Arkansas Blog

I grew up on the stuff every Sunday after church but haven't missed it since leaving H.S. eons ago.
My brother who returned to retire there makes it a weekly ritual. For me their meat quality is good
but the stuff is tasteless. Who needs all the white bread anyway?

Trust Elwood to pee on the cornflakes.

Trust Elwood to pee on the cornflakes.

Is it just me but every bbq place seems to be over priced, under portioned for the price and kind of blah?

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Hey Nemo, while you're washing off the cornflakes here's what made Playboy famous and it ain't
Arkansas barbque on whitebread.
clicky

eLwood, I must beg to differ. At McClard's the meat is sometimes not so good, but the sauce always redeems it.

McClard's chopped beef = manna from heaven. Of course, if you eat too much, you'll get to heaven much faster due to clogged arteries.

I dunno perplexed. Last night I made lamb roast with star anise, garlic and bay leaves, the customary
carrots piled high around the roast. A generous dash of dark soy over the top. Mashed turnips
and steamed broccoli with tahini sauce. Ginger/mint tea for the drink.

That's the way I eat and it's really difficult to eat something like McClards. I want my taste buds stimulated and satisfied.

Hot Springs' Hickory Pit was always better to my taste buds plus there was always a wider choice of sides and you could get a beer. I haven't visited it in years so I have no idea of what's happened since Dick left.

Interestingly, McClard's used to have a sign on the door prohibiting concealed carry. It was not there when I ate there last week. :)

"McClard's chopped beef = manna from heaven" - Perplexed

Well, there's your problem right there P, every Arky knows that BBQ is pig.

Not so fast. You're both right.

Personally, I think McClard's had a perfect balance between the meat and sauce. Their sauce was never quite as good on another meat. I still think they are the best in Arkansas although that is not that tough.

Whole Hog's ribs are world class, the rest is only so so.

You couldn't give me that heart attack on a plate but it is another Arkansas tradition.

The Q joints only stock the beef to keep the Texans from settling down.

Perplexed, if you need the sauce to redeem the McClard's meat, what separates the meat from, say, eating spam?

I say tamale plate or nothing at McClard's.

Corner of Chicot and Sawmill in Saline County, there's a guy name of Gary who sells smoked pig and chicken out of a junk shop. Skip the ribs and go straight for the pulled pork, and ask for his homemade peach-pepper-garlic BBQ sauce. The large sammich is the best five bucks you'll ever clog your arteries with.

I'm with 70%er...BBQ = pork.

I just got the rub on two 8# pork shoulders that I plan to smoke--one tomorrow and the other Sunday. They're spending the night(s) in the fridge. I must confess...I'm going by Sims' tomorrow to get some sauce.

Anyway...I took pictures of the process thus far. I smeared the meat with a thin coat of prepared mustard so the dry rub would have something to stick to. I'll put it on the smoker for a long time, babysitting to keep the temp more-or-less regulated.

I'll try to keep taking pictures along the way. I'm generally pretty bad at following through on such intentions, but if I end up with anything halfway interesting I'll send the pictures to Max to share.

But, again, BBQ = pork.

Ive never eaten at the new one here in Ark but the best ribs I've had in a long time came from every Texas Roadhouse we visited between here & Chicago a couple of years ago. No gristle. I know its a chain and all that, but I hate biting into gristle on meat, especially if you can't see it, and their ribs never had a bit of gristle. I've never had any Whole Hog bbq, and it's been ages since I had McClard's but i didnt eat the bread. I hate white bread but you can find that at home anyway.

Weldon's Meat MArket in Hot Springs sells the best steaks I've ever had, and whatever they fix outside in the smoker is good too. chicken was my favorite. And stuffed French bread to cook with your steaks. Im hungry.

I liked Lindsey's in NLR when I lived there many years ago. also Burge's in the Heights. my kids liked their smoked turkey breast. they slice it longways. expensive but every now and then... I always forget i could get that online, too, but it wouldnt be that much fun to eat it alone. we always ate catfish dinners while we were there and stocked up on turkey and bbq sammiches to take home.

I was usually in the 'hood there because I'd taken our Lab to Hillcrest Animal Clinic, and the people at Burge's were nice enough to fix him a bowl of ice cream and a big bowl of water to go with his small sammich. He didn't seem to mind eating in the car, but he sure would've liked to figure out how to get that meat out of the trunk for the long, boring drive home..

I never had any trouble anywhere in LR, but once in Conway Ronald McDonalds refused to give or sell me an empty cup for the dog to drink his bottled water out of -- they dont sell no ice water in a cup no more. If you wants a cup you gots to order a coke. FINE> I WILL PAY FOR THE COKE, JUST DONT PUT IT IN HIS CUP. Oh no, we caint ring that up on the register.........normally I took him a little travel dish & some bottled water, but you forget once and naturally thats what happens.

there's also a man with a huge smoker at the first gas station/liquor store after the big bridge in Morrison Bluff. his ribs are good but fatty. I know not too many of you are likely to be driving thru Morrison Bluff, but if you do, make sure you need to fill up your gas tank as soon as you get there. Then you might as well support the local economy by getting yourself some good bbq. It's too fatty for my liking but it smells so good, if you pick it apart carefully it's good.

Man, this thread is making me hungry!

eLwood, sounds like you could cook in just about anybody's kitchen! 70%er & HughMann, even though I did live in Texas for a time, I've liked the beef at McClard's since long before I ever lived there. jimmyboy, you make a good point. Sometimes I buy an Arby's sandwich and put McClard's sauce on it. It's never as good. Maybe the meat is more important than I realize. I have a brisket rub that I'm a bit proud of. Smoke it until it melts in your mouth....

Okay, Perplexed. I'll give you that much. Smoked brisket is A-OK in my book, too.

The good news is that we have such a great collection of BBQ around our state, mixing it up mixing it up with popular well known (Whole Hog) and dives (JBs) etc.. So many more to find, thanks to everyone's suggestions on this thread.

I have had smoked meats all over this country, and every BBQ Pitt is my favorite. And I can say never have I ever worked construction jobs were us fellas couldn't find a smoke pit. But in the Rosedale District of K.C.,Kansas there is a place the ole timers called the bucketshop, story goes and old boy named Strickland I believe it was, or something like that, moved in from Texas with his family during the great depression and built a smoker and a little 10X12 building and started saling ribs to the railroad section hands a nickle a lunch bucket. That ole boy had about 16 kids and 9 or so boys, all worked in the what is now called rosedale bbq. Also a man by the name of art bryant worked for the ole man to. When the war broke out and industry started back up Bryant opened him a place in KC, Missouri on 18th and Prospect, worked on the ole mans sause recipe and came up with his own, took that recipe to the grave with him rumored he wouldn't let his wife or anyone help him make it, but every President since Trumann has eaten bryants BBQ. Anyway in late 50's and 60's when I was there Rosedale had it all, fine food and pitchers of Coors beer. That Kansas City had BBQ's every where Packing House's running out of their ears, freshmeats was plentyful, hear dinner bellowin' while you eat fresh bacon, man what a town.

I hope no one took offense, I just wanted to stir the pot of conversation of my favorite food.

Ya'll have a good weekend and happy fathers day.

Hugh I appreciate the acknowldgment of us chains :). My name is Chad Walker and I am the managing partner of the new Texas Roadhouse in West Little Rock, on Shackleford Road. If you come in and say hi I will buy you a half slab and all the fixins on me. I assure you it is one of the best, if not the best in Little Rock. After all it does take us four days to cook them.

Thanks, Chad

Hey Chad--

Thanks for the "shout-out", but as you may have noticed after you posted your own note on here, the signatures appear at the bottom. It's Tina--not I--to whom you should offer the half slab! (Although I'd humbly take you up on it!) Good luck with your venture. Low-and-slow is the way to go!

Chad, you're about to have probably two dozen folks (male and female) come into your Texas Roadhouse over the next few days introducing themselves as "Hugh Mann." Or "Tina." Whichever works for free ribs and fixins'.