BIG BOB GIBSON BAR-B-Q

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q is the HOME OF THE LEGENDARY ALABAMA WHITE SAUCE! Located in Decatur, Alabama, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q is one of the oldest barbeque restaurants in the USA, opening in 1925. Big Bob Gibson was a heck of a large guy-standing at 6 foot 3-inches tall. He was a burly L & M railroad worker. Big Bob was notable for “never having met a stranger.” Back in the early 1920’s, on the weekends, Big Bob would smoke chickens and pork in an open pit he dug himself, in his own backyard. He would host BBQs on make-shift tables, nailing wooden boards up into trees in his yard to make space for the ever-growing crowds of people to have room to place their plates. His smoked chickens and meats became so incredibly popular by word-of-mouth after serving friends and neighbors, that the crowds at his home, way out in the Northern Country of Alabama off of a dirt road, grew so exponentially that he quit his job at the railroad and opened his own restaurant! Since 1925, over five generations later, Big Bob Gibson’s world championship BBQ is both an Alabama and a National legend! One of the most fascinating reasons for Big Bob Gibson’s LEGENDARY status is because of his ALABAMA WHITE SAUCE RECIPE. Big Bob created this masterful recipe. The Alabama White Sauce is stupendously tangy and peppery. Everyone in Northern Alabama has “grown up” on the taste of this infamous white sauce.

Big Bob started smoking whole chickens with hickory, which he then dunked into his white sauce recipe. This 1 food item became so wildly popular AND influential that Big Bob “spawned an entire regional style of BBQ” centered around that 1 BBQ dish! The remarkable factor regarding the FAME of Big Bob Gibson’s Alabama White Sauce, was the fact Big Bob FREELY AND JOYFULLY SHARED HIS HOMEMADE RECIPE WITH ANYONE WHO ASKED! Since 1925, The Alabama White Sauce Recipe has been available to anyone who sought out Big Bob and queried him about it!  

To make Big Bob Gibson’s Alabama White Sauce you will need:

• 2 cups of mayonnaise
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• ½ cup apple juice
• 2 teaspoons of prepared horseradish
• 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together. To use the Alabama White Sauce, marinate your whole chicken in it for a couple of hours, then baste the chicken with the sauce while smoking your whole chicken.

Chris Lilly is a Pitmaster, CEO and Executive Chef at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, an Author, a Spokesperson, a BBQ Hall of Fame Member, a 17-time BBQ World Champion, and winner of the 2020 Legends of BBQ Pitmaster Award from the NBBQA. Chris Lilly’s wife, Amy’s, Great Grandfather was Big Bob, himself. Chris Lilly shares a veritable plethora of tutorial videos on YouTube to help teach you how to properly prepare Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Whole Chicken with Alabama White Sauce, as well as giving viewers virtual smokehouse tours of the restaurant. Chris Lilly will “walk you through” – giving you step-by-step instructions, on how to make his favorite Big Bob Gibson BBQ Chicken with Alabama White Sauce recipe and the important process of how to PREP and CUT (NOTE: HE DOES NOT SPATCHCOCK!) a whole chicken for a delectable end result BBQ dish straight off the grill. Chris Lilly says, “BBQ is more than just the food on the table…there’s an art, there’s a passion; it really fueled my fire and got me excited about BBQ.” Chris describes the impeccable way that Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q had traditionally operated for over 70 years when he joined the family (now it is over 99 years!)  and then “ALL THAT BBQ KNOWLEDGE, WAS PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, and then it fell into my lap and it was my responsibility!” Chris Lilly and his wife Amy represent the 4th Generation of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q; AS WELL AS MANY, MANY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS who work alongside them together at Big Bob Gibson’s. Now, Chris is excitedly maneuvering to “Pass The BBQ Torch” to their two sons- The 5^th Generation of BBQers, as Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q readies to celebrate its 100^th ANNIVERSARY.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q has been featured on:

• The Food Network
• The Travel Channel
• The New York Times
• Food and Wine
• Just to name a few!

Additionally, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q has been awarded 1^st Place at The Memphis in May World Championship of BBQ Cook-Off, Jack Daniels World Championships, American Royal International Barbeque Contest, and National Barbeque Association competitions.

You can visit either of Big Bob Gibson’s Restaurants at these 2 locations:

You are able to order Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q Sauces and Rubs, Apparel, and Gift Baskets Online at: www.bigbobgibson.com

You can order Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q MEATS online; all meats are fully cooked, vacuum-sealed and flash frozen “to preserve peak flavor and moisture.”  Shipping of the meats is via Gold Belly. There are a variety of MEAT Packages to choose from, including: smoked whole turkey breast, Pit Room Feasts, BBQ Ribs and Combos, BBQ Buffalo wings, pulled pork, beef brisket, and of course THE FAMOUS WHOLE CHICKEN with BBQ White Sauce. The mouth-watering descriptions of Big Bob Gibson’s Meats are TANTALIZING and ENTICING:

For example, The Pulled Pork is an “Eight-Time world championship pulled pork shoulder expertly seasoned with Big Bob’s secret dry rub recipe and hickory smoked overnight.” The Beef Brisket is “seasoned, slow smoked, and hand sliced.” Big Bob’s “Award Winning Brisket is dripping with flavor.” And Big Bob’s Original “Brunswick Stew” is 40 ounces of flavorful “finely-shredded pork and potatoes simmered slowly for hours.” The descriptions of Big Bob’s Sauces are equally as TEMTING AND INTRIGUING! The Championship Red Sauce was judged “World’s Best” for 3 consecutive years, The Habanero Red Sauce has an added blend of peppers and spices featuring The Championship Red Sauce as its base, and The Backyard Mustard Sauce is smooth yet spicy.

You can further watch Chris Lilly and Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q adventures on The Outdoor Channel, “Life of Fire,” and read about them in Southern Living Magazine. Chris Lilly gleefully and unhesitatingly shares his WEALTH of BBQ Knowledge, BBQ tips, Favorite Recipes, informational videos, eventful undertakings, and BBQ escapades on Instagram.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q = Keeping BBQ Traditions Thriving and Passions Burning for 100 YEARS!

*ALL PHOTO CREDITS TO BIG BOB GIBSON’S WEBSITE*

Kristen Porcaro

From childhood, Kristen Murray Porcaro has always been a Wordsmith. Currently, she is “A Meat Adjacent” ardent contributing writer for The RI BBQ News Platforms. With her Fantastic Fiancé who is an IT Architect by day and an after-hours Chef “For Fun,” as well as with her Phenomenal Bestie who is a flight attendant, she relishes in and avails herself of a superfluity of “FOODIE ADVENTURES,” and exhilarating travel. Additionally, Kristen is immensely fascinated by the Art of Mixology and avidly participates in as many “Cocktail and Mixology” Seminars, Tastings, Lectures, and Classes as possible.

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