jim dandy's family bbq

despite the fact that i just blogged about it yesterday, emma's birthday was at the end of april and i hadn't seen her in a while as of last week. so we decided to meet up for dinner tonight. emma suggested jim dandy's family bbq, a place that her mom had been raving about. of course i am always up for a new restaurant adventure so i was happy to check it out.

the license plate is "BBQ RESQ"

jim dandy's is right off exit 15 on 75, so it's a bit of a hike for me and probably many of you. but let me tell you it is damn worth it. jim dandy (well let's just pretend that's his name since i don't really know for sure) believes in smoking meats, and not just any old smoking. straight up hardwood smoking. no gas, not even any charcoal. just smoke.

i didn't even tell her to pose like that. now that's a good friend!

the food was... well... smoky. but it was delicious. i had to try everything so i got the half slab of baby back ribs with a quarter chicken (dark meat) and then sweet talked jim dandy (i think it was him anyway) into giving me a free sample of the pulled pork. emma got the half slab of baby backs and aaron got the pulled chicken sandwich.

a moment of silence for aaron, fastidious kosher keeper and poor deprived pork abstinent soul. and jews don't even have heaven as payoff.

for sides, i got baked beans and bread pudding. emma got collard greens and macaroni and cheese. aaron got applesauce and saratoga chips. we all got cornbread.

the spread. yes, there are starving children in china and we ate like this.

the pulled pork was absolutely delicious. juicy, flavorful, smoky but not too smoky, and just fatty enough to give it that porktasticness to which all pulled pork aspires. yum. the ribs were good, but not as good as sam's in my opinion. emma however loved the ribs and was sucking bits of meat off of them even after she finished. they were very smoky, i think a little too smoky for me, but it depends on what you like. maybe i am just not used to eating smoked meats.

i didn't try the pulled chicken because aaron inhaled it too fast so i am assuming it was good. the chicken quarter was good, nice and juicy and smoky (of course) but it didn't blow me away. the pulled pork was by far my favorite.

we all pretty much had a consensus on the sides:

• excellent: collard greens, bread pudding, cornbread
  
• good: baked beans, macaroni and cheese, saratoga chips
• fair: applesauce (aaron said it tasted "kind of canned")
  
• poor: none

jim dandy (if that was him) told us that the red beans and rice are a very popular side. none of us was really feeling it but i would try it the next time i am there. jim dandy said to avoid the coleslaw. we appreciated his honesty.

henry was not pleased that he was eating slop while we pigged out on fine swine

there are 2 kinds of bbq sauce... mild and hot. we all had hot and forgot to try the mild. it was dark, sweet, and spicy. i could actually have done hotter but i think it is a good hot for most people.

you order your food at the counter and then sit down. it feels like you're inside a log cabin. jim dandy told us that he had been open for four years, which may explain why those of us living closer to downtown have never heard of it. there is a huge smoker out front, and some seating out near the smoker (but it smells super smoky out there so it's not for everyone).

extreme close up, just in case you are not already salivating

prices were fair i thought. for my ribs, chicken, two sides, and cornbread (and free pulled pork sample), i paid $18. i have enough food left over for another meal so that was fine for me. however, to be fair, i am a bbq glutton and could actually have eaten it all. i just decided to stop so i could have lunch tomorrow. aaron and emma's meals were cheaper, i think around $12.

head out to jim dandy's if you are a fan of smoked meats. you will not be disappointed.