This story has been updated.
There’s yet another set of contenders in the barbecue battle for the most smokey, finger-licking good, slap-your-mama ribs and brisket in the country.
The tastemakers at Thrillist, a popular lifestyle site, christened B's Cracklin Barbecue, which has spots in Atlanta and Savannah, as one of the 'Best BBQ joints in America' in an August 2018 poll.
Editors at the site knew it would be tough to provide an authoritative ranking of just 33 top barbecue spots, so they looked to mix a “new generation of pitmasters” with the “crafty old guard” to ensure a robust pile-high stack of meat mavens.
Thrillist writer Dan Gentile said Bryan Furman’s family history in smoking meats gave his B’s Cracklin restaurants precedence over other contenders. You can smell the smoke from Furman’s pit whether you’re in Savannah or its Atlanta location —near or far. Unfortunately, the Atlanta location is closed until further notice after a fire destroyed the Riverside building on March 6.
The Savannah location will continue serving up the goods, and there are plenty of dishes to go around, according to Gentile.
“Carolina-style chopped pork is the main course, with a buffet of sauces on the side that allow diners to dress their meat to regional tastes, but don’t miss the brisket -- it just might be the best in the state of Georgia,” he wrote.
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Just a few years ago, Furman brought that homegrown passion for pork to his Savannah location. In 2016, he brought the Carolinia-style fare to Atlanta. Locally and nationally, B’s Cracklin’ tends to get points from diners for its options to dress brisket, ribs and more in a variety of regional sauces.
"Growing up, my dad cooked chicken and ribs, so I learned that by watching him. My pork and brisket came when I got a smoker, around 2007," Furman said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
You can get a taste for yourself from Tuesday to Sunday at B’s Cracklin Barbecue at its location in Savannah. And the Atlanta location will reopen soon, Furman told reporters after the devastating fire hit his restaurant Wednesday.
“It’s not a setback,” he said. “I'm just waiting to get my permits to find out how quick I can rebuild.”
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