The Florida Foodie
Troy’s BBQ
By Saucy Sarah
1017 N Federal Hwy – Boynton Beach, Florida 33435
(561) 740-1125
Troy’s BBQ is the quintessential road side, no frills, smoked-meat lover’s mecca. I grew up just a block down the road from this long-standing brick-red hut on the corner of Federal Hwy and MLK Blvd in Boynton Beach. I must have passed by a thousand times over the years and, for some reason, I never went to try their offerings. With age comes wisdom and the small unassuming shack with no dining room, only a small pick-up window where food and money are exchanged, that once was daunting to me as a young girl, now beckoned me as the adventurous foodie I had grown into. The large custom drum smokers that sit off to the side, lovingly tended to by a group of older and experienced men, was like a tractor-beam, pulling me into the tiny parking lot and taking my place in the long, winding line of hungry patrons waiting their turn at the window. These are the pastoral scenes I seek out now in my adulthood; smoke permeating the air, glistening charred meat revealed when the hood is opened, and a long line of locals, jewelry-clad Palm Beachers, and suit & tie businessmen, all comingled together and waiting for food.
Nothing is hidden at Troy’s. You can walk right up to the giant grills and chat with the master’s at work. They are a wise bunch of seasoned and passionate BBQ craftsmen. They inspect the meat as if it were a fine piece of art, gently picking up the molten halves of chicken and full slabs of ribs between their fingers to get a feel for its progression from raw to heavenly food. You see, BBQ is really in the feel rather than a specific temperature or look. I knew right away I was in good hands here at Troy’s. A thin film of regret came over me for having wasted so many years passing by rather than stopping in.
The menu is simple and posted to the side of the small red hut. Your classic BBQ items are there along with South Florida’s beloved conch fritters. Most items come al a carte, allowing you to select your sides and meats in various sizes. When my turn came, I stuck my head into the cool darkness on the other side of the order window and spoke my desires for a full BBQ experience. I was delighted rather than disappointed when the gentleman said I may have to either wait for a half chicken (which could be a long wait) or forgo ordering one altogether. You see, at Troy’s nothing is cooked early and then left to sit around in warming trays. Warming trays are the norm at most of your typical, dismal BBQ joints. This is my biggest problem with one of South Florida’s beloved BBQ institutions – Park Avenue BBQ- which, sadly, has fallen victim to chain restaurant syndrome and no longer has my respect. The food at Troy’s is either cooking out back on the smoker or ready to be passed out to the crowd of people patiently waiting.
The Food:
Hits: Perfectly smoky and delicious ribs. These ribs are more in-line with competition BBQ quality than your restaurant style. This means the meat has a bit of resistance, it does not fall off the bone, but it is still super tender and the fat is rendered flawlessly from having a full-cook on the grill. Most places will steam or boil their ribs before throwing on the grill for the last few moments to set the sauce and give a nice char to the meat. Troy’s does the hard work of fully cooking on the grill. This is not an easy task and why so many do not do it, you risk drying out the meat. It takes a master to achieve such divine ribs, consistently. The pulled pork sandwich was enormous, nearly the size of my face! The pork was sliced rather than chopped without any traces of fat, yet the meat was super moist and rich. Troy’s thin vinegar-based sauce is not cloyingly sweet or tongue tingling, it is merely a spotlight for highlighting the meat. I was pleased to be asked if I wanted my meat sauced or on the side. This shows me that Troy’s is not out to hide their product, they have a confidence in their food that I admire and truly miss from other dining establishments. Even the chicken, the one menu item that seems to disappoint me over and over again, was perfect.
Misses: The mac & cheese was okay. Compared to the rest of the offerings, the mac and cheese was rather bland. Maybe I want too much from my mac & cheese, desiring bold flavor and intense cheesiness. I will continue my quest for this side dish, it seems. The baked beans were okay, but be warned, they are super sweet and fortified with cinnamon. I kept evoking Christmas in my mind when I took a bite, or maybe, those sugared pecans you buy at the fair. If you like that type of bean, then you will be happy with Troy’s. I like my beans smoky and meaty so I am pretty neutral on Troy’s version.
On my list of what makes a great BBQ place great, Troy’s comes the closest to meeting my high expectations. It is worth a pilgrimage to Boynton (caution, Troy’s is only open Tuesday through Saturday!). There really is nowhere to eat at Troy’s, so take your food to go and head over the OceanAveBridge. Make a picnic on the beach at Boynton’s OceanFrontPark. You may just want to tailgate it in Troy’s parking lot. However you eat it, one taste of Troy’s BBQ and I’m sure I will see you time and time again in the long line waiting for BBQ.
In her previous life, Sarah, a Palm Beach County Native, spent ten years working in various high-end eating establishments around South Florida. She is currently a fiction thesis candidate in the MFA program at Florida International University where she also teaches creative writing and rhetoric. If that is not enough, Sarah is also the owner of Cakes by Sarah, a local custom cake shop. Sarah lives in Lake Worth with her husband and two beautiful boys. “Food, fiction, and family are my life.”