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20 for 20: Our Best BBQ Recipes of the Past 20 Years (19 Recipes, 1 Article)
Published On: 6/12/2025
The top twenty recipes that you, our readers, have visited most, in honor of AmazingRibs.com’s 20th Anniversary!
If the name of our website didn’t tip you off, AmazingRibs.com got its start with a ribs cookoff. As luck would have it, in the early 2000s, Meathead’s neighbor in Chicago challenged him to a friendly BBQ competition. Meathead went looking for a good ribs recipe to bone up for the cookoff, but he couldn’t find one. At the time, he was thinking of starting a new business venture, so he established AmazingRibs.com in 2005. His ribs recipe became super popular and was part of how the website got its name. But that’s not the only reason. AmazingRibs.com was also named that because, back then, websites were listed alphabetically and Meathead wanted his website to be near the top.
Oh how times have changed! In case you were wondering, yes, Meathead won that ribs cookoff back in the day, and many since. To this day, his winning Last Meal Ribs recipe remains one of the most popular recipes on AmazingRibs.com. His Easy BBQ Pulled Pork is pretty popular too. So is his Smoked Turkey.
To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of AmazingRibs.com, we took a trip down memory lane, and looked back at all our best BBQ recipes over the past 20 years. These are the top 20 recipes that you, our readers, have visited most, cooked most, and ranked highest over the past 20 years. From Classic Chicago Italian Beef (the kind made famous on the popular TV show “The Bear”) to Meathead’s World Famous Memphis Dust for dry-rubbed ribs, there’s plenty to chew on here. Meathead’s Last Meal Ribs is still in the top 3 of our best BBQ recipes. But there’s a new sheriff in town. The #1 recipe of all time on AmazingRibs.com is now…Authentic Texas-Style Smoked Brisket!
Try them all!
Meathead’s World Famous Memphis Dust Rub Recipe
This popular Memphis dust bbq dry rub recipe is the only seasoning blend you'll ever need for pork, chicken, fish, beef, and veggies. The rub is based on Memphis style BBQ, where ribs are served "dry," letting the seasoning and smoked shine by skipping the sauce.
An Epic Smoked Ribs Recipe (Baby Back or St. Louis Spare Ribs)
Mastering smoked BBQ ribs -- whether they are St. Louis style ribs, spare ribs, or baby back ribs -- with our comprehensive tutorial and recipe will make you a backyard all star.
A Smoked Pastrami Recipe That’s Close To Katz’s
If you've ever wondered how to make pastrami then we've got you covered. Moist, tender, and full of flavor, this is the ultimate homemade smoked pastrami recipe. So what is pastrami? Simply put, it's Jewish barbecue, i.e. corned beef that has been smoked. This is about as close to Katz's pastrami recipe as you'll get!
A Pastrami Rub Recipe That Rivals New York’s Famed Katz’s Deli
After much research and trial and error, here's my approximation of Katz's pastrami rub recipe for a New York pastrami sandwich at home.
Big Bad Beef Dry Rub Recipe
This flavorful beef dry rub recipe is perfect for seasoning brisket, beef ribs, steak, and more. In Texas, many barbecue joints use plain old salt and pepper, called Dalmatian rub. But beef brisket and beef ribs can handle, and benefit from, a more potent mix of spices. You can make this beef rub in advance and store it.
An Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe With Mouthwatering Results
This easy pulled pork recipe skips the slow cooker to create authentic low-and-slow smoked pulled pork on a smoker or grill. With smoke woven through the moist meat, bits of seasoned crust, and a gentle splash of BBQ sauce, pulled pork is perfect for your next backyard cookout.
From Grill to Plate: The Go-To Guide to Turkey Done Outdoors
Our grilled and smoked turkey recipe and tutorial make your ordinary holiday meal extraordinary! Here's everything you need to know about making the ultimate holiday bird. We also bust some myths, discuss side dishes, and so much more!
How To Make Smoked Homemade Bacon – It Is So Much Better Than Store Bought
Homemade bacon is easy and the results are much better than grocery store smoked bacon. You can make countless variations once you have the basic homemade smoked bacon recipe down.
Classic Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe As Seen On Hulu’s “The Bear”
If you are a fan of The Bear, a hit FX On Hulu series featuring Jeremy Allen White as a classically trained chef who takes over his family restaurant, The Original Beef of Chicagoland, then this recipe for classic Italian beef sandwiches is for you.
The Science Of Cooking Prime Rib, Tenderloin, And Other Beef Roasts
There are some tricks to learning how to cook a perfect prime rib, tenderloin, round, rump, and other beef roasts and we have assembled them all in one place! Discover our secrets for ensuring it is cooked right from end to end and with a deeply flavored crust in this ultimate prime rib recipe.
This Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce Is The Real Deal
Say so long to bottled BBQ sauce and hello to amped up homemade Kansas City-style sauce with this step-by-step recipe. Thick and sweet, Kansas City barbecue sauce has been a crowd favorite since the introduction of KC Masterpiece in the 70s. Our delicious recipe features multiple layers of flavors, sweets, and heats.
How To Make A Cured Smoked Ham From Scratch
Create a smoked ham at home that will put any store-bought ham to shame thanks to this simple, yet flavor packed recipe. The key to creating a ham like the ones you normally purchase during the holidays is the curing process. Without curing a fresh ham, you won't achieve the same flavor or deep red color of the traditional type.
The Ultimate Texas-Style Smoked BBQ Beef Ribs Recipe
Here's the only smoked beef rib recipe you'll ever need! The key to successfully replicating this Texas BBQ classic is cooking them low and slow over live fire with just the perfect touch of smoke.
Indoor Ribs: Use This Recipe For Smoked Ribs When You Can’t Get Outside
Here's how to make indoor ribs in your oven that most folks will think you nursed for hours in the smoker. The tender, juicy meat and smoky flavor might fool you into thinking these ribs were cooked outdoors. This indoor ribs recipe shows you how it's done.
Once You Make Maple Bacon, You’ll Never Get Store Bought Again
You need to try this homemade smoked maple bacon recipe for some the most delicious, homemade smoky bacon you'll ever taste.
Canadian And Irish Bacon Made Better At Home
Fans of Canadian bacon will rejoice this recipe for making flavorful smoked pork loin at home. Making Canadian bacon or back bacon is more like curing a ham than making American bacon. Order boneless loin (not tenderloin) if you want to make this. Irish bacon is made like Canadian bacon but without the smoking step.
Authentic Pit Roast Beef Done Right In Your Own Backyard
If you've dreaded stuff that passes for roast beef and wished you could find the real deal then this Baltimore pit beef recipe is for you.
Our Homemade Corned Beef Recipe Outshines Store Bought
Why spend the time making our homemade corned beef recipe? Because it is so much better than anything you could buy at the grocery store!
You Have Stumbled Across The Ultimate Double Smoked Ham Recipe
Create the best ham you've ever tasted with this ultimate double smoked ham recipe. Ordinary store bought whole or spiral ham is taken over the top by slowly smoking it on the grill. The true star of the show, however, is the sweet and savory glaze!Related articles
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