Alabama BBQ pitmaster ‘Big Bob’ Gibson inducted into American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WIAT ) — A barbecue pitmaster who is credited with an Alabama culinary tradition that has been used across the country has received a national honor.

Bob Gibson, the man behind two Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q locations in north Alabama, as well as being credited with popularizing “Alabama white sauce,” has been inducted as a legacy member of the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame.

“Being inducted in the Barbecue Hall of Fame is a prestigious honor for these individuals,” said Jackie McClaskey, CEO of the American Royal Association, in a statement. “For many, barbecue is a sport. These pitmasters, restaurant owners and barbecue enthusiasts are talented, creative individuals with a distinct passion for their ‘sport’ and have dedicated their careers, or their lives, to service in the barbecue industry. At the American Royal, we are thrilled to welcome this group of barbecue legends into the Hall of Fame alongside many distinguished peers.”

Born in 1888, Robert Lee Gibson was a railroad worker who learned how to cook on the weekends. He founded his first restaurant in Decatur in 1925. He is credited with creating “Alabama white sauce,” a barbecue sauce made up of mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and horseradish. Gibson’s take quickly became popular and has become a staple of Alabama barbecue culture.

Although Gibson died in 1972, his name continues through his two surviving restaurants in Decatur, as well as his specialty white sauce that is delivered around the world.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q is in the Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame.

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