In a recent clickbait article, Oklahoma City was named the eighth best barbecue destination in the country. Based on the places I've visited over the years, that’s respectable enough but, truth be told, Bibbs Smokehouse might be number one in my stomach.
Located just outside the barbecue badlands of Lake Thunderbird, around 10810 Alameda Dr. in Norman, sits Bibbs – a customary smokehouse – smoking meat all the live-long day. Based on exterior appearances, you would think it had been through a couple of decades of hickory wear and tear, but it's apparently been in operation for only a few months.
While the décor is nothing to write home about, the fragrant smell of burning wood engulfed me as I walked through the door. I immediately eyed and made my way to the counter and placed my order. I then walked to the table, quickly said a prayer, and prepared to dig in.
For this BBQ excursion, I ordered the Two Meat / Two Side ($19.00) meal with brisket and rib tips. I almost went with a trio, but with moderation being my new motto, I resisted the temptation. It was a wise decision, as the smoked, juicy animal flesh covered most of my tray...
I started with the trademarked brisket. As I inhaled the corpulent aroma, I took the waiting meat into my being and was brutally amazed. The fatty portions melted in my mouth, as it always was the best part. It was carnally electric.
But the rib tips…they came to party, brah. The odds and ends of pork ribs, here they are repurposed to bite-size treats. Abbreviated, the fatty content is mixed with the muscley cartilage, giving my well-worn innards a delicious dinner. Paired with the sticky-sweet barbecue sauce that covered my fingers, it’s a real compliment.
I accompanied my meats with the chosen sides of fried okra and the Smokehouse BBQ Beans. The okra is alright—I will keep trying—but the beans are fabulous. Made with the required, uhm, beans, here, they have compounded the extra meat flotsam, making them extra fantastic. You can sop them with your bulging Texas toast, if you like.
Feeling full, I wrapped the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I also had a serving of their banana pudding, but after two or three bites, stick a fork in me, I’m done.
Cómpralo ya!
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