Tammy and I discovered Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ in Maidens, VA a few weeks ago. We were traveling down Route 250 from Charlottesville just to stay off the Interstate. When we passed by this restaurant I told Tammy to write their name in the back of my notebook so we could look them up later. Well we made it back out there to give them a try. If you’re wondering where Maidens is, they’re just west of Oilville and right off of I-64. Any bikers or Jeepers out there will love this route. You can ride it from Richmond to Charlottesville and beyond. It is really a pretty ride. So let’s get down to what we found.
The Restaurant and Staff:
Interior View in Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ.
Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ is located in an old country store. It’s very cozy inside. The walls are covered with old planks or barn wood with some old pictures hanging on them. The dining room is not large. They have a large table, a picnic table and several smaller tables. It’s not crowded and there is room for them to add more if they choose. We were greeted and waited on by the owner, Chris McPherson. He’s a very nice guy. We talked to him some while we were eating and he’s also very humble and appreciative of all his customers.
Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ has been there just over a year. They started up on December 1, 2017. Chris also told us about his culinary background with his specialty being in French. He said it didn’t take long to figure out there wasn’t a large demand for French food around the Richmond area. So while working in other restaurants to make his living Chris began exploring his love for local cuisine. He said if he was going to cook local it would have to be BBQ.
Our Sides at Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ:
Pulled Pork Sandwich with Creamy Slaw and Smoked Mac & Cheese.
Today we had my Mom with us so we were able to check out one more side. They were sold out of Ribs and Brisket so all three of us had the pulled pork. Let me start with the sides. First we sampled a little Sweet Vinegar Slaw. This slaw will wake up your taste buds. Chris did tell us in advance that it is an acquired taste. If you like vinegar, go for it. I liked it but told him I didn’t think I could eat a full serving of it. Tammy said it had a little spice to it also. I guess I missed that part. I would definitely suggest giving it a try.
So here’s what we had today at Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ. Tammy had Smoked Mac & Cheese and the Creamy Slaw. The mac & cheese is cooked in the smoker below the pork butts to catch the drippings along with the smoke. I thought it was awesome. It did have a little pepper heat to it which made it a little too much for Tammy. My lucky day. The creamy slaw is made with sweet mayo and buttermilk. This was a great combination. The slaw was wonderful by itself or on the bbq. Mom ordered the Potato Salad and Creamy Slaw. She loved the potato salad which is quite a compliment coming from her. Good job Chris.
Pulled Pork Plate with Pit Smoked Beans and Collards.
As for me, I went with the Pit Smoked Beans and Collards. The beans are also cooked in the smoker below the pork butts. The smoked beans were amazing. Great smoke flavor and the pork seasoning made them just fantastic. I also picked up on a little spice but not a lot. To me they were just right. And the collards. Well yo
u don’t do a great job on all of these sides to mess up the collards. No way. They were seasoned perfectly. I’m really picky about collards and usually don’t order them when eating out. I’m so glad I ordered them today. These were wonderful.
The Pulled Pork at Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ:
Pulled Pork Sandwich with Creamy Slaw and Potato Salad.
The Pulled Pork was incredible. It had a great smoke flavor and a nice smoke ring. Then there was the bark. Oh yes there was plenty of bark mixed in. And along with all this flavor, it was so tender and moist. I was impressed and I know that is a strong statement. I don’t give a restaurant that endorsement lightly. This place is a gem you need to discover.
I’ll also say that Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ has three different sauces available. They have a GA Mustard Sauce. Now most of you know I don’t care that much for a mustard sauce unless it’s with sausage. Well Tammy differs with me on that one. Either way, we both agreed that the mustard sauce was really good. She actually thought it was awesome. Then there was the Sweet Sauce. It’s your sweet tomato based style bbq sauce. It was really good. Mom likes bbq sauce and she really liked this one. Nope, I didn’t get that from her. I’m still no sauce whenever possible. Finally there’s the NC Vinegar Sauce. Yes, of course that one was good too. So if you must use sauce either one of these will meet your needs.
Desserts:
Well I’m sorry to say that we didn’t take pictures of the cakes until we were half way through them. I just don’t like posting half eaten food on my blog so you don’t get to see them. Sorry about that.
Today Tammy had a Double Chocolate Cake. They are made for Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ by someone else. Tammy loved hers, I didn’t try it. I don’t really remember if she offered. That’s ok because I had some really good Carrot Cake. For some reason I have really become hooked on carrot cake over the last several years. Today’s topped my meal off just right.
Final Thoughts:
So what else can I say about Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ? The food was outstanding. The service was friendly. Chris talked to us and answered questions while we ate lunch. And yes this was before he knew why I was there. If there is any disappointment at all with our trip there it would be that they had sold out of brisket and ribs. He did give us the scoop on them though. They only sell the ribs and brisket on Friday and Saturday. Chris said if you want either of them the best thing to do is call ahead and order. He says the brisket and ribs are usually pretty much sold out before they even come off the cooker. If you pre-order he will hold your order for you.
One other thing. When you place your order it is all a la carte. You order what you want and pay for what you get. You don’t have to worry about what may be served with a meal. Tammy and Mom ordered Pulled Pork Sandwiches. Tammy said the bun was incredible. I ordered a half pound of Pulled Pork. Next time I may get a full pound. I do know that on our next visit I will call Friday to place my order for Saturday. I will get ribs and brisket next time.
Like I said earlier. Bikers, Jeepers, or just day trippers, Route 250 is a great ride. Along the way this is an awesome stop for some great BBQ. I am so happy we were able to add Piedmont Smokehouse BBQ to Patrick’s BBQ Trail.
Now For Your Thoughts:
Well I think that covers it for me. What do you think? If you’ve stopped in before let us know how your visit went. Did it go as good as ours did?
And the regulars, how about filling us in on the rest of the story. I know you’re buying up all that brisket and those ribs. The least you could do is tell us about them. What did I miss? Here is your opportunity to let everyone know how you feel about your bbq joint. Give Chris a shout out and help build up some business for your local spot. Scroll down and drop off your comments so I can get them posted with this article.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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You can check out their website at: https://piedmontsmokehouse.com/
You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/PiedmontSmokehouse
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