A few years ago I noticed a barbecue place across Jefferson Hwy from Oak Oven, way out in Harahan. I thought it was good, but not as good as some others out there. Since then they have moved across the street to a spot adjacent to a convenience store. I went in to try it again.
I’m more of a brisket girl so I lean to Texas-style barbecue rather than Carolina-style pork. But lately on The Food Show (airs 2-4pm weekdays on WGSO 990AM) we have been discussing the merits of baby back ribs compared to St. Louis ribs, so I had to get some ribs here. At Smoked they serve the baby back version.
Since I don’t eat barbecue sauce, I made sure to tell them just dry rub. I was assured they would be sauceless. Coleslaw and baked beans were the two sides, essential to barbecue in my view.
These baby back ribs reminded me why I loved them so much, and my puzzlement at their replacement by St. Louis ribs was renewed. St. Louis ribs are indeed wonderful, but baby back ribs are not as fatty while still being perfectly moist. That said, I wasn’t sure about these particular ribs at first. The rub was so intense it seemed like barbecue sauce, and the rub itself was very sweet. Gel-like. Odd. But as I ate more of it I decided I liked it.
The beans here are exceptional. Several different types of beans add a lot more texture and complexity to this ubiquitous barbecue side. The sauce is smoky but not overly so. At Smoked, these beans stand out from the countless others around town.
The coleslaw was also a bit sweet, but not in any offensive way. It was not especially creamy, which I prefer, but it was good enough.
Taken together all of these elements added up to a very nice barbecue lunch. My original thoughts about this barbecue remain. It is definitely a lower tier barbecue to me, but it’ll do in a pinch. And by the time I was finished, I had to admit I enjoyed it.
