US BBQ in Pyeongtaek

Are you looking for a taste of home and need to get your belly full of US style BBQ in the Pyeongtaek area? Then, here are eight spots where you can find delicious smoked US BBQ goodness.

Where is Pyeongtaek?

Feel free to skip this section if you live in Pyeongtaek or know about the area.

Pyeongtaek-si is located in the southern portion of the Gyeonggi-do province. This large city includes both US military installations, Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base.

The US BBQ recommendations provided exist within different areas of Pyeongtaek-si. Since this encompasses both military installations, South of Seoul provides addresses and phone numbers. However, we recommend using this information in either Naver Maps or Kakao Maps for the best results. As a result, such apps help you figure out how far each restaurant might be from you.

What Makes US BBQ Different from Korean BBQ?

United States (US) style BBQ is a hotly debated topic in the US as to which region of the US smokes the best meats. In the US, BBQ (or barbecue) generally refers to meat cooked over an open flame or pit barbecue which gives the meat a nice smoky flavor. However, regionally, the most popular styles of smoked bbq goodness are Carolina, Texas, Kansas City and Memphis.

First and foremost, let’s talk about the main ingredients to a good western bbq: meat, the rub/sauce and the type of wood you use. Also, depending upon the pitmaster, style and location, some will allow the meat to speak for itself with the grill and smoke flavor cooking into it. Whereas other pitmasters choose to prep the meat with a good dry rub or a sauce used as a marinade. In addition, the wood you use can also infuse some delicious smoky flavors into the meat.

Western BBQ is regionally categorized into four main styles, Carolina, Texas, Kansas City and Memphis. However, there are many other variations that exist in the western BBQ culture. Each of these styles bring their own flair and flavors to the table. Since there are differences in each of the styles, there are many people who debate which style is the best of the western BBQs.

Carolina Style BBQ

In the Carolinas (North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia) style, barbecue is split into two camps…cooking the whole pig and using vinegar and pepper for flavor or using shoulders, ribs and butt with a tangy, slightly sweet sauce. This tangy sauce is usually comprised of ketchup, apple cider vinegar, pepper and sugar. Additionally, you can find many mustard-based sauces in the Carolinas. When people in the Carolinas refer to bbq, they are most often referring to pork as the standard meat.

Texas Style BBQ

Then we have Texas barbecue with various styles across the state. Most prominently cooked there is the beef, but they also cook just as much pork. Depending upon the location in Texas, you will find wet or dry barbecue. East Texas often has a marinade with a sweet tomato base, whereas South Texas uses molasses. However, Central Texas favors a good dry rub with salt and pepper. The method for bbq in Texas is low and slow over woods like oak, mesquite, pecan or hickory until the meat is falling off the bone.

Kansas City Style BBQ

Then, we have Kansas City style barbecue. Kansas City is most famous for the burnt ends of the brisket. Once the brisket is smoked, they return it to the smoker to get the charred exterior. However, their barbecue can be beef, pork, chicken or sausage and is usually coated in a sauce of sweet, thick molasses and tomato.

Memphis Style BBQ

Finally, Memphis style barbecue typically uses pork with a dry rub of spices. They have both wet and dry pork ribs depending upon your tastes. They also cook their meat long and slow in a pit with wood. Rather than adding sauce while cooking, they let the meat speak for itself. In addition, their sauce is a tangy tomato base usually served on the side.

Expectations on US BBQ

If you are venturing out to try one of the local US BBQ restaurants in Pyeongtaek, you have several options. Therefore, depending upon the location, you may find a mixture of the regional styles used or the restaurant may tell you that they specialize in one of the regions from the states.

As Americans from the Virginia and Carolinas areas, we enjoy the delicious smoked meats and have even made pulled pork at home in our oven when we are desperate for that taste of home. Having tried many of the regional styles from the states, we determined that we just love the fall-apart, smoky deliciousness 🙂 However, we have tried several of the places on the list and are pretty happy to report that the meat is fabulously smoked at several of these locations.

US BBQ Restaurants in Pyeongtaek

The following American BBQ restaurants have been organized in order of voting in 2022 Best of Pyeongtaek Poll beginning with the winner.

Check Out KimchiRednecks’ Western BBQ Videos

As Southerners, BBQ is a love language for us. Therefore, we have ventured out to several of the local western bbq restaurants in Pyeongtaek. While we don’t video all of our food adventures, we do try to get as many local places in as possible to support the community. Even so, we do have some other places we need to check out and look forward to those adventures.

Don’t let the internet and social media convince you that Korea’s only good western-style BBQ places are in Seoul. In the past years, the Pyeongtaek restaurant community has grown, and there are many fabulous food adventures to be had here!

Check out our YouTube page to see our restaurant reviews or our cooking videos. We are constantly adding new content.

How to Source Additional Information About Locations

If you have questions about things like business hours, you can use the free foreigner support app/phone number 1330.

Join the Pyeongtaek Food & Fun Facebook Group

You are also welcome to join our Pyeongtaek Food & Fun Facebook Group. The South of Seoul moderated community of active and friendly Pyeongtaek international residents makes moving to Pyeongtaek easier. With so many different voices and opinions, it is always refreshing to see everyone’s adventures in our local community. Additionally, the shared posts introduce our community to new places and old places that can feel new all over again.

Volunteer with South of Seoul

Interested in working with a fun team of talented volunteers? The South of Seoul volunteer team is always looking for other like-minded folks to research information, compile blogs, and edit content.

Check Out 3 Foreign Style BBQ Joints

Now that you have seen the KimchiRednecks’ Best Western BBQ in Pyeongtaek, you should also look at South of Seoul’s 3 Foreign Style BBQ Joints. Cross-referencing lists will help you make the choice that is right for you.