Jim Dickinson's Best Memphis Barbecue & Favorite Meals On The Road
When I interviewed the High Priest of Memphis Mojo—Jim Dickinson—I asked him if he’d be interested in submitting his inimitable insight on barbecue, music and movies. Mr. Dickinson sent along some very interesting details on these cultural topics. His expertise in these categories out rank any civilian perspective. Swampland/Mystery and Manners is proud to present Jim Dickinson’s article on Memphis Barbecue and his Favorite Meals On The Road. In the next Jim Dickinson Installment, he’ll share his insight on his favorite films, pianists and desert island albums. James Calemine
Memphis Barbecue and Favorite Meals On The Road
By Jim Dickinson
There are two things that people from Memphis and people from anywhere else cannot peaceably discuss- the shuffle beat and barbecue. To those of us fortunate enough to be from Memphis, if you have two hands on the snare drum you are playing a march and if you grind your meat up it's dog food and there's no such thing as barbecue beef.
That said, even in Memphis the best barbecue is a memory. Culpeppers was King. The rib sandwich was a thing of beauty. The pulled pork sandwich always with slaw (the best sweet slaw has mustard and Louisiana hot sauce mixed in it) at Paynes on Elvis Presley Boulevard is the last of the best.
The greatest of all time pulled pork barbecue sandwich however honors go to an obscure storefront on Summer Avenue in the Berclair district where I was a boy. It was called Shorty’s, named after the famous chef from 3 Little Pigs over by the Memphis State campus in the Normal neighborhood.
Shorty’s sauce was as good or better than Barretta’s and his meat was cooked to disintegrating perfection. He had the occasional coon or opossum if you were in the secret circle. Never had a Que to compare.
The Rendezvous in Memphis is famous for tourist barbecue. I am not a fan of dry rub, but I have to say their barbecue lamb chops are immorally good. There is a good Tops on Union Avenue in Memphis in the Medical Center and a good Coleman’s #2 in Hernando, MS. But if you get much further away from Memphis the sauce gets weak and vinegary and the waitress ask you if you want slaw as if it was a choice.
I do not hold with Texas or East Coast barbecue. It’s like the groove in a Memphis drum track with the horns dripping down like thick brown-red sauce. There’s nothing like the real thing.
FAVORITE MEALS ON THE ROAD
K.C. Steak House Carlile, AR
-Jack Cheese Sandwich and French grind coffee
-Home baked hippy bread
-Alfalfa sprout organic mustard
On the road with Arlo Guthrie- Eugene, OR-Whole Earth Dirt Eaters Food Cafe
Trucker breakfast- The Elite
Cafe on the traffic circle, Waco TX
Smoked Sausage sandwich and hot slaw, grill fried Ray’s Lounge Madison
Ave. Memphis, TN
Roast beef sandwich with onions, pepper and horseradish on a hard roll- -
Elsie’s 1969s Cambridge MA
Chicken Salad- Jim’s Food Center, Oxford, MS
Dyer’s Hamburger- Beale Street, Memphis, TN
DoNuts anywhere in New Orleans, LA
Chicken Fried Steaks. Threadgill’s- Austin, TX
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