Sides
Make It a Plate
One cannot live on pit-cooked meat alone.
Bacon on a stick
A heavily seasoned slab of fatty pork belly, smoked until the crusty charred bark screams “eat me.” –JF / Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville
BBQ-ranch beans
A rich and meaty—oh hey are those bits of brisket?!—bean side dish that is so good you could eat a bowl of it like chili. –SG / Urban Bar-B-Que, 44050 Ashburn Shopping Plaza, Suite 151, Ashburn
Baked sweet potato wedges
Long and thick, browned and creamy, these wedges bring out the best of the sweet potato. –SG / Harry’s Smokehouse, 100 S. Hayes St., Arlington
Chili grits
Stick-to-your-ribs-good polenta threaded with piquant poblano peppers and lavished in butter. –WR / Whole Foods Market Smokehouse, 4501 Market Commons Drive, Fairfax
Collard greens
Salty chunks of ham hock and bacon break up the pungent, vinegary cup of greens. –JF / The Bone, 9420 Battle St., Manassas
Cornbread
Moist through and through with the rich flavor of jalapeno permeating each slice. –JF / Smokin Billy’s Bar-B-Q, 5282 Lee Highway, Warrenton
Corn nuggets
Creamed corn floured and fried into little balls is just as good as you’d imagined. –SG / Smokin’ Brays, 2896 Dale Blvd., Woodbridge
Corn pudding
Silky creamed corn. Melted cheddar. Diced jalapeno. A hint of onion. What’s not to like? –WR / Rocklands, Multiple NoVA locations
Coconut pie
A tropical stunner that summons dulcet coconut cream wrapped in buttery pastry and blanketed by toasted coconut. –WR / Dixie Bones BBQ, Multiple NoVA locations
French fries
Fresh cut. Fresh fried. Served piping hot. Reminiscent of Boardwalk spuds, only surrounded by barbecue, not sand. –JF / The Kernel’s BBQ, 12774 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg
Hushpuppies
A crunchy outer shell gives way to a warm center littered with whole-kernel corn. –JF / Allman’s BBQ, 1299 Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredricksburg; 540-373-9881
Mac and cheese
Tender noodles bathed in molten dairy—cheddar, Parmesan figure prominently—all baked to a golden brown. –WR / Artie’s, 3260 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax
Monster mac and cheese
Fiery, yet creamy, these oversized ridged noodles let the cheese cling to each crevice. –SG / Pork Barrel BBQ, 2312 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Onion ring loaf
Tangle of crunchy, fried onion rings? Check. Alluring ranch-barbecue dipping sauce? Check. Happy plate? Check. –WR / Red Hot & Blue, Multiple NoVA locations
Yams
These super soft yams, blessed with cinnamon and in a syrupy concoction, are even sweeter than the shop’s sweet potato pie filling. Save leftovers to pour over ice cream. –SG / The Lazy Pig, 17530 Waters Lane, Dumfries
(July 2015)