Mrs. Anita: The Queen of Shoulder | Monroe County BBQ Documentary

Mrs. Anita: The Queen of Shoulder is a short documentary produced by El Osito Films that explores Monroe County, Kentucky’s unique pork shoulder barbecue tradition through the story of Mrs. Anita and the community around her.

Directors Note: I kept running into people even in surrounding areas as close as Nashville who didn’t know about Monroe County-style barbecue. They knew Texas brisket, North Carolina pulled pork, Memphis ribs, and plenty of other great barbecue traditions, but not the thin, pork steak shoulder style that I grew up with.

This film is my attempt to document and celebrate a regional specialty that has been a staple of my childhood and a defining food tradition in this part of Kentucky and Tennessee. Monroe County barbecue may not be widely known outside of a few counties, but to the people who grew up around it, it is unmistakable.

Created with a small crew and a deeply local approach, the film celebrates regional food culture, family history, and the people who keep South Central Kentucky traditions alive.