Three generations of hickory smoke, hand-pulled mutton, and burgoo simmered all day long. Pull up a chair at Ridge Run — y'all are family here.
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Our Story
In 1947, Earl Mae built a brick pit on the hickory ridge above Monticello and started smoking mutton the way his daddy taught him. Three generations later, we're still pulling fires before dawn, hand-mopping every shoulder, and serving it up on butcher paper the way it ought to be.
No shortcuts. No gas. Just wood, time, and a whole lot of love.
Read our full storyFrom the Pit
16 hours over Kentucky hickory. Black-pepper bark, deep smoke ring, sliced thick on butcher paper.
Our heritage plate. Owensboro-style with the famous black dip on the side.
Point-cut cubes, candy-glazed, twice smoked. The best two bites in Wayne County.
St. Louis cut, dry-rubbed, finished with our bourbon-mustard mop. Half or full slab.
Boston butts smoked overnight, pulled to order, piled high on a buttered brioche bun.
Granny Pearl's 1962 recipe. Mutton, beef, chicken and garden vegetables simmered all day.
The Ridge Run Way
Hickory and white oak from Kentucky forests. Never gas, never gimmicks. Just clean smoke and patience.
Brisket goes on at 4am. Mutton at midnight. We don't rush dinner — we don't rush BBQ either.
Sauces, sides, pies, pickles — everything is made in our kitchen, by hand, every single morning.
Catering & Events
Weddings, reunions, church suppers, corporate cookouts — we'll roll the smoker right up to your front door. Full-service or drop-off, anywhere in Lake Cumberland country.
Word of Mouth
“Drove two hours for the mutton. Drove home planning my next trip. Best BBQ in the Commonwealth, hands down.”
“Catered our daughter's wedding for 220 people. Zero complaints, empty pans, and a dozen folks asking for the burgoo recipe.”
“I write about BBQ for a living. Ridge Run's brisket is one of the five best slices I've ever put in my mouth.”
“We stop here every single time we drive down to the lake. The burnt ends are religion. The banana pudding is heaven.”
“Ridge Run has fed our church suppers for 30 years. Hattie and her crew treat every plate like it's going to family.”
“That mutton with the black dip changed how I think about Kentucky BBQ. Worth every mile of the drive.”
Come On Down