Hungry In Holly Ridge: Smoky Tony’s BBQ

I divulged in the previous post that I am a Texas girl, born and partially raised, due to my father’s military career. With that fact comes an inherited love for BBQ. I grew up eating and loving brisket. When I got older, I learned it wasn’t all created the same, and so I became a BBQ critic.

Yeah, I know…we all consider ourselves critical of certain foods that we feel we have mastered, or we know someone close to us who has. So, I’ve gotta admit, that I wasn’t expecting much from this local BBQ place and I have never been a fan getting BBQ out in general, BUT I loved that we were getting a new local business, and that it has the same name as my dad – Tony! My dad, whom I affectionately call “T.W.” makes the best ribs I’ve ever had and is a brisket-lover as well. I had to go!

I ventured to their Instagram page (@smokytonysbbq) and became privy to their legit smoking process of all kinds of meats. Prime rib, glazed duck, and none other than brisket. It looked very promising.

I called to make a pick-up order. We are a family of five, so I perused their menu and saw where they offer family packs in small and large. The small feeds 5-8 people and comes with your choice of two meats, two large sides, choice of BBQ sauce, and cornbread. Of course, I chose brisket and my other BBQ fav, which is dark-meat chicken. Other protein options include chopped pork, pulled pork, pork ribs, and smoked turkey. For sides, we love to eat ours with cold, creamy coleslaw and taters, so we ordered their wedge fries. I loved that they have a variety of sauces to choose from: Smoky Tony’s original, S.T. sweet heat, S.T. brisket, and S.T. ENC vinegar sauce. I chose the sweet heat as I love the combo.

I wasn’t prepared for how much I was going to love Smoky Tony’s food…

• I’m not a fan of cornbread, but I loved their sweet and tender corn muffins.
• I am not a fan of coleslaw, but their tangy and creamy take on it is delicious, shredded-style. So, the cornbread is sweet and the slaw is slightly bitter, both of which depend on your personal preference. I know some folks prefer sweet slaw and savory cornbread. I am open to all versions of these as long as they are executed properly, and it definitely is!
• I expected ordinary potato wedges. That is not what I got! Their wedges are hand-cut, not frozen and they are ADDICTING! They are golden brown, fried perfectly, crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, with course salt sprinkled on each one. They are the perfect accompaniment to the crunchy, creamy slaw and smoky meat.
• When it comes to my beef, I’m a medium-rare girl, heavy on the marbling and fat. How do you take yours? Of course, with brisket it is cooked past that point but moisture and fattiness should still be maintained. Their brisket is juicy, tender and had the perfect amount of fat. Of course, I hand-picked the cuts that had more fat on them:), while my hubby chose the leaner ones. He prefers his beef medium-well done and loves burnt ends as well. The flavor is phenomenal. You can use their awesome sauce but it doesn’t need it, but let’s pause for the sauce. I told you I chose the sweet heat. This is hands-down the best BBQ sauce I’ve ever had. Thin and not too thick; sweet, savory, peppery. I have no clue what they use but I would love to hear the inspiration behind the flavor.
• The chicken has a rich and juicy flavor, the skin is so smoky and pairs perfectly with the sauce. Now, this I enjoyed eating with the sauce, taking turns dipping it and the wedges. To die for!

BEST BBQ IN THE AREA?

I write a lot about international food, but I am also a lover of soul food, home-town cooking, and BBQ. I enjoyed this eating experience so much and I was blown away by the thought and care put into the food. The young lady who rang me up told it was mostly a family business and that even though she wasn’t a family member, she feels like she is and couldn’t be any closer to them. She was helpful, friendly, and warm. I love the to-go containers they use for the fries and meat as well. Everything remained in tact and nothing got soggy.

You guys, their food is simply delicious and is the best take-out BBQ I have had in years.

Beyond BBQ…

They have daily specials. The day I went, they were featuring Savana’s grilled cheese made with smoked gouda, havarti, swiss, and sharp cheddar! You choose a protein that gets nestled in the middle of that cheesy goodness for $10.95! Other specials that you’ll find on their Facebook page at Smoky Tony’s LLC are unique options like smoked duck. Desserts? Peach cobbler, banana pudding, and blueberry cobbler are on the menu and I’ll definitely be trying next time! Have you tried any of their sweets yet?

Smoky’s is owned and operated by Anthony Bowman, who learned the art of Mexican Pit Barbacoa, according to their website http://smokytonysbbq.com and Facebook page.

They are currently open for takeout, so check them out!

Smoky Tony’s BBQ is located at 511 A-US-Hwy 17, Holly Ridge, NC 28445

(910) 803-0783

Don’t miss the other Food articles by Leah Norman!