Did you know we are from the Smoked Meat Capital of the world? Our hometown, Ville Platte, Louisiana, is known for many things and embodies a Cajun culture unlike any other town in Louisiana.

People from all over the world come to Ville Platte to experience our culture, our music and of course our world renowned food.  But there is one thing that we are extremely proud of and well known for and that is our smoked meat.  We are so well known for our smoked meat that we are considered to be the Smoked Meat Capital of the World.

We smoke pretty much anything and everything here in Ville Platte.  From sausage to rabbit, meatballs to neck bones…we smoke it all.  Some might say it’s overkill but once they are able to get a little taste of a dish that uses smoked meat, their mind quickly changes and they can never get enough.  Cooking with smoked meat truly adds a unique flavor unlike any other and it is so flavorful and so ingrained into our Cajun heritage, I don’t think we would ever be able to cook without the use of smoked meats…or at least we wouldn’t want to.

With smoked meat being such a huge part of our heritage in Ville Platte, we celebrate it each year with a festival.  Le Festival de la Viande Boucanee or the Smoked Meat Festival for those who don’t speak Cajun French, is held in June every year and offers visitors a variety of savory smoked meats to try, an incredible lineup of musicians and some of the best times one could have in Cajun country.  Meat markets, restaurants and businesses from around the Ville Platte area set up booths at the Smoked Meat Festival each year for a chance at winning the World Championship Smoked Meat Cookoff.  This is one of the most coveted titles in the Ville Platte area and isn’t easy to come by considering all of the amazing cooks who enter the competition.  The Smoked Meat Festival is something everyone should experience and we hope you have the opportunity to do so one day.

If you ever find yourself in or around Ville Platte, Louisiana, I invite you to experience the smoked meat offerings at any one of the many Meat Markets around town.  If you can’t make it to Ville Platte any time soon and still want to experience a little smoked meat from the Smoked Meat Capital of the World then I would suggest trying Teet’s Food Store.  They have been servicing Ville Platte for almost 60 years now and like every other Meat Market in town, they offer some incredible smoked meats.  They have an online store and can ship some of the best smoked meat to any destination in the USA.  Be sure to use coupon code “onlythebest” at Teet’s Food Store and receive 15% off of your order.

Take care and keep having fun in the kitchen!

-Jack Walker