Pappy's Smokehouse (St. Louis, MO)

It was Day 2 in St. Louis, and I was geared up for some more smoky goodness. I was torn between Pappy’s Smokehouse and the newer Bogart’s, which has supposedly knocked Pappy’s off the throne of St. Louis barbecue in recent years. The Pappy’s website had a quote from their owner front and center which read, “We've got nothing to hide so the sauce is on the side!” He seemed like a man after my own heart, so that was enough to solidify my choice.

I got to Pappy’s bright and early around 10:30am to avoid any problems with long lines. I was on a bit of a time crunch and really couldn’t afford a 30-45 minute wait to order. Arriving early would also help ensure that I’d receive the first fruits of their barbecue harvest. Along the street out front I saw two large smokers billowing white clouds, and I suspect they had already been working in full force for several hours by this point. I didn’t notice a line when I pulled up, so I hung out in my rental car for 15 minutes and then headed inside.

There were signs along the outside of the building with QR codes linking smartphone-equipped patrons directly to the Pappy’s menu. When you finally approach the register, there’s another sign which reads, “You should know what you want to order by now.” Clearly they anticipate long lines. Luckily for me, they started taking orders around 10:50am today to get a jump on things. By 10:58am, the line was almost to the front door. Getting here early was definitely a good call.

I really wanted to try several different menu items, but I knew there wasn’t enough room in my stomach to sample all of it. My eyes usually get the better of me, so I was proud of this rare spurt of sensibility. Ribs is what Pappy’s is most known for, so I ordered up a half-rack, which seemed like a more appropriate lunch portion than a full slab. You get two sides with the ribs, and I chose potato salad and deep-fried corn on the cob.

My ribs came out piping hot, so I started with the sides while they cooled a bit. The potato salad was of the mustard variety with big chunks of potato. There was a good sweetness to it, though not much else. I didn’t really get any crunch from the typical potato salad veggies; it was mostly just potatoes. I wish there had been some black pepper in the mix for a little kick. I thought I had gotten my fill of deep-fried food last weekend at the State Fair of Texas, but I couldn’t resist deep-fried corn on the cob. I wasn’t sure what I’d receive when I ordered it. The corn wasn’t battered (part of me really hoped it would be), just cooked in the deep fryer. This atypical cooking method gave the corn a nice char and also caramelized its natural sugars a bit too.

With my side dishes thoroughly sampled, it was time for the main course. The ribs had a magnificent crust that glistened in the sunlight, while the meat beneath had a beautiful hue from the smoke. I could tell right away that these would be some tasty ribs. They were a little hard to dissect with a plastic fork and knife, but I made do. The meat was very tender and cooked perfectly. Each bite pulled away clean while the rest of the rib stayed intact. I caught a decent amount of apple/cherry wood smoke in each bite, which paired nicely with the sweet, sugary glaze. I’m used to more basic salt and pepper rubs in Central Texas, but this style of barbecue certainly has its merits, too. There wasn’t a shred of meat left on those bones by the time I was done.

All of the employees at Pappy’s were really friendly and seemed genuinely concerned with the product they put out. Even the owner Mike (aka Smokey) came up and checked to see how I was enjoying my meal. I appreciate that kind of personal attention to service from a restaurateurs (and yes, that is the correct spelling). When all was said and done, I ended up buying a witty souvenir t-shirt to commemorate the visit: “There’s no such thing as too much butt.” Indeed.

Beef reigns supreme back home in Texas, but not in Missouri. Hog is clearly the meat of choice in this neck of the woods, and Pappy’s Smokehouse has become an expert in cooking it. I’m glad I went early, but barbecue this good would certainly be worth the wait.

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Pappy's Smokehouse

3106 Olive St.

St. Louis, MO 63103

(314) 535-4340

http://www.pappyssmokehouse.com/