History

West Tennessee whole-hog barbecue tradition runs through Memphis and out to Nashville's Pat Martin, who opened Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint in 2006 and has since franchised to four states. Carey Bringle's Peg Leg Porker in The Gulch since 2013 runs Memphis-style dry-rub ribs alongside pulled pork. The two pull-pork sauces of Tennessee are tangy red and the lighter Alabama white, both common on Nashville BBQ menus.

Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield Serves 6 to 8Hands-on 45 minTotal 12 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 3kg bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt)
  • 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Hickory wood chunks
  • For the sauce: 240ml cider vinegar, 120ml ketchup, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Soft buns and dill pickles to serve

Method

  1. Combine all dry rub ingredients. Coat the pork shoulder thoroughly. Rest in the fridge overnight.
  2. Set your smoker or grill for indirect heat at 110C (225F). Add hickory wood chunks.
  3. Place pork on the indirect side. Smoke for 10 to 12 hours until internal temperature hits 95C (203F).
  4. Wrap in butcher paper at the 75C (165F) mark to push through the stall.
  5. Whisk all sauce ingredients in a bowl; let sit while the pork rests.
  6. Rest pork wrapped in a cooler for 30 minutes. Pull apart, discarding fat and bone.
  7. Pile on buns, drizzle vinegar sauce, top with pickles.

Tip from the editors. Look for a bark and a pull-apart bone; both signal the meat is done. Vinegar sauce is the Tennessee finish; never use a sweet glaze.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat tennessee whole-hog pork

Tennessee whole-hog pork in Nashville

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint ★ 4.4

Whole-hog BBQ$$downtown

Pat Martin's Nashville BBQ joint in downtown runs old-school whole-hog barbecue, a massive beer garden and live music nightly behind the Music City Center.

Signature: Whole-hog pulled pork, Redneck Taco

Order: Pulled pork sandwich with Alabama white sauce on top, and a side of mac.

Tip: The beer garden out back is the move on warm nights; live music starts at 19:00 most days.

410 4th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201 Book →

Peg Leg Porker ★ 4.4

Barbecue$$the-gulch

Carey Bringle's Gleaves Street BBQ joint in The Gulch, Nashville smokes Memphis-style dry-rub ribs since 2013. Family-owned, catering-strong, taproom-tight.

Signature: Dry-rub ribs, Pulled pork plate

Order: Half rack of dry-rub ribs, smoked beans, banana pudding.

Tip: Lines build by 12:00; come at 11:00 for an easy table. Bourbon list is unusually deep for a BBQ joint.

903 Gleaves St, Nashville, TN 37203 Book →

Edley's Bar-B-Que ★ 4.3

12-southUntil Fri-Sat 22:00

Edley's 12 South barbecue counter in Nashville runs Friday and Saturday until 22:00 with pulled pork, the Tuck Special and a patio off 12th Avenue South.

Try: Brisket with pimento cheese (the Tuck)

Tip: Order at the counter; the patio gets the runoff from 12 South nightlife. Late-night kitchen Friday and Saturday only.

2706 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204

More cities are in research. Want tennessee whole-hog pork covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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