Eat Arkansas

Those guys are good. That was a pleasant diversion over lunch at the desk. I sure wish I had gotten barbeque and not this crummy salad though.

Love it!!! cute, cute.
We like a place in
Arkadelphia, just off the
interstate...called,
Pig Pen, something close to
that.

So, what makes Arkansas barbecue different from other locales? From what I have been able to gather, it's a few things -- slaw (we tend to put slaw on, usually on the bottom), a tendancy towards a thinner sauce, and good smoke. Somewhere in the crossroads of KC, Memphis, and all of Texas. Clicky for four Arkansas BBQ joints.

In the Delta, close to the Mississippi border, we tend to favor a vinegar-based sauce devoid of any sugar. In it's most pure form, it lacks tomato as well. Perfect example: Jones BBQ in Marianna. Nothing but vinegar and spice. Served on white bread with slaw. Want a side-item and a drink? Your options are a bag of chips and a Coke out of the fridge. I bring it back to LR by the pound any time I visit home.

I definitely prefer the more vinegary and sharp flavors from a North Carolina style barbecue. I also like a lot of the eastern mustard based sauces. But I have a thing for mustard.

I am not a fan of the terribly sweet sauces because of how quickly they overpower the underlying protein, be it pork, beef, or chicken.