If you love southern BBQ, then you will absolutely love Meatings Barbecue on St. Joseph Blvd. in Orléans. When it comes to BBQ, it doesn't get much better than Meatings where co-owner and grillmaster Mat Flosse has perfected his skills on the catering circuit over the past five years.

Wings and ribs with a side of fries and slaw. Mixing and matching is a true artform at Meatings Barbecue on St. Joseph Blvd. FILE PHOTO

Back when he first started, Flosse had to choose between buying a new truck or buying his first smoker and chasing his dream. Thankfully for BBQ fans, he chose the smoker and Meatings was born.

For the first two years, he honed his skills catering events from office parties to wedding receptions. It wasn’t until 2016 that he and his brother Joey joined forces with Carol Hunt to launch the Meatings Barbecue restaurant at 2807 St. Joseph Blvd.

The restaurant specializes in all the staples of southern BBQ including tender, fall-off-the-bone smoked pork ribs; pulled pork; beef brisket; smoked sausage and chicken. They also make smoked chicken wings that have to be tasted to be believed, and served with either BBQ, Hot or Siracha Lime sauce.

Their wood of choice in the smoking process is maple and all of their meats are slow-cooked with a dry rub that is a house secret.

The key to any great BBQ is the rub which gives the meat its unique flavour and creates the thin layer of char called "bark".

All of the BBQ at Meatings is served dry, but you can top it with as much sauce as you wish, or no sauce at all, depending on your personal preference. If you are a sauce person, then you will have a deep appreciation for Meat-ings’ signature Maple BBQ sauce.

Their pulled pork, pulled chicken, beef brisket and pulled rib sandwiches are all topped with the Maple BBQ sauce as well as their house-made slaw. The aforementioned can also be ordered as tacos and topped with grilled corn, pickled onions and chimichurri, or pico de gallo, pineapple and the Maple BBQ sauce. Side dishes include cole slaw, cornbread, Tater Tots, fries, mac and cheese and smoked back beans.

They also make a Caesar Salad topped with smoked chicken and smoked rib tips and a delicious Southwest Salad made with chopped romaine, smoked chicken, grilled corn, black beans, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, taco chips and avocado dressing.

And if you have enough room for dessert you can try their house made Pecan Tarts made by their Mamie.

If you bring company, Meatings serves up both a Sharing Platter, which serves two or three people, and a Family Platter which is good for four to five people depending on their appetites.

Meatings also has a number of daily specials. Tuesdays are Taco Day when you can order two tacos for $10. On Wing Wednesdays you can get a pound of wings for $12. On Tailgate Thursdays, you can a platter of wings, ribs, fries and coleslaw for $20. On Fridays, you can order the Family Platter for $80 (compared to $83.50 the rest of the week) and on Saturdays, the Sharing Platter is $40, compared to $43.50 the rest of the week.

Last, but no means least, on Slider Sundays you can order four sliders, fries and coleslaw for $26.50.

If all that doesn't have your mouth watering, Meatings also has a weekly special. Past specials have included a Brisket Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich; Spicy Pulled Pork Poutine; and a Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich.

Meatings is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. They are closed Mondays. You can learn more about Meatings Barbecue by visiting their website at www.meatings.ca.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)