This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.
- Robert St. John says Sacred Ground Barbecue is the best overall and complete barbecue joint in Mississippi and arguably one of the best in the South.
For most of my early life, barbecue wasn’t much of a staple. Not because I didn’t like it—far from it—but because there simply weren’t a lot of barbecue options in Hattiesburg, Mississippi during the 1960s and 70s. There was a popular legacy restaurant called The Wagon Wheel, and it was beloved by locals, though many folks raved more about their yeast rolls than the actual barbecue. I’m sure I ate barbecue there at some point, but I wish I had eaten more. We just didn’t eat out much when I was a kid, and by the time I became interested in restaurants and food, The Wagon Wheel had served its last meal.
Barbecue is deeply regional in the South, with each region having its own signature style. In the Carolinas, it’s all about pork, often with a vinegar-based sauce that cuts through the richness. Alabama has its white barbecue sauce—a tangy, mayo-based concoction that’s unique to the region. Around here, our sauces are typically sweet, sometimes spicy. Pork rules the barbecue world in most of the Deep South, from pulled pork to ribs. And while a perfectly smoked brisket is a culinary achievement, pork ribs and pulled pork outsell beef brisket in these parts without fail.
Then there’s Texas—where beef reigns supreme. Whether it’s brisket, beef ribs, or beef sausage (hot links), Texas pitmasters have perfected the art of smoking beef. I was late to the Texas barbecue scene and remained partial to the styles I grew up on for many years…