Ridgewood Barbecue - Bluff City, TN

by Jerry Hobson
(Atlanta)

I grew up across the border in Virginia, about 20 minutes from Ridgewood. My first memories of it are of my Dad and Mom loading us kids up in the car and driving down on Saturday afternoons to this little place out in the middle of no-where and waiting in line for hours (20 minutes adult time) to get in the front door and then into one the big over stuffed booths.

The waitress would come up and comment on how well behaved the younguns were and how the weather was getting ready to turn cold because she saw a fuzzy dark brown caterpillar that morning on her front door screen or some other commentary. After the pleasantries were exchanged the waitress would drop our order off and return with our sweet teas.

After a short wait (2 hours hungry child time) the waitress would return with platters of hot pulled pork and sliced brisket fresh from the smokehouse that morning (they start the smoke going about 4 AM) accompanied by plates of home cut long string fried potatoes and small crocks of Mrs. Profitt's BBQ beans. Bowls of sweet Cole Slaw followed and jockeyed for position on the table.

Then the fight for the sauce squeeze bottle would start and Mom would step in to negotiate a temporary peace agreement that ended up with the adults getting it first and the kids by descending age. Ah, the sauce. It's smoky, sweet with a tang just above the radar that leaves a faint after taste of molasses on the palate. Its like defining a fine wine, you just gotta try it. You can find "Ridgewood Sauce" recipes on the web, but it just ain't the same. This stuff would make your tongue slap your face even if you put in on roadkill.

I now live in Atlanta and have to drive 4 hours to get a fix. Yes, they have pretenders down here that have Barbecue or BBQ on their signs, but cousin, you gotta go north from here to get to the real south. If you ever get a chance to experience the beauty of the TN/VA border area, make a point to stop at the Ridgewood, it's worth the effort.

Forget about stopping if it's NASCAR race week in Bristol, you can't get in the door. And a word of advice? Grab a couple of jars of the sauce to take home. You will be a hit with your friends at the next outdoor cook out. And pick me up one also.