Bread Isn't The Great BBQ Joint Side Dish You Think It Is, According To A Pitmaster

No matter the regional style, whether you take it sauced or un-sauced, or what proteins are on the grill, enjoying a barbecue meal is an indulgent treat. While side dishes are an integral part of dining at your favorite barbecue joint, there's one side dish you ought to skip. Tasting Table spoke to Sloan Rinaldi, pitmaster and owner of Texas Q, to get her expert opinions on which dishes to never order at a barbecue restaurant. Although sliced white bread is a staple of Texas-style barbecue and dinner rolls are often an accompaniment to most other varieties, it is less than ideal to fill up on this carb-heavy side dish when there's so much more to taste.

Make room for meat and other go-withs by cutting back on the bread during your next barbecued meal. The sides are key to a great barbecue experience, but noshing on bread really gets in the way of your eating. It's easy to fill up on table bread at a barbecue joint, especially when the side dish is free, but this will only hinder your appetite. Rather than make yourself a sandwich with the provided bread, sampling the meat sans bun will also make for a more fulfilling meal. With so many different barbecue side dishes to choose from, ditching the bread even allows you to indulge in other favorites. 

Taking the expert advice from an acclaimed pitmaster, avoid ordering (or overindulging) in bread as your barbecue side dish. Feel free to supplement meat with other classic side dishes that will provide more complementary taste, texture, and substance to your meal. If you want a more substantial and carb-rich option, try baked beans, which nearly 30% of people think is the best barbecue side dish. Baked beans are an excellent option, but there's a lot more to consider. 

At any given barbecue joint, you'll likely find side dishes that include mac and cheese, potato salad, coleslaw, and greens of some sort. A salad, collard greens, or even a portion of grilled vegetables make an ideal accompaniment to your meal. They provide a great deal of dietary fiber to counter the heavy proteins of your favorite barbecued meats.

Foregoing bread in favor of more well-rounded side dishes is a must, especially if your appetite for barbecue is hearty. Although a piece of buttered cornbread or a dinner roll can be tempting, think of barbecue as a sort of marathon sport of eating. To be able to fully endure and experience as many unique meats and side dishes as possible, skipping bread and getting straight to the heart the barbecue offerings is your best bet.