HoneyBaked BBQ Review And $75 Gift Card Sweepstakes 7/17

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation has been provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

Do you love BBQ? I know we do! Here in my hometown, there are very few places to find decent BBQ. It's honestly almost non-existent. I guess NE Ohio isn't exactly a BBQ lover's paradise. So, like other people in my area, I am usually stuck making it myself. Which is fine, but on busy days it's definitely not too convenient. After all, who has time to slave over a hot stove for hours when there are pools to swim in, parks to visit, and other things that only summertime can provide? 

Luckily, I was able to find some absolutely finger-lickin' good BBQ in a very unlikely place: HoneyBaked Ham! Who knew?! Actually, HoneyBaked BBQ is currently going through a trial-run of sorts, and I happen to live in one of the few areas where it's currently available. (HoneyBaked BBQ availability can be found HERE. Please note: It's only offered in OH and KY at the moment.) 

HoneyBaked BBQ offers several mouthwatering meats, sides, sauces and even breads. Pulled pork and chicken, baked beans, Broccoli Bliss Salad, and ribs, to name just a few. Drooling yet? I know I am just thinking about it! 

We headed over to the Chapel Hill HoneyBaked Ham in nearby Akron to pick up some HoneyBaked BBQ for ourselves. It was my birthday, and we were heading up to see my Grandma. Of course like many grandparents, she tends to over-do it when it comes to cooking. She loves to feed people! This is wonderful, of course, but she just had surgery and I didn't want her to feel the need to go all-out. I told her to sit back and relax, since I was coming with BBQ in hand. 

When we arrived at the store, we were greeted with the oh-so-tempting aroma of baked ham, and even the subtle hint of BBQ was in the air. Needless to say, I was starving! 

The ladies who were working that Sunday morning were absolutely wonderful. They were friendly, attentive, and answered all of my questions about the new BBQ line-up. They even offered us some free samples of pulled pork, pulled chicken and brisket so we could try them before we decided on what to order. 

We ended up choosing some Cheddar Smoked Sausages, as well as some Jalapeno Pepper Jack Smoked Sausages. How could we resist? Sausage? Cheese? Now that's a match made in Heaven, in my humble opinion. And since these sausages are slowly smoked, they are sure to be packed with amazing flavor. 

Since my grandparents eat more chicken than anything else, we decided to pick up some HoneyBaked BBQ All-Natural Pulled Chicken. This tender, white meat chicken is tossed with HoneyBaked's own Tantalizing BBQ Sauce, giving it the perfect amount of tang and spice. This chicken is fabulous on a bun, but also flavorful enough to eat on its own with a fork for those who are carb-conscious.  

And of course we absolutely HAD to try the Certified Angus Beef Brisket. One of the best meals I have ever eaten involves brisket, so just thinking about this BBQ classic had my mouth watering. We ordered 2lbs of brisket, which is actually quite a bit. As you can see, it's sliced to about 1/4 inch thickness, and takes up the entire pan. We actually got to watch them carefully slice and season our brisket, and they even added some "pan juices" to the meat to help bring out that amazing beef flavor while ensuring the brisket stayed nice and juicy. 

What is a summer BBQ without sides?! HoneyBaked Ham offers tons of sides, both fresh and frozen, that are sure to perfectly complement any meal. We decided to try their seasonal offering, White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese. This dish features shell-style pasta drenched in a creamy, flavorful white cheddar sauce. Sadly, my kids ended up devouring it all, so all I got was one little spoonful. Those kiddos are lucky I love them...This Mac & Cheese is absolutely to die for, and I could have eaten much, much more of it! 

We also decided to try some of HoneyBaked's Jalapeno Cornbread Rolls. These were very good, especially slathered with some sweet cream butter. I do have to say, the Jalapeno flavor was pretty lacking. I expected a bit more kick, and all we tasted was the slightest bit of Jalapeno flavor. I guess in a way that's a good thing, since not everyone likes extreme heat. The mild flavor makes them perfect even for those with sensitive taste buds and of course picky kids like mine. 

No BBQ is complete without some sauce, don't you agree? Well, the folks at HoneyBaked Ham have you covered there, too! They have their much loved Tantalizing BBQ Sauce, as well as some exciting new Pork Barrel BBQ Sauces! We decided to try the Mustard BBQ and the Sweet BBQ. 

We used the Mustard BBQ on some pulled chicken sandwiches. I served these on Onion rolls with spicy Habanero Jack cheese. To cut the heat just a bit, I added a heaping spoonful of my almost-famous homemade cole slaw to each sandwich. 

Now let me tell you, these sandwiches were absolutely phenomenal. The pulled chicken was juicy and moist, and the addition of the Pork Barrel Mustard BBQ Sauce gave it a nice kick. The Habanero Jack cheese also gave a nice element of heat, but the cole slaw cooled the flames quite nicely. Overall, this sandwich is the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. It's literally a party in Flavortown in your mouth. 

We lightly brushed the Certified Angus Beef Brisket with the Pork Barrel Sweet BBQ Sauce. Since brisket is incredibly flavorful on its own since it's smoked low and slow, we didn't want to drown out the natural goodness of the beef with tons of sauce. The barely-there brushing of sauce was absolutely perfect. It added a nice, subtle sweetness that complemented the savory brisket perfectly. 

This, just like the pulled chicken, is amazing on its own or in a sandwich. One great sandwich idea is a nice pile of brisket, topped with cheddar cheese, onion straws, and a horseradish aioli or the Pork Barrel Sweet BBQ Sauce...Or both! 

Overall, we absolutely loved our HoneyBaked BBQ. This meal was spectacular, and everyone went back for second and third servings. We even ate the leftovers for lunch the next day! I am so glad that when we're craving BBQ, we have a HoneyBaked Ham Store right down the street. Like I said, here in NE Ohio, good BBQ is definitely a rare find. Usually, if you can even find BBQ, it's dry, tasteless, or slathered in a less than mediocre sauce. HoneyBaked BBQ is BBQ done right. They use only the best ingredients, and they cook it low and slow, just the way BBQ is supposed to be cooked. The result? Tender, juicy, flavorful BBQ that will make you swear you're in the heart of Memphis. Well done, HoneyBaked Ham. Well done, indeed! 

 If you're lucky enough to be in one of the BBQ test markets, definitely head on over to check it out. You can purchase main dishes and sides by the pound like we did, or you can stop in for a delicious pulled pork sandwich and some sides for lunch. 

How to Connect :

You can check out HoneyBaked BBQ on their website. 
Please note: HoneyBaked BBQ is only available for a limited time in certain OH and KY markets. 

You can also check out other fabulous foods on the HoneyBaked Ham website.

Follow them on Facebook and on Pinterest to stay on top of their latest products and promotions! 

Enter to WIN A $75 HoneyBaked Ham Gift Card :

I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader will receive a $75 HoneyBaked Ham Gift Card! 

How cool is that?! 

Simply enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below!

This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 11:59PM EST on July 17, 2014. No PO Boxes. Winners will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Participating blogs are not responsible for prize shipment.This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!

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