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The best BBQ in Phoenix‚ Arizona

Fifty three dollars worth of delicious heaven

I didn’t realize some of the responsibilities I was taking on when I married my Husband. I was comfortable with the “till death do us part and the in sickness and in health”‚ but I must have snoozed through some of the other vows. One vow I don’t recall on my wedding day was “If a new BBQ restaurant opens within a one hundred mile radius of your home‚ you must stop whatever you are doing and burn rubber to get there and eat.” This is a scene that has played out many times in our marriage. My husband hears about a new BBQ place opening up in some obscure part of town‚ we race to get there; he’s like a little kid when he orders. He approaches his ribs like a master sommelier approaching Merlot. He looks at them from all angles‚ smells them‚ tastes the sauce‚ and then finally bites. I watch him bite to see if our quest is going to be over. He chews thoughtfully and then he gives his verdict. Until yesterday it’s always been a variation of “it’s alright but it’s not as good as home.”  Yesterday my husband bit into Little Miss BBQ ribs and he said nothing. He just continued to eat. After six years my husband has finally found BBQ that tastes like home.

Prior to the bite of Q that silenced my husband‚ he has been doing his research. Before we had the Little Miss BBQ experience he had ascertained that Little Miss was run by a husband and wife team who competed on the BBQ circuit for years before they opened their restaurant. When headed to Little Miss don’t expect to sight see. The more industrial the neighborhood got the giddier my husband became. BBQ culture has a certain back alley word of mouth element of it‚ so it seems like the rougher the neighborhood the better the flavor.

We saved our attendance for my husband’s birthday. My husband insisted we arrive 30 minutes before the restaurant opened (which at the time seemed ludicrous) but when we pulled in we snagged the last parking lot in the place and took our place in the back of the line. Everyone reverently waited in the hundred degree weather on hot asphalt. They were all talking in an almost foreign language and peppering their speech with phrases like “money muscle” and “brisket bark.” I counted 4 members in our line with tee shirts from other famous BBQ places my husband talks about in his sleep. About fifteen minutes before show time the wife of the husband and wife team came out to calm the natives. She brought cold bottled water and patiently fielded all the questions. She knowledgeable‚ answered about the grill set up‚ wood type‚ cooking procedures‚ cuts of meat served and sauces available.

By 10:59 AM a hush came across the line. My partner in crime was sweating and nervously checking his watch‚ muttering things like “I hope they still have a Beef Rib available” and “should I do 1 or 2 lbs of pulled pork.” I watched the first patron enter the temple of Q at 11. About 5 minutes later he emerged with a large grocery style sack of Styrofoam boxes. This sent my husband into a full blown panic attack and the audible muttering concerning his order intensified. When we got to the door a sample plate of lean brisket was passed back to us like communion bread. My husband quickly gobbled his bite of slow cooked beef gold. I watched his eyes roll in the back of his head and by this time a BBQ hypnosis had overcome him. For a brief moment Little Miss BBQ took control of my husband. When we finally arrived at the counter and was asked what we would like to order my husband simply stated “it’s my 31st birthday‚ I’ve waited for a real BBQ joint to open in Phoenix for 11 years. Would you please give me one of everything you have?” I watched in awe as the owner of the restaurant loaded a plastic lunch tray with butcher paper to beyond its limit. He would call out to my husband in the weird BBQ language “You like Pulled Pork‚ Fatty brisket‚ lean brisket‚ Beef Ribs‚ Baby back ribs?” My husband still in his trance just kept saying “yes.” It was a BBQ‚ Mexican standoff. When the tray was literally overflowing with meat‚ I gave my husband under the able hand squeeze that means “your embarrassing me‚ stop whatever you’re doing”  and my husband finally relented. I wanted to slink away into the restaurant when it came time to pay for our dump truck load of BBQ‚ but everyone else in the restaurant looked at my husband with admiration or jealousy. We purchased fifty three dollars of smoked meats. There are only about 5 tables in the actual restaurant but we managed to secure one. I felt like a dog trainer urging my husband to slow down on the consumption‚ if I wasn’t there to stop my husband‚ he probably would have eaten himself to death and died happy. When we initially started to feast there was a lull of about five minutes of quiet reverence for the Q. After the silence my husband started chatting like a high school girl in a cafeteria. Commented on things like the “smoke ring” and deeply scrutinizing what Scott could of used for his rubs. He would cut little pieces and examine them and then urge me to try them. After this experience‚ I understand what real BBQ is about. It amazes me that something so simple can be taken to such heights of excellence.

Little Miss BBQ has been on our map of BBQ restaurants to try since we heard all the hype on yelp. They are known for their Texas-style beef brisket‚ which is cut right in front of the customer and put on butcher paper. Other options are delicious pulled-pork‚ beef ribs‚ pork ribs and their sausage. I never knew what grits were until I went to the south and just by the name I would have thought they tasted of dirty sand. Turns out grits are a creamy gift of butter‚ cheese‚ and spice that makes me feel cheated that I went this long without them. Other sides are coleslaw‚ beans‚ and a side of white bread to pick up the last of anything juicy and delicious. The three sauces on the tables where original sweet and spicy BBQ‚ spicy BBQ‚ and a mustard sweet sauce. Their sweet and spicy BBQ was amazing and that’s a compliment coming from me who does not  eat anything too spicy.

After we stuffed ourselves and put ourselves in a food coma‚ we walked out happy campers with extra food to eat later. To finally find the best BBQ in the valley over six years of research is like coming home from being gone a long time. It is awesome to see this couple be  inspired and driven to make a power win BBQ that their food is not only delicious‚ but their work ethic and drive to make their product the best is to be admired. If you are ever in Phoenix‚ Arizona  give yourself a life-changing moment  and try Little Miss BBQ.

 The pictures are from blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com and http://www.littlemissbbq.com/