On the hunt for Utah's best barbecue: The Smoking Apple in Lindon
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Food from The Smoking Apple that's worth the drive. Photo: Ross Terrell/Axios
As fall approaches, it brings with it many things: cooler weather, football, apple picking and a hankering for some good ole barbecue.
The big picture: I'm from Georgia, and over the past few years, I've been on the hunt for a consistent place near Salt Lake City to enjoy barbecue. This fall, I am determined to find it.
How it works: My rubric for what makes it good may be different from yours, and I am by no means a food critic. A few things I look for include the taste, the tenderness of the meat, the pairing of the sauces and the quality of the sides.
- Bonus points if you've got peach cobbler or apple pie.
Driving the news: I started this journey with The Smoking Apple in Lindon, about 40 minutes south of SLC. The first thing that caught my eye when I walked in was the wall of plaques and awards it has won, dating back to 2010.
- The excitement — and the smells — were real.
What we ordered: A two-meat plate with brisket and chicken that came with two sides. We went with the baked beans and steamed veggies. And pulled pork sandwich with sides of mac 'n' cheese and seasoned fries.
- We added cornbread and apple sauce on the side. The total after the tip was more than $50.
The verdict: The baked beans with a nice, smokey taste and the fluffy cornbread with a hint of cinnamon were fantastic. The pork sandwich came served on a roll, which was fine, but I prefer Texas toast or a bun.
- The meats were tender and packed with wonderful flavor and paired well with the barbecue sauce which leaned sweet over tangy. The fries were perfectly seasoned and crispy and let's hear it for the sauces which included liquid gold (honey mustard), fry sauce (It's Utah isn't it?) and a raspberry barbecue.
- You could skip the mac 'n' cheese, apple sauce and steamed veggies.
The bottom line: This is barbecue I would go back for, if even for the cornbread alone.