In a state not well regarded for its barbecue, there was Jinx. And his pit…
Situated just east of the Meade & Market street intersection , Jinx’s is a place you’ve all passed a thousand times. It never looks open, and there never seems to be any noticeable traffic in or out. Having had the pleasure of eating there several times, I can assure you that it is, in fact, open most days of the week.
Walking inside (through an old screen door and fittingly decrepit porch), you’ll find a tiny kitchen, one booth, and kitschy memorabilia plastering the walls. Oh yeah, and Jinx. Fans of restaurants as clean as operating rooms best not enter. Jinx is, by all accounts, a barbecue fanatic — completely in love with his job, nay, his craft. And what a craft it is. A small whiteboard lists all the prices, scribbled in barely intelligible erasable ink. The “Pork Sammich” will run you back roughly $3.50, while the same dish with cole slaw heaped on top runs for an advertised $15.75. Jinx is serious about his meat. In Kentucky, he tells us, one simply doesn’t debauch a perfect pulled pork sandwich with slaw; that’s strictly a Carolina thing. Of course, he’ll begrudgingly add slaw if you insist (and only charge a slight premium).
The sammich is simple: pulled pork nestled between two buttered and grilled pieces of white bread and topped with a very small amount of a thin, tangy, tomato-based sauce. Jinx always makes sure to sneak in a piece or two of pork gelatin (read: fat), which adds additional richness and smoke to the sandwich. On first bite, you’ll be amazed by the tenderness of the pork and the subtle, perfectly balanced smokiness. This is barbecue at its best, and as a self-styled barbecue nut, I’ve tasted a lot in my day. I’ll admit to never tasting Blue Ridge Pig’s product, but reputable sources assure me that Jinx’s would win, perhaps by a slight margin, in a taste test.
Don’t go to the Pit’s Top expecting good sides. The slaw is strictly edible, the cucumber salad is refreshing, if a bit plain, and the fries are, well, fries. The star of the show is the pork. Simply and expertly prepared, lovingly piled atop the bread slices, and handed to you by a man who seems genuinely excited to be passing a bit of his passion across the counter to you.
I have heard that the ribs at Jinx’s are even better than the pulled pork. I have not had the chance to try them yet, but plan to on my next trip.
Related posts:
- Blue Ridge Pig Barbecue Review: O’ Blue Ridge Pig, Where Art Thou?
- Spry’s BBQ
- Charlottesville Mentioned in the Wall Street Journal
Jinx’s may top Blue Ridge Pig, but in town, Belmont BBQ has set the standard for me. Tasty sandwiches, the ability to customize your sandwich’s spiciness with four levels of heat, and scrumptious ribs with the meat falling off vault this newcomer ahead of local mainstay Jinx’s.
Stormy, I will travel to Belmont BBQ and come back here with Charlottesville’s ultimate BBQ roundup.
BBQ is a land of controversy to be sure, but I have to give Belmont BBQ a great big: “Eh”. Have eaten there twice and only had the pork barbecue, but each time it has been only ok, and one time left both me and my girlfriend with stomach distress. I’ll go back to try the ribs sometime, but not for the pulled pork. I agree that Jinx is very good, the best in town, in fact, although I have had better BBQ many many times at many many other places.
I was really excited when Belmont BBQ opened and thought it would be a great asset to the neighborhood. Instead, I’ve been disappointed every time I’ve gone, and I think I finally need to admit that no matter how many times I go, I will never be satisfied. First off, a barbecue joint shouldn’t look sterile. Second, the prices (while reasonable in the grand scheme of things) are a bit high for barbecue, considering the very small amount of food it buys you. Then comes the actual food. In a word, the pork sucks. I mean, total, irrevocable suckitude. The beef brisket is actually pretty good, but at the end of the day, I’m all about the pork and don’t like Texas barbecue too much. Plus, the folks at the counter are pretty indifferent and service varies widely. You might prefer other barbecue spots to Jinx’s–and to each his own–but there’s no denying that the experience there is greatly augmented by Jinx’s quirky (and wonderful) character.
Throw the readers a bone! Are these molasses or vinegar based barbecues? Carolina? Texas? Kansas City? (I got the Kentucky part, and it’s not a kind of BBQ…) I have family living not far from the Barbecue Capital of the World. Lot of good-lookin’ cows on the drive, but I’m more of a jalapeno sausage girl myself. Anyone else had BBQ in Lockhart? The women’s bathroom didn’t have doors on the stalls when I went. Really got the whole farm animal experience there.
Whoops…I meant to say “Kansas City” instead of “Kentucky” in my post. If I weren’t anonymous, I’m sure Jinx would hunt me down.
And I’m sorry we’re anonymous, too, because I would like to meet anyone who can come up with “total irrevocable suckitude.”
Anyway, most BBQ owners look like they don’t even want my money. They just don’t see the redneck inside. Truth is, I haven’t done too much local BBQ because I like Kansas City style so much and smoked meat over pulled. Best BBQ sammich of my life: Bone Daddy’s. It’s like the Hooters of BBQ.
I ‘m a cue fan, but I like my pork pulled. The last time I had Jinx’ it had more fat in it that it should. When a pig is cooked right the fat is almost all gone and the rest is removed. You should never have to pull something out of you month and hide it in the napkin like phlegm. The other negative is the fingernails. I could give a rip how you look unless I think you are dirty and fingernails are a leading indicator.