Today I’d like to take you back to a restaurant I first told you about last year. When we visited JD’s Smokehouse in August 2018, we thought they were great. Located just off of I-40 in Rutherford College, they are very easy to find. Well we decided to make a trip to Western North Carolina again. Tammy talked me into leaving a day early so we could stop by JD’s again to see how they’re doing. I have to admit I was curious to know if they could still be as good as they were a year ago. So I bought in on the leave early idea
to pay them a visit. Now just to be straight with everyone I did message them to say we were coming. I didn’t say exactly when and they did not know we were there until we had finished eating.
JD’s Smokehouse.
Rutherford College, NC.
The Restaurant and Staff:
JD’s Smokehouse still has that great rustic feel and their NASCAR decorations up. None of that seems to have changed. It is still a very comfortable feeling when you’re there. They have a large dining area and they need it. We arrived about 11:30 so we could beat some of the lunch rush. They were already filling up. Everyone was very busy but very friendly. The girls at the counter taking orders were very patient and worked through the orders with ease. The waitresses hustled and helped each other out to take care of all the customers.
We did get a chance to talk to Debbie, one of the owners, briefly. She was very busy too. It was great to see
her and to know everything was going well for them. But she doesn’t take a break when they’re this busy and had to get back to work. We didn’t see Miss Mary this time. Hope she’s doing ok.
Our Choices at JD’s Smokehouse:
Sliced Brisket with Green Bean Casserole and Hash Brown Casserole.
Being here for lunch, Tammy and I both tried to go easy on our choices. Tammy ordered the Brisket Plate with Green Bean Casserole and Hash Brown Casserole. The green bean casserole was really good. I was surprised at how good it was. I also tried a little of the hash brown casserole and it was wonderful too. Tammy really enjoyed both of them. Neither are sides that I would normally have with BBQ but they were very good. As for the brisket, JD’s Smokehouse still has some of the best brisket we’ve found. Great smoke flavor, burnt edges and fantastic seasoning. The brisket is moist and tender. You can cut it with your fork like you should be able to do.
Pulled Pork with Fries and Baked Beans at JD’s Smokehouse.
I went with the Pulled Pork. My sides were those luscious Fries of theirs and Baked Beans. I also added a side of Brunswick Stew. You already know I love the fries at JD’s Smokehouse. Nothing changed there. They still have that crispy coating and great taste. The baked beans were wonderful. They’re full of smoky, meaty flavor and just wonderful. The Brunswick Stew is still as good as it was before. With all the meat and veggies, you could make a lunch out of this without the BBQ. But not me. I had to try the pulled pork again and it was oh so good. It has a nice smoke ring, wonderful smoke flavor, bark mixed in and moist. I loved the pulled pork.
Final Thoughts:
JD’s Smokehouse is still a wonderful place to visit. Remember, they are only open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I am so glad we were able to visit here again. It’s always nice to be able to return to one of the restaurants we spoke so highly of. The food is still awesome and the staff is great. I’m also glad to see that they are still serving great food like they were a year ago. We loved seeing Debbie again just wish we had more time to talk. I know that someday we’ll be back again. Just so sad we live as far away as we do. We will keep JD’s Smokehouse in mind anytime we travel I-40 and look for opportunities to stop in.
Now For Your Thoughts:
I asked last year when I posted JD’s Smokehouse for the first time how others felt about them. The response was awesome. Well I’m looking for your opinions again. Scroll down and leave some comments so I can post them with this review. You have a great BBQ restaurant out there in Western NC. Share your thoughts with everyone so they can hear it from the locals.
I look forward to hearing from you.
If anyone missed the original post from a year ago you can check it out here: http://www.patricksbbqtrail.com/jds-smokehouse-rutherford-college-nc/
I encourage you to share this review on Facebook and other social media sites. Follow us on Facebook to see where else we go.
You can check out their website at: http://www.jds-smokehouse.com/
You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/JDSmokehouse/
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