Pork rinds are the hidden gem at this barbecue joint
Dish of the Week: Pork rinds at Bub-Ba-Q
William Latimer, aka Bubba, is a heavily decorated competition barbecue pitmaster , but he sure has something special going with the pork rinds he serves at his restaurants.
Walk into either of Latimer’s Bub-Ba-Q locations – there’s one in Woodstock and another in Jasper, Ga. – and when you take a seat, your server will set you up with a complimentary bowl of pork rinds “just like a Mexican place gives out chips and salsa,” says Latimer.
Yep, this snack also happens to be free. But it’s not just the gratis part that wins us over. It’s that these pork rinds are among the best you’ll ever eat.
While some chicharrones are so hard and crunchy you risk breaking a tooth, the ones made fresh throughout the day at Bub-Ba-Q are airy and crispy. They take a dip in the fryer just long enough to achieve that perfect crackle without being weighted down with oil.
Then there’s the addictive seasoning, the same house-made, all-purpose dry rub used on Bub-Ba-Q’s award-winning ribs, pork and chicken.
Would we really trek all the way to Jasper or Woodstock for pork rinds? Absolutely. (But, while we're there, we're also going to stuff our face with Bub-Ba-Q's wet ribs, pulled pork and the barbecue-style chimichanga called the Hog-A-Chong-A.) And we can’t leave without ordering a big brown takeout bag of these off-the-menu crunchy munchies – though they won’t last the car ride home.
Bub-Ba-Q, 1976 Hwy 53 W. Jasper, Ga., 706-692-7929 and 10020 Hwy 92, Woodstock, Ga., 678-402-1662, bub-ba-q.com.
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About the Author
Ligaya Figueras is the AJC's senior editor for Food & Dining. Prior to joining the AJC in 2015, she was the executive editor for St. Louis-based culinary magazine Sauce. She has worked in the publishing industry since 1999 and holds degrees from St. Louis University and the University of Michigan.
