There is nothing like a great barbecue with family, friends, and neighbors. Barbecuing techniques include smoking, roasting or baking, braising and grilling. We traveled across the US looking for the best.

Sugarfire Smokehouse Barbecue

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St. Louis is known for its arch and barbecue. Today I enjoy the meal with my sister Cherie. This being a late Sunday afternoon we realize that many locations are not open, but find one near the ball field, SugarFire SmokeHouse BBQ!

This is an award-winning restaurant under Chef Mike Johnson has studied with Myron Mixon, cooked with Emeril Lagasse and Charlie Trotter. It was a great experience of community, exceptional food (sweet potatoes the best) and BBQ pork and salmon.

St. Louis BBQ is grilled then sauced instead of dry rubbing, slow cooking over indirect heat. St. Louis is the top consumer of bar-be-cue sauce. The sauce is tomato-based and sweeter. The coffee BBQ sauce is tangy and sweet. This is the top area for pork steaks.

Mission Barbecue

Always looking for good BBQ traveling across the country. Each area has its own special BBQ. Wilmington’s Mission BBQ is American and traditional to the area. This place brings the flavors of the region to dinner. Enjoying collard greens made with tomatoes, mac-n-cheese, and green beans with bacon, brisket and NC Style pulled pork with the vinegar BBQ (this food tradition is from original settlers, African slaves on plantations and modern ones). This is an Eastern-style sauce that is vinegar and pepper, no tomatoes. Barbecue is serious here making it all the way to state Congress to declare the official bar-b-q.

Mission BBQ opened 09/11/11 ten years after 911. There is a tradition in the 52 restaurants stops at noon on Fridays to honor the military members and stars and stripes. The decor follows this continued theme with a patriotic dining room full of tributes to those who make our country great. There is really nothing more American than a barbeque.

The staff is exceptional and gives a lot of insight into food and history.  The food is a delicious find.

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Smokey D’s Barbecue

Lunch with my dad is at Smokey D’s BBQ in Des Moines, Iowa. The year of BBQ adventures and the history of each region is fun. My dad enjoys a half rack of ribs; I go for a lighter side with a veggie wrap. The menu includes great home comfort foods. The fries are crispy and seasoned. The ribs fall right off the bone. Next time I want to try the potato casserole. The BBQ meat and sauce are award-winning. The BBQ founded by Darren and Sherry Warth in a trailer in their driveway.

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Bobby-Q Barbecue

I enjoy a late evening dinner with my daughter, granddaughter Ellie, son-in-law, niece, and sister-in-law in Phoenix. It is a great location with exceptional decor. The bathroom sink is in the hallway near the restroom. The ceiling is worth looking up.

The menu is extensive and a nice variety of choices. The meat is slow smoked and topped with a sweet-savory bbq sauce. The mac-n-cheese is exceptional (Ellie loved this the best) and fries perfection. It is a great evening out.

The restaurant owned by Bob Sikora, a famous Phoenician restaurateur. He brings a Memphis approach to his bbq. The meat is smoked with almond and mesquite wood and dried rubbed.

Barbecue is a tradition in this country that is thousands of years old. It is a great way to spend with loved ones.

@4ChionLifestyle

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