Best BBQ in Okc metro.

[bluedogok]

The (K&N) Rudy's in Austin knows how to stage their cooking so they have the staples are in stock all day, they do run out of specialty items at times. They are pretty much cooking almost 24 hours a day and keeping their smoke chamber at temp all the time helps in knowing how to maintain that model. Unfortunately most don't know how to do it.

In the time that I lived in Austin I never did get to try Franklin's, between running out too early and actually working I never had the time to make that "special trip" to try it out. Never did make it to Snow's in Lex for the same reasons.

[Roger S]

In the time that I lived in Austin I never did get to try Franklin's, between running out too early and actually working I never had the time to make that "special trip" to try it out. Never did make it to Snow's in Lex for the same reasons.

I tried Franklin's and thought it was very exceptional Q... Wouldn't wait that line to get it again when John Mueller and LA Barbecue are walking distance and turning out exceptional Q as well.

I have Snow's for breakfast any time I'm in Central Texas.

[ctchandler]

I know this thread is about Okc metro but I thought I would mention that I went to Burn Co. in Tulsa today. The food was good, but they were out of brisket, cole slaw, The Fatty(?). They don't offer spare ribs so I had baby back ribs and a side of pulled pork. We arrived at 11:15 and the line was long, so we went to see my brother-in-law and then went back at 1:15. They close at 2:30 so I was surprised they were out of things so soon. The beans were good but I didn't think overall that the food was that "great". Just my opinion.
C. T.

[ylouder]

I know this thread is about Okc metro but I thought I would mention that I went to Burn Co. in Tulsa today. The food was good, but they were out of brisket, cole slaw, The Fatty(?). They don't offer spare ribs so I had baby back ribs and a side of pulled pork. We arrived at 11:15 and the line was long, so we went to see my brother-in-law and then went back at 1:15. They close at 2:30 so I was surprised they were out of things so soon. The beans were good but I didn't think overall that the food was that "great". Just my opinion.
C. T.

I haven't been to burn Co yet and want to try it in near future but from reading the reviews I've always thought this seems more popular because of the hipster crowd than the traditional places I tend to like.

Kinda like iron star bbq. don't get me wrong it ts good food but I like real pit bbq vs this newer stuff.

[Roger S]

I haven't been to burn Co yet and want to try it in near future but from reading the reviews I've always thought this seems more popular because of the hipster crowd than the traditional places I tend to like.

Kinda like iron star bbq. don't get me wrong it ts good food but I like real pit bbq vs this newer stuff.

There is no comparison between Iron Starr and BurnCo and there's not much "real pit BBQ" done in Oklahoma.... Majority of it is cooked in commercial smokers like Cookshack, Southern Pride, or Old Hickory which are temperature controlled pellet smokers or gas assisted log burners..... Not that a few places don't turn out some good Q on them but they are hardly real pit BBQ.

In the OKC area I can think of two that are using what I would call an actual pit and that's Big Smokey and Leo's. Bubba's and Smokey Ray's are using offset stick burners and a small handfull of others are also. But the majority are using commercial units.

I know this thread is about Okc metro but I thought I would mention that I went to Burn Co. in Tulsa today. The food was good, but they were out of brisket, cole slaw, The Fatty(?). They don't offer spare ribs so I had baby back ribs and a side of pulled pork. We arrived at 11:15 and the line was long, so we went to see my brother-in-law and then went back at 1:15. They close at 2:30 so I was surprised they were out of things so soon. The beans were good but I didn't think overall that the food was that "great". Just my opinion.
C. T.

No surprise that they had sold out of stuff if you left and came back later.... They aren't your typical quantity over quality Q-raunt model that we are used to here in Oklahoma that serve for a set amount of hours. They cook as much meat each day as they feel like they can cook well and that's it. You get fresh Q cooked over an actual fire, as opposed to the temperature controlled commercial units the majority of Oklahoma Q-raunts use.

Very few places in Oklahoma offer baby back ribs..... Personally I'm not a fan of baby backs, I prefer spareribs, but I think BurnCo does a great job with them and I really like the rub they use.

I suspect your opinion may be a little influenced by what you are used to being served, and possibly how it is served, and what you were served at BurnCo but there's nothing wrong with that. If there is one thing I preach on my blog it's that we all like different things about BBQ and to get out there and find it because there's enough different BBQ out there to make everyone happy.

I also have to say that I'm a big fan of the business model BurnCo has chosen to follow. I can confidently walk in there and know that I'm getting Q that was cooked that morning. I've been trying to not be so negative about OKC BBQ so I'm not going to name names here but I know of at least 3 places in OKC where I have been served re-heated Q.... One of them even announced they would only be cooking their pulled pork every other day on their FB page.... When I'm paying the $$$ I pay to eat BBQ. That is unnacceptable to me.

[kevinpate]

Ya know, if someone announces on their FB page they are willing to serve their customers day old grub 50% of the time (and perhaps even more?), helping them spread that word seems an act of kindness ... to the dining public.

[Roger S]

Ya know, if someone announces on their FB page they are willing to serve their customers day old grub 50% of the time (and perhaps even more?), helping them spread that word seems an act of kindness ... to the dining public.

True but if I give away all of my secrets and information here... There's no need for anyone to go visit my site. ;+)

[pickles]

I know this thread is about Okc metro but I thought I would mention that I went to Burn Co. in Tulsa today. The food was good, but they were out of brisket, cole slaw, The Fatty(?). They don't offer spare ribs so I had baby back ribs and a side of pulled pork. We arrived at 11:15 and the line was long, so we went to see my brother-in-law and then went back at 1:15. They close at 2:30 so I was surprised they were out of things so soon. The beans were good but I didn't think overall that the food was that "great". Just my opinion.
C. T.

There's just not going to be much left at a real bbq place (that is also popular) at that hour. The last time I went, they were sold out on ribs by noon.

[ctchandler]

Pickles,
Due to my health, I shouldn't spend a half hour in the hot sun, so I thought going back in the latter part of their third hour, there would be some left, after all, they still had another hour and fifteen minutes before closing time. But as I mentioned, that wasn't the case. I suppose I was lucky to get the ribs, even though I prefer spare ribs. And the food was good, just for my taste, not "great".
C. T.

There's just not going to be much left at a real bbq place (that is also popular) at that hour. The last time I went, they were sold out on ribs by noon.

[ctchandler]

OKBBQEA,
I'm not unfamiliar with places that run out of good smoked meat. Beasley's was famous for his "Out of meat, gone fishin'" sign. I seem to remember that Pulliam's used to run out often. I just thought I was there early enough in the day (at 1:15) to have a pretty good selection. It's not that I'm not a fan of baby backs, I like them occasionally, but too me, ribs in a bbq joint are spare ribs. Burn's were very good. As for what I'm used to, it just doesn't seem to exist anymore, at least not in OKC. There's some in Memphis and of course Texas that I really used to enjoy before my condition limited my travel to "day trips". By the way, as you can see by my picture, I'm an older guy and my opinion is influenced by what I ate often when I was younger.
C. T.

No surprise that they had sold out of stuff if you left and came back later.... They aren't your typical quantity over quality Q-raunt model that we are used to here in Oklahoma that serve for a set amount of hours. They cook as much meat each day as they feel like they can cook well and that's it. You get fresh Q cooked over an actual fire, as opposed to the temperature controlled commercial units the majority of Oklahoma Q-raunts use.

Very few places in Oklahoma offer baby back ribs..... Personally I'm not a fan of baby backs, I prefer spareribs, but I think BurnCo does a great job with them and I really like the rub they use.

I suspect your opinion may be a little influenced by what you are used to being served, and possibly how it is served, and what you were served at BurnCo but there's nothing wrong with that. If there is one thing I preach on my blog it's that we all like different things about BBQ and to get out there and find it because there's enough different BBQ out there to make everyone happy.

[Roger S]

By the way, as you can see by my picture, I'm an older guy and my opinion is influenced by what I ate often when I was younger.
C. T.

I think we all are to a degree... Anytime I take someone over to A Family Affair. I always tell them not to expect gourmet food. It's just food that reminds me of how mom cooked when I was a kid.

[ctchandler]

Actually, when I said "younger", I was referring to the days when I was working and had my own family. I meant when I was in my 30's to 50's. In my case when I went for barbecue, it was Pulliam's, Beasley's, Tom's Oaklawn, the original Leo's, Han's, and Portland Avenue barbecue at 23rd and Portland. When I was a youngster, the Hickory House on S. W. 25th and Western was where my mother took us.
C. T.

I think we all are to a degree... Anytime I take someone over to A Family Affair. I always tell them not to expect gourmet food. It's just food that reminds me of how mom cooked when I was a kid.

[ctchandler]

I mentioned Portland Avenue Barbecue. Probably not a lot of you know about this place. They had really good brisket and I loved their pinto beans with jalapenos. In the mid 90's they re-introduced a barbecued meat that was not available anywhere in OKC. It was chopped pork and when they first started serving it, it was only on Fridays. It caught on quick and pretty soon they had it every day. And then it caught on in all the rest of the good places in town. By the way, it was very similar to what most places now refer to as "pulled" pork.
C. T.

[Prunepicker]

... Oops, I forgot Hans, I don't know anybody that didn't like Hans.
C. T.

I certainly remember Han's on NW 10th Street and N. Tulsa.
The sauce is still talked about on some BBQ forums.

Pulliam's is another revered BBQ restaurant from years ago. Another
place of legendary sauce. I remember it was placed in the front window
in huge jars. It'd bubble on occasion. Nobody knows how long it would
"age" before being served. The Q was also served on the daily paper.

[bluedogok]

Delbert made the Han's sauce before any of us ever got to the restaurant, I think only he and his wife/ex-wife (Han's daughter) knew the recipe.

[ctchandler]

Prunepicker,
Their sauce was blood red, the reddest sauce I have ever seen. The recipe for Pulliam's sauce, like Hans', went away with the restaurant/heirs.
C. T.

Pulliam's is another revered BBQ restaurant from years ago. Another
place of legendary sauce. I remember it was placed in the front window
in huge jars. It'd bubble on occasion. Nobody knows how long it would
"age" before being served. The Q was also served on the daily paper.

[Jersey Boss]

Pulliam BBQ Sauce

PULLIAM'S HOT BARBEQUE SAUCE

From Phil Murphy

Last year, Phil and I were talking about recipes and some of the great old recipes he’d discovered in his mother’s files - one in particular caught my attention - who (our age and older) in OKC hasn’t heard of the old Pulliam’s Barbeque located over on East 10th ....in Oklahoma City.....I never had the chance to go there but remember Dad bringing home some of their famous ribs .... Phil says he thinks it closed in the late 50's but if I recall....the whole state talked and frequented Pulliams....

Talked to Malcolm Haney recently and he has really shed some light on this popular old establishment....Malcolm says “Pulliams was located behind an apartment building on 10th that was only 5 or 6 blocks east of downtown. It was great! All they served was ribs served up on Wonder bread wrappers with 2 slices of white bread....; it had no seats - just a counter around the perimeter and a coke machine in the middle of the room. The bbq pit was actually an old soda pop cooler, the kind with the sliding curved metal doors. I had an ice cream route after my freshman year in college that went right by it. It probably closed a couple years later around 1966 after Pulliam died. Hanns BBQ was originally on 23rd street and sometimes is confused with the old site of Pulliams.

The following is the recipe from Phil’s mom’s files for Pulliam’s hot barbeque sauce. I made it and it is not for the faint of heart....so, I cut some of the heat - husband Tom liked the flavor....I, however, didn't care much for it.... if you like a sweet barbecue sauce - this is not the one for you....but, if you like one with a bite and attitude...might be just the thing.... Phil said he tried making it also, but didn't have all the right ingredients at the time....it's got a lot of ingredients....

1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

1 small Onion - finely chopped

1 small clove Garlic - minced

1 14-ounce bottle Catsup

1/2 Cup prepared Chili Sauce

3 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon English Dry Mustard

1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper (original recipe called for 1 Tbl. black pepper)

1-1/2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper

2 whole Cloves

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Brown Sugar (packed)

1/4 cup A-1 Steak Sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons Soy Sauce

3/4 cup Beer

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add onion - cook 1 minute.

Add garlic - cook 4 minutes. Do not brown.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling - reduce heat and simmer uncovered 25 minutes.

Remove whole cloves.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Froze the leftover sauce.....


Published Feb 6, 2007

Copyright ©2007 The Ponca City News

[OKCRT]

Leos and Hans 1&2 in OKC area back in the day and then a big gap to 3 IMO. In fact,I think would rank Hans 1 and Leos 2 but then again.....Best ribs ever.

[OKCRT]

Did you ever clean out the brick pit bluedogok? I actually worked there for a couple days back in the 70s and he was telling me that I was gonna be cleaning that pit next week. Well,next week never came.

[bluedogok]

Did you ever clean out the brick pit bluedogok? I actually worked there for a couple days back in the 70s and he was telling me that I was gonna be cleaning that pit next week. Well,next week never came.

Nope, never did. I worked there for a year (79-80).

[Roger S]

All of you old timers talking about the old school Q-joints from OKC's past gave me an idea for a future blog. Don't be surprised if you get a few PM's from me in the next few weeks asking for some details.

[Urbanized]

Pulliams had a brief revival circa 1990 or 1991 in a ramshackle building on Wilshire between Broadway and Western. Old timers I talked to swore it was the same. Didn't last long though.

[ctchandler]

JB,
I was eating there in the late 60's, so they didn't close in the late 50's. I can't question the recipe for the sauce, but I do remember reading an article in the Daily Oklahoman about his daughter and she had the recipe and didn't plan on publishing it
C. T..
[QUOTE=Jersey Boss;828096]Pulliam BBQ Sauce
Phil says he thinks it closed in the late 50's but if I recall....the whole state talked and frequented Pulliams....

[ctchandler]

Urbanized,
If it was the same, it would have lasted a while. The que was excellent.
C. T.

Pulliams had a brief revival circa 1990 or 1991 in a ramshackle building on Wilshire between Broadway and Western. Old timers I talked to swore it was the same. Didn't last long though.

[Urbanized]

I don't know CT, for one thing the location was lousy. But I've seen lots of places with good food close due to some type of mismanagement or other, and lots of mediocre or worse places hang on for years simply because of good location and corporate structure. Unfortunately in the food business success and good grub aren't always directly connected.

I do recall that it was excellent 'cue.