Memphis Dry Rub Ribs appears as a signature dish in 1 United States cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Memphis dry-rub ribs · Memphis
Memphis-style ribs are pork ribs coated in a dry spice rub of paprika, garlic, salt and pepper, slow-smoked over hickory and served without sauce. The city's defining BBQ plate.
The Rendezvous's Charlie Vergos started charcoal-broiling dry-rubbed ribs in his basement off Second Street in 1948. The technique caught on through Memphis BBQ joints in the 1950s and 1960s. By the time the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest started in 1978, dry-rub Memphis ribs were the contest's defining style. Local pitmasters now split into dry-rub and wet-sauce camps, with Cozy Corner, Payne's and Central BBQ all defending the dry-rub side.
Where to eat in Memphis:
- The Rendezvous
- Central BBQ Downtown
- The Bar-B-Q Shop
- Cozy Corner BBQ