Tennessee knows BBQ. From Memphis to Nashville and everywhere in between, pitmasters spend hours smoking meat to perfection. I set out on a mission to find the best pulled pork in the state, visiting 12 different restaurants and sampling their signature dishes.
After countless sandwiches, plenty of napkins, and more than a few sauce-stained shirts, I narrowed it down to seven spots that truly stood out from the crowd.
1. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint — Nashville
Walking into Martin’s feels like stepping into a real Tennessee smokehouse. The smell of hickory wood hits you before you even open the door. Their whole-hog smoking method takes patience and skill that most places just don’t have anymore.
What makes this spot special is how they smoke entire pigs low and slow for hours. The meat practically falls apart when you touch it. You get both the darker outside pieces mixed with tender inside meat, creating layers of flavor in every bite…