Smoke show – Baton Rouge’s barbecue culture heats up

On any given day in Baton Rouge, it’s easy to find delicious food. From food trucks to family-owned restaurants that have been around for decades, there is a little bit of everything in the Red Stick. Still, I sometimes find myself longing for a true, gritty barbecue joint. Although the city is home to a number of restaurants in the genre, it may be one of the food frontiers that Baton Rouge has not quite conquered.

Still, the Baton Rouge barbecue scene offers a wide variety of options and flasvors. One of my favorite examples is Pimanyoli’s Sidewalk Café and Catering. The husband-and-wife duo in charge have 35 years of experience in the catering business. They expanded their operation after gaining success with local clubs and bars and in 2008 opened their doors to the public. Located in a strip mall on Airline Highway, this eatery has attracted attention for its slow-smoked St. Louis cut spare ribs. These are smoked Louisiana-style with pecan wood and served with a side of his vinegar-based barbecue sauce, which is the only sauce on the menu. Influenced by various barbecue styles across the South, Pimanyoli’s hits all the marks when it comes to ribs.

Another local favorite since 1954 is Jay’s Bar-B-Q. With locations on Government Street and Sherwood Forest Boulevard, this delicious piece of history is known for its family atmosphere and barbecue poboys. Jay’s is a Baton Rouge tradition that has stood the test of time by serving its famously sweet and tangy barbecue sauce for three generations.

New to the barbecue scene is Bushwood BBQ Sandwiches, located on Perkins Road in the Southdowns Shopping Center. True to its name, Bushwood only serves barbecue sandwiches and sides. No burgers or barbecue plates hit the menu, but guests should be more than happy with the pulled pork, brisket or shredded chicken that comes out of their pecan-fired smoker.

Justin Page, the chef and owner of Bushwood, understands what goes into a barbecue sandwich from start to finish. The restaurant is a tribute to his grandfather, who raised hogs and cattle and loved barbecue sandwiches. Bushwood adds a modern touch by serving seven different barbecue sauces, each inspired by a regional style of barbecue. Nearby Sucker’s Food Products on College Drive also makes an impression with a unique grill-market-smokehouse setup.

Just because barbecuing is a low and slow process doesn’t mean you can’t get it fast. Baton Rouge is home to a few eateries that can quickly cure a barbecue fix. One of those spots is the Three Bones Catering Company, which operates as a mobile food trailer in the ever-emerging local food truck scene. Three Bones serves up a dish called “loaded brisket fries” that features recipes for smoked brisket and a rich barbecue sauce passed to them by Tony Idank. He operated the Kicker’s BBQ truck and developed quite the following with barbecue lovers around town before he loaded up the truck and headed for Houston. Not wanting his mark on the city’s barbecue scene to die completely, Tony generously offered his recipes to the team at Three Bones so the tradition could stay alive.

For those who want more Texas-style barbecue, there’s Cou-Yon’s, which serves up “Fa Tru Texas BBQ.” Located adjacent to a gas station on Burbank, it may not have much curb appeal, but the little store is popular among Baton Rouge residents. Immediately upon entering the front door, you see spices and rubs and a straight shot to the smoker in the back. And to make it even better for those on the go, there’s a drive-through window.

Making a large splash on the Baton Rouge barbecue scene is VooDoo BBQ and Grill. With multiple Baton Rouge locations, this New Orleans-style joint is paving the way for barbecue restaurants by serving up smoked meats that can be enjoyed with or without one of their famous sauces. VooDoo maintains a traditional barbecue style by using a dry rub inspired by the tastes of its native New Orleans. The sauces and seasoning contain Louisiana products, and the atmosphere seems to stay true to the restaurant’s roots despite it being an expanding franchise.

Podnuh’s Bar-B-Q, which fires its pits with only Louisiana red oak, is taking similar strides. Reaching from north to south Louisiana with eight locations, Podnuh’s recently opened a new location on Perkins called Podnuh’s Rib House and Grill.

Of course, arguably the most famous barbecue restaurant in the Red Stick comes from one of our most well-known restaurateurs. T.J. Moran started TJ Ribs in the late 1980s with the concept of bringing a first-class rib house to our college town. TJ Ribs specializes in tender baby back ribs and LSU sports. The South Acadian Thruway location is home to Billy Cannon’s 1959 Heisman Trophy, and its walls are chock-full of memorabilia. The iconic eatery recently opened a second location on Siegen Lane to serve even more ribs lovers.

Louisiana-inspired places like these are a step in the right direction for the barbeque community in Baton Rouge as the city makes its mark on a staple cuisine of the South.