From Southern Living, November 2006

We asked Southern Living Assistant Garden Design Editor Troy Black - who has won several barbecue championships - what to look for in a great barbecue restaurant. Here are his top tips.

1. There must be a pile of wood out back. This ensures you’ll get a true smoky flavor.
   

2. The parking lot must be full - great barbecue is worth the wait.
   

3. The outer portions of the pork - the crust, or “bark” - should be a deep mahogany color. Beyond that, chunks should have a pinkish inner ring, called a “smoke ring.”
   

4. A lot of mediocre barbecue is covered up by great sauce. Meat should stand on its own and be complemented by the sauce.