What Is Memphis-Style BBQ? - Backyard Boss

Summary

• Memphis-style barbeque is known for tasty, tender pork ribs up to fall-off-the-bone standard.
• To prepare tender pork Memphis style, smoke slowly over a low hickory fire, use a dry rub, and apply a mopping technique.
• Memphis BBQ sauce is slightly sweet, incorporating both vinegar and tomatoes, poured over pork or served on the side.

Home of the Memphis In May World Championship Barbeque Cooking Competition, Memphis is known as a BBQ capital for its unique style, but what makes it so special?

Creating mouth-watering, stomach-satisfying barbecue meats takes a lot of different elements: smoke, sauce, meat selection, spices. Many chefs have their own tricks and tips. But to make Memphis BBQ, there are some traditions that are typically observed that give this BBQ style its own distinct flair.

What Is Memphis-Style BBQ?

The basics of capturing this distinct BBQ style

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To sum up Memphis-style barbeque, you could simply use four words: tasty and tender pork. Served "wet" with sauce or "dry" without sauce, the delicious smoked pork is savory and tender with plenty of flavor.

Whether you are enjoying pork ribs or pulled pork, both typical of the Memphis style, you can be sure the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and full of flavor.

Pork ribs and pulled pork are the most common meats you'll find served up as Memphis BBQ. But meat selection is not the only thing that sets Memphis style apart from other BBQ styles.

It's the Memphis-style spice rub that gives the BBQ such an amazing flavor.

Memphis dry rub	Every home cook and professional BBQ maker has their own version of the Memphis-style dry rub. Typically, the spice rub contains more than 40 different spices.
Paprika Garlic Pepper Brown Sugar		While most Memphians will not divulge their dry rub recipes, which vary greatly and incorporate a wide variety of ingredients, a true Memphis-style dry rub will be paprika-based and have a perfect combination of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors. The paprika and other spices, such as black pepper and brown sugar, give the smoked pork a rich, reddish color and provide enough flavor that barbeque sauce is often not needed. Garlic is also a main ingredient in Memphis-style spice rubs.

In Search of the Perfect Meat

Any BBQ meal is all about the meat!

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If you're going to indulge in a Memphis-style BBQ feast, you're going to need to choose your meat!

Porking Out

Porking Out
Ribs	Arguably, the most popular version of the Memphis-style pork is slow-smoked ribs. All types of BBQ pork ribs are used. Popular Memphis BBQ restaurants cook many large slabs of ribs at once.
Shoulder	Although many people may prefer ribs, some argue that the trademark of any Memphis-style BBQ is a nice, juicy pulled pork sandwich, preferably topped with sweet and fresh coleslaw. Memphis pulled pork is created with pork shoulder, which is slow-cooked as a large, whole piece and then pulled apart into flavorful shreds after it's pulled out of the pit.

How to Get Tender Pork Memphis Style

The cooking process is everything in the world of BBQ

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Memphis-style BBQ is often cooked in a large pit. No glazes or sauces are applied to the meat. The dry rub adds all the flavor the meat needs and the long, slow cooking process keeps the meat from drying out.

The key to tender and tasty pork, the trademark of the Memphis style, is smoking it slowly over a low hickory fire.

The distinct flavor of Memphis BBQ, that taste that helps to set this style apart from others, comes from the hickory wood that is used while cooking the meat.

• Hickory wood comes from hickory trees, which are hardwood trees that are native to North America.
• The wood has a strong smoky flavor, but not quite as strong as mesquite wood.
• Hickory has a combination of sweet and savory flavors that bring out a lot of flavor in meats.
• Most often, you will see hickory wood charcoal used in Memphis BBQ pits.

Mopping and Sauce

The final secrets of perfect Memphis BBQ

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Another technique common in Memphis-style BBQ is "mopping." A mop can be created by adding water to the dry rub, creating a thin sauce. The sauce is then applied to the ribs or pork butt about every 30 minutes as they smoke, adding even more to the flavor and tenderness of the meat. Mopping is important in the process of smoking pork because it maintains the moistness of the meat.

While Memphis-style pork is delicious without barbeque sauce and does not necessarily need any, many people choose to eat their ribs or pulled pork "wet," or with sauce.

Among BBQ connoisseurs, there is something of a debate when it comes to sauce. Many swear by tomato-based sauces, which typically have a slightly sweet flavor. Others say that only a vinegar-based sauce will do. Memphis BBQ fans have found an easy way to solve this debate once and for all: they use both!

A BBQ sauce typical of the Memphis style is slightly sweet, incorporating both vinegar and tomatoes. The thinnish sauce is poured over a pulled pork sandwich or served on the side of a slab of ribs.

• Memphis-style BBQ sauce is typically made with a ketchup and vinegar base mixed with brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, and spices.

Eating BBQ, Memphis Style

Whether you prefer ribs or pulled pork, with or without barbeque sauce, one thing is for sure: If you appreciate great food, Memphis style might be for you. Memphis BBQ is incredibly tender and very rich in flavor, with a combination of both sweet and savory. It's not a hot or spicy BBQ style, just sweet and smooth and packed with smoky tastes.

Memphis-style BBQ is usually served with a side of coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread. You may also see mac and cheese on the menu!

The wood, the spices, the sauce, and the cooking method are all critical components of creating a great Memphis-style BBQ. Pork is the meat used the most, but Memphis BBQ can be made with beef, chicken, seafood, or anything else you want to try. Don't be afraid to use the different types of meat and different ingredients using various methods to find the taste you enjoy the most!