Tony Pollard preferred throwing the pigskin to selling the pig skin.
Pollard, a running back with the Tennessee Titans, is the son of Tarrance Pollard, owner of Pollard’s Bar-B-Que at 4560 Elvis Presley Boulevard. He worked at Pollard’s one summer, but he preferred playing football to working in a restaurant, says his aunt, Denise Plunkett, who was working behind the counter the afternoon I visited. It was my first visit to Pollard’s, although I’ve driven by it many times.
Tony was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2019 National Football League draft. Recalling a statement he made when he was in the third grade, Plunkett says, “He told his mom he was going to be in the NFL one day.”
A poster featuring a picture of Tony clutching a football and the words “Home of Tony Pollard” hangs on the wall near another poster that reads, “Featured on Food Network.” The restaurant was featured on Restaurant: Impossible, Plunkett says.
Tarrance tells me he worked at other barbecue restaurants, including Gridley’s Bar-B-Q and A&R Bar-B-Que, before opening his own place in 1996.
When I ask Plunkett what sets their barbecue apart from other places, she says, “It’s absolutely amazing. It’s tasty. It’s tender. You have to be careful not to bite your finger off.”
She’s noticed children who usually don’t like barbecue “really eat this.”
They give her “two thumbs-up.”
I sit at the counter, which has a countertop covered with sheet music that has been enclosed. Songs include “Walking in Memphis” and “Love Me Tender.” The latter could apply to my jumbo Pollard’s barbecue sandwich.
Like the kids, I’ll also give the two-thumbs-up recommendation for this delicious sandwich. I could have bitten off my finger or one of my thumbs.
I also ask Terrance what sets his barbecue apart. “Love and time,” he says.
Next, I travel to a barbecue restaurant I’ve also passed many times, but never stopped to go inside.
That changes when I walk in the door to order a jumbo barbecue sandwich at Jimbo’s Brickhouse BBQ at 8600 MS-178 in Byhalia, Mississippi.
First of all, a Jimbo’s jumbo is just gigantic.
“Knock a dent in it and tell me what you think,” says owner Jimbo Dalton.
It is fabulous. As are the wet ribs Dalton brings to the table for me to try. They are delectable. Some of the best ribs I’ve ever eaten. So tender. They also serve dry ribs.
“We just cook slow with wood the country way.”
Dalton says he’s self-taught when it comes to barbecuing. “Burning up meat till I got it right.”
This all began when he barbecued at his house when he was a teenager.
People (about 200) then began gathering at his house on weekends for his barbecue. It turned into a party. “We’d float a keg. Listen to music.”
And, he says, “I know a lot of people and a lot of people know me.”
People began ordering barbecue. They’d come to the house to pick it up.
Dalton then got a food trailer, which he operated for six years.
He and his late wife, Lisa, began their brick-and-mortar restaurant, which was the brick-and-mortar office for the old brick factory that was in Byhalia.
Dalton is constantly adding to the building. He’s built patios and just about four weeks ago built the bar on the front patio. “All built with hard work, sweat, and blood.”
He serves barbecue pork, chicken, brisket, ribs, as well as other food items, including hamburgers and salads. Dalton introduces me to his fellow pitmasters Brandy McNeese and Toni Whitt. The gigantic cooker is in a separate area.
The walls in a small room up front are covered with signatures of Brickhouse visitors from all over.
Dalton features live music and karaoke at Jimbo’s Brickhouse, which is open Wednesday through Sunday.
And, hopefully, those karaoke singers will occasionally belt out the Commodores song, “Brick House.”