What Exactly Is Memphis Style BBQ?

No one knows exactly how or when Memphis-style barbecue came into being, but Charlie Vergos, founder of The Rendevous and creator of its world-famous dry rub rib recipe, certainly knew who started it. Craig David Meek, author of "Memphis Barbecue: A Succulent History of Smoke, Sauce & Soul," explains that Vergos told Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal in 1989 that "Black people invented barbecue." In the article, Vergos recounted his childhood wanderings through the city and his frequent sightings of Black families barbecuing pork. When Vergos opened The Rendezvous, he used his family's Greek seasoning recipe on his ribs, but he credited the concept of cooking meat over a low, slow wood fire to Memphis' Black residents.

Memphis' location on the Mississippi River influenced its barbecue style, as the city's shipping and commerce industries brought a variety of spices to the city, not to mention barrels of molasses. Barbecue joints began to spring up in the early 1920s. Pitmasters combined spices to create dry rub blends and added their favorite flavorings to the barbecue sauces they served. A typical Memphis-style barbecue sauce is tomato and vinegar based, with spices and molasses or brown sugar added, but you'll be hard-pressed to get Memphis pitmasters to hand over their recipes. Unique combinations of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors are handed down from one barbecue cook to the next, giving diners access to an incredible array of rubs and sauces. No wonder Memphis has over 101 barbecue restaurants!

Author Craig David Meek points out that pigs have been part of the American South's agricultural landscape since Spanish explorers arrived in western Tennessee in 1541. This long history of raising pigs for meat may explain why Memphis-style barbecue emphasizes pork, particularly pork shoulder and pork ribs. Of course, you'll find plenty of other barbecued meats in Memphis, from brisket to sausage to chicken, including a few surprises, such as Cozy Corner's barbecued Cornish game hens and Payne's Bar-B-Que's bologna sandwich.

Memphis-style barbecue sides include traditional classics like baked beans, coleslaw, greens, and macaroni and cheese. You'll also encounter potato salad, french fries, chips, and cornbread. With over 101 barbecue joints in town, you'll also discover some truly creative side dishes.

For example, The Commissary includes a deviled egg with every barbecue plate and platter, even their hot tamale plate. Elwood's Shack offers blue cheese and jalapeño coleslaw for those who don't care for traditional slaw or just want an extra kick to their cabbage. Bain Barbecue, which serves up Texas-style barbecue in Memphis, features Texas twinkies on their menu — whole jalapeños stuffed with a mixture of brisket, cream cheese, and spices, then wrapped in bacon and smoked.

Finish off your meal with a quintessential Memphis-style dessert — banana pudding. Sweet, creamy pudding, crunchy vanilla wafers, and whipped topping combine to make a treat that pairs perfectly with Memphis-style barbecue.

In a barbecue-obsessed city like Memphis, it shouldn't be surprising to find famous barbecue-fusion dishes, including barbecue spaghetti. The Barbecue Shop's original owner, Brady Vincent, gets the credit for creating this Memphis favorite. The sauce is tomato-based, but has a unique barbecue flavor. To this day, the sauce recipe remains a secret.

Elvis Presley loved Memphis-style barbecue. Craig David Meek writes that Elvis frequently craved Coletta's barbecue pizza and often sent his wife, Priscilla, to pick up several pizzas at a time. Horest Coletta initially created the pizza to induce Memphis locals to eat Chicago-style pizza, which wasn't selling well in Memphis. Tasty sauce, smoky shoulder meat, and Elvis' cachet combined to put Coletta's barbecue pizza on Memphis' culinary map. The restaurant celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023, and barbecue pizza is still on the menu.