My Pilgrimage to Mecca...

It is said that one must travel to Mecca at least once in a lifetime. I went on Monday night.

Jim Neelys Interstate BBQ is arguably the Mecca of Memphis Barbeque. I'm not talking about grilling where meat is seared under intense heat and direct flame. I'm talking about Barbeque - cooking meat low and slow with raw wood fuels.




Interstate Bar-B-Que is located on the south side of Memphis amongst less than prime real estate. There are bars on all the windows and after 9pm they lock the door - they'll let you in, they just lock the door behind you. The parking lot has a guard tower that is manned during the busy times to keep watch over you're car.



Upon entering the dinning room you are hit with the smell of thick hickory wood smoke. That's when my mouth started to water. Then my mind raced - what should I have? I sat down, the Kansas v. Memphis game was on and the place was empty save three tables. Memphis was dead - except for the watering holes. You could have walked across I420 blind folded and been completely safe.

I picked a booth with a view of the big screen. The tables contain adds for business ca. 1990 beneath layers of polyurethane - I'm not sure most of them are still open. The walls are adorned with signed photos from celebrities, barbeque competitions, accolades from print sources and a Mohammad Ali shrine.

I was given a menu and picked the sliced pork and pork ribs combo, slaw and beans with a Miller Lite. They are known for their pork shoulder sandwich but I wanted to sample more than just that.

BEFORE

My food was delivered shortly. 5 pork ribs and about 1/2 lb. of sliced pork both slathered with sauce. Ohhh the sauce. Not too sweet, with a nice tang and thinner than I would have imagined. The slightly thin consistency ensured the sauce permeated the pork to be certain each sinew's smokiness was balanced with the sweet tanginess of the sauce.

The ribs were outstanding. when you picked them up you had to pry them apart slightly. The meat was firm and held together nicely. When you sunk your teeth into them you could pull the meat in your bite clear off the bone, clean. I'm talking there was not a shred of meat on the bone. But your bite only removed the meat nearest your mouth. It was amazing - I have never bit into a rib with that characteristic before. Check it out!

AFTER

I have been to Mecca - and I will go again.