Corky's Ribs & BBQ

Memphis barbecue splits into two camps. Wet ribs are brushed with sauce, while dry ribs get a spice rub and no sauce unless you ask. The sauce, when it shows up, is tomato-based, a little sweet and thicker than the vinegar sauces of eastern North Carolina. At a Memphis-born restaurant such as Corky's, ribs, pulled pork and barbecue chicken are the core of the menu, with smoke as the main flavor and sauce as an accent.

Good ribs show a pink smoke ring just under the bark and pull from the bone with a little resistance instead of sliding off. Sides matter at a barbecue joint, so order a couple for the table.

Corky's is at 3584 Parkway, in the busier central stretch of the Pigeon Forge strip and close to Dolly Parton's Stampede at 3849 Parkway. That makes it convenient on a night when you want barbecue before a show. The restaurant opens at 11 AM daily, according to local listings. The phone number is (865) 453-7427, and large orders should be placed ahead by phone.

• Peak times: evenings in July and October are busy. Arrive before 5:30 PM or after 7:30 PM for shorter waits.
• Traffic: the Parkway is the only main road through the tourist zone, so allow 15 to 25 extra minutes on weekend evenings.
• Groups: families and groups do well here. The menu is straightforward and the portions are shareable.
• Carryout: barbecue travels well, which makes Corky's a decent cabin-night dinner.

If you are heading into the mountains the next day, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a short drive from Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg is about 6 miles south. A parking tag is required for any vehicle stopped more than 15 minutes in the park, and federal passes are not accepted in place of it.

For other barbecue on the Parkway, Bennett's Pit Bar-B-Que is also in the area. Corky's stands out for its Memphis lineage and its simple format, and it is an easy answer when the question is where to feed a family of five without a debate.