The South Moon Is On The Rise!

I found this little gem late last summer, but got too busy to post. This is basically a small mom and pop (and children) business, with limited days (Friday – Sunday) and a limited season (summer/summer like months). It’s all about Barbeque! Ribs, Pulled Pork and Beef Brisket are the mainstays. My son is absolutely crazy (as in, why can’t you smoke ribs like this?) for the ribs. The ribs are rubbed, and then basted occasionally as they cook over a rotating (trailer like) smoking rig. The ribs have a higher spice profile that I am accustomed too, so that must mean they are just right for all you maaaanly men! The meat on the ribs, as GWiv would say, is toothsome. Nice smoke ring to boot. My favorite is the beef brisket. They use a meat cutter, and cut thin slices of tender fat studded beef. You have a choice of a spicy or sweet barbeque sauce. I opted for the sweeter version, and not only snarfed the sandwich, but licked the paper wrapping as well. The pulled pork is also very good. The pulled pork comes with the option to top it with a dry coleslaw. True Barbeque is finally being spoken in this area!

Now here is the interesting part, the barbeque master uses Kingsford charcoal….gasp! He also uses chunks of various wood. He claims that this is how all the competitors cook in competition. As I have never been to a barbeque competition, for all I know he could be right. I believe that he told me he took 3rd place in the State of IL. Fair last year…pretty darn good! You can find them on face book and the web (I can’t find the web page, but maybe you can).

I give a lot of credit to the entrepreneurial spirit of this family. Their establishment is a tiny shack constructed right next to Brown’s Grocery Store in Genoa. They have a few picnic tables for their customers to sit and eat (this year with shade umbrellas). Drinks and sides are available. They have been working hard, and continue to improve the food and environment for their customers. In just one season they have turned on enough customers to what real barbeque should be, which resulted in their request to call ahead to reserve your ribs for guaranteed availability.

So if you are heading North on Rt 23, just before you hit Rt 74, Brown’s Grocery store will be on your left. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised!

News flash…business is so good that they have just signed a lease for a sit down establishment in Sycamore IL. More information to follow. There are a lot of good events coming up in the DeKalb, Sycamore, and Genoa area. DeKalb’s Corn Fest Aug 20 -23 www.cornfest.com , Genoa Pioneer Days Aug. 29th genoamainstreet.com/index.html , and of course stellar raspberry picking at my You Pick Berry business (open until the first frost). Upberries.com

One last bit of information. Apparently the word is getting out about South Moon. Someone from the Chicago area drove his Lamborghini out to give the place a try. This caused great excitement for the owner’s teenaged son!


South Moon Barbeque
Brown’s Country Market
600 Pearson Dr
Genoa, IL.
1 815 508-1876
Friday – Sunday 11 – 6

nice post razbry,

I can definitely see heading up there and giving it a try, thanks for the info.

I hit South Moon for another brisket sandwich the other day. It was outstanding. I can't wait for someone else to try it and give their feedback. I am delighted that great BBQ has finally found its way out to my neck of the woods!

First I must say thanks to razbry for all the wonderful information on her website. I had originally planned to go to the DeKalb Corn Fest and then up to UPBerries. But after perusing the website, we instead headed to the Anderson Japanese Gardens which were fantastic. Afterwards we went to Genoa to find South Moon, but found that they were at Corn Fest!
No matter, a short hop down the road for 8 pts of delicious berries. (Folks go now, they're coming in fast and huge!) And then on to DeKalb, where the first stop was South Moon BBQ's booth. $5 for a pulled pork sandwich piled high w/ a pop, which we shared. Oh man! We immediately wanted another one! Excellent, just spicy enough rub, great bark bits, tasty smoke flavor, tender and still juicy. Toppped w/ cabbage and a tangy thin BBQ sauce, a perfect compliment to the meat.

Of course we ate some other pork products and corn, but on the way out we bought another sandwich from South Moon for the road. Really nice folks, delivering a top notch product. I'll be looking forward to returning to the area and eating at their new location in Sycamore. Hell, I may even return next weekend for Pioneer Days.

thanks for the heads up regarding these folks being @ Corn Fest.

We are heading up north today to do some raspberry picking and now a visit to Corn Fest and perhaps give this bbq a try.