review
Lion’s choice
Leo’s BBQ remains a meat-eater’s paradise under the care of Leo’s son Charles Smith. By Greg Elwell
Bologna
Step away from the cold cut aisle and discover the true potential of this sausage when it’s 3631 N. Kelley Ave. smoked. The heat opens up facebook.com/leosbarbecue | 405-424-5367 bubbles within the meat, giving What works: The brisket is juicy and it a little added texture. smoky, and the ribs have excellent texture. Barbecuing works with the unique properties of bologna, What needs work: The venue is loud and busy. which traps the smoky flavor of the pit inside its homogenous, Tip: Leo’s Special is big enough to share but fine-ground structure. so good you won’t want to. Bologna is obviously great as a sandwich ($7.45 with small There’s no hiding a visit to Leo’s BBQ: You baked potato), and I suggest you will smell like hickory smoke after eating take a few bites before adding sauce. lunch at the restaurant located at 3631 N. Kelly Ave. Hot links That is a compliment. There’s a sneaky heat to Leo’s hot links Leo Smith opened the eatery in 1974 (five in a pound for $14). Like other small and quickly built a reputation for cooking sausages, hot links are best when barbesome of the city’s best barbecue. His son cued. The heat chars and blisters the skin and renders the fat, which cooks the meat Charles took over in 1994 after Leo’s death as it drips out. and keeps his father’s legacy alive. Though the business expanded and They are a sensory delight. Crisp casings contracted in the intervening years, have both crunch and chew. The meat there’s almost always a crowd. During a inside is moist and fatty with a slow-buildrecent lunchtime visit, the hostess seated ing burn that hits the tongue a few bites in. me and a friend with another dining duo to get us all fed more quickly. Ribs “Don’t worry; we don’t bite,” the man Meat that “falls off the bone” is not always next to us joked. a good thing when it comes to barbecued ribs. It’s a sign they were overcooked by The menu is pretty simple, though its an inexperienced or insecure chef. presentation on a grid might confuse a few first-timers. Leo’s serves ribs, brisket, Leo’s ribs ($19.99 for 24 ounces) do not bologna and hot links in sandwiches, differfall off the bone. They are waiting for you ently sized dinners and food by the pound. to take a bite strip the well-seasoned, expertly smoked bark off the top. There are Brisket still pockets of fat in these ribs, which you Beef brisket is the basis on which most can avoid or devour, depending on your Oklahoma barbecue is judged. For me, the preference. ideal brisket is tender with a bit of chew Toothsome is a good word here. The crust — nobody wants a mouthful of meat mush. is blissfully chewy, sheltering melt-worthy meat that is courteous enough to hold onto The smoking process should break down the bone as you lift it to your mouth. the fat and collagen in an otherwise-tough cut of beef without drying it out. Barbecue Leo’s has mastered good barbecue sauce is nice, but if the meat’s flavor and that’s cooked right and unpretentiously texture can’t stand on its own, it needs served to fans of the style. If you decide more work. to use the sauce, do so sparingly. The Leo’s brisket is perfect. A seasoned rub vinegar pop of the hot sauce is a nice conforms a peppery crust that structures each trast to the succulent meat, but too much slice and brings out the beef’s savory drowns out the skill of the pitmaster. aspects. The hickory smoke suffuses the Respect the meat. meat so each bite bursts with authentic With so many tasty meats, it can be pit flavor. daunting to choose just one, so don’t. Leo’s Special ($19.99) includes two ribs, two hot A sandwich ($9.49 with small baked potato) is a great medium for brisket, but links, brisket, bologna, two sides and a small if it’s your first time at Leo’s, consider slice of Leo’s strawberry banana cake. ordering a light dinner ($9.99) portion, A slice on its own is $3.95, and it has which includes a quarter pound of meat the flavor of banana bread and the light, and sides of macaroni salad and baked airy texture of cake. Frosting holds the beans. This brisket deserves to be tasted fresh strawberries and bananas on top on its own before it’s weighed down with and adds a spike of sweetness. The cake, sauce and bread. like a visit to one of Oklahoma City’s finest barbecue joints, is a must.
Leo’s BBQ
from left Leo’s BBQ bologna, brisket, ribs, hot links, Texas toast and barbecue sauce. | Photo Garett Fisbeck
from left Leo’s baked beans and macaroni salad | Photo Garett Fisbeck
Strawberry banana cake | Photo Garett Fisbeck
O kg a z e t t e . c o m | D E c e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 6
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