Smoked turkey breasts, ribs and brisket satisfy your BBQ cravings at Small Batch Barbecue in Forest Park

Sunday, November 29, 2020

This BBQ is so great, you'll want to skip the sauce

There's a barbecue spot in Forest Park where they're smoking turkey breast - along with ribs and brisket - to create some memorable meals, even if you're still full from Thanksgivi

FOREST PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Had enough turkey this week? Well, if you think you can't handle another bite, there's a barbecue spot in Forest Park where they're smoking turkey breast - along with ribs and brisket - to create some memorable meals, even if you're still full from Thanksgiving.

After Greg Stinton took top honors at Forest Park's Ribfest a few years ago, he knew he was onto something. His ribs, smoked over hickory, apple and cherry woods, are now the centerpiece of a compact menu at Small Batch Barbecue in downtown Forest Park.

But they're neither Carolina nor Chicago style.

"My take on a Memphis-style, so they're dry-rubbed. Our brisket is definitely a Texas-style brisket, so those are our two predominant styles," said Stinton.

The ribs first get a mustard glaze before being completely covered by the dry rub.

"[It] just kind of helps it stick and acts as sort of a glue; doesn't really change the flavor at all," he said.

The other item on his menu that gets a dry rub is turkey breast, which is an item you sometimes see on menus in Austin, Texas.

"The turkey is honestly kind of a hidden gem for us, and that came from a lot of people saying, 'I don't eat beef and I don't eat pork,'" he said.

Like his ribs, the turkey smokes for about three hours. A far cry from the 13 hours typically needed for the brisket. There are homemade sides as well, and even a housemade sauce which is a bit thinner and sweeter than normal.

"When I do my job right, it shouldn't really need sauce and that's the way that I primarily eat it," said Stinton.

Stinton said while a lot of people tend to focus on ribs and brisket, he still thinks the turkey is underrated.

"It comes out tender and juicy, and it's really tasty," he said.

Now, remember barbecue fans, sauce should only be used as an accent. You don't need a ton of sauce on great barbecue, especially this turkey. And the best way to order, as with all businesses these days, is directly from the restaurant's website.