Don’t Miss The BBQ at Hamaknocker’s in Wakulla County, Florida!

I write about cooking and food in the monthly “Sportsman’s Kitchen” column in Florida Sportsman magazine, so I guess I’m qualified to make a comment on Florida’s BBQ tradition.  That said, in my humble opinion, Florida has NO BBQ TRADITION.  Yes, we have barbeque (and some folks still consider “grilling” to be barbequing), but mostly it’s done in the styles and traditions of other places than Florida.  For the most part, at Florida BBQ joints, you can expect what I call “red sauce” BBQ–smoked or roasted meat (beef, pork, poultry) covered in a sweetened and usually spicy tomato-based sauce.  We don’t see much of my all-time favorite, Eastern North Carolina chopped whole pig (with the skin) cooked and served with a simple pepper and vinegar sauce.

Hamaknocker’s is an excellent example of BBQ “done right”.  They take particular care in cooking and smoking, the service is excellent and friendly, and the food tastes great.  Red sauce or not, I’m a fan!

If you’re tired of seafood, and you’re in Crawfordville, a small coastal town in southern Wakulla County, don’t miss a meal at Hamaknocker’s, at 2837 Coastal Highway.  The first thing that I look for is smoke, and that’s what you’ll see (and smell) when you drive into the parking lot.  Inside, you’ll have a choice of lots of smoked meats, but my favorite is the smoked steak sandwich, sometimes available as a lunchtime special.  To see the full menu at Hamaknocker’s, click on this link to MenuPix.