BBQ Road Trip Review: Fork Grove, Carlile’s, Rusty’s Bar-B-Q

[00:00:02] What you want when you want it, where you want it. This is the MESH. The restaurant is at the end of that long white line. So in this episode, we're talking about three destinations for my second BBQ Road Trip this summer.

[00:00:43] Last time we went to Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina with a side quest to a hidden spot near where I live in the Hickory Metro.

[00:00:50] For this journey, we're heading back into the deep south with another South Carolina stop in Anderson and two stops at BBQ joints near the place where I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. We're also talking about Carliles BBQ and Rustys Barbecue in the Birmingham region.

[00:01:08] We'll get to all the details on those in just a moment. First, a reminder you can find more BBQ reviews and pitmaster interviews at our website. Low Slow BBQ Show.com.

[00:01:48] We'll see you down the list at number four. Subscribe to the Low Down newsletter and get it recipe every week like the one we shared for our Boston butt rub. Just visit lowslowbbqshow.com, clicking click on the link that says subscribe and you'll get it to the newsletter.

[00:02:04] You'll get the latest BBQ news hot off the press every Tuesday morning. Finally, before we start talking about Fort Grove BBQ and all the cool stuff Dylan Cooken, his team are doing near the South Carolina Georgia border.

[00:02:16] I want to remind you the Low and Slow BBQ Show is on Instagram, that's where you can see photos and videos from all the stops on the BBQ road trip.

[00:02:24] We also link all or content into the Instagram story as soon as it's alive. Just follow us at low and slow BBQ show. That's all spelled out all one word to get the photos, the promos and the behind the scenes stories of BBQ across the Carolina Zambiard.

[00:02:40] Now let's get to Fort Grove, Fort Grove BBQ. You can find them on the worldwide web at Fort Grovebbq.com. They're also on Instagram as well. If you're looking for that physical location, you want to take 85 South out of Carolina, headed into South Carolina.

[00:02:57] You'll hear all that stuff from Greenville and Spartan Bird. You'll get down to Anderson. You take exit 14 down South Carolina 187, take it out 187 about seven miles and you'll get out into the country.

[00:03:11] And quite literally once you get there, you'll discover that Fort Grove is a feast by the field. It just so happens to be the motto of euphoria and Greenville.

[00:03:19] That's where Fort Grove BBQ is a regular participant in that big festival, face by the field, just like Fort Grove BBQ is a face by the field.

[00:03:28] So I robbed on the scene. It started raining just as soon as I got there didn't have a lot of time to spin looking around outside.

[00:03:35] So got right on in. Wouldn't much of a line robbed on Thursday and you can see the big menu on the wall and then got a laminated menus for you to look at in the line, but not much of a line for me.

[00:03:47] So I felt like I was kind of put on the spot when it's time to order and you do that. You want to get there at that market counter and you can order things by the pound. You can also order plates and sandwiches.

[00:03:58] Personally, I suggest you order one of their plates and then just add all the things you won't do it. If you don't do that, let's say you'll walk up and start naming off all those proteins that you won't in the sides.

[00:04:08] By the time you get to the register, they'll figure out what you got and make it a plate with extras. Get your chores the right price, a low price for you as well.

[00:04:16] And that's exactly what I did. I walked up to the counter and just started shouting out a half pound of brisket, half pound of bacon burning and half pound of pulled pork.

[00:04:24] Chiller and jalapeno sausage lengths. I walked sides on what sweet potato crumble and white macaroni and cheese and they were right there on it to fill up.

[00:04:32] Worked out the proteins quickly served them up perfectly got me all set up on a stray tray and sent me to my booth with a fresh sweet tea.

[00:04:41] Got in there and they've got a pretty large dining room plenty of places to sit but it was a busy night on Thursday. When I enjoyed off that big menu of protein and sides, my favorite was the brisket.

[00:04:52] Boyd Dylan has a peppery bark there with meat, this firm but tender and moist. And those burn ends that are ordered. They've got a similar bark flavor that came with a sauce on top of them.

[00:05:03] That offered an extra kick of Texas. I know that Troy and Dylan in the gang there experiment with some of those other burning flavors like maybe a strawberry top sauce. You want to check that out if you get to fork grove in the next few weeks.

[00:05:16] Of the things on my plate, I'd probably say that the pork was the weakest but it was still good. Maybe a little bit dry and none of the meats I'll tell you they need sauce. They don't need to do it all.

[00:05:26] But the sauce is there and one of those is a thick tomato we type sauce to others. Mustardy, unlike to try it without sauce and then add some sauce and have a little sauce experiments there to see which I like the best.

[00:05:39] And they all went really well with each of the proteins that they've got it for grove. I mentioned the sides. I got the white macaroni and cheese and that really brought a different and distinct flavor for the cheese.

[00:05:50] The sweet potato crunch was hands down among the best that I've ever had. And if you've had a few sweet potato crunches, I'll tell you. And if you're listening in the Hickory Metro for grove sweet potato crunch is better than what they're serving at JD's and Apple City.

[00:06:06] I wouldn't say the sweet potato crunch is the only reason you want to head to a sad or secret. But I will tell you that it is a good reason and definitely want to get that side.

[00:06:14] But I'll save all the side talk for one of my other stops here on the road tour for now. I want to tell you that Fort Grove staff was super friendly.

[00:06:22] I mentioned their help, get me the right tray and the right plate worked out with all the stuff added to it. The restaurant itself is really spacious. They got a couple of very large dining halls. That's a beautiful pastoral setting outside.

[00:06:33] And not a lot of outdoor seating but you know in South Carolina it's not really cool all that often up to have outdoor seating. You want to be inside there and they got some really cool Texas paraphernalia on the sides about Texas barbecue.

[00:06:45] A really cool spot to check out and eat some barbecue. I'll back at the facility. I was kind enough to talk to Troy and he gave me a tour of the smoke house and we talked all about the things that Dylan's working on.

[00:06:58] Dylan, the pit master, of course we've had him on the low and slow barbecue show and he told us about some of the stuff that he's got going on.

[00:07:04] One thing that he's adding a center block pit where he started doing whole hog barbecue and whole hog big pick and zone Saturdays. You want to check it out there. Of course Saturday is also sausage snap Saturday.

[00:07:16] And that's when Troy produces some unique original sausages look for a minute on Instagram. You'll see Troy snap in those sausages and you also want to check it out on Saturday. That's when they're doing it.

[00:07:27] For me, I hit it on Thursday and as it turns out and speaking with Troy, he was kind of enough to enlighten me that. You know, Wednesday they smoke the meat. They do all their prep and stuff on Tuesday. You get there Thursday.

[00:07:38] You got the first crack at all the good stuff that they've got on the menu. All the good things you won't ever run out of anything. By the time you get to the end of the day Sunday or Saturday, I'm sorry they're not open on Sunday.

[00:07:49] By the time you get to the end of the day Saturday, you may start to run out of some of those proteins. Even though they've got some extras there with a sausage snap and the whole hog big pick and that they've got there now.

[00:08:00] So for me, I hit it on Thursday. You can go there on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. They're open 11am to 8pm each three of those days, but that's the only time you'll find them.

[00:08:11] You may find them at the restaurant on Tuesday and Wednesday working and in trial though, you might. You probably won't talk them into serving anything until they open the doors promptly at 11 on Thursdays. So after a stop on I-85 in the Anderson South Carolina,

[00:08:26] I continued my trip about 260 more miles to the Birmingham Metro, the Magic tragic city in North Central Alabama. And that's where I completed my first visit to both Carlisle and Russie's BBQ. And now as a Birmingham native, I've been to plenty of area BBQ joints from Golden Rule,

[00:08:44] Lockhamies, Alley's full moon, even green top out in Dora to dream land and the New regards like Rodney Scott's BBQ. But on this trip, I want to sum up the difference. I want some place I haven't been before.

[00:08:56] And when you need something different, it's always good to have a BBQ guy. You don't want to walk into a place and be surprised with something that's not great. You want to walk in and be pleasantly surprised.

[00:09:06] And there's a few host and gods around the south that you can check into. They're going to kind of give you the scoop on the best BBQ places to check out. Of course, check us out here at Low and Slow BBQ Show.

[00:09:16] We've got a lot of details, interviews with our fit masters. And other sources for information around the region. And North Carolina specifically, check out the BBQ Bros that's BROS. They've got rankings, reviews and maps.

[00:09:29] They even include the best and worst of around all the major cities in the Carolina. So, Monk and Tommy and all those guys over there at the BBQ Bros do a great job.

[00:09:38] And they're really kind of a great guide pose for fun and good BBQ around North Carolina. Another one of our friends is the BBQ tourist. And the smoke sheet, they're good resources for BBQ around the nation, especially around the Midwest and the Northeast.

[00:09:52] For each one of those live we had Ryan Connor, the BBQ tourist here on our show here just a few weeks ago. You can check him out and find out his stories. Another one I'll share with you is Michael C.O.GA.

[00:10:05] Or I'm not going to try to pronounce this as the last name and get it wrong. But it's Michael C.O.GA. And he's a R on Instagram. He has had a tremendous summer journey of the great BBQ destinations all over the Eastern Seaboard.

[00:10:18] If you go following, you can see his pictures and his details. And he's really focused on spotlighting the BBQ restaurants and their pit masters. He really does a nice job kind of highlight in some of the best stuff along the Eastern Seaboard.

[00:10:30] One last tip and this is somebody that I used on my trip to Birmingham and Alabama, you'll want to check out Alabama BBQ Chase or Alabama BBQChase.com. He's got the list, like best to the best places you've got a try, saucy talk, a travel log.

[00:10:45] If you're visiting Alabama, you'll want to visit and check out Alabama BBQChase.com. It's a great resource for BBQ in the heart of Dixie and more or less lead me to my Birmingham area of visits. And that begins with Carl Alos BBQ.

[00:10:59] It's at Carl Alos BBQ.com, C-A-R-L-I-L-E-S-B-B-Q.com. It's located on 6th Avenue south in Birmingham, between Lakeview and the Forest Park area. Now, Carl Alos originally opened in 1945. That means it's been serving Birmingham BBQ fans for nearly 80 years.

[00:11:18] It was founded by the Carl Al Brothers, Herman and Warren Carl Al after their service in World War II. Funny thing is one of those brothers had his name misspelled while he was in the military that had the C-A-R-L-I-S-L-E. The military spelled it C-A-R-L-I-L-E, which was incorrect.

[00:11:37] But they decided to stick with that and put it up there on their BBQ restaurant. So Carl Al BBQ brothers was born. They just stuck with that after they opened in 1945. It was inside the family up until the Colot family purchased it in 2007.

[00:11:52] They decided they wanted to preserve the Carl Al BBQ history because it is definitely a Birmingham institution. And it's ranked among the states best to the best spot at Alabama BBQ Chase. Now, I gotta say that may be a little bit of a sentimental writing ranking.

[00:12:08] The Alabama BBQ Chase reference strips there with his grandfather. So maybe some of that kind of influenced his decision. I will say I talked with my dad who grew up and spent all of his life in Alabama.

[00:12:19] He says that in the late 80s and early 90s, my dad was working at an engineering firm downtown. He says that Carl Alos was a regular lunch spot for him and his colleagues.

[00:12:28] He often got the meat and three plate, but he remembered that the BBQ was having a much more of a traditional Alabama style sauce. Before all the thick Kansas City sweet stuff started kind of showing up in the mid to late 90s.

[00:12:41] He says it's a perfect lunch spot. While it was there, it was full of blue collar workers, alongside professionals. And again, they were all showing up for good food. It's a weight staff type of scenario.

[00:12:52] You're not going to step up to the counter in order to have pound a bit of thing, but they got the menu and you can take the plate routes.

[00:12:58] And you can get pretty much close to the same results order in a meat and two or meat and three or a couple of proteins and some sides to go along with that.

[00:13:06] After I've been at Fort Grove BBQ on Thursday, I arrived at Carl Alos and I'll admit I was still pretty full. So I took it pretty light while I was at Carl Alos BBQ, but I think it did the right thing.

[00:13:18] And got a barbecue sandwich pulled pork with a couple of sides, baked beans and white slaw. I'll say an admit that white slaw and barbecue pork barbecue go together great for me. Red slaw and pork barbecue go together great for me.

[00:13:32] So if I'm going to have a barbecue sandwich, I want to put some of that slaw in there too. The baked beans were kind of a last second decision, but glad to make it. I mean they were sweet and thick full of meat.

[00:13:42] I'd go back just for the baked beans and probably a plate that was just sides or one of those meat and three plays. It really makes a great lunch, you know. Again, you won't go into a restaurant like that and they've got specials.

[00:13:54] You probably want to check them out. Let's talk about the pork. It came out covered in a tangy brown sauce. It's kind of an Alabama traditional vinegary, thin-ish type stuff that they go ahead and put on there for you. I didn't get a choice.

[00:14:06] I got it whether I wanted it or not. That keeps the meat moist. It gives it a nice tangy flavor. They've got another sauce that they offer on the table as well as sort of the brown sauce.

[00:14:15] It's a little bit more sweet equally as thin, so you can use whatever you won't there again. My peak and my favorite there at Carlaus was the baked beans, but next time I may go out towards the specials with the daily deals.

[00:14:28] Carlaus, of course, has a lunch spot in Birmingham is open 1030 to 3 Monday through Friday or close both Saturday and Sunday. Why would they be open? Nobody's downtown working. When they're downtown, working carlals is open, you can check them out. Final stop on my tour Rusty's BBQ.

[00:14:44] It's pit smoked BBQ that Jonathan Rusty Tucker is putting out there. It turns out Rusty went to culinary school at Johnson & Wales in Charlotte. Open up this restaurant in 2009. You can learn all about it. Rusty's BBQ.com. That's Rusty's BAR, the letter B, the letter Q.

[00:15:03] And so, BARBQ.com. Rusty's is located in Leeds, Alabama. It has it turns out if you have any familiarity or with that area. It is at the same exit as a beaver, the Bucky's beaver. And that's on I20 just east of Birmingham.

[00:15:20] He stopped at Bucky's if you won't, too. If you need to, you'll see the signs for hundreds of miles going in there. But I say, you don't eat. Get what you need from Bucky's. Don't eat drive about three more miles down US Highway 411 to you. It's 78.

[00:15:34] You'll find Rusty's just down the road to peace there. He's close to the past pro shops, he's close to Barbara Motorsports. And of course, he's close to the Bucky's as well. And Rusty's interior's got all kinds of Alabama Sports Memorabilia.

[00:15:47] They're large dining room, including some stuff from the Barbara Motorsports Park and Alabama Football. And baseball, Auburn Football and basketball, as well as the Birmingham Barrens are represented in the memory of Bill Yagir, too. So check that out.

[00:16:02] Pork is pit smoke and is handpicked and Rusty leaves it in bigger pieces and you get plenty of bark on that pork as well. So you get the inside soft tender voice meat as well as the flavor that comes along that bark after the pit's mocha.

[00:16:15] Now I'll tell you that Rusty's was also ranked by the Alabama Barbecue Chased among the states best of the best. And personally, I hit Rusty's on Saturday. It took a couple of friends with me here in this scenario.

[00:16:26] You'll order it the register off a full menu of options. He's got up on the wall. Personally, we got the sampler platter for two and I shared that with the local Birmingham friend. Again, large dining room and they've got outdoor seating as well.

[00:16:39] It would be a good spot to visit in a cool evening, maybe in the fall. When we were there, it was hot and rainy on a Saturday afternoon. So we ate outside and speaking of a cool treat there on a hot Saturday.

[00:16:52] Let me just start by saying that Rusty's barbecue's dessert is the bomb. Coconut cream pie came from Rusty's grandfather. That was his recipe. The banana pudding was Rusty's mother's recipe and before I even talk about anything else,

[00:17:07] I got to tell you that coconut cream pie was probably one of the best coconut pies I've ever had. If you like that kind of thing, check it out. Banana pudding was a close second but the desserts there at Rusty's were fantastic. Also good, the sides.

[00:17:21] Yeah, I'm talking about the dessert and the sides before we get to the proteins. But these black eyed peas at Rusty had were so good. I've just got to promote them. They were the best I've had in a really long time.

[00:17:31] Had a nice touch of black pepper and a thick savory broth. If you like black eyed peas, check Rusty's out. Man, they were really good. I will go back and eat that by the gallon. I could probably eat my weight in black eyed peas from Rusty's.

[00:17:44] Rusty's also is kind of unique in that they've got several sauces out there on the table. One of those is the house sauce and it's a variation on Rusty's grandfather's recipe. It's thin, tomatoy vinegary with a little bit of a toying and it's kind of between the thin,

[00:17:58] watery stuff you might get it all. These in Birmingham and some of that thicker sauce that you get it golden rule is designed to be thin. They've also got a sweet barbecue sauce, a spicy barbecue sauce and a course, Alabama white sauce.

[00:18:11] I got to mention that when I was growing up in Birmingham, there weren't really a lot of places that were promoting the Alabama white sauce. But since Big Bob Gibbs and really kind of called a national acclaim and reputation,

[00:18:23] you're finding it more and more around the entire state and Rusty's is one of those places. So I know I talked all about the sides and I talked all about the dessert but I don't want to take anything away from the meat there that they had at Rusty's.

[00:18:35] It's really good, especially the chicken had a great smoke flavor on it. The brisket was also really good. Had a good flavor on the bark, it was moist and tender. We got ribs, we got turkey, we talked about the pool of pork.

[00:18:46] All of it was good without the sauce but again it's nice to add some of those sauces and have some experiments and what the good stuff they've got between the white sauce which is really good on the turkey and the chicken or the spicy sauce,

[00:18:58] which is good on the brisket or the sweet sauce which is good on the ribs of course. And those ribs by the way, some people talk about them falling off the bone and these weren't necessarily falling off the bone but they were pretty darn close.

[00:19:09] They weren't competition where they want you to be firm and you still got a bite and still got meat on the bone. They weren't quite that firm but they were super tender, very well smoked and fall right off the bone without being mushy really.

[00:19:23] Rusty's barbecue is open 1030 to 830 every day but they are closed on Sunday so check them out Monday through Saturday whether you want them for lunch or dinner. Rusty's is a great location, definitely recommend it if you're east of Birmingham there on our 20.

[00:19:38] One thing I learned on this barbecue road trip I want to talk about over a little bit of everything if you can. That really gives you a better chance of finding the best bites.

[00:19:47] Plus you get a takeout box and you can enjoy the leftovers for the next day's breakfast with the next day's lunch. After the three stops I had my host had quite a bit of leftovers in their refrigerators that we enjoyed nibbling on throughout the stay there

[00:20:00] in Birmingham. If you're so full from one stop like I was Thursday at Fort Grove when I walked into Carlisle for lunch Friday I know this seems like stating the obvious but you can share with friends it's cost effective and you get simple everything

[00:20:15] Or you know get something smaller like I did a sandwich a side plate You know maybe check out the special or the daily meat and three offering.

[00:20:23] Of course if it's a place like I said if it's a place known for lunch get that daily special or meat and three and you're bound to do okay If all the Birmingham's going there for lunch you're probably safe with anything you order as well.

[00:20:33] So with that said save travels on the barbecue road if you hit a favorite barbecue spot out there on the road Especially around the Carolina's please share it with us.

[00:20:42] You can email it low and slow barbecue show at gmail.com email your suggestions your reviews and your dishes again low and slow barbecue show at gmail.com

[00:20:55] You've been listening to the low and slow barbecue show on the mesh dot TV network of podcast be sure to visit us online at low slow BBQ show.com

[00:21:03] That's where you'll find the blog you can hear other podcast episodes including our barbecue road trip through South Carolina with stops in Columbia and Charleston

[00:21:11] That was Paul Marra and city limits and if you like what you hear on the low and slow barbecue show please be sure to give us that five star rating on your favorite podcast network

[00:21:20] It helps a lot of other people find our podcast. It's really helped us grow traffic over the summer remember visit low slow baby cue show dot com and subscribe to the low down newsletter

[00:21:29] We'll send you the latest podcast blogs recipes barbecue events and more all directly to your email inbox every Tuesday morning Thanks to the barbecue restaurants that hosted me for grow barbecue Carlisle barbecue and resty's barbecue really enjoy visiting your places of business

[00:21:45] Thanks as well to our producer Andrew Moose and the whole team at the mesh dot TV network of podcasts There are folks behind the scenes that make our podcast happen. Most especially. Thank you for listening to the low and slow barbecue show

[00:21:57] Remember for the best barbecue and the best barbecue podcast make it low and slow You've been listening to the mesh and online media network of shows and programs ranging from business to arts sports to entertainment music to community

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