Two Louisiana Barbeque Joints Earn Southern Living Shout Out

Is it the secret of the sauce or is it the smell of the smoke that makes your mouth water when you think of barbeque in Louisiana? And we think about barbeque a lot here in The Boot. Sunday barbeque dinners regularly sell out at places in Lafayette, Breaux Bridge, Lake Charles, and New Iberia. And those who don't go out for barbeque usually wind up making it home.

And when it comes to barbeque folks in Louisiana aren't bashful about what they choose to put on the pit. You might find alligator or nutria and of course, venison is popular as well. But for the majority of "grill kings" in Louisiana, the choice comes down to beef or pork.

And while we do have some mighty fine establishments in Louisiana that can make a mean brisket, today we are talking about our friend the pig. Louisiana loves the pig. We use just about every inch of the pig in our culinary offerings. That's the main reason why you never want to witness boudin being made.

But there are some more photogenic and flavor portions of the pig that Louisiana loves too. In particular pork shoulder is a tasty treat that just about every one along the bayou loves. We even have entire festivals dedicated to butchering and cooking of the pig.

The folks at Southern Living Magazine have noticed our affinity for good pork shoulder. In fact, they enlisted the aid of several Southern chefs to help them find the best pulled pork in the South. I am pleased to report that author Taylor Tobin discovered that Louisiana had two locations that earned a mention in this "best of" narrative.

You can see Taylor's findings on all of the best places for pulled pork in the South right here. And as you peruse that list you'll notice that the Louisiana locations both have similar names and both pay homage to our French heritage in the state as well.

Probably the best known "place for pig" in Louisiana is in New Orleans on Tchoupitoulas it's called Cochon. I believe the same principles briefly operated a restaurant by the same name in Lafayette for a short time too. But according to those who know pulled pork what makes Cochon stand out is the way they cook their pulled pork.

They use the whole pig. And because of that you get all of the natural flavors from the animal combined the Cochon cooking technique. The pulled pork is served with a Tabasco inspired sauce that brings a bit of heat but still has a lot of sweet to it.  Those who know say you have to get the sweet onion rolls to go with it to complete the experience.

The other Louisiana barbeque joint to make the Southern Living "Best for Pulled Pork" list has a similar name. It's called Cochon King and you can find that on Franklin Avenue in Gentilly. This establishment features a hallmark of good barbeque, it's off the beaten path and the locals love it.

The Cochon King's claim to fame includes tender slow-smoked pulled pork served with a variety of their housemade barbeque sauces. The tangy sauce pairs well with the savory flavor of the fat-infused smoked pork to provide a "heavenly experience" in almost every bite. I say heavenly because after every bite you can hear customers saying "Oh my God, this is so good".

You can read the entire list from Southern Living here. And, let us know what your hot spot for slow-smoked barbeque is in your hometown. And if you need some friends to come help you sample what's cooking, you can always reach out to us, because we are always ready for barbeque.