So you like BBQ. But have you had thin-sliced, hot-smoked, and sauce-dipped Monroe County pork shoulder? How about Monroe County shoulder in Monroe County, Kentucky itself? Our goal was to track down this delicacy in its native habitat.
You get to towns like Bryan, Texas by driving long miles. You drive past grazing cattle. You drive past trees of oak and mesquite. You drive past the ingredients, what the barbecue is made of.
Payne’s charcoal-smoked fare is a standout example of Memphis barbecue, and no trip would be complete without it. And visiting Payne’s is a trip in itself.
We thought A&R’s had served us the best ribs in Memphis, but the pitmaster thought he could do better. That craftsmanlike drive toward quality made him want his customers to experience the best his restaurant had to offer.
