Gas Stations- BBQ Lover’s Alternative

Growing up near Ada, OK, I didn’t have a lot of options for great BBQ. Bob’s BBQ was legendary, and there were tall tales about rich BBQ fanatics using the nearby airport just to eat a plate of cue in the small town of Ada. However, in the years since, the only BBQ joints they have are the locally owned Hickory Smoked Meats and Pigskins BBQ and the uber corporate entity, Rib Crib. Several restaurants in town serve ribs and pulled pork, but it’s tellingly not their specialty.

Obviously Rib Crib is… Rib Crib. I don’t hate them, but as a true blue BBQ nerd it’s not something I can truly recommend as an authentic joint. Moving towards Hickory Smoked Meats, I will say that the sandwiches are good, particularly the pulled pork. The prices are great, the portions are huge, and the owner is a great character. However, the emphasis is on the sauce, and not nearly as much on the careful smoking of the meat. All in all I would say that I can recommend this place, but it’s not my favorite

Pigskins is a place I go to get ONE item- their dirty fries. For those uninitiated, dirty fries are french fries with cheese, BBQ sauce, and BBQ meat, usually pulled pork. These are essentially naked flavors, and doesn’t speak much for their skills as BBQ chefs. Indeed, I have never been impressed with their entrees outside of those fries.

So where does a BBQ fanatic go?

The answer, in Ada at least, is simple- Gas stations. There are three in Ada worth mentioning, but I am going to focus on my favorite- The E-Stop Express. I may be biased because I used to live right next to the place. But, if the mini-trophies are to be believed, the gas station has championship BBQ ready to serve during the day.

I recently visited my hometown, and I ventured back to my old favorite. I ordered a regular and a spicy rib, along with a half smoked chicken basket. My brother-in-law got pulled pork sandwich which I have ordered before. Eating BBQ after my recent trip to Texas has been eye opening, but I would say that the E-Stop has great Oklahoma style BBQ.

Firstly, while the meat is obviously smoked, it doesn’t quite have that level of skill seen in other regions. The flavor is still there, and meat is super tender. The star of E-Stop is actually the rubs used. The regular ribs have a great sweet flavor, with a peppery kick blending in well with the other spices. The spicy rib kicks up that peppery flavor, but it also increases the sweetness just a smidgen to catch up with that heat. The two sauces- one hot and thin and the other a bit thicker and sweeter- also really compliment the meat.

As for the chicken, the rub is fairly similar, although the sweetness is toned down a bit. Remembering the pulled pork, a much wetter meat- the flavors become a little more complex, with a vinegar kick really bringing the sandwich together.

All of this is to say, that if you live or even visit a town and want to try some decent BBQ, a gas station may just be the joint you are looking for!