Hays Smokehouse - Fantastic!

I picked up my Christmas turkey last Friday morning and enjoyed visiting with Mr Hays. I also took home a pound of pork with sides of slaw and beans. I was definitely popular when I arrived home. The turkey was great! It was cooked to perfection and everyone agreed that it was the best tasting turkey they ever had. The smoky taste penetrated the entire turkey but yet it was moist and delicious.
They are closed this week for Christmas and are normally open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Their menu varies a little on Thursday with the addition of polish sausage and hamburgers. I have not tried either one because I can't stay away from the ribs, pork and chicken. They open at 10:30 and close , I believe, at 7. They sometimes run out of ribs before they close. Hopefully, they will still have some of their calendars to hand out when the group arrives.
I mentioned to Mr. Hays that he may have a Roadfood group headed his way in February. He and his wife normally check this website but had not done so recently due to the busy holiday season. He said they would check it when they were closed. He really enjoys all of the roadfood people he has met and finds it hard to believe his food has developed such a reputaion. He is very modest and the attention has surprised he and his wife.
I hope everyone has an opportunity to try a little of everything. Don't eat for a week before the gathering. I certainly look forward to meeting everyone. I might add that Jackson Tn. is close by and has plenty of motels if you are looking for a place to stay on your trip. There are also a few small ones in Lexington.

See you!

I am planning on being in Paducah, Kentucky for business sometime around the last part of January or the first part of February. The dates aren't set, but whenever I go, I plan on making a side trip to Hays. If I can possibly work it out, I'll be there for at least one day of the planned activities.

KVON, thanks for the number. I searched desperately for Dennis's business card this afternoon, but I seem to have misplaced it.

Bobs, great report!!!!! Thanks. Looking forward to meeting you in Feb.

rbpalmer and oneiron, I sure hope y'all can make it!!!! And, tiki, if y'all don't make it, I just might have to come up there and kick your OK a**. (Not hard for a Texan to do that... )

We'll be discussing this more, but I really hope that LOTS of Roadfooders will join us. This is a great joint, and they're great people. ALL are welcome and encouraged to attend. This is could really be a blast.

Not sure if we can make it. Just ran the trip through AAA Maps and we're looking at a trip of 950 miles taking about 15 hours. That's just one way!

quote:

Originally posted by Bushie
[br
tiki, if y'all don't make it, I just might have to come up there and kick your OK a**. (Not hard for a Texan to do that... )

Couldnt tell that from looking OU/Texas football scores!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by CheeseWit

Not sure if we can make it. Just ran the trip through AAA Maps and we're looking at a trip of 950 miles taking about 15 hours. That's just one way!

Just have Jane drive; you can nap on the way!

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

Couldnt tell that from looking OU/Texas football scores!!!!

That's because most of your team is made up of Texans...

Sadly, however, our moronic AD just signed Mack for another 10 years so it looks like OU will have a long string of wins.

Very clever of us Okies infiltrating the AD's office like that--wouldnt you say!---and as for a Team full of Texans-- we Oklahomans have always had a policy of giving a helping hand to the less fortunate and to refugees in search of a land with freedom and opportunity!!

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

Very clever of us Okies infiltrating the AD's office like that--wouldnt you say!---and as for a Team full of Texans-- we Oklahomans have always had a policy of giving a helping hand to the less fortunate and to refugees in search of a land with freedom and opportunity!!

All right, football fans...Now, are we still considering a two stopper, doing Memphis on a Friday? I could use a plateful of Gridley's bbq shrimp.

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

All right, football fans...Now, are we still considering a two stopper, doing Memphis on a Friday? I could use a plateful of Gridley's bbq shrimp.

Them's still the plans...

So...the itinerary on Saturday is pretty simple. Go to Hays'...eat.
How 'bout Friday? We have countless possibilities for two meals. Speaking only for myself, Gridley's bbq shrimp is non-negotiable. Apart from that, the possibilities range from Buntyn-type southern, to ribs, ribs, and more ribs.

You covered the Saturday end of it pretty well, P P . Friday is open. Memphis friday evening sounds good to us. Staying there over night and heading up to Lexinton for a LONG mid-morning and noon lunch.... Paul will be in on this too.

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

You covered the Saturday end of it pretty well, P P . Friday is open. Memphis friday evening sounds good to us. Staying there over night and heading up to Lexinton for a LONG mid-morning and noon lunch.... Paul will be in on this too.

This sounds good to me--love to meet uo with the rest of you in Memphis-i have a place in Memphis to stay and planned on doing that and driving up to Hays sat am anyway---so whats this about bbq shrimp and what times-and are we talking TWO places in Memphis--what about breakfast

The Sundancer is in: I will be there in Memphis and Lexington. I cannot wait to meet all who is involved. Mayor, I suggest giving this thread a place all its own. I truly look forward to great BBQ session at Hays similar to what we had last year. I hope the weather is as great as it was the last time.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Tiki,
A plateful of bbq shrimp at Gridley's, served on paper plates, if I remember correctly, is a meal you will never forget. They have that wood-smoked flavor, cajun spices, swimming in butter...

Can't do Friday, but Saturday looks to be a go...

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

All right, football fans...Now, are we still considering a two stopper, doing Memphis on a Friday? I could use a plateful of Gridley's bbq shrimp.

Poverty, how about a better description of Gridley's bbq shrimp.

Looking forward to Memphis and particularly Hays Smokehouse. Pulled pork and ribs for me along with their slaw.

Thanks,

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

OK RoadFoodies and Guests!!

Let's be sure that everyone knows what is going on !!!

Friday evening, Feb 18th, Those who choose to come down early will meet at a rib-joint (TBA Later) in Memphis for a supper/dinner of Memphis Style BBQ. Following the social exchange at dinner some of the group will probably wander the Beale Street area for some music and snacking activities. We will overnight in Memphis.

Saturday, Feb. 19th we will travel the 100 miles up to Lexington, Tennessee arriving about 10-10:30 am. There we will meet-up with those who couldn't get to Memphis the night before. We will enjoy the fruits of Mr Hays labors for as long as we can, including the walk-thru of his cooking operation and the great discussion of BBQ Techniques. This should take us thru the noon hour and probably up to about 2-2:30pm.
We will then head our separate ways for the journey home.
This will be a super day plus get together. I hope all of you who have indicated an interest can find the time to include this fun activity in your schedule. Maps, Specific Location for Friday night and detailed information will be forthcoming....but mark your calendar and invite anyone you think would enjoy this Meet-N-Eat !! FYI,
AL

I can't believe I missed this place, I was just in Tennessee on vacation. I wish I had known about RoadFood.com then. Oh well, better late than never. LO[:)

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

Dennis Hays is a fine man. He runs a homey BBQ restaurant that deserves every compliment it receives. If ever there was a sterotypical Roadfood Establishment, Mr Hays's place would be it.
The meat qualifies as done the right way and with care. The service, even for take-out and during 'rush' traffic is congenial and all in all it is a great place to relax and see how things should be done.

Anyone who visits should be sure to tell the cashier, or Mr Hays himself if he is present, that you are a 'Roadfood.com' member or reader and that we are doing all we can to let folks know of the quality of that western Tennessee Hog-cooker. We hope the Sterns will visit his place and include it in the next published edition of the Roadfood Bible.

Here is Dennis Hays doing what he does best with his Massive Cookers !!

We should be there, although may go back thru MS to Oxford or a casino before heding back to ATL.

Just a reminder for any of you who may have an open weekend in February...

quote:

Originally posted by oneiron339

We should be there, although may go back thru MS to Oxford or a casino before heding back to ATL.

If you go back through MS and I assume through Tunica, stop at the Blue and White on highway 61 and get their buffet with fried chicken and fried green tomatoes.

If you stay at the casinos, I would suggest the Gold Strike. It is the cleanest and neatest. Do not stay at Ballys or Sams Town. As far as the casino's, they are all about the same but the hotels are not.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I visited Hays Smoke House yesterday hoping it would be open on Thursday. It's not. It's open on Fri & Sat, until the BBQ is gone, as his sign says. I did get to spend an hour with Dennis Hays who was out back in the smoke house cooking hogs for today's meals.
He said he gets at least one visitor a week from people who have seen him on roodfood.com and he is gaining quite a reputation as a fantastic BBQ place. He'll be featured in an upcoming BBQ documentary being produced by Ole Miss U.
He also mentioned that this coming January he will be supplying sugar cured bacon to an outfit in Calif, called The Splendid Pallete (sp?) that fetures unusual foods from around the country and he will be the featured food for January. I could go on and on about my visit there but needless to say Mr Hays was a fun person to be with and very friendly as well.
Unfortunately because his place was closed I told him I had to eat at Scott's BBQ on the other side of town and he said Scott's was different, but good, and that Scott's was a big customer of his slaughterhouse operation. Scott's was very good, some of the best I've ever had, but I sure wish I'd had some Hays instead.

Carlton,
Sorry you missed out on Mr. Hays barbecue, but I'm glad you got to talk with him. I thought Scott's had decent barbecue also, but I much preferred the barbecue at Old Fashioned over in the Jack's Creek area on Hwy 100 (toward Henderson). It's well worth the extra driving IMHO if Hays isn't open..

I think Carlton was smoking it back to Knoxville on I-40 and made a jump off at lexington. Sorry that Hay's was closed but i am glad he got to conversate with Dennis. The conversation is almost as good as the BBQ

Paul E. smith
Knoxville, TN

I got a side of beans and potato salad at Scott's and they were both excellent. The beans had pieces of Q in them and the potato salad was a mustard based style that was also quite good.

I am glad that Carlton got over our way in West Tn.I am sorry that you missed eating at Hay's. It is really the best of the best and is the authentic whole hog barbecue. I am headed that way tomorrow for lunch and will keep you in mind as I load up on hog.