By Wally Kennedy
wkennedy@joplinglobe.com
Joplin has proven once again that it’s a barbecue-lovin’ town.
The opening two weeks ago of Billy Sims Barbecue, 2830 E. Seventh St., confirmed that. It was the biggest opening for the Oklahoma-based restaurant franchise in its six-year history.
“It was so much more than what we could have anticipated,” said Whitney Beavers, of Tulsa, Okla., who has been director of training for Billy Sims BBQ for more than four years.
“We had so much business that we started to run out of product three days after we opened,” she said. “I think Joplin has been craving some good barbecue.”
It didn’t hurt that Oklahoma University running back Billy Sims, the 1978 Heisman Trophy winner, was there for the opening to autograph sports items and collectibles, and meet with the locals. But when Sims left, the high sales volume continued.
Beavers said a competition smoker was brought to the restaurant for the opening to make sure the demand for beef brisket could be met. It now looks like it’s going to have a permanent home at the restaurant.
There’s just something about good barbecue that appeals to the palate. Beavers said the secret to good barbecue is using the best available meat and slow cooking with hot smoke.
“We prepare all nine of our meats in this 600-pound smoker and our corn on the cob, too,” she said. “We smoke for 14 hours overnight. Everything we serve is made fresh daily. We do not reheat anything. With the volume of this place, we wouldn’t need to reheat.”
The slow method of cooking breaks down the collagen in the meat and tenderizes the tougher cuts for easier eating. The meat is seasoned and wrapped in Saran wrap for the slow-cooking process.
“The Saran wrap keep the moisture in the meat,” she said. “It’s an important part of how we get the right flavor, too.”
The restaurant has two rubs. One of them, which is a dark red in color, is for the ribs. The other, which is more orange in color, is for the restaurant’s other meats.
Beavers will tell you a lot about the secret to success at Billy Sims BBQ, but she won’t divulge what’s in their rubs.
“It’s our secret seasoning. If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore,” she said.
Another secret to the success of Billy Sims is the type of wood they use to smoke their meats.
“It’s pecan wood. It smokes well and adds a good flavor to the meat,” Beavers said.
That’s the rub
Here’s an example of a classic-style Carolina dry rub recipe. The preparation time is 10 minutes.
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1⁄4 cup paprika
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. It can be used as dry rub on beef, chicken, lamb or pork.
Want a wet rub that’s heavy with the flavor of garlic? Try this recipe. The preparation time is five minutes.
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt (coarse salt works best)
Mince the garlic as fine as possible. Mix all of the ingredients together. Rub the paste into the meat before cooking.
For Kansas City-style ribs, try this rub:
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Mix all of the ingredients together. Use while the ribs are slow cooking. Add BBQ sauce when they are served.
Barbecue’s origin
There is solid evidence that both the word and cooking technique originated among the Taino people of the Caribbean. The word, which is derived from barabicu, translates as “sacred fire pit.”
