Yazoo Barbeque Company

"Sauce is a condiment. In my opinion, it's optional." So says Don Hines, who owns Yazoo Barbeque Company. He came by his opinion in Memphis, where he worked on a number of barbecue teams. Instead of sauce, the pitmaster uses a Memphis-style dry rub on his ribs, pork shoulder and brisket to lock in flavor, then smokes those meats over pecan wood. After moving to Denver, he first gained fans with his little storefront on the edge of downtown, which is still our favorite for the smokier flavors and fall-off-the-bone texture. And despite his opinion that sauce is optional, he puts bottles of his own homemade version out on every table — but he insists that he learned to make that sauce here in Denver, not in Memphis.