Barbecue is a cultural staple of the South. It’s a point of deep pride in the region, along with meat-and-threes and catfish dinners. Most people, especially Tennesseans, love barbecue — but when your plate is, by design, filled with delicious slow-cooked meat, it’s naturally hard to keep it affordable. But the husband-and-wife duo of pitmaster John Cathey and sauce boss Mylica Cathey are using their talents to bring customers classic barbecue that is quick and affordable.
At the Catheys’ food truck Smokin’ Buttz, the signature sandwich is The Hickory — a fresh-baked bun stacked with slow-cooked pulled pork and covered in their Big Jr’s Signature Sauce. The Hickory is topped with pickles, and optional coleslaw is available for an extra dollar. It’s as classic as pulled-pork sandwiches get, though there’s a chicken version also available (The Mesquite). Keeping the sandwiches to the absolute essentials — they’re very meat- and sauce-forward — gives the meal a sense of nostalgia. It’s no-frills, back-to-basics BBQ. Since it’s a food truck, Smokin’ Buttz is never in one place for too long, but the Catheys’ website features a calendar of upcoming locations. You can expect the service to be fast and efficient, and any line that may be there will quickly evaporate.
Smokin’ Buttz is offering classic barbecue sandwiches that are fast and affordable, and also scratch that nostalgic itch for those of us who grew up in the South.
