Prairie Smoke BBQ
Fun food, done right
Unpopular opinion: While barbeque that is expertly smoked and slow cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection is hard to top, it seems most barbeque restaurants have the same offerings. Same standards continuously on repeat everywhere. Tucked in the back of the shared business space known as The Marketplace in Blackwell is Prairie Smoke BBQ - a small, unconventional barbeque restaurant that is doing its part to give typical barbeque a funky, fun personality.
Let’s talk bacon burnt ends. BACON. BURNT. ENDS. Prairie Smoke slowly smokes pork belly, then cubes and marinates it in house made sauce. After soaking in the sauce, the bacon is put in an oven at high heat and the fat is rendered down. Bathed in sauce again, the high heat caramelizes the sauce and these little nuggets transform into succulent bites that move to the top of every barbeque bucket list.
Lifelong Kay County resident, Phillip Scott, purchased Prairie Smoke in 2018 from his parents, who opened the restaurant in 2015 with friends. After Smith Tool relocated to Houston, Phillip was looking for a new adventure and his parents were looking to slow down. Phillip has continued to produce delicious food, continuing Prairie Smoke’s “Best of Kay County” recognition from 2015 through current day.
As a chicken wing fan, finding great wings that are not commercially produced and pumped out to the masses (sorry not sorry, BWW) can be challenging. Prairie Smoke offers wings that are smoked in house. With twelve different savory, sweet, and spicy sauce or dry rub options, these wings are tender and pack a bold punch. To achieve the juicy texture, the wings are both smoked and cooked via sous vide, which is the most fabulous and underutilized form of cooking meat. They are easy to eat and to quote my food-loving, 12-year-old niece, “You have to clean the bone or you’re not eating wings right”. She’s not wrong.
In an industry with never ending options, it is refreshing to see a local spot heavy on flavor, creativity, and kindness. Keeping a family business in the family and utilizing a space that is 100ish years old (the former home to OTASCO!) is everything rural Oklahoma needs. If barbeque is your thing, visit Prairie Smoke BBQ and go crazy. As legendary Pitmaster Mike Mills famously said, “Life is too short for a half rack”. Couldn’t agree more, Mike.