From smoky pop-up to permanent pit stop: Uncle B's BBQ now settled in its latest Phoenixville home

Genuine, slow-smoked barbecue is a rarity in this region, so I was concerned when Fenice Creolo closed in Phoenixville a little over a year ago.

Of course, Fenice was known for its Louisiana-style cooking (a local rarity in its own right).

But my primary thought was for the future of Uncle B's BBQ, the smoker run by Brian Howell in Fenice's parking lot that piggy-backed off Fenice to sell its pit meats for take-out.

The good news is that Howell and his wife, Beth Burckley, quickly landed in a standalone storefront of their own, a former pizza shop next to a Rita's Italian Ice stand.

And though  the space inside is limited -- just a few booths with a dozen seats -- its BBQ is as good as ever.

Howell, a North Alabama native, covers all the standards, including a Texas-style brisket smoked for 20 hours, meltingly soft pulled pork, and juicy chickens (and wings) with a hint of sage in the rub.

My Uncle B's favorite, though, was the babybacks, simply rubbed with cumin, thyme, and brown sugar, then slow-smoked over cherry wood until the meat was tender with a smoky pink ring, but still just clinging to the bone. Side it with pulled-pork collards and excellent mac-'n'-cheese made with local Kolb's Dairy cream and bits of Foresta's kielbasa.

Howell also makes all his own sauces, including a citrusy mayo-based Alabama "white" I'm still acquiring a taste for. I prefer his variation on the classic sweet-and-tangy Kansas City-style that gets amped up with spicy pepper relish made from habaneros, serranos, ghost, and scorpion peppers. He calls it "Firebird." And, thankfully, the bird has landed.

-- Craig LaBan

Baby back ribs ($13 for half, $24 for full),Uncle B's BBQ Shack, 413 Schuylkill Rd., Phoenixville, 610-935-1363; UncleBsBBQshack.com