Owensboro KY Barbecue Restaurant Named Among the South’s Top 50

Growing up in Owensboro KY, barbecue was and IS just a way of life. We had a neighbor down the street who routinely made enormous kettles of burgoo--complete with mutton, which can be hard to find outside of a restaurant menu. The church picnics--with all that amazing barbecue--were all a part of summertime fun when I was a kid. And, of course, there's the Barbecue Festival.

(By the way, those of you unfamiliar with burgoo--yes, there ARE those--check out this recipe, and replace lamb with mutton for the authentic Owensboro version.)

National Recognition for a Legendary Owensboro Barbecue Joint

Bottom line...I don't have to SELL Owensboro's bona fides on the topic to a good deal of readers. And those readers more than likely are not surprised that one of Owensboro's top barbecue restaurants has, once again, been recognized nationally.

Old Hickory has been recognized at the national level before, and none of us who grew up with it is surprised. Try living close to it for several years without wanting barbecue every day. That was me, and there is nothing wrong and everything right with that aroma in the air every time you leave your home.

How the List Top 50 Southern Barbecue Joints Is Compiled

Southern Living recently published its list of the top 50 barbecue joints in the American South and Old Hickory landed inside the top 30 at #24. And how did Southern Living come to rank all these great southern restaurants? As the old proverb goes, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." And all that eating--what a job, right?--was done by Southern Living's contributing barbecue editor Robert Moss. He's interviewed here for an episode of The Pitmasters Podcast:

Moss actually REVISITS locations in order to compile the annual list. Again, WHAT. A. JOB.

And what a job Old Hickory continues to do. I'll tell you, between them and Moonlite, Owensboro will never have too much trouble in terms of national recognition.

I mean, seriously, who doesn't love good barbecue?