The 9 Ideal Barbecue Joints in Colorado, In accordance to Denver’s Soul Food Scholar

Eat and Drink

In honor of Nationwide Barbecue Month, Adrian Miller, creator of Black Smoke: African People and the United States of Barbecue, dishes on his preferred spots to get fireplace-kissed fare.

Sarah Kuta •  May possibly 18, 2021

Denver is blessed to have its pretty personal soul meals scholar, Adrian Miller. And when he’s not crisscrossing the place exploring the history of Black food and society, there’s a very good likelihood you are going to uncover him tucking into a plate of barbecue.

Miller, a James Beard Award-successful food writer, historian, and lawyer, was born and elevated in Denver, so he’s eaten his honest share of barbecue at restaurants throughout Colorado. His most recent ebook is all about the extended-standing cooking approach, far too. This spring, he revealed Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue, which tells the tale of our nation’s Black pit masters and restaurateurs.

In honor of National Barbecue Month this Might, we asked Miller to share his favourite Centennial Condition barbecue spots—but in advance of we get to the list, there are a handful of items you really should know about his taste-tests credentials and approach to assessing new-to-him places to eat. 

Miller has been consuming barbecue because he was a kid. Growing up, his relatives cooked pork spareribs, hen, and hotlink sausages on holiday seasons and weekends through the summertime. His incredibly initially position was at an Aurora barbecue joint that later on burned down (a fate, he pointed out, which is all far too common for eating places that offer mainly with smoke and fireplace) he’s also a certified barbecue judge.

These times, when Miller visits a barbecue restaurant for the to start with time, he nearly always orders the pork spareribs initially, if they’re on the menu. Then, he normally attempts the pulled pork and maybe some brisket. Miller normally builds his possess sampler platters at dining places that sell their smoked meats by the pound “I’m a spareribs man, so that’s my touchstone,” he suggests. “I seem at how they are created, how they taste. To me, which is usually a indication of excellent things to appear.”

He’s a supporter of Kansas Metropolis-design and North Carolina-fashion sauces, but he genuinely tries to stick to the respective cook’s lead when it arrives to sauce. “I just think of sauce like a chef pairing, they’re indicating, ‘This is what goes with this,’ and I attempt to take pleasure in the entire seamless practical experience rather of getting them separated,” he claims.

Miller, who generally eats barbecue about when a week—twice a 7 days through the pandemic, to assistance help tiny businesses—is a lover of potato salad and coleslaw for sides, but notes that he doesn’t like coleslaw with raisins in it. “To me, the sides are secondary—they’re surely complementary, but I’m additional targeted on the meat and the sauce,” he claims.

1 dish he hasn’t but located in Colorado? Fantastic smoked rooster. “I’m continue to in look for of a great smoked hen,” he claims. “I just just cannot assume of 1 which is promptly memorable. I have not uncovered what I’m on the lookout for.”

And now, without further more ado, right here are Miller’s beloved destinations to try to eat barbecue about the state—and what he likes to purchase at every a person.

G-Que Barbeque

Places in Westminster, Lone Tree, and at Mile Substantial Stadium
What Miller orders: “I just adore their smoked wings and their ribs are definitely very good,” he claims.

Hank’s Texas Barbecue

5410 E. Colfax Ave.
What Miller orders: Hotlink sausages and Frito pie. “You can add brisket to [the Frito pie],” he claims.

Owlbear Barbecue

2826 Larimer St.
What Miller orders: Brisket and pulled pork. “The appealing matter about their pulled pork is its North Carolina design and style, which is uncommon. I did not count on that,” he claims. “I also really like their burgers. They do burger nights periodically and they’re genuinely fantastic.”

Roaming Buffalo BBQ

2387 S. Downing St. 17121 S. Golden Rd. C100, Golden
What Miller orders: Bison ribs and pulled lamb. “Bison ribs are lean and have a a little gamey flavor, but they are extra reminiscent of beef than pork,” he states. “On the weekends, they have barbecue ‘sammies’ and they are very delicious, also.”

Rudy’s Country Keep and Bar-B-Q

315 South 31st St., Colorado Springs
What Miller orders: Key rib and pork spareribs.

Post Oak Barbecue

4000 Tennyson St.
What Miller orders: Pork spareribs and pork tummy. “Man, they have so much superior stuff there,” he claims. 

Severe Texas Bar-B-Q

Destinations in Durango, Loveland, Fort Collins
What Miller orders: Brisket and Elgin Texas sausage, plus a sampling of their seasonal sauces. “It’s a truly unique sausage which is individual to central Texas,” he states. “In central Texas, it’s normally referred to as ‘hot guts.’ Think about a sausage that’s coarsely floor but it nearly feels like it’s unfastened.”

Smōk

3330 Brighton Blvd. (inside of the Source Sector Hall & Resort) new locations coming to Denver and Fort Collins shortly
What Miller orders: “I like their burnt ends and their smoked jalapeño-cheddar sausage,” he claims. “And any time they do their fish particular, which is actually good.”

Wayne’s Smoke Shack

406 Middle Dr., Remarkable
What Miller orders: Brisket and smoked catfish.