Pitmaster IndexMike Emerson
Owner & Founder, Pappy's Smokehouse
Mike Emerson
Pappy's SmokehouseSt. Louis, Missouri
Signature:Memphis-style dry-rub ribs
Mike Emerson opened Pappy's Smokehouse in Midtown in 2008 and, almost overnight, reset the standard for barbecue in St. Louis. His Memphis-style dry-rub ribs — smoked over apple and cherry wood — earned national rankings and turned a modest storefront into the city's most famous pit. His family's fingerprints run through the scene: son-in-law Mike Ireland went on to co-found Adam's Smokehouse.
Technique
Low-and-slow over apple and cherry wood; a dry, spice-forward rub and no sauce needed.
Influences
Memphis dry-rub tradition