It’s the week that ends in the third weekend in September, so our general answer to any question is, “I can’t. I’m going to Winfield.”  Except when the question is, “what’s for lunch?”  On the way westward, more often than not, the answer to that question is barbecue.

We were on day two of the drive there, so lunch would be in Oklahoma.  And I had my sites set on Elmer’s BBQ in Tulsa.  We parked down the street in a bank parking lot and walked back up to the restaurant.

We were a little early for lunch and were the only folks in the place when we arrived (that changed over the half hour plus we were there).  The decor was right up my alley and the blues, on the sound system, was awesome.  Keith Jimerson, the current proprietor, took over the business twenty years ago from Elmer Thompson and was behind the counter when we arrived.  Looking over the menu, I was gravitating toward the Oklahoma tube steak – smoked bologna – from John Morrel meats, in this instance.

In talking it through, I was torn between a bologna plate and the Badwich – “a large sampling of our high quality smoked meats (ribs, chopped beef, smoked bologna, hot links OR smoked sausage and your choice of 2 HOMEMADE sides. Served on a bun or ask for Texas Toast.”  I was talking to Mr Keith about the tough decision and he said, “go with the Badwich and I’ll throw extra balogna on it.”  Deal!

We chose to share the Badwich (with hot links) and sides of corn and baked beans with pork. While we waited, there was a constant conversation with Mr. Keith.

In the course of the conversation I learned he fell in love with barbecue (in central OK where he grew up) because his mom wouldn’t let him go to the bbq joints when he was a kid because they sold beer.  Of course, he said that every time he got any money he rode his bike down to get some barbecue <g>. I also learned that the best barbecued bologna in Atlanta, from Thompson Brothers, comes from men who have cooked on the pit at Elmer’s.

The pork and ribs were definitely tasty, but that hot link and the bologna stole the show.  The hot link had quite a kick to it and was sliced into bite-sized morsels.  The bologna was smoked, then finished on the flattop grill.  Both were spectacular  This may require a return visit…