by PAUL CATALA
Sponsored by Visit Central Florida
Kansas City, Memphis, Carolina, Texas – they all have their own distinctive barbecue styles and sauces.
Add Polk County to that list as its barbecue sauces and flavors are often a mix of southern United States flavors and Caribbean mixed with other regional barbecue styles. No matter your preference, you can most likely find it in Polk County.
Polk County’s nearly 1,800 square miles are peppered with barbecue stops of all sorts – from standalone grills on the side of the road, to food trucks, and longstanding restaurants entrenched in the county’s history. In fact, the popularity of barbecue has helped crown Polk County “the barbecue capital of Florida.”
Two popular Polk establishments — Lakeland’s Whiskey Bent BBQ Supply and Auburndale’s Peebles Bar-B-Q — are part of that tasty moniker.
Founded in 2007 as a competition barbecue team, Whiskey Bent specializes in barbecue rubs, sauces, and cooking classes that teach meat-lovers the art of barbecue.
The Whiskey Bent team is collaborating with Visit Central Florida to explore farmer and rancher connections within Polk County for farm-to-table ventures. Their partnership in the Rooted in Flavor initiative saw Whiskey Bent develop a new seasoning called “The Grove.” It’s made with local citrus for a “bright, zesty twist,” highlights other local flavors, and it can be used on everything from shrimp and lobster to chicken and pork.
Nicole Barnes, who co-owns Whiskey Bent with renowned Pitmaster Chad Ward, says the company makes products for about seven other brands, and all rubs are made in house. She says “The Grove” is particularly popular because it’s a relatively mild, universally liked, all-around good rub.
Barnes, who has been with Whiskey Bent since it opened its retail store in 2013, says barbecue has long played a key role in the county’s culinary offerings.
“The top competition teams and best cooks live right here,” she says.
“We focus on local products that can’t be found in all stores, more niche unique products.”
In addition, Barnes says the smaller “mom-and-pop” barbecue establishments in Polk offer more customized recipes that are out of the wheelhouse of larger chain barbecue restaurants.
Barnes says what makes Polk County barbecue cooks distinct is the melting pot of unique styles and flavors they use, incorporating tastes from all over the U.S. and around the world.
“Barbecue and cooking in general just bring people together; if you want to get people together, you cook. If you want them to stay longer, you barbecue,” she says.
Peebles Bar-B-Q, a restaurant with a long-established rapport with barbecue aficionados in Polk County, has been manning the pit for 78 years. The business began when bus driver Ellie Peebles cooked for his friends on the weekends. Now, the restaurant is owned and managed by Erica Strickland and her sister, Jessica Knowles.
As the owner-manager of Peebles, Jessica Knowles says she feels the smaller, independently owned barbecue joints offer diners more of a personal connection. For example, most of her employees and many customers are also “friends of the family.”
“Our customers are like a second family. We even had some of them stay with us during the hurricanes; they’re more like family than customers, unlike how some of the larger, corporate barbecue restaurants are,” says Knowles.
She explains that for years, barbecue has been a staple of Polk County’s culinary culture. She adds that most of Peebles’ sauces and flavorings are made in-house. The restaurant buys mostly locally from food distributors such as Punta Gorda’s Cheney Brothers Inc. and Palmetto’s Sysco West Coast Florida. They also get some ingredients from Farmer Jack Produce and would possibly be interested in exploring partnerships with other Polk County ranchers and producers.
By doing that, it helps keep Florida distributors first.
“We’re just trying to help other businesses and people in the immediate area and farther.”