Home is where is the hickory flavor is

There is something about that hickory smoker at JC’s Family BBQ that feels extra cozy – not just its appetizing perfume, but also its look, including those happy white puffs that match the winter sky. Pair that with JC’s cabin-like vibe and its parking lot edged with pickup trucks, and it becomes a bona fide country scene that whets my appetite like nowhere else.

Perhaps that is also because I know JC’s menu so well. In fact, over the years, I have sampled most of its recipes, which range from beef bologna burgers to rib-eye steaks.

Co-owner Jim Johnson is particularly proud of that rib-eye, though he admits the real mastermind behind it is his wife Jean, whom he calls the “queen of the smoker.”

Indeed, Jean puts a lot of loving care into that rib-eye: First, the meat is smoked to provide light flavoring. Next, it is chilled to stew in its juices. Then, it is smoked again, hand-cut into 12- to 14-ounce portions and, eventually, it is seared to-order.

And the resulting texture, I can tell you from experience, is like warm butter.

Another dish of which Jim often boasts is JC’s brisket.

“Tender, smoky, melt-in-your-mouth – the best beef brisket this side of the Mississippi,” he calls it.

Personally, I am partial to the grilled shrimp: meaty, chewy and refreshing. Though, I can honestly say I have never had a bad meal at JC’s Family BBQ.

From its ham steaks to its special barbecue nachos to its St. Louis-style ribs, all of JC’s down-home delectability is available for catering. Spreads are customizable and may include off-menu options such as fruit and vegetable trays, au gratin potatoes, and smoked chicken salad sandwiches. JC’s even has a portable grill – meaning, it can sear up some of those pre-smoked hickory rib-eye steaks for your next party.

So even if you can’t experience the comfort of that smoker firsthand, the flavor, I assure you, is just as cozy.