The Florida BBQ Joint Where You Can Order A 'Bucket' Of BBQ

U.S. cuisine is celebrated for many dishes, but few garner the devoted fandom of BBQ. The food style comes in a range of regional American styles, but the innovations keep coming with flavors and techniques from abroad increasingly melded in. Not to mention, chefs intrigue with not only how the barbecue tastes, but also how it's served.

Take Smokin D's BBQ — operating out of St. Augustine, Florida — which serve its meats in a bucket. Humorously referred to as The BBQ Parfait, its unique take on the dish features smoked beans and yellow rice (a local Floridian specialty). It's then finished with its signature beef brisket, pork shoulder, or turkey atop. Users on Yelp love the portable concept, especially as the restaurant doesn't offer much of a seating area. Many note that its beloved BBQ sauce is what makes the dish, melding together the cup's flavorful components.

In fact, on a Florida Reddit thread discussing the state's best barbecues, many even include Smokin D's as a top pick. Head to one of its two locations in St. Augustine, and dip into the creative construction yourself; it's a memorable take on the barbecue style.

In addition to barbecue in bucket form, you can also find slow-cooked meats served in many other creative vessels. A barbecue hack circulating on Reddit involved proteins stuffed into the loops of a pretzel. Barbecue burrito, taco, and even Memphis-style spaghetti recipes have long circulated. Much like Smokin D's, though, there are other eateries that offer eye-catching serving vessels.

The Texas State Fair is a reliable source for creatively presented dishes, and in alignment with local cuisine, barbecues included, too. In 2023, the Bluebonnet Roadhouse BBQ & Grill served fairgoers what they named Fried Texas BBQ Shotgun Shells. The snack consisted of brisket paired with two types of cheese, wrapped up in a pasta sheet, deep-fried, then encased in bacon and breadcrumbs. Talk about a way to enjoy the smoked meat!

Also in Dallas, Texas, you'll find the Hot Mess — a dish served by the restaurant Pecan Lodge. Here, it's a large baked sweet potato that becomes the barbecue vessel of choice. They load it up with both slow-cooked pork and brisket, then garnish with toppings like chipotle cream and bacon to complete the mouth-watering meal. Of course, there's nothing wrong with biting into a delicious pulled pork sandwich accompanied with the best barbecue sauce. With such creative riffs are on the table, why not shake up the mode of barbecue enjoyment?