Best BBQ in Okc metro.

[RadicalModerate]

Did that ramshackle BBQ shack (redundant?) next to the I-35 under/over pass on NE10th ever reopen?
It used to be the best BBQ in OKC. Back in the 70s and 80s.

Now I like Oklahoma Station and Iron Starr.
(Although both of them are just a little too clean to be authentic.)

P.S.: Stay as far away from Prospect Ave. in Kansas City as you can. It's near 12th Street and Vine/Arthur Bryant's but risk management indicates other KC BBQ locations are nearly as good. Just my experiential advice. That's all.

(Edited to correct the spelling of "to")

(Re-Edited to add):

BTW . . . HERE is what I imagine to be The Ultimate BarBeQue Nirvana . . .
http://thescottsbbq.com/

Entire split hogs on the grate over home-made wood coals.
Not necessarily "Pit" BBQ . . . Only better.

That Snail-S*it Stuffed Worm eater on The Travel Channel (Anthony Zimmerman, "Bizarre Foods [America]") did a drive-by regarding this establishment not long ago, but the show video is a bit difficult to locate. So . . . Here's a "home movie" starring the same place.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKainCshpnI

I can't imagine better barbecue.
Especially with the right Carolina sauce.
(The sweet vinegar kind) . . .

[Stew]

Okay after reading this topic I gave Iron Starr a shot. It's not ugly enough to be considered 'BBQ' but it was delicious. The greens and potato salad alone are worth a trip.

[RadicalModerate]

Delicious? Yes.
But The Parking . . . Oy vey! =)
(just kidding . . . the parking ain't that bad)

[ctchandler]

Did that ramshackle BBQ shack (redundant?) next to the I-35 under/over pass on NE10th ever reopen?
It used to be the best BBQ in OKC. Back in the 70s and 80s.

Radicalmoderate,
That shack was Tom's Oaklawn BBQ. It is an old army building and when I first went there in the late 60's it had dirt floors. They remodeled and it had real floors. He retired about ten years ago and somebody took it over and it hasn't been the same since. I wasn't a big fan of anything but the ribs and they were the best I have ever eaten. I loved Han's, Leo's were pretty good but Tom's were smoked just right and like somebody else mentioned, the meat didn't fall off the bone, it required just the right amount of chewing. They were so tender. Another unique thing was that they put hot (heat hot, not spicy hot) sauce, both mild and hot on the table so if you used the sauce, you weren't pouring cold liquid on your hot meal. I think they closed about six months ago. Next time I get over in that area, I will check it out. I haven't seen cars in their parking lot for a long time.
C. T.

[RadicalModerate]

I think it would be safe to say that Tom's (Oaklawn) BBQ was about as close as OKC will ever get to Scott's BBQ over by Myrtle Beach, SC. =)

I worked for a paving company at the corner of 4th and Bryant for a few years back in the 70s (when Tom's was at it's peak) and, as good as the ribs were, the sliced brisket sandwich with fries was about as good as it got. =)

Although . . . (come to think of it . . .)
There used to be a place out there in The Hinterlands on The Cusp of Green Pastures (36th and Hiawassee, SW Corner) that I think was called "Hitchee's" BBQ.
I was a framing/remodeling carpenter at the time, and even volunteered to reframe/reroof the "unique" (falling apart) building out of which some of the best BBQ EVER emerged--at cost. The PitMaster was appreciative, but declined my offer and the building has since returned to nature . . .

[boscorama]

I think Big Beef is the right answer. I frequented the place until they turned into a "full-service" restaurant, not long before they disappeared.

[Prunepicker]

Bluedogok,
Does anybody have a recipe for Han's sauce? I'm not really into a lot of
sauce, but it was very good and I know people have asked about it in
the past.
C. T.

I like to put the sauce on the bread. Sometimes I'll put it on the meat
but only for an occasional bite. I've always thought if the meat needs
sauce the recipe needs fixing. The sauce should be an enhancer of
sorts and not the main reason.

Bottom line, if the meat isn't good without BBQ sauce then it's not
any good.

[bluedogok]

Bluedogok,
Does anybody have a recipe for Han's sauce? I'm not really into a lot of sauce, but it was very good and I know people have asked about it in the past.
C. T.

Not that I know of, I heard a few years before they closed that the owners divorced, the husband ran the restaurant when I worked there but the wife was the daughter of the founder Hans. I think they sold it off to someone else and they tried to make a go of it but closed it not long after. A friend from school that worked there with me called me the last weekend they were open so we had a last meal there before it closed.

I like to put the sauce on the bread. Sometimes I'll put it on the meat but only for an occasional bite. I've always thought if the meat needs sauce the recipe needs fixing. The sauce should be an enhancer of sorts and not the main reason.

Bottom line, if the meat isn't good without BBQ sauce then it's not any good.

Exactly.....That is one thing that I had a hard time relaying to some in Central Texas and some of the places that had no sauce or that water-like sauce, if the meat is good, sauce can make it better, if the meat is bad nothing can save it.

[ctchandler]

Although . . . (come to think of it . . .)
There used to be a place out there in The Hinterlands on The Cusp of Green Pastures (36th and Hiawassee, SW Corner) that I think was called "Hitchee's" BBQ.

That's a new one on me, I have never heard of Hitchee's. Sorry I missed it. I agree with Prunepicker, properly smoked with a nice rub and sauce is just table decoration, but once in a while a really good sauce appears and I will use it sparingly. Hans, Leo's mild mixed with hot was really nice too. I couldn't handle the hot by itself. Tom's was ok, but the heated concept was nice. As far as sauce for the house, I enjoyed the Selmon Brothers hot sauce. normally, I'm not a user of any sauces unless it is a part of the cooking process. I don't even use mustard, ketchup (catsup et al), or mayonnaise on anything. I suppose I am really odd, no mint on lamb, no lemon on seafood, no tarter sauce. My downfall is salt and pepper. I could give up salt, but fresh ground pepper is mandatory at my house.
C. T.

[ThomPaine]

Bluedogok,
Posted to Prunepicker before I read your post. So, I repeated your Jack Stack remark. Oklahoma Station is pretty good, I've been there a couple of times in the last year. There is also a pretty good one in the Mid/Del area and I think it's called Mr. Spriggs. There is also one on Waterloo and it might be Mr. Spriggs also. The Del City place is on Air Depot at about South East 10th. Another pretty good place is JT's on Sunnylane just South of Reno.
C. T.

I haven't been in awhile, but some of the best ribs I've ever had were at JT's. I assume they are still only open for lunch? We would always go early to ensure we could get a table. Great service and excellent food.

[Prunepicker]

Wasn't it called "Big Beef BBQ"?

That may be it. With big red letters?

[boscorama]

The place at Waterloo/Broadway is ET's.

[ctchandler]

The place at Waterloo/Broadway is ET's.

Boscorama,
Thanks, I remember it now. I just knew where it was and never thought about the name. It was pretty good the few times I have been there. My son pointed me in their direction, he really enjoys their food. Were you around when Beasley's was open on 63rd (Irma's Burger Shack), and his second location was The Shack on 62nd near Broadway Ext.? His chopped brisket was excellent and his sauces were great too. He actually closed a successful store (Irma's) and opened another one in Pink, South of Norman. Then he came back to the city at the 62nd location and operated it till he got sick and had to retire.
C. T.

[boscorama]

I stuck my head into ET's once to see about a hot link on the run (low carb day), saw on the menu it was more than I wanted to pay (probably a 'dinner') so went across Broadway to IB's for my quickie. Everyone has told me ET is good. BTW, hot links are NOT how I measure BBQ places, lol.

Do remember driving by Beasley's but never ate there.

[Corndog1]

Toms on 10th is closed for good it seems, no big loss. JTs still has great ribs and yes its only open for lunch, but it is also open on Saturdays now, so thats not a bad deal when you want it. No amazing barbq in the okc area. Smoking Joes in Davis is great if your ever headed south this summer.

[Martin]

Smoking Joes in Davis is great if your ever headed south this summer.

i'll second that... i was skeptical when i visited but that place really impressed me. definitely worth the stop. -M

[Prunepicker]

Boscorama,
Were you around when Beasley's was open on 63rd (Irma's Burger Shack),
and his second location was The Shack on 62nd near Broadway Ext.? His
chopped brisket was excellent and his sauces were great too.
C. T.

Jack would tell you his recipe, too. It was salt and pepper and, I believe,
hickory wood. He'd say, "I'll tell the recipe but you won't follow it." His
joint was featured on a local news station about 40 years ago.

[ctchandler]

Jack would tell you his recipe, too. It was salt and pepper and, I believe,
hickory wood. He'd say, "I'll tell the recipe but you won't follow it." His
joint was featured on a local news station about 40 years ago.

Prunepicker,
You are talking about "The" Jack Beasley of local tv/radio fame. Did he have a bbq place? Ken Beasley was his nephew and he owned the stores in the late 60's through the mid/late 70's until he got sick.
C. T.

[Prunepicker]

Prunepicker,
You are talking about "The" Jack Beasley of local tv/radio fame. Did he
have a bbq place? Ken Beasley was his nephew and he owned the stores
in the late 60's through the mid/late 70's until he got sick.
C. T.

Don't know. Maybe it is Ken but it was on N.W. 63rd just east of N. Western
and on the north side of the street. Maybe I'm getting the name mixed
up with Jack's BBQ on N.W. 39th Expressway.

[ctchandler]

Prunepicker,
It is currently Irma's Burger Shack. Ken had lots of farm stuff inside. Gunney sacks for curtains, water well buckets, and lots of others. And he was a nut for cleanliness. When He came back to OKC from Pink, Ok., he rebuilt the old structure that is now the Shack Seafood and oyster bar. He was in operation for less than a year when he got sick. One thing he was known for was when he ran out of stuff, he would put a sign on the door that said out of food, gone fishin. It happened too often. By the way, he looked like a slim Jack. Including the rough complexion.
C. T.

[Prunepicker]

Prunepicker,
... he rebuilt the old structure that is now the Shack Seafood and oyster bar.
C. T.

Where is the Shack Seafood and Oyster Bar? I know where Irma's is.

[ctchandler]

Where is the Shack Seafood and Oyster Bar? I know where Irma's is.

Prunepicker,
1035 NW 62nd St., East of Irma's. It was a biker bar for a while. I have heard it is excellent but can't vouch personally. There has been conversation on this thread about them and it was mostly good.
C. T.

[Corndog1]

Its good if you like all your fish and seafood fried. They dont have much boiled, broiled, grilled, or anything like that. That is about all, its nothing special. Long ways from the ocean.

[Garin]

Ray's down in Norman is good, Also Bob's in Ada used to be the best and when they moved to Nirman they were great too.

[Prunepicker]

Ray's down in Norman is good, Also Bob's in Ada used to be the
best and when they moved to Norman they were great too.

I've known about Bob's for years, 30+, but have never eaten at
the place.