In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s a holiday weekend, and for those of us lucky enough to have the time off from work, the holiday hiatus means time with family, friends, and of course good food. One of our favorite things about Labor Day Weekend is the chance to roll up our sleeves and dive into some delicious barbeque. Whether you’re grilling at home, on the beach at Assateague, or enjoying a friend’s hard work in the kitchen, there is no better way to kick back and relax than over a heaping pile of ribs or pulled pork. For those of us who aren’t grill-inclined (or who are simply too lazy too cook this weekend) there are plenty of restaurants to grab BBQ and fixins’. Here’s a few to get you started…
9711 Stephen Decatur Highway, Ocean City, MD
410-213-0040
Ahhh Smoker’s. Come spring, locals find themselves itching for some Smoker’s BBQ, and when the joint finally opens back up for the season, it can be tough to find a parking spot in the gravel parking lot. Yeah, it’s that good. The season is almost over, so we suggest loading up while you can. From the pit, there’s pit beef, pit ham and pit turkey, each sliced thin and stacked on a Kaiser roll. For BBQ sandwiches, choose between fresh, hand-pulled pork, pulled chicken BBQ, Carolina BBQ or Texas beef brisket BBQ. Signature sandwiches take things up a notch. Take the Big Bad Wolf, its smoked sausage topped with pulled pork, bacon and cheese, all served on a sub roll. Home-style platters are just as tempting, with smoked chicken, baby back ribs, pork tenderloin, brisket burnt ends and more. Don’t forget to smother your choices with any of the Smoker’s sauces either –they’re not to be missed.
Em-ings
9811 Whaleyville Road, Bishopville, MD
410-352-5711
If you’re anywhere near Bishopville this weekend (or simply craving BBQ), then Em-ings is your spot. Their stainless steel barbeque machine is fully enclosed, allowing the fresh meats to rotate and cook over the flames before being fully submersed in Em-ings original, Southern-style sauce. The sauce is a secret, but the result is some of the most tender, tasty barbeque on the Eastern Shore. There’s St. Louis ribs, baby back ribs or country style ribs, along with beef brisket, beef ribs, or a chitterlings platter. BBQ chicken, pork, and beef is also an option, as well as a host of sides. Get there early on Labor Day though, Em-ings will be closing at 2pm to give their employees a break (after all, it is Labor Day!)
Nick Original House of Ribs
14410 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD
410-250-1984
Nick’s Original House of ribs is famous for, well, ribs of course. The world-famous barbequed baby back ribs arrive charbroiled and basted with Nick’s own sauce. Full and half racks are available. If you’re not up for a whole, or even a half, rack, opt for the rib teaser – a little taste of Nick’s rib heaven. There’s also barbequed chicken to consider. What arrives is a half-chicken, charbroiled and brushed with Nick’s sauce. The good news is Nick’s House of Ribs is open year-round, which means you can eat ribs all fall and winter long if you like.
1601 Atlantic Avenue, Ocean City, MD
410-289-3012
For barbeque on the boards, head to Ocean View Grille & BBQ, located on 16th Street and the boardwalk in Ocean City. Touting the “best BBQ and ribs under the sun,” Ocean View provides more than just a good view of the ocean. For eats, we suggest the BBQ Beach Bones – BBQ ribs massaged with Ocean View’s secret dry rub, slow cooked and kissed by an open flame and basted with their special smoky BBQ sauce. Even better, the ribs are paired with a sinful pile of macaroni and cheese. Also arriving with mac n’ cheese is the pulled pork. The tender chunks of pork are smoked for 14 hours and prepared with Ocean View’s traditional Texas red BBQ sauce. For BBQ meets burger, dig into the BBQ and bacon burger. The half-pound, certified Angus beef burger is smothered with BBQ sauce and topped with cheddar cheese and bacon.
Station 7
7456 Gumboro Road, Pittsville, MD
410-835-3577
Station 7 brings out the big guns, with their Station 7 Smoke Towers. First up is the Fully Involved Rack, which includes a full rack of St. Louis style ribs seasoned with the Station 7 spice blend and slow-smoked. Ribs come in your choice of Station 7 BBQ (original), Paramedic (sweet), Hazmat (spicy) or Honey BBQ sauces, along with your choice of two sides. Or order the Special Operations – pick one, two or three meats with your choice of either half rack ribs, chopped brisket, BBQ chicken breast, pulled pork or shredded chicken. While you’re at it, roll-up your sleeves for some Firehouse Wings. Wings are smothered with your choice of hot sauce – hot or mild – or BBQ sauce. There’s also the 5-Alarm sauce, Old Bay, garlic, hot teriyaki, mango habanero, honey BBQ, or Caribbean jerk. Round it all out with a basket of cornbread and call it a weekend.
Adam’s Ribs
219 N. Fruitland Boulevard, Fruitland, MD
410-749-6961
Adam’s Ribs is certainly a locals favorite for the Salisbury and Fruitland crowd, and while you may not want to head away from the beach this weekend, a trip to Adam’s Ribs is worth it. Adam’s is a full-service restaurant, with practically their entire menu available for carry-out, along with off-premise catering. We’ll start with the ribs. Adams’ award-winning baby back ribs are finished on the grill and topped with house BBQ sauce. BBQ shrimp are wrapped with bacon, grilled, and lathered with sauce. For BBQ sandwiches, Adam’s offers BBQ pork, BBQ beef, Jack Daniels beef BBQ, pit beef, or BBQ chicken, each tucked between a brioche roll and served with French fries and cole slaw. And don’t forget about the wings, served with your choice of Adam’s sauces which include either House Buffalo, Jack Daniels, Dynamite, Chesapeake, Sweet Thai Chili, Garlic Habanero, or House BBQ.
Bethany Blues BBQ
6 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Bethany Beach, DE
302-537-1500
bethanyblues.com
Bethany Blues strives to bring you the best BBQ possible. After traveling all over the country to find what makes great BBQ –including trips to New York, Tennessee and Texas – Bethany Blues found that the two universal requirements for awesome BBQ are patience and 100 percent wood smoke. To keep their barbeque authentic, Bethany Blues BBQ omits gas and electricity. The result is real-deal BBQ. BBQ pulled pork, Carolina chopped pork, Delmarva chicken (hormone-free and all natural), beef brisket, pulled chicken and smoked sausage are just a few of the mouth-watering items that you will find on the menu at Bethany Blues. For the true BBQ connoisseur, we suggest the Ultimate BBQ Sampler. The Sampler includes three-pounds of BBQ, with ¼ rack of St. Louis ribs, ¼ rack of baby back ribs, pulled pork, Carolina pork, ¼ Delmarva chicken, beef brisket, pulled chicken and smoked sausage.
Whiskey Beach BBQ & Saloon
1306 Coastal Highway, Dewey Beach, DE
302-227-3119
For BBQ in Dewey Beach this weekend, stop by Whiskey Beach BBBQ & Saloon. The relaxed, laid back setting is the perfect environment for a finger-licking meal. BBQ options range from dry-rubbed baby back ribs to roasted turkey breast to pulled pork shoulder. For fixins’, there are a number of options to choose from, including the likes of Delaware Dumplings, cinnamon apples, and Cajun dirty rice. There’s even BBQ whole lobster and BBQ snow crab clusters for the seafood lover. Throw in a couple ice-cold beers and you’re set for a perfect Labor Day meal.
