Tennessee whole-hog pork
Photo: kowarski · CC BY 2.0

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.

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Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-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.

Where to eat tennessee whole-hog pork

Tennessee whole-hog pork in Nashville

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint ★ 4.6

$$ Whole-hog BbqDowntown

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.

OrderPulled pork sandwich with Alabama white sauce on top, and a side of mac.

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

Directions Book

Peg Leg Porker ★ 4.5

$$ BarbecueThe 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.

OrderHalf rack of dry-rub ribs, smoked beans, banana pudding.

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

Directions Book

Edley's Bar-B-Que ★ 4.6

$$ American BBQ12 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.

TryBrisket with pimento cheese (the Tuck)

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

Directions

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