Alabama BBQ Sauce-Off Championship

Everybody, it seems, has a favorite story about barbecue. Here's mine. Mrs. Duggins and I took a road trip to Memphis. We were going to see Bonnie Raitt in concert. Now, when it comes to barbecue, Memphis has Elwood’s Shack, Corky’s, Fat Larry's and they all have their fans. But with apologies to all, this story is about Charlie Vergos Rendezvous. And, Robert Moss has me beat. He's author of the book "Barbecue, The History of an American institution." It's in a new and expanded edition from University of Alabama press. He joins me next on APR notebook.

Barbecue may be on the menu for a lot of Alabama homes over the Fourth of July. However, a new survey by the website Lawnstarter has lukewarm results when it comes to ranking cities in the U.S. for Barbecue.

The website onlyinyourstate.com lists the white sauce at Big Bob Gibson BBQ among its “twelve things you have to eat in Alabama before you die.” The dish ranks along the fried green tomatoes at Irondale café and the oyster sampler at Wintzell’s Oyster House. Mayonnaise is considered the base for Alabama white sauce.

A staggering 88% of grill masters in the United States favor meats, especially steak for their barbecues. But the latest research finds Americans are diversifying their BBQ menus with a growing interest in seafood and veggies. A popular choice in Alabama is pointing to healthier eating for a State with reputation for obesity and the medical comorbidities that go with it.

Barbeque may not rank up there with figgy pudding on Christmas menus this time of year. But that didn’t stop Newsweek Magazine from choosing three BBQ restaurants from its annual list top eateries.

A restaurant from Eufaula has won Alabama's BBQ Sauce-Off Championship.A panel of judges picked Phil's BBQ as the best sauce during a tasting Saturday in…