Have you been driving around Oxford lately and suddenly caught a whiff of food so sumptuous that you were tempted to do an action movie-style 180 and follow the scent trail at maximum speed? If so, then you may have been passing by the corner of Snow St. and Hamric, or possibly commuting down Quintard Ave. at the intersection adjacent to Martin’s Family Clothing. What do these two locations have in common? Both of these traffic hotspots are frequented by a particularly popular local food truck — Boatwright’s BBQ!
A Sweet (and Spicy) Story
Some food truck or restaurant owners’ dreams are born of natural talent coupled with recognition of said talent by family, friends, and community. Such was the case for Scott Boatwright, a man who had gotten into grilling as a hobby. He would allow family and friends to sample his backyard BBQ creations, while also sharing photos on his Facebook page. While the personal feedback on his food was strong, he also got a mouth-watering response from online friends wanting to sample his irresistible-looking dishes.
Scott was inspired by the increasing demand and organized. When he entered a BBQ contest in the summer of 2022 in Eastaboga, he was amazed after sweeping the first-place awards in all categories but one. He was stunned not only by the continuous long lines to buy his food as well as the outpouring of compliments but also by the fact that he received donations from many of these tasters, eager to see him go into business for himself.
At that point, he shared, “I reflected on what happened and realized I had something special.” Before that year was through, Scott had purchased his BBQ trailer, and since has attended festivals, cooked for local schools, and catered many events across Calhoun County and beyond.
It’s All About the Barbeque
As any food business operator recognizes, the story alone will not carry you to success. It’s all about the food, or in this case, all about the meat! All the impetus you’d need to consider visiting his truck would be to take a look at his hearty helpings of appetizing grilled racks of ribs, spice-covered beef brisket, juicy chicken quarters, smoky pulled pork, or a Boatwright original — smoked sausage candy.
There’s no set-in-stone menu, as it changes daily based on what Boatwright desires to grill up. When I visited on Wednesday, the menu options were as follows:
- Rib Plate w/Sides — $15
- Loaded BBQ Nachos — $15
- Rib Sandwich — $10
- BBQ Sandwiches — 1 for $7/2 for $10
- BBQ Sandwich Plate w/2 Sides — $12
- Pulled Pork Plate w/2 Sides — $15
- Loaded BBQ Sandwich — $10
- Special Plate — $20
- Banana Pudding — $5
- Sides: Coleslaw, Corn, Baked Beans
Other items you can encounter on any given day (besides the meats previously mentioned) include rib tips, seasoned fries, corn on the cob, and decadent fudge-smothered chocolate cake.
When you visit Boatwright’s BBQ Truck, you can rest assured that his recipes are original. He’s developed his own spicy BBQ rubs and sauces, and even simmers his baked beans over an open fire in a cast iron skillet — there is nothing “canned” about this independent operation!
Hit Me With Your Best BBQ
I have to admit that if I am frequenting a local street festival or other event where multiple food trucks are present, my go-to first stop would be the one serving barbeque. I have to say that Scott Boatwright has his scrumptious recipes down to an art. I ordered a classic BBQ offering — the BBQ Sandwich Plate with 2 sides — opting for the pulled pork sandwich, baked beans, and coleslaw. I also indulged in an order of banana pudding.
Firstly, I was highly impressed with the savory pork, which could have easily stood alone without the sauce. His blend of seasonings in the tender, juicy meat hugged the smoke, salt and spice line without crossing it into the realm of “too much.” Add to that the authentic, rich tang of his thick, molasses-based sweet and smoky sauce, and I had to call it as I tasted it — a palatable combination of artisanal proportions.
Add to that the crunchy blend of white and red cabbage mixed with carrot and sweet mayo-based mixture, and the coleslaw hit tasty notes for me that counter-balanced the flavor-packed sandwich. The soft baked beans were drenched in a sweet syrup that left me completely satisfied with this comforting lunchtime trio.
As I took my food home to beat the heat of my car, I saved the banana pudding for later, being completely full after lunch. While there were no banana chunks, the pudding itself was very flavorful, and I was fond of the vanilla wafer crumble layer that greeted my spoon at the bottom of the cup. Even without some bells and whistles that usually accompany Southern-style banana pudding, I very much preferred Boatwright’s banana pudding to one I recently sampled at a popular roadside stop in Leeds (you know, the one whose mascot is a bit questionable — is it a muskrat, a weasel, a beaver, a wolverine?…whatever it is, this rodent likely runs with the other critters in Deputy Dawg’s band…).
Eating Boatwright’s BBQ
Frankly, I’d offer this food truck 5-stars on my personal scale of delicious local fare. The truck is not a 7-day-a-week operation, so for updates on locations throughout the week, check the Boatwright’s BBQ Facebook Page. Some of the Oxford locations where you can visit Boatwright’s BBQ Truck include Alabama Title Loans at 1200 Snow St., or the parking lot in front of Martin’s Family Clothing at 900 S. Quintard, Oxford, Alabama.
To contact Scott Boatwright for placing an order or for booking a catering event, call or text (256) 913-6224 or contact him on Facebook Messenger.
