A few months ago I showed you Lexington BBQ. Lexington is the place I go when I am traveling east and in the mood for BBQ. When I am headed west Bridges is the place to go. Located right off of US 74 in Shelby, Bridges is not hard to miss. Just look for the full parking lot and the large sign.
When I was younger, and would have swim meets in Shelby, Bridges was always a stop after the end of the meet. It had been several years since I had been back, but nothing had changed. Bridges has been smoking pork and covering it with their amazing tomato based sauce since 1946. For those of you who are not familiar with NC BBQ, let me inform you. First of all, NC BBQ is the best in my mind. Yes I am from NC, so that probably makes me biased, but I have traveled throughout the country and tried other kinds, still NC pulled pork in my mind is king. In the eastern part of the state the sauce is vinegar based, while in the western part the sauce is more tomato based. What goes into these sauces are closely guarded secrets. Each pit master will tell you their sauce is awesome, but that is about all you will get out of them. The sauce at Bridges is no different. I am not sure what they put in it, but it is sweet with the right amount of acidity and spices.
There is a cup of sauce that is served on the side. Yes it is good enough to drink, but you want to save some for the pork in front of you.
A BBQ meal would not be complete without hush puppies. What I love about hushpuppies, other than their amazing taste, is that they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Some places serve them in a ball shape, some are more cylindrical. At Bridges they are as long as french fries. This shape makes them perfect for dipping in the amazing tomato based BBQ sauce. How do you end a delicious meal of BBQ, hushpuppies and sweet tea? Banana pudding of course!
After this meal I know why Bridges has been around for over 60 years. Consistency with amazing food. The meal you see in the pictures tasted every bit if not better as I had remembered it. I guarantee that if you make a trip to Bridges you will not be disappointed.
What is your favorite BBQ place?
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TC - You definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. I do not like BBQ. But I absolutely love this place. Old timer’s and some long time residents still refer to it as Red’s. Glad you enjoyed it
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