Bar-B-Q by Jim Claims Title as Tupelo’s Saucy Favorite
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Bar-B-Q by Jim. The name is pretty straightforward and so is the guy behind it‚ Jim Beane‚ a welding supplier-turned restaurateur who has been serving folks in Tupelo lunch and dinner six days a week for the last 14 years.
Well‚ that’s not entirely true. He’s actually been cooking for people in these parts for 25 years – for their special events – and decided 14 years ago to make life at the pit a full-time endeavor.
“I decided I’d pick it up and go with it‚” he says. Business good? “Yes‚ ma’am.”
So good in fact that he has recently remodeled his building from 28 seats to 72.
Bar-B-Q by Jim serves pulled pork‚ racks of ribs‚ smoked chicken breast and smoked half chicken‚ with all the usual side dishes.
“We try to do it right‚ low and slow heat‚ good fresh meat on hand‚” he says. “We season all our meat‚ spray it down‚ there’s a certain way we do it. We barbecue around the clock‚ just to make sure it’s right.”
Apparently‚ what else is “right” is a dessert called Pearl’s Lemon Crunch‚ created by his cook‚ Pearl Isby‚ and a sort of cross between lemon meringue pie and banana pudding‚ with vanilla wafers‚ nuts‚ cool whip and a pudding type-filler. They sell it by the gallons.
Also wildly popular is their sauce.
“Every Monday night‚ we make 25 to 50 gallons of sauce‚ depends how much we have going out during the week‚” Beane says. “The people of Tupelo love their barbecue. They’ve been real good to me.
“We try to be involved in our com munity‚ work with our community‚ give back to our community‚” he adds. “We try to help different groups. People need things cooked‚ we furnish all the labor‚ they buy the food. We try to volunteer‚ not just cooking. If they need workers‚ we try to volunteer. We do anything we need to do for the community.”
Story by Catherine Darnell
Photo by Woodie Knight
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