While Tennessee is famously known for the Great Smoky Mountains and country music, the food in this region of the US is incredibly delicious. The state’s cuisine is incredibly filling and savory, while the beverages are intense and unforgettable.
Because of its proximity to the coal country as well as its position in the south, a lot of the state’s specialty food has a rich heritage and history behind it. While it’s impossible to list every popular meal from the Volunteer State, in no particular order, here are 8 of the most famous food and drinks in Tennessee:
Nashville Hot Chicken
The signature dish of the state, Nashville Hot Chicken is so popular that there’s a festival held for it annually. While the recipe is pretty standard, every location has its own take on it. Marinated, breaded, and fried, the chicken is then coated in a hot sauce that has a cayenne pepper base. The result is a crispy and spicy dish that can be customized based on spice tolerance.
Using all cuts of chicken, many locations have their own specificity version of Nashville Hot Chicken. Conceived at Prince’s Hot Chicken, which is still around to this day, it’s said that the inventor of the dish was actually the store owner’s girlfriend. Created as a way to get back at him for cheating, things didn’t go according to plan since he loved the ridiculously spicy chicken.
He began selling her revenge dish in the 1930s and it quickly became a local favorite, so much so that other restaurants started adopting the dish. Most locals prefer Nashville Hot Chicken on a sandwich with pickles or coleslaw, but Prince’s is famous for doing a half chicken, served with white bread, pickles, and coleslaw as well.
Fans of spicy foods cannot miss this dish, as it comes with many different levels of spice options at almost every location it is available. If unable to handle much spice, there are versions of this dish that do not have as much cayenne pepper, but if you are craving a truly authentic experience, try to get the Nashville Hot Chicken as spicy as you can handle it.
Tennessee Whiskey
Similar to its neighbor of Kentucky, Tennessee whiskey is a staple and has great significance to the state. Not something that’s simply made in the state, although that’s part of it, there’s a very specific process and standard to be considered a Tennessee whiskey. This includes meeting the legal requirements for bourbon as well as going through the Lincoln County Process.
Filtering the whiskey with maple charcoal chips before aging, the process is what makes the liquor smooth with a caramel appearance and flavor. There are many whiskeys that are considered local specialties, but none are as world-renowned as Jack Daniels.
Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the company’s distillery, located in Lynchburg, Tennessee, is one of the state’s largest tourist attractions, bringing in millions of annual visitors.
Another incredibly well-known Tennessee Whiskey manufacturer, which holds the title of the oldest active distillery in the state, is George Dickel. While there are many other brands, both George Dickel and Jack Daniels were the only two Tennessee Whiskey companies to make it through Prohibition.
If you’re unable to make it to one of the distilleries for a tour, Jack Daniels is carried most anywhere in the country. Those averse to drinking whiskey neat can try Tennessee Tea, a great alternative that contains Jack Daniels, triple sec, and sweet and sour mix.
Biscuits and Gravy
Since Tennessee is a part of the South, southern comfort foods are vital to the food heritage of this state. Biscuits and gravy are a staple to southern cuisine, but legend has it that the duo was invented here. It’s said that in Southern Appalachia in the 1800s, the lumber community created this classic combination.
The original biscuit and gravy from the mountains would be incredibly different from what is seen in diners throughout the country today, but it had the same principles: thick, warm biscuits and sausage gravy. Back then, biscuits would be much harder and possibly flavorless, so the gravy would be a necessary addition to make them softer and more edible.
This combination was and still is a very cheap way to get in a large number of calories since the gravy is typically made with quite a bit of fat. To have a truly authentic dining experience, you have to try it with sawmill gravy. Made with milk or cream and any type of meat grease, the most typical preparation includes sausage, flour, salt, and pepper,
One of the best local spots in the state to get this dish would be Biscuit Love, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Not only do they specialize in biscuits, but they also have a variety of specialty toppings, including sawmill gravy, and other dishes to try. This classic comfort food is a cannot miss item while in the state.
Cornbread
Cornbread is another comfort food that is found throughout the southern United States, but Tennessee really has a passion for this side dish. In South Pittsburg, Tennessee there’s a national cornbread festival held annually. South Pittsburg is the home of the Lodge Cast Iron Factory, a featured location during the celebrations.
The National Cornbread Festival has quite a few notable events such as a cornbread eating contest, tours of the Lodge Factory, and cornbread cook-off competitions. The festival focuses on creativity with cornbread. All of the winning recipes over the years have been one of a kind and have included a coconut pecan cornbread, a caramel apple cornbread, and even a spicy fried green tomato cornbread.
Most of the cornbreads in the competition are cooked in Lodge cast iron pans, hence the factory’s large involvement in the festivities. The festival takes place typically in April each year just for a couple of days.
Moon Pies
Created in the 1930s by the Chattanooga Baking company, the Moon Pie has been a staple in the lunches of Tennesseans and Americans for almost a hundred years. During the Great Depression, the Moon Pie and an RC cola would cost about ten cents.
This combination was called the working man’s lunch, and to this day is celebrated with a large gathering every June in the small town of Bell Buckle, Tennessee. The cookie has evolved to have many different flavor combinations over the years, but the original flavor consists of marshmallow and graham crackers, dipped in chocolate.
Today, there are banana and vanilla flavors as well. The original and unique flavors are sold throughout Tennessee at groceries and gas stations, but this timeless American cookie can also be purchased on Amazon.
Memphis BBQ
Many locations throughout the southern US have options for barbecue, but if you’re in Memphis, Tennessee, you’ll have an experience unlike anywhere else. While many barbecues are based around the regions where they are the most popular, only two cities, including Memphis, can say that they have their own unique style of preparing and serving their meat.
Memphis-style barbecue focuses on dry rubs instead of using a lot of sauces. A technique invited in the 1940s by Charlie Vergo, the dish was created at a restaurant called Rendezvous, which is still in business and is considered one of the best places to go for barbecue in the city.
Cooked over charcoal instead of smoked, the rubs are typically washed in vinegar before being coated in a dry rub. Every restaurant has its own proprietary spice blend, but most contain a mixture of mainly paprika and salt with other seasonings added in.
Memphis Barbecue typically focuses on pork meat and is frequently referred to as the “Pork Barbecue Capital of the World”. Pulled pork sandwiches and pork ribs are incredibly popular with this style of barbecue. While sauces are not a feature of this style of cooking, when they are added to the meat, they are typically tomato and vinegar based.
If unable to make it to Memphis, there are plenty of locations throughout the state that focus on this style of barbecue.
Moonshine
Moonshine is another alcoholic beverage that may not have been invented in Tennessee, but locals take great pride in this product. Originally created illegally during prohibition, the name originates from its production methods, which were typically at night as a way of avoiding arrest.
Still illegal to make at home due to safety concerns, some commercial distilleries make regulated moonshine. Growing from a mom-and-pop location to one of the most well-known companies, Ole Smokey Moonshine Distillery makes a variety of types and flavors of the spirit.
One of the most fun experiences to try this product is visiting their distillery in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The building is enormous and can house over a hundred people for tastings at one time. Just be aware that it can get incredibly busy but because of how large it is, however, there’s typically hardly any wait to try one.
Well-priced for the number of samples given out, a moonshine tasting is a great way to try different products that you may not have initially considered. This includes some more questionable options like moonshine cherries, pickles, and pineapples.
Ole Smokey of course has the classic, flavorless moonshine, but what makes this location special is that they have rotating seasonal flavors as well as a variety of other options so that there’s something everyone will enjoy. If you’re unable to visit, don’t worry, the brand is sold throughout the United States in liquor stores.
Goo Goo Clusters
Considered to be the first-ever combination candy bar not only in the state but also in the country, Goo Goo Clusters were invented in Nashville in the early 1900s by the Standard Candy Company. The candy contains marshmallow nougats, caramel, and peanuts that are drenched in chocolate.
For a unique experience with this candy, there’s a store that recently opened in downtown Nashville that’s completely dedicated to Goo Goo Clusters and the history of the candy. If unable to make it to the store, this candy can be found throughout the US in groceries as well as airports and should definitely be tried before leaving the state.
Tennessee has a unique food culture that exemplifies southern cuisine. From savory and sweet to strong and traditional, there are plenty of dishes to try throughout the state. While in the Volunteer State, the aforementioned meals are a great addition to any foodie’s bucket list.
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