Here in the States the traditional BBQ is a celebrated summertime event. We invite friends and family over and have a few brews and meat on the grill with all the fixings. It’s a great way of enjoying the outdoors and creating some fun meals. The tradition goes back to the 1800's. Prior to the Civil War Southerners ate about five pounds of pork for every pound of beef. The slaughtering became a time of celebration and everyone in the neighborhood would be invited to share in the largesse.

However not everyone approaches grilling the same way. I have some good friends that truly appreciate the art of smoking meat, and they are Pitmasters and use time tested high tech methods. One of my friends has a double sided smoker on a trailer, it’s huge. He’s been smoking meat for years, and makes some of the tastiest fall off the bone mouth watering ribs you’ve ever had. It’s a real production, he even uses wireless temperature sensors to know the temperature of all of his ribs while they are smoking. It’s hard work but well worth it in the end.

Then there’s the griller like me, not high tech, just enjoy grilling steaks, burgers or pork on my gas grill. I do love smoked meat a lot, and we’re lucky here in the Lansing area to have some establishments that go that extra mile to create smoked meats that bring immense satisfaction to the taste buds. So on those occasions where burgers on the grill don't quite excite my pallet, and I'm craving some awesome smoked meat that almost melts in your mouth, I visit one of our great Lansing area establishments. Here’s my top 5:

  1. The Smoke ‘N Pig BBQ 908 Elmwood Lansing
  2. Meat 1224 Turner St, Lansing
  3. Gumps BBQ 1105 River St, Lansing
  4. Gravity Smokehouse BBQ 1850 Cedar St, Holt
  5. Saddleback BBQ 1147 S Washington Ave, Lansing

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