TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Acknowledgments
	Foreword
	Introduction
	ALABAMA
	“JUST FIRE AND HICKORY, BRICK AND SMOKE. DON’T SPICE UP NOTHIN’,”
	“I WANNA COOK CHICKEN JUST LIKE MY DADDY.”
	“ELVIS ATE HERE.”
	“MOM WAS DEFINITELY THE BUSINESS SIDE. DAD WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY MAKING GREAT BARBECUE AND GOING BROKE,”
	“IF LOSING YOUR CUSTOMERS AND MOST OF YOUR MONEY DOESN’T SHAKE YOUR FAITH, THEN NOTHING WILL,”
	“HE ONLY MADE TWO GOOD DECISIONS HIS WHOLE LIFE,”
	“I AM THIS PLACE. AND THIS PLACE IS ME,”
	ARKANSAS
	“I DIDN’T NEED TO THINK TWICE ABOUT WHAT TO DO WHEN THE DOCTOR TOLD ME I COULDN’T BE A DIESEL MECHANIC ANYMORE,”
	“I JUST HAD TO RE-OPEN THIS PLACE. THE RIGHT WAY,”
	“TRUCKERS PUT US ON THE MAP.”
	FLORIDA
	“I HAD A PERFECT RECORD.”
	“I STARTED OUT IN THE MAIL ROOM,”
	“I NEVER HAD BARBECUE BEFORE.”
	GEORGIA
	“I THOUGHT I COULD RUN A BARBECUE JOINT PART TIME,”
	“KNOW THE LORD FIRST. PUT YOUR TRUST IN HIM.”
	“I GOT FIRED MY FIRST DAY.”
	“YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT A PERSON BY SITTING ACROSS A TABLE AND LOOKING INTO THEIR EYES,”
	“MY BARBECUE IS SO GOOD, IT’LL MAKE A FREIGHT TRAIN STOP RIGHT IN ITS TRACKS.”
	“HAVEN’T HAD ONE FIGHT SINCE WE BECAME A BARBECUE JOINT,”
	“THIS PLACE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED THE SHIMMY SHACK,”
	“THE BOSS SAID THAT HE’D BE BACK IN TWO WEEKS,”
	“THIS IS OVER. I WANT YOU TO PLAY FOR ME.”
	KENTUCKY
	“I CAN SEE YOU’RE PRETTY, I’LL JUST HAVE TO FIND OUT ABOUT HONEST AND DEPENDABLE.”
	JACK EASLEY MAY HAVE LEFT TEACHING, BUT HE NEVER QUIT BEING A TEACHER.
	“IT’S NOW OR NEVER,”
	LOUISIANA
	“HIGHWAY 90 IS NOT THE DANKEN TRAIL.”
	“GRANDMA HAD THE DEACON’S FAMILY OVER FOR DINNER EVERY SUNDAY,”
	“YOU MUST BE LOOKING FOR THE RESTAURANT. JUST GO THROUGH THAT DOOR.”
	MISSISSIPPI
	“ABE’S IS INDEED LOCATED ON HALLOWED GROUND.”
	“IF YOU CAN MANAGE A $4 MILLION BUDGET, YOU CAN SURE MANAGE THIS.”
	“A LIGHT BULB WENT OFF.”
	MISSOURI
	“I’VE ALWAYS LOVED THE BLUES AND BARBECUE,”
	“I’M THROWED IN THE RIVER, I GOTTA SWIM.”
	THE JOINT AND ITS OWNERS DIDN’T FORGET WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
	NORTH CAROLINA
	“MODELING OR BARBECUE?”
	“ALWAYS HAD AT LEAST TWO JOBS, SOMETIMES THREE, AMONG THEM WORKING AT A BARBECUE JOINT,”
	“I WANNA DANCE WITH MY SHORT SUGAR!”
	“THIS IS NOT A JOB. IT’S A WAY OF LIFE.”
	“THE MAN AT THE EMPLOYMENT OFFICE HAD TWO JOB OFFERS,”
	OKLAHOMA
	“LIFE’S TOO SHORT TO BE UNHAPPY. DO WHAT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY.”
	“YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE IT. YOU’RE NOT LAZY.”
	“MY DAD WAS A CHARACTER.”
	SOUTH CAROLINA
	“WHEN YOU GET YOUR OWN PLACE, DO IT YOUR WAY, BUT YOU’RE AT MINE.”
	“IF YOU GOTTA MAKE A LIVING DOING SOMETHING, I RECKON I’VE HAD A PRETTY GOOD GO OF IT,”
	“WE’RE LIKE TRAVELING BACK TO AN EARLIER TIME.”
	TENNESSEE
	“WE HAVE SEATING TO ACCOMMODATE 10,000,”
	“ISN’T GOD FUNNY?”
	“SON, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.”
	“GRANDPA WAS A CANTANKEROUS OLD MAN,”
	“I CAN’T AFFORD TO BUY THIS,”
	TEXAS
	“THIS STARTED OUT AS SOMETHING TO DO BETWEEN GETTING LAID OFF,”
	“DON’T WORRY GIRL. I’LL BE HERE.”
	“I’M A BULLSHITTER,”
	“YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS, BUT I WON THIS PLACE IN A CARD GAME,”
	“NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED AROUND HERE SINCE I BOUGHT THIS PLACE FROM MR. COOPER,”
	“I WAS YOUNG AND FOOLISH AND DIDN’T KNOW ANY BETTER,”
	“HOW’S THE BRISKET TODAY, BOBBY?”
	“I’VE SEEN A LOT OF BARBECUE JOINTS OPEN AND CLOSE ’ROUND HERE, ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE,”
	“THERE ARE TWO THINGS I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER. NEVER FORGET THE GOOD TIMES AND NEVER MAKE ME CRY.”
	BUILD YOUR OWN PIT
	LET’S HIT THE ROAD