The sounds. The sights. The smells. The taste of a Southern summer can all be found right here when you get out and explore the MoCo Barbecue Trail.
About the Trail
The trail is exactly what it sounds like—a list of local barbecue spots across MoCo (Morgan County). No matter how you spell it—be it BBQ, barbecue or barbeque—the establishments you’ll find when you explore the MoCo Barbecue Trail all know how to dish up some of the best in town!
Whether you like it chopped, pulled or sliced, you can have it your way from some of the best pitmasters around. Plus, throw in tender ribs, smoked chicken, loaded baked potatoes, baked beans and all the fixings you can imagine.
What’s it all add up to? Maybe sensory overload—or one happy belly!
A few local hot spots
To kickstart the way you explore the MoCo Barbecue Trail, we’ll give you a few pointers. First of all, start right here at home!
While there are too many good barbecue joints to list across Decatur and Hartselle, we can’t help but share a few local favorites below.
- Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que: Founded in Decatur in 1925, this family tradition is a staple in North Alabama. Five generations deep with more than 95 years of barbecuing, they’ve earned more awards than we can list. But they do include at least 15 World BBQ Championship titles!
- Whitt’s Barbecue: With three locations in town, Whitt’s Barbecue is known for its hickory wood smoke flavor. Prepared slow and low, their barbecue is basted with a secret family recipe and simmered for more than 24 hours over live coals. They’ve been in the BBQ business since 1966.
- Smokey C’s Bar-B-Que & Wings: Another local, family-owned, award-winning barbecue place that calls Decatur home! Opened by two brothers in 2008, you can’t go wrong with any menu picks when the motto is “We make it the best it can be, and we make it that way every time.”
Now that you’re craving some of the best barbecue around, feast your eyes upon the full MoCo Barbecue Trail brochure!
What makes the best barbecue?
At its heart of barbecue is the smoky flavor, and where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But beyond the way the meat is cooked is the way it’s sauced. Like barbecue itself, there are a wide range of varieties when it comes to sauces.
In a nutshell, it should be a pleasant explosion of flavors—a little tangy, savory, sweet and spicy!
Typically, barbecue sauces are ketchup-based. However, in Alabama, we have what’s known as “Alabama White Sauce.” This sauce is basically mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, horseradish and a handful of other spices.
Did you know none other than Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que is credited with creating this special white barbecue sauce? It’s true! Check out this eatery’s history for the whole story.
Summary
Once you explore the MoCo Barbecue Trail and fall in love with all Decatur has to offer, come find your happy place with us! Contact us today to ask about upcoming availability. For more fun things to do and places to go, keep reading our blogs!