Smoked Chicken Wings & Beer Can Chicken – 8/5/2023
smoked chicken
Genesee Pub and BBQ
Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8/10 and Yes. Good bbq overall and a quick easy stop either on your way or coming back from the mountains via HWY 70. When we rolled in after a hike, they were prepping for a Lobster Boil later that evening, so they also have several events and live music events throughout the year. As far as the bbq, the Kielbasa was the group favorite, followed by the turkey and the brisket. The fried okra was definitely a highlight, to go along with a really tasty and light coleslaw as the best sides. Cool setting, solid service, and tasty bbq make it easily worth a stop, especially with being dog friendly!
Date Visited: 6/1/2024
Address: 25948 Genesee Trail Rd, Golde, CO 801401
Day of the Week: Saturday
Time of Day: 12:36 PM. Opens at 10 AM on weekends and 11 on weekdays
Owner: Scott and Matthew Smith (Father & Son)
Website: https://www.geneseepubandbbq.com/
Number of Years in Business: Opened in May 2017
Number of People in Line: 0, but 12 were already sitting down. Table side service
Regional Style of BBQ: Texas
Total Cost: Had three of us, so order the 1/2 Sampler, which comes with 1/2 rack of ribs, 1/4 lb of brisket, pork, turkey, and chicken. Included 8oz baked beans, mac & cheese, coleslaw, and potato salad. Added on a kielbasa sausage, an order of fried okra, and 7 drinks, for $126.46 before tip
Type of Wood: Hickory
Type of Smoker: Electric
Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper typically
Best Dish: Kielbasa Sausage
Best Sauce: Spicy
Best Side: Fried okra
Interior Description: Elevated interior, with a nice bar and several seating options. Best seat in the house though is outside on the back patio, as it has several tables and sitting areas to accommodate larger crowds when they have live music playing.
Pro Tip: Make sure to order the okra and coleslaw to go along with Kielbasa, turkey, and possibly the brisket
Brisket
0/10 Ranking: 8/10
Seasoning: Salt & pepper
Description: Good flavor overall, with light smoke and light seasoning coming across each bite. Could use more of both, but it had a good meat to fat ratio and every piece was moist. Would order again, but also not a necessity
Pork Spare Ribs
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: Fall off the bone tender, but not much for smoke flavor coming through. Seasoning is tasty, but pretty light again and needs more to it. Split on if I would order them again
Pulled Pork
0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: Not much seasoning or smokiness to it, but it was juicy. Add in the spicy sauce to make it a better blend, as it’s a little bland on its own. Could skip this one for the next time
Kielbasa Sausage
0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10
Description: They split and then grill the links after smoking them. Good meat and fat ratio with a very tasty overall flavor. Would order again
Chicken
0/10 Ranking: 7/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: Low seasoning and smoke coming through. A little dried out as well, not worth ordering again
Turkey
0/10 Ranking: 8/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: Really tasty and juicy turkey. Nice seasoning, flavor and overall smokiness level. Would order again
Sauces – Original
0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10
Description: Sweet with a little bit of spiciness to it. Okay overall, but nothing special. Reminds me of KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce
Sauces – Spicy
0/10 Ranking: 8/10
Description: Good heat and spice flavor to it. Not too thick or too watery, with good heat balance overall and would get again, especially for the pulled pork. Best sauce they have
Sauces – Carolina Mustard
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10
Description: Very mustard heavy in the flavor with a sweetness to it. Reminds me of Heinz mustard flavoring, which was okay overall, but also nothing that special
Sides – Fried Okra
0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10
Description: Lightly battered and cooked perfectly. Good seasoning and not overly cooked, with a good bit to the tooth on each piece. As a rare Colorado BBQ side option, would absolutely recommend ordering them if you stop by and I will be ordering again next time
Sides – Mac & Cheese
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10
Description: okay overall, but in-between on if I would order again. Creamy with al dente noodles, but unfortunately it had low flavor and needs more seasoning to make it better and worth ordering a second time around
Sides – Coleslaw
0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10
Description: Super light coleslaw, with some apples mixed in for a nice crispy sweetness. Could have used just slightly more vinegar to take it over the top, but really good overall and would for sure order again
Sides – Baked Beans
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10
Description: Admittedly, I’m not a huge baked bean guy, but these came with the platter. They were okay overall, but almost taste like Bush’s Baked Beans and could skip for the next order
Interior & Menu Photos:
Hogback BBQ & Grill
Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8.5/10 and Yes. Located right off of 470 in a short little strip mall, these guys are turning out some of the top brisket and smoked chicken around. Laid back vibe, with good food and reasonable prices, would recommend this place to anyone who is in the area and looking to get their bbq fix taken care of
Date Visited: 1/21/2023
Address: 7986 S Depew St, Littleton, CO 80128
Day of the Week: Saturday
Time of Day: 12:15 PM. Opens at 11:00 AM
Owner: Andrew Petrone and Greg Petrone (originally from Littleton, with a catering business as well)
Website: https://hogbackbbq.com/
Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2015
Number of People in Line: No line, but 15 people sitting down already
Regional Style of BBQ:
Total Cost: $57.54 pre tax and tip for 1/2 lb brisket, Half rack of Baby Back Ribs, 1/4 lb of pulled pork, 1 hot link sausage, 1/2 chicken, and a Colorado Native Amber
Type of Wood: Apple & hickory
Type of Smoker: Reverse Flow Off-set Smoker
Type of Seasoning: Blend of several
Best Dish: Brisket or chicken
Best Side: Fried Okra
Best Sauce: Maybe the Spicy but noting special
Interior Description: Modern and clean interior, with a good amount of seating, both inside and out. Wood paneling and sports flags line the walls and create a laidback vibe
Pro Tip: Stick with the brisket, chicken, and hot links, but feel free to skip the ribs and pulled pork
Brisket
0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10
Seasoning: Salt & pepper
Description: They cut it fatty and lean. Super juicy with a moderate level of smoke pulling through each bite. Fatty pieces were properly trimmed and good thickness for each cut. Would order again and one of the better briskets in Denver
Burnt Ends – Not usually served here, but can request end pieces of the brisket
Baby Back Ribs
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10
Seasoning: Sauced with some unknown seasoning
Description: Juicy and moist with good texture to each bite. No real smoke flavor coming through though, as sauce flavoring dominates everything else. A good, but average rib, nothing special and don’t need to order again
Pulled Pork
0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10
Description: Mild smoke coming through, but was juicy on its own. Not much for seasoning/flavor and does need a little of the original sauce to bring it up a level. Could skip this one next time
Sausage – Hot Link
0/10 Ranking: 8/10
Description: Split sausage that’s brushed with sauce. Slightly dried out, but good overall heat level and spice flavor. Would order again if in the mood for a hot link
Smoked Chicken
0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10
Description: Well cooked with a good crispy seasoned skin to it, served as a legit half chicken. Had a light and pleasant smoke flavor coming through. Might be one of the juicer chickens I’ve had in awhile, but does need more smoke flavor internally to take it over the top. Would order again and one of the best smoked chickens in Colorado
Sauces – Original, Spicy, & Carolina
0/10 Ranking: 7/10
Description: The Original is a pretty basic barbecue sauce, with nothing really unique about it. Reminds me of a Sweet Baby Rays or store bought option. The spicy has a little bit of a kick to it, but also nothing too special. Lastly, The Carolina is closer to a Heinz Yellow Mustard than anything else, with maybe a little too much vinegar to it. Wouldn’t necessarily recommend any of them
Sides – Fried Okra
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10
Description: Lightly fried with a good crunchy texture. Could use more seasoning, but tasty overall. One of the few places in Denver offering this, so would recommend grabbing if you have a chance
Interior & Menu Photos:
A Bit Twisted Brewpub & BBQ
Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8.5/10 and Yes it is. A rare BBQ brewery blend, where both of the crafts are churning our delicious options. The BBQ is worth a stop on its own, but with a large tap list of tasty beers as well, would recommend popping by if you’re in the area
Date Visited: 3/10/2024
Address: 3095 S Peoria St # B, Aurora, CO 80014
Day of the Week: Sunday
Time of Day: 11:15 AM, opens at 11:00 AM
Owner: 4 Owners, two from Texas & two from Colorado. Matt Vargocko, Brandon Foreman, Michael Richie and one more
Number of Years in Business: Opened September 25th, 2021. Looking to open two more locations as well
Number of People in Line: 0, but about 8 rolled in after me
Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas
Total Cost: $49.89 with 20% tip. Ordered the two meat platter with smoked chicken and pulled pork, with a 1/4 lb of the brisket and flight of 4 beers. Came with Texas Toast, potato salad, and baked beans for the combo
Type of Wood: Post Oak
Type of Smoker: Offset Smoker and several upright smokers out back
Best Dish: Pulled Pork
Best Side: Baked Beans
Interior Description: Small little strip mall spot from the outside, with a Texas BBQ meets Colorado craft beer themed interior with seating for 30-40. Nice walk-up bar, with a large tap list of house-made beers to choose from. Just a hint of smoke smell in the air, with laid-back rock music playing in the background. Multiple TVs also give a slightly sports bar theme as well, but definitely a chill spot to grab some beers and bbq
Pro Tip: Get the pulled pork and brisket, skip the chicken and order the in-house beers, which are solid all around.
Brisket
0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10
Seasoning: Salt & pepper
Description: They keep the point and the flat together for slicing the brisket, but you aren’t able to request fatty or lean, just whatever they give you. Ended up getting two fatty pieces served to me, which was fine on my end, as they don’t have burnt end options. The brisket was a little on the thicker side for its cut of each slice, but had good smoke flavor running through it and a nice light seasoning of salt and pepper. That said, needs more of the seasoning to come through overall. Minimal red ring and could use a little more fat left on on the brisket during trimming, as some of the leaner sections where a little tougher and dried out at the ends. Would order again though
Burnt Ends – Not served here
Pork Spare Ribs – Only served on special occasions
Pulled Pork
0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10
Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and possibly some others
Description: Very juicy, with good smoke flavor, and large chunks of the bark and meat mixed in each bite. Sauce isn’t needed, but it could use a little more seasoning to it. One of the better pulled porks in Colorado though and would order again
Smoked Chicken
0/10 Ranking: 7/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: Pretty dried out, but has good smoke and pepper flavor to it. Needed some sauce to give it a little bit of moisture, but then the sauce overpowers the chicken flavor, which is a shame, because the smokiness and seasoning were actually really good. If it were juicier, I could bump this up 1 to 2 spots in its ratings. Would be down to give it another try though, as the flavor was there, just not the juiciness desired
Sauces – Had two options, but didn’t rate them
Sides – Potato Salad
0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10
Description: While I typically don’t get potato salad, this one came with the combo meal I ordered, so figured I’d try it out. Even though I’m not a fan of potato salads, this one did have good overall taste and the potatoes were cooked perfectly. Not something I’d order again based on my preferences, but for people that like this type of dish, it is one of the better ones I’ve ever had
Sides – Baked Beans
0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10
Description: Smokey and very tasty, as they add a little bit of bacon to it as well. Very much appreciated that it wasn’t overly sweet like some baked beans can be, but had a light and balanced sweetness to it. Similar to the potato salad, I’m not typically a big baked bean fan, but would order these again as a side
Interior & Menu Photos:
Piggin’ Out Smokehouse
Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 7.5 to 8/10 and Maybe. Cool spot in the burbs, but nothing good enough to warrant a special trip, besides maybe the pulled pork. Can’t say I need to come back, but worth a stop if you’re in the area, as that part of town has limited bbq options available. Would recommend coming during a nice weather day to take advantage of the outdoor seating and views of the mountains
Date Visited: 4/20/2021
Address: 9987 Morrison Rd, Lakewood, CO 80227
Day of the Week: Tuesday
Time of Day: 12:32 PM. Open at 11:00 AM
Owner: Zack Anderson
Website: https://www.pigginout.com/
Number of Years in Business: At least since 2014
Number of People in Line: 1 person sitting and 1 person ahead of me in line
Regional Style of BBQ: From Ohio originally, so blends several styles together
Total Cost: $36.00 with tip. 1/2lb brisket, 1/2lb pulled pork, 1/2lb chicken, and 1 Fat Tire
Type of Wood: N/A
Type of Smoker: N/A
Type of Seasoning: N/A
Best Dish: Pulled Pork
Best Sauce: N/A
Best Side: N/A
Interior Description: Small interior with only 4 indoor eating spots. Has a bunch of outdoor seating though, with picnic tables wrapping around the entire building. Had good music and blues playing. Very much gives off low key and old school bbq vibes
Pro Tip: Stick with the pulled pork
Brisket
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10
Seasoning: Unsure, but minimal
Description: They keep the point and flat together, then soak it in an au jus sauce and chop it. Brisket was juicy, but was slightly over cooked. With the soaking, it leaves the bark without any crunch, but the seasoning is reasonably good, but nothing special at all. Little smoke flavor coming through, and reminds me more of beef shoulder than of solid brisket. Some good pepper flavor on one of the few barks pieces that weren’t soft
Pulled Pork
0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: Good combination of crunchy and juicy meat pieces. Had a smoky and tasty exterior skin that ran through the pork. Didn’t need any sauce for it. Easily a Top 10, but probably a Top 5 pulled pork in Colorado. If a saucier pulled pork is desired, the mild bbq sauce is the way to go, but the sauce is very sweet and too much can overtake the meat. Would get again
Pulled Chicken
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: Really good smoke flavor coming through the chicken, but that’s where the positives end. Chicken was slightly over cooked with minimal exterior seasoning. That said, one of the more flavorful chicken pieces in Colorado, but still nothing over the top. Smoke tasted like hickory
Sauces – Needs review
Sides – None ordered, needs review
Interior & Menu Photos
The House of Salt & Smoke 