DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — We all know Alabama has some fantastic barbecue. That’s why Decatur staple Big Bob Gibson’s is celebrating 100 years of tradition.
What started as a small crowd in founder “Big” Bob Gibson’s backyard has since spanned multiple locations and five generations. For general manager Jacob Lilly, who was raised on the barbecue business, that family atmosphere meant everything.
“That’s all I’ve known growing up, from when I was five or six, running around the pit room with the old pitmasters,” Lilly said. “Didn’t realize I was learning something back then, but now it’s kind of carried itself through the years.”
The restaurant is a hotspot for tourists and regulars alike, all anxious to get their hands on some brisket and have a taste of Alabama white sauce.
Any family recipe worth its salt is kept a secret, and Lilly says it’s no different at Big Bob’s. But there is one key he shared that makes all the difference.
“The hardest thing I had to learn was the fire, you have to get the fire just right and it’s all about the wood,” Lilly said. “It could be one of the secrets. I can’t tell you too much, but for us, hickory wood is our magic.”
That magic is clearly working.
“I’ve been here three times this week,” regular Stanley Nelson said. “I love it here. The atmosphere it draws a lot of people, and I’m a people watcher. I drove by this place a dozen times and then when I finally stopped, buddy I fell in love with it.”
Nelson’s first experience at Big Bob Gibson’s was two years ago. He’s been returning weekly ever since.
“You can walk in here and see all these trophies they’ve won and tell that they’ve got some good barbecue here. And of course they’ve got 100 years of experience,” Nelson said. “Mr. Bob Gibson did a good job of setting it up and knowing quite the recipe for putting together good barbecue.”
If you’ve got a hankering to try out some of that barbecue, we have a link to Big Bob Gibson’s website here.
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