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Friday, June 20, 2014

Evansville's Big "B" Pit Cooked Pork, "barbecue in a jar"



Here I am, before dinner

When I was growing up, my mother tended to shy away from the more processed meats for dinner, such as Manwich sloppy joes, canned chili and spam. Of course, like all kids I did eat my share of hotdogs.

With those memories in mind, we recently decided to try barbecue in a jar.

While passing through Evansville, Ind., we were intrigued by Big “B” Pit Cooked Pork with Barbecue Sauce, a popular local staple found in area Schnucks, Wesselmans and Beuhlers grocery stores. You’ll find it in the same aisle as the barbecue sauces. It also has been sold on the QVC home shopping network.

Big “B” Pit Cooked Pork has been made in Evansville since 1962, the same year John Bonenberger bought Baugh’s Barbecue restaurant, a family-owned diner since the 1920s. He renamed the place Big “B” Barbecue.

While the restaurant is now a memory, the family business continues to produce its jarred meats and sauce. The Bonenberger family also bottles its tomato-based sauce as well as sauces for other private labels across the country through their company, FarmBoy Food Services.

In 1965, Bonenberger became the sole owner of Farm Boy Food Services, but a year later he passed away suddenly. His two sons, Robert and Richard, run the business today. Today, Farm Boy is part of UniPro, the largest food distribution cooperative in the world.

According to a company profile in Evansville Business, the pork for Big “B” barbecue arrives in 2,000-pound bins and is cooked separately from the sauce, which is prepared in 500-gallon kettles in about 20 minutes. Afterwards, the meat and sauce are combined and packaged for distribution in two-pound, 32-ounce jars.

Big "B" Barbecue on a bun.

While the sauce recipe supposedly is a family secret, the basic ingredients – in this order – are pork, water, tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, salt, flavorings, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, vegetable gum, spices, mustard, paprika and onions.

Sounds yummy, right?

Well, not really, but our jar of Big “B” Pit Cooked Pork was better than expected.

Obviously, it is a convenient dinner option for families, but not a substitute for going out to the barbecue pit. We warmed our jar’s contents on top of the stove and ate it on buns with some pickles. Like other canned or jarred meats, Big “B” is somewhat salty and the sauce lacks a strong flavor profile.

If you were looking for a hint of smoke, you must have been dreaming.

But people around Evansville must really like Big “B” Pit Cooked Pork, because the locally owned and operated company’s been around for more than 50 years. The sauce and pork can only be distributed locally, but the company will ship it to fans. If you become an approved vendor, Farm Boy Food Services (812-425-5231 or spastore@farmboyfoodservice.com) may send it to you.

25 comments:

  1. I was wondering how this is......Big “B” Pit Cooked Pork has been made in Evansville since 1962, the same year John Bonenberger bought Baugh’s Barbecue restaurant, a family-owned diner since the 1920s. He renamed the place Big “B” Barbecue. When after it was Baugh's you find this......Baugh's was opened in 1934 by Floyd Baugh, who had arrived in Evansville that year from Kentucky. Baugh sold the business to Bruce Hall and J.B. Render, who sold it two years later, in March of 1946, to Kenneth A. McKinney, who renamed it Mac's Bar-B-Q. McKinney sold it to his nephew William Skelton who cooked for and owned Mac's Famous BBQ 1967-1980 until he closed it. Enquiry minds would like to know.......



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    1. Hi. Thank you for sharing that. I googled Mac's BBQ and found this article. The Big B looks just like it. I hope it's just as good. We had that a lot as kids. I can't find a place to buy it online. Might have to make a road trip.

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  2. Editor's note: Obviously, there is more of the story to tell, Mr. Anonymous. I chose to focus on the more general story, using the facts I had available to me. Thanks for providing additional information.

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  3. Where can I find this product in Indianapolis?

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    1. Hi Ron,
      Thanks for reading. The only place where I have seen this product is in the greater Evansville area. I have never seen it in Central Indiana, which is why I found it so curious. If you decide to take a road trip to get some, please write back with your thoughts!

      George Vlahakis

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  4. You either love it or you don't. I grew up on it and the unique taste and very lean pork make it a great,easy dinner meal when you do not want to fool around with the grill. Now I live out of the country and wish I could get it. It is so unique that I do not think anyone else packages their BBQ in a glass jar while saving the flavor!

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    1. So hard to find or order any suggestions

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  5. I live in the Vigo & Sullivan co area. Where can I buy it in my area?

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    1. Baeslers Market in Terre Haute has Big “B”.its located on Poplar Avenue. I am from South Jersey & last time purchased 3 bottles.

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  6. Interestingly enough, I do know some of the history behind Big B as well. The original cook and owner of the recipe was a man by the name of Edwin Meese. He sold the recipe with an agreement to never cook barbecue in Evansville again. He moved out near Chandler on Heim Road and opened a small country store and lunch counter, and guess what, made pit barbecue again. That would have been around 1967. He purchased the land for the store from my grandfather.

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    1. I lived in Chandler from 1960 To 1965 and the barbecue was available on Heim Rd at Baugh City during that time.

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  7. I was wanting to know where to find the best by date on the jar of Big B Barbeque made in Evansville, IN. Do you know how long you can keep it in the pantry after buying it at the store?

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    1. Please answer how long this can be kept in the pantry??

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  8. Does big b still make its BBQ my grand parents used to get it when they were there visiting family and friends I haven't had it in a long time an would like to get some

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  9. TRY YOUR LOCAL RURAL KING TO BUY BIG B PORK BBQ. WE RECENTLY PURCHASED IT AT RURAL KING IN CHAMPAIGN IL. IF IT ISN'T THE ORIGINAL MAC'S BBQ RECIPE, IT IS VERY CLOSE TO IT! WE GREW UP ON IT IN EVANSVILLE, ACTUALLY WE LIVED WITHIN SNIFFING DISTANCE A COUPLE OF BLOCK FROM MAC'S AND THAT SMOKEY BBQ SMELL WAS PART OF OUR CHILDHOOD. YOU CAN ORDER IT ONLINE FROM BIG B'S, PRICES ARE REASONABLY, BUT THE SHIPPING IS OUTRAGEOUS. THREE QUART JARS OF BBQ PORK IS $18.99 BUT THE SHIPPING IS $22. BUT IF YOU ARE HUNGRY FOR THAT OLD MAC'S BBQ TASTE AND CANT GET IT ANY OTHER WAY, MIGHT BE WORTH IT!

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  10. My Husband aunt would come up from Evansville to Indy & bring us a jar this was in late 80's

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  11. You can order the Big B online direct from them. https://bigbbarbecue.com/products/
    I recall it was pretty similar to Mac's but Mom and Dad liked Macs better since Dad worked at UE and Macs was close by. We ate it on Rye bread with a big slice of red onion, and whole dills on the side. Thanks for publishing this article, since I could not for the life of me recall the "Macs" name.

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  12. Big B has become a staple in my family since moving away in 1970. It is the only 'portable' Evansville, IN BBQ available. There was Mac's BBQ and Wolf's but now both are gone. We used to get Wolf's BBQ sauce to bring to FL but no more. So we rely on Big B to bring Evansville to our plates.

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  13. I'm originally from Evansville and I grew up on this. I was having a craving and ran across this page! I've seen it as far north as Bloomington, but you can order directly from their website or, if you have one near you, you might be able to find it at an IGA grocery.

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  14. To "unknown" Wolf's still is in business

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  15. I went to two stores in Washington Indiana where I could get it but neither place had it so I guess I'll have to eat something else for dinner where can I buy it

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  16. I wish I could have found it in the store went to two different places in Washington Indiana could not find it love it would I like to had it for dinner did you guys close

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  17. I live in southern Illinois and I'm having a difficult time finding this product. Please advise where I might find it. We love it!
    Thanks Mary

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