July 28, 2010

This time, we’re visiting a couple of BBQ restaurants that have one thing in common besides great BBQ – they both have unusual names.

Our first stop is Bubba's Nekked BBQ at 13th street north and Meridian. It's Tuesday through Friday for lunch and dinner from 11-8.

The owner Alan Leffew, also known as Bubba, runs the place. You'll find the usual fare of ribs, brisket, hot links and turkey.

As for the term Nekked, it has nothing to do with Bubba but with the quality of the BBQ.

"It’s so good you don't need any sauce, it's 'nekked," Leffew said

As for the secret to making great BBQ?

“I rub my own meat. The wood that I use gives it a smoke but not an enormous amount of smoke, you get the flavor,” Leffew said.

Our next stop is Pig In Pig Out on 13th at Mosley. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday this place used to be on South Hydraulic. But the new location offers much more seating. And owner Derek Cochran has won a number of BBQ competitions.

Don and I found more than ribs to appreciate. The brisket, turkey and links were out of this world not to mention the beans and that oh so good BBQ sauce.

And as for the name of the business, that came from people asking questions about his unusual 12 foot long home made smoker.

"He got tired of explaining so he put a sign on one in that said pig in and a sign on the other end that said pig out. And that became pig in pig out BBQ,” Cochran said.

Derek says making great BBQ starts early in the morning and takes patience and so does eating it.

Now, there are many great places we couldn’t get to so, we’re not going to say which is best. We’ll leave that up to you. But, send us the names of your favorite BBQ joint in the Wichita area for our next tour.