Slow-smoked beef brisket with a black pepper and garlic dry rub, finished over native pecan or hickory wood at Oklahoma City pitmasters across the metro.
Where to eat it: 1 restaurant across 1 city.
Oklahoma barbecue bridges several regional traditions: the smoke-heavy beef focus of Texas, the hickory-wood sweetness of Kansas City, and a Native American tradition of slow-cooking over open fire. Oklahoma pitmasters favor a dry rub of black pepper, garlic, and paprika on whole briskets smoked 12 to 16 hours over pecan or hickory wood, both native to eastern Oklahoma. Sauce, when used, runs toward a tomato and molasses base less sweet than Kansas City versions. OKC's craft barbecue scene expanded in the 2010s as dedicated smoke houses opened in Automobile Alley and the Paseo Arts District, drawing comparison to the simultaneous Austin revival.
Common allergens: None
Tip from the editors. Use butcher paper rather than foil so moisture escapes and the bark stays firm; the stall at 74C is normal, so resist opening the smoker.
The Jones Assembly in Oklahoma City runs its bar until 02:00 Thursday through Saturday inside a converted 1930s warehouse serving live music and cocktails.
Order: Late-night cocktail at the T Room bar; buffalo cauliflower bites
Tip: Live music events often run past 23:00 on Thursday and Friday nights, making this the best late-night live music option in OKC.
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