Your Ultimate Guide to Regional BBQ
Barbeque recipes have been passed through generations to secure traditional flavor techniques across the nation.
Certain states have held onto distinct flavors that set them apart from being anything but generic. Let us guide you through the states to taste for yourself!
And if you happen to be lucky enough to be in Texas, swing by one of our 33 locations for an authentic BBQ lunch and dinner at Spring Creek Barbeque.
7 BBQ Regions Worth Traveling Through
Central Texas
Central Texas is known for having a large community of meat markets. You’ll be able to smell the outdoor wood burning smokers filled with beef brisket, ribs, and sausage. Smoking meats with pecan, oak, or hickory wood for hours on end, pitmasters keep it old fashioned with only using salt and pepper rubs.
Having spent over 35 years of smoking meats with hickory wood, stop by any of the Spring Creek Barbeque restaurants for a true Texas barbeque experience.
East Texas
Essentially barbeque meats are sliced, but East Texas prefers to chop and dice. A signature dish is half pork and half brisket in a bun with tons of hot sauce. Which is a little unorthodox considering how covering barbeque meat in any sauce is frowned upon (don’t worry, we won’t tell!)
So, in all other cases you should always remember to ask for sauce on the side.
Memphis
Home of the Memphis in May barbeque competition, this tradition has put a stamp on pork ribs, pulled pork, and whole hog. You’ll notice a difference in the taste of rubs that are used for the meats in Memphis. A thin mop sauce with notes of vinegar, tomato, and spices are used for a more savory taste.
Kansas City
If you’re looking for a reason to plan a barbeque road trip, Kansas City holds two of the largest barbeque competitions in the world and no meat goes unnoticed. Similar to Texas, expect to see hickory wood being used in smokers and “burnt ends” on brisket with sweet and spicy rubs.
North Carolina
Imagine seeing whole hogs that are slowly spinning over an oak wooden fire. Pork is commonly served by being pulled from the hog and chopped into delicious pieces with crispy skin in the mix. In restaurants, pork is smoked and pulled from the shoulder and served with a vinegar based sauce.
South Carolina
With the same specialty as North Carolina in regards to pork, South Carolina has set themselves apart by using mustard based sauces with vinegar, brown sugar, and savory spices. This was influenced by German immigrants who settled in South Carolina with lots of mustard in hand.
Alabama
Mostly influenced by Texas and Carolina, Alabama has specialties of barbeque sandwiches with pulled pork and a unique sauce. A signature white sauce, includes a combination of mayonnaise and vinegar. Expect to see white sauce at every barbeque joint and on everyone's plate.
Gather your friends and explore the largest spectrum of barbeque flavors. If you’re having a tough time deciding on where to go first, swing by our Spring Creek Barbeque joints in Texas.