Is OKC really No. 2 in the nation for BBQ?

I'm skeptical of a recent website's claim but here are four Oklahoma City BBQ joints that boost the city's credibility.

I’ve been in the news business long enough to spot a meaningless listicle that will be the talk of the town in a matter of days. Last week, one such list slid into my inbox that claimed Oklahoma City was America’s second-best city for BBQ. Second best? I run an Oklahoma BBQ blog, but even I’m skeptical of that claim, especially since the top 10 list omitted cities such as Kansas City, Memphis, or anywhere in Texas. 

The list from Chef’s Pencil (a site I had never heard of, but I guess achieved its mission), used Tripadvisor data to determine which cities had the best reviews for local BBQ joints. The highest-rated Oklahoma City BBQ restaurant on Tripadvisor is Iron Starr, which is a fine place to enjoy a meal, but not really the type of craft BBQ joint that should top a list. 

More than anything, this list might indicate Oklahoma City residents are just more kind in their online reviews than most other cities.

A few days later the story was all over local news with headlines proclaiming Oklahoma City as America’s second-best BBQ hub. Many foodies responded with scoff and I get it. But while I’m skeptical of the methodology of the list, there are some solid joints in Oklahoma City. Don’t believe me? Here are four local (in the city limits) joints (in no particular order) that might give the city’s No. 2 claims a bit more credibility for those who doubt there are some solid options in town. 

Leonard Mosley, left, is the owner of Big Lenny’s BBQ food truck.

Big Lenny’s BBQ - Food truck

Leonard Mosley doesn’t do anything halfway but each brisket and pork butt he smokes is cut in half. It’s his way of getting the hickory smoke flavor deeper into each piece of meat. 

His brisket is smoked for four hours, wrapped, and then smoked for another two hours, a total cook time about half of what is traditional for most pitmasters. 

The shorter cook time doesn’t produce as a rich a smoke ring, but it does avoid the charing of the point end, allowing for more slices from the fattiest half. 

“I don’t really care about the smoke ring,” said Mosley, referring to the pinkish coloring of meat along the edges. “This way that part you normally call the burnt ends that usually get burned up, I can get some real good slices from that.”

It’s a similar philosophy with the pork butt, which he pulls by hand to get nothing but strands of meat, instead of a mixture of pork and fat. 

It may not be traditional, but it’s hard to argue with the results at Big Lenny’s BBQ, an Oklahoma City truck that travels the city but is often at the intersection of 23rd Street and MLK. 

The quicker cook reduces some of the juiciness of the sliced brisket but the trade-off is a clean hickory flavor and by being able to slice deeper into the point you can get some slices with a good amount of buttery fat. 

Ribs at Big Lenny’s.

If you are ordering pulled pork from a southern joint that does whole hog you want the bits of fat mixed with the meat. But pulled pork from a simple pork butt can sometimes have too much fat, which makes me appreciate Mosley’s painstaking process of separating it from the meat.

But my favorite item from Big Lenny’s is the ribs, which Mosley marinates for at least a day and uses a 10-spice rub. He won’t reveal the secret, but rather than overly peppery like a Texas-style, I’m guessing there is some coriander as the rub had a slight citrus-like zest. The rub also pulls some of the moister from the ribs, giving them a juicy but not wet coating. 

These ribs aren’t overcooked as you find from a lot of BBQ trucks. Instead, they have a perfect bite that leaves the rest of the meat attached to the bone. 

Jo-Bawb’s BBQ - 7921 Northside Dr, Oklahoma City, OK 73132

I’ve written about Jo-Bawb’s before because, to me, it’s the best in the city. Served out of a trailer in northwest Oklahoma City, this place offers near-perfect brisket and probably the best burnt ends in the state. 

Clark Crew Barbeque - 3510 Northwest Expy, Oklahoma City, OK 73112

In a previous review of Clark Crew Barbeque, I referred to it as hit or miss, mainly because I haven't had the best consistency, at least not with the brisket. This restaurant on Northwest Expressway looks like a chain and might someday be one. After winning the 2019 grand championship at the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue, Travis Clark teamed up with Famous Dave’s to open the Oklahoma City restaurant, with possible plans for more locations. 

The ribs are above average, moist with a tangy glaze, and have been the most consistent item on the menu.

The burnt ends, when available, are tender with tasty bark, and the sausage is intense with juiciness and a casing with a perfect snap. 

The sliced brisket is where I have been the most impressed and the most disappointed. But when it’s on point it’s up there with the best in the state.

Partially eaten ribs and pulled pork at Big O’s Pork and Dreams in Edmond.

Big O’s Pork and Dreams - B285 S Santa Fe Ave, Edmond, OK 73003

I’m cheating a bit because this food truck turned brick-and-mortar restaurant is technically located in Edmond, just a few miles from the OKC border. But I believe Big O’s Pork and Dreams still has its food truck that makes appearances in Oklahoma City, so I’m going to count it.

The ribs here are legit but the hickory-smoked pulled pork might be the best in the “city.”