Hog Wild | Exploring New England’s Barbecue Scene

New England’s barbecue scene may be relatively new, but it’s lost no time in establishing an enviable reputation on the regional and national stages. Yankee contributor Mike Urban has traveled city streets and country roads throughout New England in search of the best barbecue joints, and what he discovered is bound to whet the appetite of any ’cue lover. Here’s his roundup of the top 10 places to visit.

Bear’s Smokehouse – The StackNew Haven, Connecticut

This newest addition to Bear’s mini-chain of Connecticut barbecue joints is housed in an old factory building with a 40-foot-tall smokestack and is adjacent to a nine-acre, high-tech innovation park. The cavernous interior includes dozens of tables in the restaurant and taproom, a cafeteria-style carving line, and a fully stocked bar. This Bear’s brews its own beer in addition to its numerous other libations. There’s a large indoor/outdoor beer garden along with a stage for live entertainment. As for barbecue, the back ribs and the bacon-wrapped meatballs are menu standouts. bearsbbq.com

Taino SmokehouseMiddletown, Connecticut

Improbably attached to a boxy Ace Hardware store, this darkly painted and dimly lit eatery serves up superb barbecue from its wood-fed smokers and grill. In addition to ribs, smoked brisket, and pulled pork, there’s tender, juicy pulled chicken and amazing sides such as creamed spinach, garlic mashed potatoes, and sweet, crispy coleslaw. Smoked-then-fried chicken wings are great openers; they come with a choice of half a dozen “flavors” (sauces), either cooked-in or served on the side. The wood in the smokers is primarily hickory, supplemented by other hardwoods and some fruitwoods supplied by a nearby orchard. tainosmokehouse.com

Becky’s Real BBQMiddletown, Rhode Island

In a cedar-shingled house just a few miles north of downtown Newport resides a modest yet wonderful barbecue purveyor that’s been in business for two decades. Becky’s BBQ serves up wood-smoked meats in the grand low-and-slow Southern tradition. Utilizing an indoor stainless steel rotisserie smoker fed by an outdoor firebox that provides heat and hickory wood smoke, Becky’s is able to turn out surprisingly large amounts of delectable pulled pork, smoked brisket, barbecued chicken, and slow-smoked St. Louis–style spare ribs. You can choose between Kansas City sweet sauce and North Carolina vinegar-and-pepper-based sauce, cooked into the meat or served on the side. The six-table dining room is decorated in a calico kitchen motif reminiscent of cofounder Becky Bowden’s upbringing on a dairy farm in nearby Portsmouth. Becky’s is homey, casual, affordable, and a perfect antidote to the busy pace of downtown Newport. beckysbbq.com

The Smoke ShopCambridge, Massachusetts

Over the past two decades, the Boston area has experienced a wave of trendy barbecue establishments, with the Smoke Shop being the latest and best of the bunch. Located in Kendall Square, the Smoke Shop may not be a bona fide “joint” but it’s definitely a stellar barbecue establishment with a fanatical local following. Chef and co-owner Andy Husbands, a national champion barbecue competitor, is at the helm and oversees every aspect of the restaurant’s smokers, kitchen, and bar, which stocks dozens of whiskeys as well as numerous craft beers. The beef brisket is outstanding, as are the ribs and the “burnt ends,” flavorful chunks of meat from the fattier portion of the brisket. Sides include spicy pimento mac and cheese, crispy fried okra with remoulade sauce, and corn bread with honey–sea salt butter. To do it right, go with either the Pit Crew (choice of two meats and two sides) or the Pit Boss (three of each). For more on the restaurant and a selection of recipes, check out Yankee’s July/August 2017 story “Grilling 101 with Andy Husbands.”thesmokeshopbbq.com

B.T.’s SmokehouseSturbridge, Massachusetts

This roadhouse on Route 20, not far from Old Sturbridge Village, is the brainchild of Brian Treitman, a Culinary Institute of America alum who started B.T.’s in a roadside trailer in 2007. The hardwood-smoked barbecue here is among the best in western New England. Pulled pork is the most popular item, derived from smoked pork butt that’s been dry-rubbed and smoked for up to 14 hours. The lengthy menu is posted on a chalkboard hanging over the order counter and next to the four-stool counter, which has a commanding view of the kitchen and carving station. In addition to the barbecue, be sure to try some of the fun sides and snacks, which have included cornmeal-battered chunks of andouille sausage, “sexy” grits, and Cheezy Bawlz of Love (oh, behave!). btsmokehouse.com

Bluebird BarbecueBurlington, Vermont

This 5-year-old barbecue restaurant mixes slow-roasted meats with tasty sides and locally crafted beers in a relaxed, polished-wood dining room and bar with tables and screened windows facing Burlington’s Winooski River. Start your meal with half a dozen smoked wings, an award-winning house specialty; the “pitmaster” version is tops and comes with remoulade-like Alabama white barbecue sauce for dipping. Bluebird is a great place for gatherings, so the Family Reunion meal (feeds four, maybe more) is highly recommended. It includes smoked pulled pork, baby back ribs, brisket, spare ribs, smoked turkey breast, smoked chicken, and generous portions of all eight side dishes. For sandwiches, the pulled pork is outstanding, as is the massive Ultimate Stack: brisket, pulled pork, lightly breaded onion rings, and a jaunty pile of homemade coleslaw on a brioche bun. Since this is Vermont, don’t miss the maple-based barbecue sauce. bluebirdbbq.com

Curtis’ All American Bar-B-QPutney, Vermont

Still going strong after nearly half a century, this is one of the oldest and most casual barbecue operations in New England. Owner and pitmaster Curtis Tuff has been tending his open-air, wood-fed barbecue grills and cooking up his signature chicken and ribs since the place opened in 1968. Tuff and his crew operate out of two blue-painted school buses sunk into the ground next to the crude metal grills. Locals know to look for the telltale blue smoke rising from Tuff’s lot to know when the barbecuing has begun each day. Seating is at picnic tables scattered over an open field, and there’s a large pet pig in a pen near the children’s play area for the entertainment of young and old alike. Curtis’ may be overselling things a tad in proclaiming itself “the 9th Wonder of the World,” but it does take the gold medal for charm, authenticity, and longevity on the New England barbecue scene. Open April through October.

Goody Coles SmokehouseBrentwood, New Hampshire

If you’re looking for an authentic Texas roadhouse barbecue joint in New England, Goody Coles is as good as it gets. The walls inside are covered with all sorts of Lone Star State memorabilia, including Texas license plates, a pair of longhorn steer horns, and even a stuffed boar’s head. A steady stream of pickup- driving customers stop in throughout the day, giving the place plenty of workingman’s-barbecue street cred. The St. Louis–style pork ribs are dry-seasoned and slow-smoked over hickory wood. The mac and cheese is warm and creamy, and the barbecue sauces come in the mild, sweet, and spicy varieties. Contemporary country music plays nonstop through tinny, wall-mounted speakers. There are several picnic tables inside and several more outside that offer a commanding view of the two-lane highway. This is as close to Texas Hill Country as you’ll get in New England.goodycoles.com

Salvage BarbecuePortland, Maine

Portland has earned a reputation as New England’s rising food mecca, and Salvage Barbecue on the west side of downtown does that reputation proud. This cavernous brick and wood frame venue has a long bar and a sea of picnic and Formica-top tables spread out over its dance hall–size floor, and the sweet aroma of smoked meats fills the air at all times. One of the top items on the menu is the Meat Coma, featuring a quarter-rack of ribs, one-third pound of brisket, one-third pound of chopped pork, a cup of chili, and two generous sides (make sure one of them is BFF—beef fat fries). There are about a dozen fiery barbecue sauces to choose from, including Maine Line Burn, Liquid Pickle Fire, and Super Smokin’ Nova. Cool down with a Maine microbrew from one of Salvage’s 16 beer taps. There’s live music on weekends. salvagebbq.com

Elsmere BBQ and Wood GrillSouth Portland, Maine

Housed in a former auto repair shop, this neighborhood restaurant has helped make South Portland a force to be reckoned with on the Portland dining scene. Dimly lit on the inside, as befits a genuine barbecue place, Elsmere takes its cooking seriously, smoking its meats in a massive A.N. Bewley wood smoker from Texas and doing its grilling on a wood-fed Argentine-style grill. The chicken wings and Bell & Evans chicken thighs are slow-smoked then finished on the wood grill, as is Elsmere’s smoky sausage. Hand-sliced brisket and fall-off-the-bone St. Louis–style ribs are favorites from the smoker, along with hand-pulled pork taken from 30-pound smoked pork butts. The seasonings on all the meats are simple and often supplemented with turbinado sugar for a hint of sweetness. The lively bar area is illuminated by a massive “Ray’s Auto Radiator” neon sign, a callback to the building’s past. In back, there’s a garage bay to which cords of hardwood are delivered regularly, to keep the smoker and grill going year-round.eslmerebbq.com

This feature was first published in 2017 but has been updated to replace The Stand in Branford, Connecticut, (now closed) with Bear’s Smokehouse in New Haven. 

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Mike Urban is an award-winning food and travel writer and a regular contributor to Yankee. He is the author of four books: Lobster Shacks, Clam Shacks, The New England Seafood Markets Cookbook, and The New England Diner Cookbook. He lives in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, with his wife and four children.