet Kent Black from Black's BBQ.  It was nice getting some info on making a good beef sausage.  We loved some of the sauces from North Carolina.  The crowd was awesome.  The bands that played were great.  Most importantly, I learned a ton!!  I learned what I do and don't want to do.  Trinity BBQ will be a player next year.  Look out because our sauces are going to bring it.  So next fall, run on down to Austin and participate in Gettin Sauced.  You can see us there.  We will be the one with the big trophy!  Keep on Smokin!!!

Follow some of the participants and organizers.  Here are some handles:
@GettinSauced @manupTexasBBQ @hopsandgrain @tmbbqfest