The Worst BBQ Ever

I love bbq, and I sure have had some great bbq in my travels. To this day my absolute favorite was in Florida near
The orange groves. It was a little greasy spoon, and it had trucker hats that decorated the restaurant. The bbq was 10/10!
Next would be North Carolina, very dangerous area. It was an old mom and pop place and very basic. The bbq was excellent and real sweet tea. I risked my life getting that bbq and it was worth it!
I’ve had bbq in Texas, Colorado, Missouri, you name it. I’ve had a lot of different bbq. I’ve even had good Midwest bbq. Portillo’s is a chain, and I actually like their bbq too.

Well let me tell you the worst bbq I’ve ever had. It happened the other day.
We have a small place in a town near us and I got a rack of ribs. I brought it home and LORD have mercy.
There was a flavor I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Then it hit me like a brick wall.


…………………………..Apricot Baby Food!

This fool glazed the ribs with apricot baby food. It sounds ok, but it tasted disgusting. It was so overpowering.
Then I tried his home made bbq sauce. Listen, I’ve made homemade sauce before, it’s not rocket science, there is a base,
And then you add your spices to your liking. Well this was hands down the nastiest sauce I ever had.
How do you mess this up? I think you can get away with bad ribs with good sauce or good ribs with bad sauce, but both!!!!!
Oh, you think it was done there?

I am pretty neutral on cole slaw. Edible, don’t hate it but not my favorite either. Well one bite into this slaw I almost gagged.
It was littered with chunks of blue cheese. Listen, you have to warn people when you put blue cheese into things if they aren’t expecting it.

Wait, it gets even worse!!! Beans, how do you kill bbq beans? I’ll tell you how, you cook them in a way that they tasted exactly like canned pasta, you know ravioli and those alphabet pasta kids eat. That is exactly the flavor the beans had! Did this dude have a lot of leftover baby food or something?!!!

I don’t know if they are trying to get on food network as a wacky bbq place or what, but I’ve never been disappointed in bbq before! I didn’t even think it was possible!

Just my rumblings, bbq is sacred and bad bbq should be illegal! Lol
BTW this place survived Covid and all the shut downs. I think people here have not had good bbq so they think this is normal!

Tons of BBQ places everywhere here in Florida. Most are really good, some not so good. The best ones IMO are hog heaven, backyard boys, Woodys, and Dustins. People love 4-River but it's kind of commercial to me plus I think people like it because it's near the Daytona 500 track in Daytona one.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Worst chili I ever had was in Wisconsin. The ****hole across from Lambeau Field, I forget the name. Served in the finest Styrofoam cup with packaged cheese, even though it was dine in.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

Worst chili I ever had was in Wisconsin. The ****hole across from Lambeau Field, I forget the name. Served in the finest Styrofoam cup with packaged cheese, even though it was dine in.

Whatever you do, don’t ever let them talk you into a thing called a Walking Taco.
It sounded good, I like tacos, I like walking, WRONG WRONG WRONG.

They take a bag of Fritos and drop hot chili/taco mix in it and then fill it with cheese (very similar to your cup)
Then hand it to you. It 100% feels like an hot poopy diaper!
I didn’t even try it, it looked so nasty.

BBQ is an art. You'll get more mediocre BBQ than truly phenomenal Q....

I tend to favor dry rub, Texas style... but I also love whole hog NC style with the vinegar base sauces.

I am not a fan of KC or Memphis (or just midwest style) BBQ with a lot of sauce. I feel the sauce covers up mediocre grill skills.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Da eff? Why is that even a thing?

originally posted by: Edumakated
...but I also love whole hog NC style with the vinegar base sauces.

Rodney Scott's in Charleston, SC was one of the greatest BBQ places I've ever been to. Whole hog paradise. I even managed to score a bag of the homemade cracklins'.

originally posted by: Edumakated
BBQ is an art. You'll get more mediocre BBQ than truly phenomenal Q....

I tend to favor dry rub, Texas style... but I also love whole hog NC style with the vinegar base sauces.

I am not a fan of KC or Memphis (or just midwest style) BBQ with a lot of sauce. I feel the sauce covers up mediocre grill skills.

NC style is my favorite and also the vinegar base sauces.
Those are a work of art.

We don't have those here, dedicated BBQ places. So my only experience is from private ones or fests.

Yeah taste is taste, so I can not argue about it but what gives me the creeps is how some handle and treat the food. Some really overdo it with everything, my credo is that less is more.

Let the meat speak

I shed silent invisible tears when I hear, see or taste that the 21 day dry aged Argentina beef was marinated and will be served well done and only well done. I mean like, better start slow instead of experimenting a lot. Chef cooks on TV are at fault, everyone needs to mess with something good & simple and make it "better" but it isn't.

It's not rocket science and less is more, often. Especially for ribs. Got US baby back ribs one time, a local butchery has contracts with placesin the US and Ireland, Argentina, Japan and a few more. I like all their products but that one was just way too sweet. No meat taste at all, then I do not need ribs if the bone and meat taste is killed by half an inch of glazing.

I am sure someone overdid it and they are not like that in the US. I can not imagine it.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Edumakated
...but I also love whole hog NC style with the vinegar base sauces.

Rodney Scott's in Charleston, SC was one of the greatest BBQ places I've ever been to. Whole hog paradise. I even managed to score a bag of the homemade cracklins'.

Yeah, sampling his Q is on my bucket list. Haven't been to Charleston in about 10 years, but want to to get back. Some good eating down there....

a reply to: JAGStorm
You can have Portillos delivered anywhere in the U.S.! Being from Chicago, I do it a few times a year! I don't get their BBQ, I get the Italian beef and Italian Sausage combo. It is fantastic! For $112 you get all the ingredients for 8 HUGE sandwiches. It is amazing, like a taste of home!

a reply to: TDDAgain

I am sure someone overdid it and they are not like that in the US. I can not imagine it.

Oh you’d be wrong, they DO serve it like that. It is regional. Some places like dry (no wet sauce) some regions like it with a wet vinegar sauce (that is the best in my opinion) and some places like it drenched within an inch of its life in a very sweet bbq sauce. That is probably the most common way of serving it.

originally posted by: Backagain
a reply to: JAGStorm
You can have Portillos delivered anywhere in the U.S.! Being from Chicago, I do it a few times a year! I don't get their BBQ, I get the Italian beef and Italian Sausage combo. It is fantastic! For $112 you get all the ingredients for 8 HUGE sandwiches. It is amazing, like a taste of home!

We have Portillo’s in Wisconsin so we don’t have to travel.
Yes I love their Italian beef!

a reply to: TDDAgain

Try Salt Lick BBQ, they ship international and it's one of the best in the US.

originally posted by: Edumakated
Yeah, sampling his Q is on my bucket list. Haven't been to Charleston in about 10 years, but want to to get back. Some good eating down there....

Rodney was in town when I was there and recommended a few items including the cracklins'.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: TDDAgain

Try Salt Lick BBQ, they ship international and it's one of the best in the US.

Have you had it? I mean shipped. I’ve found that I’ve been somewhat disappointed in frozen to door food.
There is just something lost in transit.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Have you had it? I mean shipped. I’ve found that I’ve been somewhat disappointed in frozen to door food.
There is just something lost in transit.

Yes, I get an Xmas care package every year. They ship it overnight with dry ice and it turns out amazing every time I prepare it. I've also had it in person and while you can tell it's better the shipped version is still lightyears ahead of your average places fresh stuff.

Best bbq I ever had came off the side of the road in Georgia from this dude that had a pull behind smoker on a trailer. That was in griffin ga. The guy had it all too briskets, chickens, ribs, you name it.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Had some great BBQ at Puckets Grocery by the aquarium in Chattanooga.

originally posted by: Brotherman
Best bbq I ever had came off the side of the road in Georgia from this dude that had a pull behind smoker on a trailer. That was in griffin ga. The guy had it all too briskets, chickens, ribs, you name it.

I was going to say the same thing. I am from GA and some of the best Q is typically found in a church parking lot or side of the road. Some guy who has been grilling for 40 years with a cut 55 gallon drum as a grill. No kind of restaurant license, training, or health inspection, but holy hell can he cook a pig!