Memphis Style BBQ Sauce ... interested in learning more

Q

Q_Egg

Guest
We are always sampling different BBQ sauces .. even though we have some favorites (like Spicewine's) that we try keep around. Our local TJMax got in just a few bottles of a Memphis style sauce and we tried it .... much to our liking ... label says Memphis Style Bar-B-Q Sauce and it is from Bodine Etc Specialty foods in Clearwater, FL. (www.bodineetcfoods.com)

Since we are native Westcoasters ... now in sw Utah ... we wouldn't know an authentic Memphis style sauce if it was poured all over us. Question to the Brethren is .... does anyone know this sauce? and is it a good representation of the Memphis style? What are the other highly-thought-of Memphis style sauces we could compare it to?

Sorry for the very narrow question, but this is important stuff for us to add to our reference list.

Regards,
 
BBQ sauce

Here is one that has been around Memephis since the 50's, so I guess you can call it a Memphis original.
corkysbbq.com
 
milron said:
Here is one that has been around Memephis since the 50's, so I guess you can call it a Memphis original.
corkysbbq.com
Click to expand...
-----------------------------------
Thanks for this one ... now I remember some good comments in "Peace, Love and Barbeque". I bookmarked and will give it a try.

Regards,
 
Neely's

Here's a recipe from Neely's Interstate BBQ from Memphis--

Neely's Wet BBQ Ribs
From Patrick Neely of Neely's Bar-B-Que Restaurant in Memphis, Tenn.


In Memphis, it's been a long-running debate. What's better, wet ribs or dry ribs?

Decide for yourself, here's the recipe for wet ribs from famous Memphis rib joint, Neely's Bar-B-Que Restaurant. Then try the dry ribs recipe!

Ingredients


32 ounces ketchup
16 ounces water
6 ounces brown sugar
6 ounces white sugar
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon ground mustard
2 ounces Neely's Seasoning
2 ounces lemon juice
2 ounces Worcestershire
8 ounces apple-cider vinegar
2 ounces corn syrup
3 to 4 pound Spare Rib


Directions

1. Combine sauce ingredients in a stockpot, cook at a high temperature and bring to a boil and stir to prevent sticking.

2. Lower temperature and simmer without cover for at lease 30 minutes.

3. Trim a 3 to 4 pound spare rib (remove the upper brisket bone and any other excess; this will produce a St. Louis style rib)

4. Rinse and season rib with Neely's seasoning, then refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.

5. We recommend that ribs are cooked on an indirect barbecue pit to prevent burning. The ideal temperature is 250 degrees for the first three hours, and 300 degrees for the final three hours.

6. Load ribs curl side up, so the juices will maintain their moisture. After three hours, turn ribs and increase temperature. Baste ribs with Neely's barbecue sauce during the last 30 minutes of cooking so sauce will not burn.



Neely's Seasoning

Ingredients


4 ounces paprika
2 ounces white sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder


Directions

Simply mix the ingredients and set aside.



[FONT=arial,helvetica]Recipe courtesy of Patrick Neely of Neely's Bar-B-Que Restaurant in Memphis, Tenn. © 2002.[/FONT]
 
backyardchef said:
Here's a recipe from Neely's Interstate BBQ from Memphis--

Neely's Wet BBQ Ribs
From Patrick Neely of Neely's Bar-B-Que Restaurant in Memphis, Tenn.

[FONT=arial,helvetica]Recipe courtesy of Patrick Neely of Neely's Bar-B-Que Restaurant in Memphis, Tenn. © 2002.[/FONT]
Click to expand...
-----------------------------------------------------

This is terrific! Not only authentic, but I can make it myself and compare !!

Many thanks!
 
Q_Egg said:
.....Our local TJMax got in just a few bottles of a Memphis style sauce and we tried it .... much to our liking ... label says Memphis Style Bar-B-Q Sauce and it is from Bodine Etc Specialty foods in Clearwater, FL. (www.bodineetcfoods.com)......
Click to expand...

I went to their website and I've never seen that sauce around here. Some of the better known sauces around here are:

Corky's
Rendezvous
Interstate BBQ (Neely's)
Commissary
Dancing Pigs
Lamont's

Want some other ideas to make your own? Do a google search on the following keywords.....

recipe memphis sauce

You'll find a ton of recipes.
 
just to clarify, interstate and neely's are two different joints...family fued.
nancee

rbinms33 said:
I went to their website and I've never seen that sauce around here. Some of the better known sauces around here are:

Corky's
Rendezvous
Interstate BBQ (Neely's)
Commissary
Dancing Pigs
Lamont's

Want some other ideas to make your own? Do a google search on the following keywords.....

recipe memphis sauce

You'll find a ton of recipes.
Click to expand...
 
... you are certainly right in the area to know .... thanks for the list ! I will definitely do some searching, but bear in mind, I do not have any basis for judging authenticity ...... just what appeals to our taste. That is clearly most important, but I want to develop a true sense of regional differences and be able to recognize them.

Regards,
 
nancee said:
just to clarify, interstate and neely's are two different joints...family fued.
nancee
Click to expand...

Really?!!! I had no idea. They always promote it as Jim Neely's Interstate Barbeque. Would love a little of the fued backstory if you want to pm it at some point.

I'm heading back down to Memphis for thanksgiving and am hoping to stockpile on more sauces. I'm down to half a bottle of rendevous and a bottle of corky's, but there are places like pig-n-whistle, willinghams, etc. that are great when you want a quick fix with no mod's.
 
I think the two sons each operate joints, one is focused on wet ribs, the other dry style. I'm sure there's more of a back story, but I remember seeing them on tv a while back with there mom forced to pick her favorite. I think it was the wet style, but i don't remember.

Smothers Brothers mod.
 
nancee said:
just to clarify, interstate and neely's are two different joints...family fued.
nancee
Click to expand...

You're right.....Jim runs the Interstate BBQ joints on 3rd, Stateline Rd and they did have a place in the airport but I don't know if it's still there or not. His nephews run Neely's East and Neely's West. There's a "friendly" feud between the nephews on which ribs are best. One place serves wet and the other serves dry. That may be the feud you're talking about. I'm not aware of any feuds between Jim and his nephews.

The sauce I was referring to is Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ sauce. The nephews have their own sauce too but I haven't seen it in any stores around here. I've never been to Neely's East or West, I tend to go to the Interstate BBQ joint on 3rd street (the original). The first place I ever had BBQ spaghetti!!!
 
There's Neely's Interstate, and then there's Neely's. Neely's is separate from Interstate and is run by the Neely brothers. When we were in Memphis a few years ago we ate at the one on Jefferson and got to talk to one of the brothers (If I remember right it was Tony) for a while. Great guy and the bbq was outstanding. I didn't get to go to Interstate, but I did go to the Rendezvous and Corky's. The Rendezvous was really good, Neeley's was excellent, but Corky's was my favorite. As far as the sauce question goes, any one will give you a good representation of a "Memphis" style sauce.
 
.... darn good set of posts! If I make some Neely's, and buy some Corky's, I should get a pretty good handle on what a true Memphis-style sauce should be.

Many thanks.
 
They did still have the Insterstate shop at the airport when I was there for MIM.

For the Thanksgiving trip, I'm hoping to try a special order turkey from Gus's on Front street. If it's anything like their chicken, we're in for quite a meal.:tongue:
 
I bought Neely's sauce at Crackerbarrel Country Store Restaurants. I'm not sure they stock it in the fall/winter.
 
When you consider Carolina sauces a vinegar/pepper sauce and as you move west you will find mustard or tomato added to the mix. Memphis sauce is vinegar, pepper and tomato sauce. IMO it should also have some attitude. As you go futher west and look at KC style which is sweeter and a lot of it adds molasses to mix.
 
.... that's a simpler way to remember regional variations than some of the other descriptions I've seen . May be just me, but it works.

Thank-you
 
I'm partial to dry ribs (aka no sauce). My wife and i took a road trip to memphis last year for the sole purpose of eating as much BBQ as possible. I gotta say I was won over to sauce free ribs.

most of the rib joints we hit were nothing to write home about but Neelys, the rendezvous and corkys were the best. Got trapped into some places on beale that was downright unedible.

what does this have to do with memphis sauce... nothin
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
My Annual Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipe......
Replies
0
Views
364
Juggy D Beerman
J
Hotch
You're All Invited to The 2024 Texas BBQ Brethren Spring Bash on April 6!
2 3
Replies
51
Views
4K
Hotch
Hotch
Gore
Top Ten BBQ Restaurants (my list)
2
Replies
31
Views
3K
PaPaQ
PaPaQ
Phrasty
• Fathers Day BBQ Cook-Up (Pic heavy)
Replies
18
Views
842
GammaRei
G
Texas Hogger
Smoked Pumpkin Cheesecake With Pecan Praline Sauce
Replies
9
Views
471
Moose
Moose
Back
Top