2025 Alabama BBQ Tour: Etowah County - Pruett's BBQ, Gadsden, AL

 

We decided as our 4th stop on the 2025 Alabama BBQ Tour, we'd enjoy one of our all time favorites right here in our home county of Etowah.

Etowah County is the smallest county in Alabama, but the most densely populated.  Gadsden is located right on the Coosa River which provides activities such as swimming, boating, and fishing.  Noccalula Falls is a tourist destination for hiking, mountain bike trails, trout fishing, a petting zoo, pioneer village and more.  Historic Downtown Gadsden is filled with unique shops, restaurants, and boutiques.  

Pruett's BBQ is a local favorite serving up delicious BBQ, daily meat and threes selections, delicious fried chicken and catfish, and some of the best sweet tea in the South.

We started with onion rings.  I sometimes get these for a side, but have never ordered as an appetizer.  I'll do this again in the future!  Thick cut rings that were nicely battered, and fried to the perfect crunchy spot.  These were delicious.  The dipping sauce was a take on a honey mustard and was yummy as well.

Real plates and silverware are used with small styrofoam bowls for sides.  They realize BBQ can be a bit messy at times, so a roll of paper towels  is conveniently placed on the table.  The sweet tea, as mentioned above, continues to consistently be probably the best in the state in my opinion.

Sweet Harold ventured from his smoked chicken and tried the half rack of ribs (6 bones) and two sides along with Texas toast.  

The ribs were served without sauce (it's there on the side) and were the BEST ribs I've ever eaten.  That includes those we've smoked here at Chez Lolly.  

These ribs were extremely tender, beautifully smoked, and were nice and meaty.  They passed the "bite test" with flying colors.  A rib whose meat "falls off the bone" is overcooked.  A perfectly cooked rib, when a bite is taken in the middle of the bone, will release easily while leaving the remaining meat on the bone.  

His sides were cole slaw and beans.  The beans had smoked meat added and were a nice consistency.  Sweet Harold stated, "this is easily the best slaw in town!"  So there you go.

I had the pulled pork plate with macaroni and cheese and fried okra along with Texas toast (lightly toasted with NO garlic salt added!).

I was asked if I wanted the sauce added or on the side.  Such a simple request, but one that BBQ restaurants should always ask.  Again, they actually serve you pulled pork that has some of the outside "bark" mixed in to give you a different layer of flavor and texture.

This sauce has been a favorite of mine for years...well, decades.  It's got a light smoky flavor, has a medium consistency, and a nice hint of heat.

The fried okra is the frozen variety, but I always enjoy the nice crunchy exterior.

Now to the macaroni and cheese!  Their version is baked with a lightly golden crust, plenty of cheesy goodness, and served hot so the cheese is still nice and gooey!

Even though we were stuffed, we had to share a slice of chocolate fudge pie with whipped topping.  The offer was made to heat the pie slightly and that was a game changer!  

Mackenzie was our server and she was great.  She made sure we had everything we needed and was very personable.  

Standouts of this meal:  those perfectly smoked ribs, the macaroni and cheese which would make most Southern grandmothers jealous, that long time favorite chocolate fudge pie, and, of course, the sweet tea!

Our score:  0-100:  94