Although these chicken thighs may involve more work than backyard barbecue, the recipe shows exactly how competition pitmasters pack as much flavor into their meats as possible, along with a strong focus on presentation. More

Ribs slow-smoked over cherrywood get a little Asian flair when finished with a hoisin barbecue sauce, creating a unique combination of sweet, salty, and smoky that's all around delicious. More

It's general consensus that Podnah's serves the best barbecue in Portland. Elsewhere I've frequently been let down by dry meat covered with a mediocre sauce, but not here. More

Santa Maria is best known for tri-tip, which became the signature of Central California 'cue during the 1960s. Taken from the bottom of the sirloin, tri-tip is a versatile cut of beef, and the folks at Rancho Nipomo sure make a tasty sandwich of it. More

Santa Maria's claim to culinary fame is a type of open-flame grilling that dates back to the 19th century. Despite its association with colonial Spain's vaquero culture, this approach was not too different from most American barbecue of the time—a process with three general steps: "Dig hole. Light coals. Apply carcass." More

Detroit doesn't exactly have a style of barbecue it can call all its own, which is why Slow's, an institution-in-the-making on the main strip of Michigan Ave doesn't really have a style of its own either. Instead, you'll find their own versions of staples from around the country like Texas-style brisket, Carolina-style pulled pork, or St. Louis ribs. More

Anyone familiar with Tiffani Faison's resume (Top Chef, fancy hotel dining rooms, Nantucket) probably wouldn't have predicted that her latest move would be a barbecue joint. But when Rocca shuttered suddenly last year and Faison (at the time, the upmarket Italian resto's executive chef) found herself ready for a new gig, the 34-year-old tapped into her Southern roots, studied up on Texas barbecue, purchased a 4,700-pound smoker, and, just last month, opened her first solo venture called Sweet Cheeks. More

I arrived at Franklin BBQ in Austin at 9:30 a.m. It opens at 11 a.m. It's regularly sold-out of barbecue by 1 p.m., sometimes earlier. I was a woman on a mission, along with about 50 other people who quickly filled the porch behind me. I'll quickly dispense with the questions you're asking yourself. Yes, Franklin BBQ is worth a ninety-minute wait—though I suggest you get there early enough to snag a place in the shade. And yes, the Tipsy Texan sandwich ($6.50) (sausage on brisket withcole slaw and pickles, on a bun) is worth ordering, even though it's difficult to save room for anything other than Franklin's ribs and brisket. More

When you talk barbecue in Eastern North Carolina, you're not talking about fuffing with ribs or piddling shoulders. Baby back ribs are for babies, and what the heck's a brisket? Nope. In Eastern Carolina, barbecue means one thing: whole hog. That would be an entire pig, slow-smoked in the indirect heat of an oakwood fire until them eat is meltingly tender. On a recent road trip down south, I took a slight detour through Goldsboro to check out Wilber's. And being the Serious Eater that I am, I of course added another two stops on the way: B's in Greenville, and Grady's in Dudley. More

Lexington Barbecue, which has been serving oak-smoked pork shoulder in various forms since the 1960s, offers its barbecue in sandwich form for less than $4. If you intend to get serious about it, ask for yours with "extra brown" (bits of meat cut from the edges of the shoulder). Lexington's chewy, smoky chopped pork, crowned with a scoop of sweet and tart barbecue slaw and stuffed into a factory-made hamburger bun, is a classic handful of American barbecue. More