Pioneer Day BBQ on July 24 commemorates the 1847 Mormon arrival in Salt Lake Valley with community-scale grilling: smoked brisket, slow-cooked beans.

Pioneer Day is Utah's official state holiday since 1849, commemorating Brigham Young and the first Latter-day Saint pioneers arriving in Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. The day's BBQ tradition emerged from community feeding at parades, rodeos and church-yard gatherings, blending traditional American summer BBQ with Mormon community-meal traditions. The Days of '47 Parade is the largest in the state; Pat's Barbecue and Crown Burgers cater Pioneer Day events citywide.

Where to eat Pioneer Day BBQ in Salt Lake City

3 editor picks for Pioneer Day BBQ in Salt Lake City, ranked by editorial score. All Salt Lake City signature dishes · Pioneer Day BBQ across every city.

  • Pat's Barbecue

    Order A brisket plate with burnt ends if it's a Friday plus a side of pit beans.

    Pat's Barbecue on Commonwealth Avenue south of downtown, the Texas-style smokehouse founded by pitmaster Pat Barber and serving Salt Lake since 2004.

    DetailsDirections

  • Crown Burgers

    Order The Crown burger with pastrami plus fry sauce and a gyro on the side.

    Crown Burgers on East 200 South, the Katsanevas family's burger institution since 1978, popularized Salt Lake's pastrami burger at its Greek-American counter.

    DetailsDirections

  • The Park Cafe

    Try American diner breakfast plate

    The Park Cafe on East 1300 South next to Liberty Park, the Liberty Wells classic diner since 1982, runs huge American breakfast portions for $10 to $16.

    DetailsDirections

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Make it at home

Serves 1212 hrAdvanced

Ingredients

  • 5kg whole beef brisket
  • 60g coarse salt
  • 30g black pepper
  • 30g paprika
  • 15g garlic powder
  • 2kg pinto beans, soaked overnight
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 200g brown sugar
  • 300ml ketchup
  • 100ml apple cider vinegar
  • Watermelon, sliced
  • Sweet corn on the cob

Method

  1. Mix salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Rub the brisket generously and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Heat smoker to 110C (225F) with oak or hickory wood. Place brisket fat-side up.
  3. Smoke 10 to 12 hours until internal temperature reads 95C (203F). Wrap in foil at the 75C mark to preserve moisture.
  4. While the brisket smokes, simmer soaked pinto beans with chopped onion, brown sugar, ketchup and cider vinegar until tender and saucy.
  5. Rest the brisket 30 minutes. Slice against the grain.
  6. Grill sweet corn on the cob 10 minutes, turning. Brush with butter.
  7. Serve brisket, beans, corn and watermelon at a community table with fry sauce, BBQ sauce and Utah scones.

Editor tip. Low and slow is the brisket gospel; resist the urge to crank heat. The bark forms over 8+ hours of smoke. Pioneer Day beans should be sweet but not cloying; balance brown sugar with cider vinegar.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy.