Oklahoma Joe's - Catoosa, OK
Joe’s Story
What started with an Oklahoma State University graduate assistant just trying to make a little extra money one summer has turned into a legacy of award-winning barbecue. Joe Davidson was raised on a ranch in Okemah, Oklahoma, and worked as a welder to pay his way through college. With a degree in Agricultural Education, Joe had planned on one day becoming a college professor, but when the young entrepreneur decided to build 12 woodburning smokers and display them at the Oklahoma State Fair in 1987, that decision changed his life forever. Joe discovered he had a God-given passion for mastering his craft of providing the best experience in all things barbecue.
The Passion
With his passion for building smokers naturally came a love for barbecue and interest in barbecue competitions. After his first competition in 1987, the T-Town BBQ Cook-off, he was hooked on the idea of creating an award-winning barbecue. Joe mastered the art of barbecue, and he and his team won over 300 titles, including the coveted Grand Champion Overall titles at the Jack Daniels' World Championship, American Royal, and the World Pork Barbequolassal. Over the years, Joe has perfected his craft, using only the best ingredients, to create an unforgettable flavor and barbecue experience.
Someone has to be
Joe continued to build smokers and rack up cook-off titles, but he wanted to do more. He set his sights on opening a restaurant where he could share his award-winning barbecue and passion for great food with the world. In 1994, a fellow cooking competitor and good friend became a business partner. Jeff Stehney had butted heads with Joe in numerous competitions, both taking turns winning titles when the two became friends and discussed opening a restaurant together. In 1995, they opened the first Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue in Stillwater and soon after in 1996 opened another in Kansas City in a gas station with one thing in mind, that was cooking world championship BBQ that is the best in the world! Today, there are 5 Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue locations in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, and Omaha, Nebraska. Each restaurant combines the best low heat, slow cooking techniques with a unique blend of spices and sauces to create a taste that's world-class.
Best BBQ Sauce & Spice
As an award-winning barbecue pitmaster, Joe has worked for decades to create a formula for what's been awarded the "Best BBQ on the Planet." Starting with quality meats, the proprietary blend of spices is rubbed over the meats and then smoked with seasoned pecan wood in specially designed smokers. In fact, Joe invented his own specific blend of spices for each kind of meat. These unique spice and sauce combinations create a truly Oklahoma barbecue flavor – one that's not too sweet, not too vinegary, but just right. Named "Best Barbecue Sauce and Best Dry Rub on the Planet," these specialty blends are now available to take home from your local grocery store, this website, and the Oklahoma Joe's restaurants.