When it comes to finger-licking eats, delicious BBQ is a staple of American food culture. Food this good deserves to be celebrated—and it is! May 16th is the official National BBQ Day in the US and the perfect time to enjoy the best BBQ that’s slow cooked, smoked, and slathered in sauce. In this article, we'll give you the background on National BBQ Day and introduce you to five mouth-watering menu items you can make at home or enjoy at Wings and Rings on this special day.

What is National BBQ Day?

National BBQ Day is in the middle of May, which also happens to be National BBQ Month. It’s right at the beginning of summer, when the weather is finally nice enough for grilling season to really kick off. But as any BBQ fan will tell you, BBQ is so much more than mere grilling. The art of this cuisine comes from a low and slow cook and the unique flavor you can only get from BBQ’s specialized smoking process. Since BBQ is a cuisine style, you will find a range of regional BBQ variations depending on where you are in the US. The big four BBQ styles are:

• Carolina BBQ: Pork is the star (Carolina-style is known to use the whole hog!) with either a vinegar or tomato-based sauce
• Kansas City BBQ: This style uses all sorts of meat (beef, chicken, lamb, pork, sausage, and turkey are all game) and features a tangy-sweet ketchup and molasses-based sauce
• Memphis BBQ: Another one where pork is king, Memphis style mostly uses the pork shoulder and ribs. It comes in two styles: dry with a spice-laden rub or wet with a vinegar and tomato-based sauce
• Texas BBQ: Unsurprisingly, Texas BBQ is all about beef. For a state this big, Texas BBQ is split into four more styles, but most famous is the Central Texas low and slow dry rub brisket

And that’s the brief story on US BBQ! Now that we’ve hopefully got you in the spirit of National BBQ Day, here’s a few dishes you can try at home, or at our restaurant, to celebrate. All inspired by our menu, of course.

5 Dishes from Wings and Rings to Celebrate National BBQ Day

1. Go Handheld with the Double BBQ Pork Sandwich

Embrace the spirit of National BBQ Day with this meaty masterpiece. This sandwich is stacked high with tender, slow-cooked pulled pork and smothered in both Sweet BBQ and ‘Bama White BBQ sauce. We finish it off the Wings and Rings way with a crisp onion ring and a soft brioche bun. It's a true celebration of Southern BBQ at its finest.

2. Try the Fiery and Fruity Blueberry Chipotle BBQ Chicken Sandwich

For something unique, try this scrumptious sandwich on our menu. Beer-battered chicken is smothered in our own sweet and spicy Blueberry BBQ sauce, then topped with crisp slaw, sweet candied pecans, and tart dried cranberries. This burst of berry flavor is a great way to freshen up classic BBQ recipes.

3. Stack Up the Meat with the BBQ Bacon Burger

National BBQ Day wouldn't be complete without a crowd-pleasing burger. Sink your teeth into this juicy, grilled beef patty topped with Applewood-smoked bacon, a fried onion ring, spicy Cheddar Jack cheese, and a generous drizzle of Sweet BBQ sauce. You’ll savor every bite of this ultimate BBQ burger from our menu. 

4. Kick Off the Summer with Korean Shrimp

Kick off your National BBQ Day celebration with this irresistible appetizer. Shrimp is lightly breaded and fried to a golden crisp, tossed in a sweet and spicy Gochujang sauce, and rested on a bed of Korean BBQ slaw. This fusion of Korean and American BBQ flavors is both a bold and spicy BBQ starter off our menu that you’ll want again and again.

5. Celebrate the Veggie Way with Sweet Smokin' Onion Rings

Round out your feast with our signature onion rings done up BBQ-style. Perfectly seasoned and fried to a crispy golden brown, these onion rings are generously tossed in our smoky BBQ chipotle seasoning and Bleu Cheese or ranch for dipping. Crunchy and smoky it’s the essence BBQ cooking, just without the meat!

BONUS: Finger-Licking BBQ Wing Sauces

All our BBQ-style dishes are already amazing, but there’s other ways you can enjoy our BBQ sauces as the stars that they are. Ask for Wings and Rings' sauces from Blueberry Chipotle BBQ to Korean to Bourbon BBQ on an order of our chicken wings or get a sauce flight to try a little of everything.

Devour Our Best BBQ at Wings and Rings

There’s plenty of delicious eats you can enjoy on National BBQ Day at Wings and Rings. So, if you don’t have your own smokehouse setup at home, stop on by and we’ll do the cooking. Come for dinner with the family, friends, or to catch a game while you satisfy your cravings with our best BBQ. Visit any of our locations or place an online order for Wings and Rings to go. We hope to see you soon and happy National BBQ Day!