The south has it’s favorites when it comes to food and one southern tradition that will never go away is BARBECUE.    Many have come and gone when attempting to make barbecue for the public and that holds true here in Shelbyville.  And then there is Backwoods Smoke Shack!

In the summer of 2011, Blake Canady woke up one morning and decided he wanted to test out his skills at smoking a Boston butt pork roast.  He had seen others do it and have success, so he decided he would give it a try.   With no experience in grilling or smoking he darted off to Wal Mart and bought himself a Char Broil Propane Smoker.    The rest is history!
 

A friend of Blake’s was enquiring about the possibility of hiring someone to cater a large birthday party and Blake quickly ceased the opportunity to give it a try.   He got great reviews in his first outing and decided to enter the Lincoln County Fair barbecue competition.   The competition included many regional experienced competitors and Blake quickly learned there was a lot more to barbecue than he knew.  The Lincoln County competition did not go well, but Blakes determination grew.  He made some changes and worked on his smoking skills.   In 2012 he entered the local Moose Lodge barbecue competition and yet again came up short of his expectations.   Then things got serious.   Blake threw away his store- bought smoker and decided he would design and build his own smoker.   At the same time he developed a new recipe for a unique sauce that he named “Swine Wine”.   These two changes as well as a huge competitive spirit took Blake to the next level.   Later in 2012 he entered the Lincoln County Fair competition once again.   This trip to Fayetteville yielded him FIRST PLACE in the Rib Division and Reserve Grand Champion in the over all competition.  His plan and hard work had payed off. 
HE WAS ON THE MAP!

For a few years Blake had success working events, catering and serving the public.   He quickly developed a following and had success.   Then something big happened!  In the summer of 2015 he was invited to participate in the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Barbeque Competition held in Lynchburg in October of that year.   He was very excited to receive this invitation since everyone competing was considered to be some of the best in the world.   The competition went very well and Blake finished in eleventh place over all in the pork division out of dozens of competitors from around the world.    The Swine Wine sauce was a huge hit and he has since started bottling the product and selling it to his huge following.  

Since this big event, Blake and his wife Tabitha have established a permanent location at  510 Whitthorne St. just off Madison Street here in Shelbyville.    They have made Backwoods Smoke Shack the best barbecue in Shelbyville according to a recent Shelbyville Now poll.   If you have not had the opportunity to indulge in the best barbecue around, you are invited to stop by and give it a try.  They guarantee that you will LOVE it!