Owensboro Mutton Trip - worth a 5 hr drive?

If you have never had it, I'd say yes. There are plenty of other things to do in KY if you are driving through. When I worked in KY, I always made the trip for some mutton.

I've never been to get the mutton, but have driven through KY (I grew up in TN) and it's a great place. I've always wanted to go back and get BBQ there. I'd love to see pix if you go.

If you're up for a road trip, I'd say anything is worth the drive...cause then "you know".

I'd go...just for the experience and to be able to say you did it.

Kind of like you, I've been to many famous BBQ places all over the place, so I figured that I just had to try mutton. One of my cousins, who actually grew up in Owensboro, steered me to Old Hickory instead of Moonlight, saying that it was actually better and didn't have as many tourists as the "famous" Moonlight.

Well, I can now say that I've eaten mutton. Won't ever do it again, but I've done it!

My suggestion - if you just have to - is to hit a couple Kentucky bourbon distilleries on the way to Owensboro. It might make the mutton more palatable. Just saying...

Haven't been there, but a buddy shipped me frozen Moonlite Bar-B-Q mutton in dip, pork in sauce, and pint jars of their sauce and dip.

I really enjoyed it, with my preference being the chopped mutton in dip.

The dip (tangy with a pronounced Worcestershire flavor) complements the mild gaminess of the mutton perfectly.

I would definitely drive 5 hours (have even considered the 29hr drive on more than a few occasions) to try it in person!!!

Never heard of this place. Never heard of black bbq sauce either. Now I have something to make tonight when I get home. Smoked mutton this weekend. Just got to find a place to buy mutton. Thanks for mentioning this. I could use a new adventure in cooking.

Rusty Kettle said:

Never heard of this place. Never heard of black bbq sauce either. Now I have something to make tonight when I get home. Smoked mutton this weekend. Just got to find a place to buy mutton. Thanks for mentioning this. I could use a new adventure in cooking.

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Hey Tom, good luck finding mutton in a store anywhere other than NW Kentucky! It is adult sheep and DEFINITELY different than lamb! I love lamb, but mutton - not so much...

Missed you in WV this year! Crazy good time at the lunatic asylum!!!

If you are going to Kentucky, make sure you get some burgoo to go with the mutton.

Sounds good to me.

https://www.thespruce.com/owensboro-mutton-barbecue-331595

bbq.tom said:

Hey Tom, good luck finding mutton in a store anywhere other than NW Kentucky! It is adult sheep and DEFINITELY different than lamb! I love lamb, but mutton - not so much...

Missed you in WV this year! Crazy good time at the lunatic asylum!!!

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Yeah I found that out about mutton. I am going to check down with a few places in the strip district. Got to at least try it once. I have tried a lot of odd things: gator, antelope, kangaroo.

Yeah I was torn between the Sam's Tour and going to the almost heaven bbq bash. It came down to when I could get time off work.
We only did one contest this year. We might do an unsanctioned event in West Newton, PA. We weren't planning on it but it benefits Children's hospital of Pittsburgh and Children's Miracle Network of Pittsburgh.

We upgraded our smoker after the Sam's tour comp.
We finally are going to be rocking an insulated cabinet smoker. We picked up a 270 Sumo to handle our brisket and pork butt. Should give us plenty of practice over the winter to get ready for 2018. We got our butts handed to us by some really great teams in Harrisburg. So we really need the practice.
Not sure where we will compete in 2018 it depends on when I can get off work.