I had Bill King’s piece from yesterday about what’s new or different at Sanford Stadium cued up for a post at the blog today — and let me say two things about it, one, yay! for any bathroom improvements and, two, the more the athletic department lets Claude Felton speak for it, the more competent it sounds — but I found this buried in my Twitter feed yesterday and it moved me in a different direction.
McGarity and barbeque, a controversy? Why, tell me more.
New concessions partners Dreamland BBQ and Dunkin’ Donuts will be joining Chick-fil-A, Subway and Papa John’s Pizza, Felton said. Dreamland BBQ will be offered at nine locations throughout the stadium and will offer chopped pork and chicken sandwiches at each location, while barbecue pork nachos also will be offered at their Gate 6 Plaza stand. Dunkin’ Donuts will operate in Reed Plaza and offer hot and iced coffee and munchkins.
Additionally, Gate 6 Plaza has been turned into a food court, with Chick-fil-A, Dreamland BBQ and Papa John’s each having a stand. Also being added are two beverage portables on the 100 and 300 East End concourses.
Dreamland, eh? It makes sense, I guess. After all, you’ve already imported your head coach and the Process from Tuscaloosa, so throwing in a pork sandwich from there is nothing if not consistent.
As Booker’s tweet indicates, the decision isn’t sitting well in certain quarters, though.
Damn, if you’ve lost Andy Staples, Greg…
That being said, Booker is essentially correct here. Nobody is ever going to confuse what’s served at Sanford Stadium with haute cuisine, although, as I’ve mentioned before, there are plenty of sports franchises who have recognized what a money maker higher end food offerings can be. And it’s not like Georgia hasn’t offered mediocre barbeque (using the term loosely) from an out-of-state source before. As someone who avoids Sanford Stadium fare outside of emergencies, all I really care about is whether they still intend to have high schoolers and their parents handling service as inefficiently as ever, something Felton says zip about.
While I’m on the subject of service, there is one intriguing thing in King’s post that is mentioned in passing, almost to the point of being glossed over:
Felton said there has been “continued evaluation” of offerings in an effort to streamline the menu “in order to assist with speed of service.” That included discussions with representatives of Chick-fil-A and Augusta National and individuals who have staffed collegiate venues, he said.
Augusta National? Really? Tell me more.
Get The Picture 
What moron would chose Dunkin’ Donuts over Krispy Kreme? That’s the real issue here.
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I’m just hoping having a donut stand isn’t indicative of us expecting lots of early starts. However, Dunkin does have superior iced coffee and I suspect that’s what drove the decision. I don’t think too many hot and sweaty bourboned up fans are actually craving donuts.
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For some reason college football does not conjure images of donut holes and coffee. Staff meetings, maybe.
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Well no Dunkin’ Donuts. Krispy Kreme though? Hell yea
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Everybody wants Krispy Kreme, all the time. I guess there’s a time and a place for Dunkin’s Circle Cakes, but I haven’t found it.
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I like the cake style donuts more than just your regular glazed style donuts. I’ll grant that KK has the superior glazed donuts, but their cake style donuts are nowhere near as good as DD.
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” but their cake style donuts are nowhere near as good as DD”
To me, that’s like saying someone else’s sliced-deli meat style BBQ is nowhere near as good as Sonny’s BBQ. Blech. To each his own, but…blech.
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I had to read that twice to get it
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I like cake just fine. No need to shape it into a doughnut shape though.
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Back in 98-01 I was the Garrison Commander at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. After multiple failed sanitation inspections I threw DD off the installation and brought in Krispy Kreme. I could have run for permanent mayor after that. Having said that….the BBQ snafu is much worse than the Donut fiasco.
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Jimmy Williamson is licking his chops at the opportunities Krispy Kreme would bring.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/report-cops-mistake-krispy-kreme-donut-glaze-for-meth-arrest-man/
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If they invite KK, they’d need to triple the capacity of shitters in Sanford Stadium cuz those donuts move fast.
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Dreamland is at least a respectable establishment but isn’t their raison d’etre beef ribs and white bread?
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Without question the best pork ribs I have ever eaten were at the Dreamland in Florence, Alabama.
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Absolutely true, their reputation was built exclusively on ribs….which isn’t the type of BBQ I associate with stadium eating. A decent pulled pork sandwich fits the bill, and I have never even had one of those at Dreamland so I don’t know if it is even average. Hot dogs, peanuts, soft drinks, and beer are all you need, do it well and do it fast. Like the Senator, I don’t go to a stadium to eat, or because of the food selection. But it is curious to select a firm so closely associated with Tuscaloosa.
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Not beef – pork this ain’t Texas.
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Dreamland used to be insanely good ribs. Now it’s a brand.
And within that brand, the ribs themselves are average (superior to a Chili’s or such). The sauce is killer and really versatile. Covers up a pretty indifferent meat prep.
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I could care less. Just win the damn game.
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I guess we can consider Dreamland just part of the process.
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It’s not getting me too riled up but it does seem like just a bizarre choice – I am sure there are plenty of good Georgia barbecue places that could do this, so did it just not occur to the admin that people would prefer to go with an in-state choice here? Was it even discussed as an issue at all? Regional barbecue allegiance is a pretty commonly known concept…
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I doubt this was driven by any other consideration besides profit margin.
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Dreamland is a fast-food rib now ($$$). Used to be a craft rib. So in a way, the perfect metaphor for your narrative on the evolution of CFB through the character study of BM.
I hit Heirloom BBQ on my way through ATL last Father’s Day. Worth a trip if you’ve never tried it. The Korean pulled pork sandwich is ridiculous.
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Heirloom is five minutes from my house. I have to stop myself from eating there too much.
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What is their best sauce? Had too many to pick from when I was there.
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With the pork, it’s their settler sauce, which is vinegar based. They have a special sauce for the brisket, which is Texas-styled.
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Heirloom’s settler sauce is killer on the pork. My only complaint is in the last year or so, they’ve been less consistent on their pulled pork in terms of pulling out the giant pieces of fat. Some fat is fine, but when I get a platter, I should not have to throw a piece of fat away that makes up half of the protein serving… It’s stupid close to home though for me as well, so they still get my business, just less frequently than they did a few years back.
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I didn’t realize we were neighbors, Senator. I’ll be happy to buy you a sandwich next time you go to Heirloom.
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Best smoked turkey I’ve ever had.
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Here’s how that discussion ended, if it happened at all: “Some will complain about it, but come game day they’ll all buy it.”
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I think that’s baked into all AA email footers now.
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I mean, Fresh Air comes to mind.
Not saying it’s the best, but at least it’s from Georgia and used to making quite a lot.
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Just bring POSS back.
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I love the taste of a Sanford Stadium Poss’s BBQ samitch in the morning.
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They truly did an awful job when they had the concession.
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I took my son to fan day and sat on the club level. About 30 min in I when to the restroom, but they were locked. I turned around to see Greg MaGarity and Claude Felton standing in an aisle. Walked up to them and said “I hate to ask you this but is there a bathroom I could use near here?”.
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Burgers, Popcorn, Hot Dogs, French Fries, Chips. Maybe some nachos or pretzels. Coke products. Do that fast and I’d be happy.
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Anything free with a coke purchase? Maybe a ticket? 🙂 (too obscure a reference?)
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The real question is whether they will serve hash or brunswick stew on the side.
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And it is very important to know the difference
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Terrible PR move by ADGM. Is he making these decisions on his own or taking the advice of others? Does North Georgia not have any good BBQ?
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Dreamland has gone corporate in a way most BBQ places never do.
Maybe Shane’s would have the business model to operate in the stadium but a lot of people grumble they aren’t even REAL BBQ as they don’t smoke it.
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No need to split hairs on cooking style; Shane’s is just plain heinously bad. If that’s the alternative then give me dreamland all day.
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Andy hits the nail on the head. Dreamland = 2nd best in Tuscaloosa; Archibalds = hands down #1 in Tuscaloosa (and in many folks’ top choices in all places, period).
Dreamland is very good BBQ, but why go out of state with the choices in GA? Hopefully, there’s a good reason Dreamland got the nod, but color me skeptical.
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It’s Dreamland’s Duluth location that is handling the catering
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Booo!!!!!
Alabama BBQ sucks.
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Because you’re a connoisseur of all things that suck.
You won’t find better bbq than what you get at Saw’s.
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I like the on the bone chicken with white sauce and the pulled pork over greens and grits is something everyone should try at least once. However, I judge BBQ by the pork ribs and I’m not a big fan of saw’s ribs.
Here’s another problem with a saws and most alabama BBQ places: no stew. Saws had stew once when I went in there and it was wonderful, but it’s not there the vast majority of the time.
You take an alabamian to fatt matt’s and get them a slab once and when they get home they’ll punch saw’s right in the mouth.
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white BBQ sauce is something to behold. I saw it at Publix recently.
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Myt wife makes her own white sauce. Damn good over chicken thighs and bone in breasts.
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Plenty of great recipes for it online. If you own a blender (or a good whisk and a sturdy forearm), it’s a show-stopper with dinner guests who have somehow never heard of it.
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So many uses: https://youtu.be/6f01WbdLl0o
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it just tastes like mayonnaise, vinager, and pepper to me.
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Speaking of “sides”, both Saw’s and Moe’s offer a rotating menu of add ons. Menu changes daily. That may be standard operational procedure now, but it makes it nice. Also, Moe’s has the only turkey worth talking about. It’s worth trying, I promise.
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you should try Southern Soul, sniffer, they have it figured out
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As someone who mostly eats vegan and thus really treasures the rare occasion I allow myself BBQ, I’ve been disappointed in the Dreamland I’ve eaten at in both Atlanta and Bham. Only Rendezvous in Memphis had worse BBQ, which is saying something as Rendezvous ribs are akin to grilling an old leather shoe then topping with sauce.
Couldn’t they at least gotten Fox Bros or Fresh Air BBQ locally?
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Shout out to my friends at the Butt-Hutt!
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if you haven’t been, Saucehouse BBQ on Broad Street (where Peaches was, and Manuel’s before that) is good.
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This proves to me that folks will complain…no matter what…
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Yeah, all we are is potential customers. The nerve of some wallets!
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It would take a pretty big operation to handle what they are doing. Not every BBQ guy is even equipped to come close.
But yeah, if it bothers you, let it…
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Read my post. I don’t eat at Sanford Stadium. Nothing for me to be bothered about.
But, yeah, if you want to believe Dreamland’s the only operation capable of handling Sanford Stadium, knock yourself out.
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Not like Fox Bros. has any experience with serving at stadiums or anything…
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Andy ask the guys at Fox Brothers and they said UGA never called them.
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Course not. McGarity called the Bama franchise first, that was it, but we’ll still see a bill for “BBQ Search Firm” in 90 days…
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Logan Booker is such a flawed vessel to be making this point, and honestly, his schtick is pretty old at this point. He’s not Dantzler yet, but he certainly amounts to nothing more than a sunshine pumper. Totally lost me when he insinuated that people in Cobb County were basically stupid for being upset at the way the Braves stadium deal went down. Easy to say when you don’t live here and have to pay the increased millage rates and fund the police operations for traffic control that you didn’t even get a chance to have legit public hearings on.
It’s not that the fans are criticizing McGarity specifically for choosing a shitty BBQ option for the menu. It’s that it’s part of a consistently lazy set of decisions where if the AD would show any sort of creativity and throw a bone to the local guys would engender some easily earned goodwill while still raking in that sweet, sweet BBQ profit. I think Fox Bros’ response to Staples was emblematic of the problem. It’s one thing if they couldn’t meet the price point and whatever else that the AD may have required for stadium operations. It’s the fact that they didn’t even bother to ask Fox Bros or the like which is what drives so much of the criticism of McGarity.
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It shows a level of tone deafness in his decisions that is startling. Maybe instead of additional staff for CKS they need to hire locals to help staff the AD to help with making decisions like this.
Dreamland? Really?
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Agree with Audit and Squatch. It’ not about the quality of the product, it’s about the administration knowing the fanbase. Can you imagine the reaction if Florida decided to start selling Varsity at their stadium?
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Duke/NC State/UNC/ECU have the best BBQ* for any college football; it hasn’t made them win much, though.
Eastern NC BBQ > yours.
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I’ve eaten them all, including all over the Carolinas, but central Texas has the best bbq in the country, followed by K.C. And I dont particularly like Texas, mind you. Sorry, but beef brisket alone puts them over the top.
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Ding ding ding. We have a winner. Texas BBQ brisket. Yum-o…
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O-ver-ra-ted (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap)
Sure, a place like Pecan Lodge will serve you a brisket that will blow you away – but the average Texas brisket has the texture of a dry pot roast. No thanks.
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My experience has been that you can find crappy barbeque anywhere.
The best brisket I had in Austin was as good as it gets.
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Which did you decide was your favorite? I was just on a golf trip with Austin friends to Bham and got them some bbq pork ribs…they were ready to abandon beef brisket forever for these ribs and we were only at an average place. I miss pork bbq! You mentioned Heirloom’s…maybe we can set up an exchange. 😉
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And if it’s crappy you want, there is always a Sonny’s or Dickie’s close by.
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That’s why you do your research and not eat at average places. I’ve eaten great, average and bad bbq all over; it’s not just a Texas thing by anymeans. But good or great Texas bbq beats good/great bbq elsewhere IMO – that’s the difference.
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Just comes down to protein preference. Mine is pork fat. You can ruin beef. Bacon not so much.
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You can ruin beef…but the good places dont. Good beef trumps good pork. IMO of course.
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I find Eastern NC barbeque almost inedible, and that is why BBQ is such a regional preference. You tend to like what is most familiar to you and what your grew up with. I understand you prefer that, but that hardly makes your better, or mine. A BBQ fanatic, I lived in NC for over 20 years, traveled every nook and cranny of that state, my conclusion is they should be sued for calling that BBQ. I kept trying to find a place I could enjoy, didn’t happen. I appreciate that the locals really like it, but you won’t live to see that concoction served in Sanford Stadium. It is being served in the area where it will be received well, and will stay there. Hint: if you have every had really good BBQ meat, it would baffle the hell out of you why anyone would mince it to the point you cannot discern it was even pork, and you particularly would not add almost pure, runny vinegar and cabbage to it to give it some taste….bad as that taste might be. I spit out my first attempt because I didn’t see it prepared, just bit into the sandwich. Ugh!
I did attend some pig pickings in the state of NC where they actually cooked the meat over fire and pulled some nice pieces bigger than a dime/quarter, and they were comparable to what I know as Southern BBQ, although the available sauces were challenging. NC and VA are poor examples of BBQ pork to me, and it is the thing I miss least about leaving the area. But is a regional thing, and they seem satisfied with it.
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You people are missing a major point. I have to consider how this sort of thing impacts the reserves. Lowest bidder that can handle an operation of this size wins.
I encourage everyone to go ahead and start making 2018 Hartman Fund donations and to seriously consider joining the Magill Society.
P.S. We’ll enable the bar codes on Stubhub sometime before the first game.
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Dreamland’s mac n cheese is microwaved Stouffers.
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More tone-deaf decisions by BM. I don’t make many games in Sanford but one of the last times I was there, I was dismayed to see the peanuts were from South Carolina. As a proud graduate if our College of Agriculture, I’m pretty sure I learned that peanuts are a major crop in Georgia, with our farmers supplying the world. And a lot of that farming expertise came from UGA research and extension. Yet we sell rival peanuts in our stadium. Beyond stupid to me.
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What’s most ironic about all this non-Georgia product being sold at Sanford Stadium is the insistence from certain quarters that we need more games in Athens to support the local businesses.
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Mmmmmm… a Dreamland bbq smamitch, washed down with Gatorade, a few SC peanuts, and some boudin from LSU makes Sanford feel so much like home.
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Let’s put up some ads for Pepsi, United, and Wells Fargo while we are at it.
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I guess no one here knows that the founder of Dreamland is a UGA alum and has any endowment at the school.
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I don’t doubt you but since that is the case the press announcement should have included that tibbit. PR people should have realized it would have looked like we were trying to look like Bama.
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Shocking, a PR mistake/oversight by BM. And for the record, I certainly had no idea. So Bama was borrowing from UGA before we started last year, dang.
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he should be ashamed for the product he puts out….it’s garbage, I guess I just like pulled pork and not finely minced pork
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I’ve had dreamland as was extremely disappointed, not sure why folks like it so much, should have gotten some Southern Soul if they wanted to serve good Que
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and*
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In the immortal words of Lewis Grizzard “If it ain’t pig meat it ain’t BBQ”.
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I agree with senator. Food choices are there for show, makes people think for maybe a minute “hey, they’re bringing in good food”. But then it’s over.
I have learned that we can go to several steakhouses, BBQ huts, and any other kind of food you want, while it’s mostly pretty good at the good restaurants, none of them do it as well as we can do at home. I’ll eat steak and pork out but when I want it good I just do it at home. Any one of you can get a Weber smoker and a Weber kettle and do the same.
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Try White Tigers BBQ pork.
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If you’re going to a football stadium for BBQ, you’re doing it wrong.
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