A dark pie wins the race at Smokin Double Barrels BBQ

My favorite thing about trying new places is discovering a dish that I've never tasted before, something brand new and unique. I went to Smokin Double Barrels BBQ in Perryville, Missouri, last week, hoping to find just that, and boy, did I!

Smokin Double Barrels BBQ is in a small white building, unassuming but neat as a pin inside. We sat in the front room, which, at the time, I thought was the only dining area. Bright, white, and full of sunshine, I liked the atmosphere immediately. We ordered a bunch of stuff, trying to make sure we tasted all the important dishes Smokin Double Barrels is known for.

I ordered the Sloppy Jimmy Joe, which was a normal sloppy Joe with a seasoned ground beef mixture, topped with a slice of cheese and then topped with a bunch of pulled pork. It sounded different, and it was delicious. The ground beef wasn't too saucy and had a good sloppy Joe vibe going on. The pulled pork was tender and soft, and I didn't even add BBQ sauce because the sloppy Joe sauce was enough. Generous portions, very good.

A pork steak with the down home fixin's, tender and smoky and as comforting as a hug.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

My husband got the daily special, a pork steak and the fixin's, cucumber salad and hash brown casserole. He loves a good pork steak and commented that this steak being served with a knife was a joke because it was unnecessary. After trying a bite (one of the best perks of being a freelance food writer is that everyone willingly shares a bite of their plate with me, a wonderful bonus), I had to agree. So tender, the meat smoky and with that amazing pink look that only long, slow smoking can achieve, this was a tasty cut of meat.

Our daughter ordered a BLT. When it came out, I was surprised at how refreshing that sandwich looked. The bacon was carefully and deliberately stacked on the bread perfectly, almost like a latticed pie crust. Every single bite was assured to have a bite of bacon in it. The vegetables were fresh, bright and beautiful, and the bacon was cooked just right when I took a bite of her sandwich (I'm not shy about taking my perks).

Now let's talk about the neatest thing I ran into at Smokin Double Barrels BBQ — the desserts. Our daughter got a piece of strawberry pie, and it didn't look super fancy. Simple strawberries in a Jell-O-like filling, easy and unassuming. But that pie was infused with more pure strawberry flavor than anything I had ever tasted. Sweet and bright, it was like all of the summer barbecues and pool parties and the Fourth of July and days at the beach were condensed into one complex bite of fruit and crust. It was that good.

The simple BLT done right, fresh and delicious.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

In celebration of the Kentucky Derby, Smokin Double Barrels was also offering Derby Pie. After a quick internet search, I ordered a piece of that. I love pecan pie, and this pie was better. Yes. I said it. Similar in composition, nuts in a rich buttery caramel filling, with the addition of chocolate. Genius. It was a different type of pie than the strawberry, being heavier, richer and more filling, but just as satisfying in its way. I had never even heard of Derby Pie before, and I'm so glad I stumbled on it.

The only thing that disappointed me about the restaurant was that I thought it missed an opportunity in the decor. There was no double-barreled shotgun hanging on the wall. That's the first thing I said the my husband after the waitress took our order, "Where's the shotgun?" So just before we left, I used the restroom. To get there, I went past the counter, into another entire dining room, and that's where I saw it, dark and heavy on the wall, both barrels evident. I even said aloud, "Huh, there it is!" Well played, Smokin Double Barrels, well played.

If you are in the mood for some smoked meat, down home sides, and some of the best pies in the land, visit Double Smokin Barrels BBQ in Perryville at 1324 W. Saint Joseph St. Go on a pretty day and let the sunshine warm you, or sit under the two-eyed glare of the double barrel shotgun. Check out the awards on the wall while you're there and have no doubts that you're in good hands.