Michigan’s Best Local Eats: There’s a brisket sandwich at PB&J’s BBQ that even Elvis would love

JACKSON, MI – PB&J’s BBQ strives to have anything but simple barbecue on its menu.

Owner Bert McLain started his “barbecue journey” in 2012 while participating in barbecue competitions around the U.S. One thing he learned was he needed to focus on making his flavors stand out from the competition, he said.

“I’m a barbecue snob. I try to do flavor and creativity in the same place,” McLain said.

McLain’s goal is to offer something different to customers, even if they’ve visited the food truck 17 times. Different recipes and ingredients on sandwiches is how he does it, he said.

One example is the Infamous PB&J sandwich that’s nothing like the classic childhood lunch. This PB&J stands for pulled pork, bacon and jam -- raspberry chipotle jam.

“When people think barbecue, they think barbecue sauce,” McLain said. “Well, fruit and pork go together hand-in-hand.”

Another popular sandwich is The Elvis, which is topped with brisket, barbecue sauce, bacon jam and peanut butter. It’s a flavor bomb in your mouth, McLain said.

“The flavor is unbelievable,” he said. “My favorite sandwich for sure.”

Other popular items on the menu are the sides, including the homemade macaroni and cheese, cornbread and coleslaw. McLain even created a vegetarian plate with all these sides for some customers.

“We understand that not everybody is a meat eater,” he said.

McLain considers himself an extrovert, he said, adding he tries to make everyone’s experience at his food truck unique by having conversations and joking with them.

PB&J’s BBQ offers catering in addition to its food truck. Dates book fast and can be scheduled on the website.

Locations, schedules and updates on where to find the food truck can be found on the PB&J’s BBQ Facebook page.

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