Corky's - Brentwood, TN

Posted By Michael Stern on March 3, 2009 1:20 PM

Corky’s started in Memphis, where it remains one of the city’s premier barbecue parlors. We are thrilled to report that the magic of the meat loses nothing in Nashville. The Corky’s branch in Brentwood (a Music City suburb) serves stupendously delicious pork shoulder, hickory-cooked and hand-pulled into a heap of soft, sweet pieces of smoke-laced meat. The pork is pre-sauced and piled high on a platter with baked beans, cole slaw, and a warm rolls or stuffed into a sandwich that is made Memphis-style, meaning slaw is included inside the bun.

While pulled pork is our favorite Memphis-style meat, there are many pig fanciers who swear by Corky’s ribs, which are available wet or dry. Wet means bathed in Corky’s spicy red sauce; dry means crusted with a vivid spice mix that serves as a kind of envelope to hold all the sweet juices and smoke flavor inside. Also on the menu are hot tamales with chili and cheese, as well as beef and chicken barbecue. We have tried the beef and it is pretty darn good; but unless you are kosher, pork is definitely the meat to eat.

Although Corky’s sauce is not ferociously hot, it will leave your tongue tingling. That’s why it is a special pleasure to end the meal with a slice of cool Key lime pie.

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Posted By Jim Clark on August 5, 2011 3:07 AM

I lived in Brentwood, TN for a number of years, have eaten at Corky's, and never understood what all the hoopla was about. To me, this is just average BBQ. But I guess that's why they make Fords and Chevys.

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Posted By Melissa Linkinhoker on October 7, 2005 1:11 PM

While Corky's BBQ and ribs are good, the items that have become our favorites are ones that didn't make it into Michael's review and they probably aren't the items one typically goes to a BBQ joint for. Living close by though, we were eating there so regularly that we started to venture out and try other items on the menu.

The BBQ shrimp have to be my favorite. They are in a buttery sauce that is a perfect dip for their wonderful crusty French rolls. It's got rosemary and some other spices that I have yet to identify, and has a slight kick, but it's not really a barbecue sauce like I have seen elsewhere. The shrimp are never overcooked. The appetizer portion comes with six shrimp on a skewer served on top of a piece of lettuce with lots of the sauce for dipping. The dinner portion comes with two skewers and sides.

The second surprise is the smoked turkey salad. Not being a 'salad' person, I never knew a salad could be so good and so filling. The smoked turkey is just perfect perched atop crisp iceberg lettuce with slices of cucumber, tomatoes and cheddar cheese and topped with a barbecue ranch dressing and croutons. Their smoked turkey is not dry but it's also not rubbery like turkey can sometimes be.

And you have to start each meal with an onion loaf: thinly sliced rings of onions with a light crispy batter. Unfortunately, this is one item that you cannot get to go, but I have taken leftovers home and sucessfully warmed them in the oven. If you have kids, you will likely try their spaghetti, which was surprisingly good with a nice meat sauce that has a tomato tang, not too sweet and just the right balance of herbs.

There is a lot more to Corky's than BBQ.

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