Southern BBQ Catering Salt Lake City: How Miss Essie's 100-Year Arkansas Recipe Became Utah's Most Trusted Caterer

The smell hits you first—hickory smoke and something sweeter, something that makes you slow down and look up from whatever you're doing. That's the thing about real Southern BBQ catering in Salt Lake City: it doesn't just feed people, it stops them in their tracks. And at Miss Essie's Southern BBQ in Murray, that moment of pause is exactly what Marcus Jones has been serving up since 2003, carrying forward a recipe his great-grandfather created on an Arkansas farm more than a century ago.

"Miss Essie's and Marcus was amazing!" one wedding customer raved. "From planning to delivery, they were top notch! And the food was delicious... Everyone raved about the food!"

From Segregation-Era Arkansas to Murray's Most Beloved BBQ

Here's where the story really begins: on a farm in Arkansas during segregation, where Miss Essie's father ran not just land but a small grocery store that kept his family from working other plantations. Maintaining that family business wasn't just about pride—it was about survival, about independence in a time when Black families had precious little of either.

Miss Essie grew up learning those recipes in her father's kitchen, watching him smoke meats low and slow, perfecting a BBQ sauce that balanced hickory smoke with just the right amount of sweetness. She eventually moved to Arizona after her husband passed young, raising seven children alone while cooking the kind of food that brought people together around the table.

One of those children was Manuel Jones. And Manuel passed that 100-year-old family recipe to his son Marcus, a former University of Utah football player who'd eventually turn his grandmother's legacy into one of Utah's premier BBQ catering operations.

In 2002, Marcus was working at The Skybox in downtown Salt Lake when he had what you might call an audacious moment. "I told the chef and owner that their barbecue wasn't very good, and that I could do it better," he recalls. Bold? Absolutely. But he backed it up. Marcus and his father Manuel started producing smoked meats and that secret family sauce for Skybox on weekends, and by 2003, they'd officially launched Miss Essie's Southern BBQ. In 2008, Marcus brought in his high school friend Deonn Henderson as a business partner, and together they've built Miss Essie's into a food manufacturing company that serves everyone from 50-person corporate lunches to 1,000-guest celebrations.

"Our whole model of business is based around loyalty, honesty, family and helping our community," Marcus says. "I want my family to be able to say we achieved something that not a lot of families achieve."

The Food: Where Arkansas Authenticity Meets Corporate BBQ Catering Excellence

Walk into any Miss Essie's catered event and you'll see why they've become the go-to choice for corporate BBQ catering in Salt Lake City and Murray. The buffet setup alone is something—beautifully arranged trays of fall-off-the-bone ribs glazed with that signature sauce, pulled pork so tender it dissolves on your tongue, and honey-glazed chicken thighs that customers literally dream about afterward.

But here's what really gets people talking: the mac and cheese.

"Super delicious and well seasoned. The Mac and cheese was 10/10!" one customer wrote. Another called it simply "the best ever," with that creamy texture and rich flavor that only comes from someone who learned Southern cooking at their grandmother's elbow.

The sides aren't afterthoughts here—they're main events. Southern-seasoned roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Green beans with onion and bacon that taste like Sunday dinner at someone's actual house. Sweet corn. Fluffy cornbread. And those BBQ beans, slow-cooked with just enough molasses sweetness to complement the smoke from the meats.

"We catered a corporate luncheon for 600 people, and Miss Essie's Southern BBQ was fantastic," one event planner shared. "We offered pulled pork and the vegetarians appreciated the jackfruit option that was yummy."

Yeah, you read that right—jackfruit BBQ. Marcus has expanded beyond traditional Southern fare to include vegetarian options that even meat-eaters rave about. Smoked portabella mushroom lettuce wraps, jackfruit pulled "pork" sandwiches with that Apple Cider Vinegar BBQ sauce that's thick, loaded with spices, and has just enough vinegar punch to make everything sing.

The BBQ sauces themselves deserve their own conversation. Miss Essie's makes four distinct flavors, each one designed to stand alone:

• Original BBQ Sauce: Mild-bodied with hickory smoke flavor, perfect for dipping or basting
• True Honey BBQ: Sweet with a blend of spices you can actually taste, plus that nice smoked finish
• Apple Cider Vinegar BBQ: Not your typical vinegar sauce—this one's thick and spice-forward with just the right acidic kick
• Honey Mustard BBQ: The newest addition, bringing tang and sweetness together

You can find these sauces in nearly 400 retail locations now, including Harmons, Whole Foods, Smith's, and even Kroger. But the real magic happens when Marcus and his team cater your event, bringing that full authentic Southern BBQ experience right to your office park or wedding venue.

Why Miss Essie's Stands Out in Utah's BBQ Scene

Look, Utah has plenty of BBQ options. R&R dominates with nine locations. Pat's has its loyalists. Charlotte-Rose's brings Carolina-style to the table. But what makes Miss Essie's different—what makes them the choice for corporate BBQ catering in Murray and throughout the Salt Lake Valley—is that combination of authentic Arkansas tradition with the kind of professionalism that puts event planners at ease.

"As a Black-owned company that does Southern cuisine, we stand out because I've worked with chefs and used my background to refine our menu and make it look as good as it tastes," Marcus explains. "Everybody can cook pulled pork, but it's what you do with it that matters. It tastes like your grandmother's, but has a crafted restaurant flare."

That attention to both roots and refinement shows up in everything Miss Essie's does. Customers consistently mention how Marcus and his team stay in communication, calling the day before events to confirm details, arriving on time, setting up beautiful buffet displays that look like they belong at high-end catering operations.

"Awesome awesome food!!! We did full service for a work party, it was excellent service, everything was super smooth. Big hit with the office. 10/10 would order again!" one corporate client wrote.

Miss Essie's specializes in groups from 50 to 1,000 people—that's a range most caterers can't handle. And they're not just dropping off food in aluminum pans. They'll work with you to develop customized menus based on your taste and budget. They can provide decorations, floral arrangements, even rental equipment. They offer free tastings so you know exactly what you're getting.

The business itself is a food manufacturing and distribution company, which means they've got the infrastructure to handle large-scale events without breaking a sweat. Those smoked meats? They're pre-cooked using slow-smoking techniques that lock in flavor and tenderness, then finished to order for your event.

Building Community Through Food in Murray and Beyond

Marcus learned something from watching his great-great-grandfather run that farm store and from seeing how Miss Essie fed her community: food isn't just about feeding bellies. It's about connection.

"The community took care of her and she took care of them," Marcus says about his grandmother. "That relationship is what the business Miss Essie's is: We are not just a family to be consumers and to take. We want to build something that builds long-lasting relationships."

During the pandemic, when Miss Essie's was on track for their highest-grossing month ever, everything stopped. Catering orders canceled. Weddings postponed. Corporate events shut down. But instead of closing up shop, Marcus and Deon pivoted—offering curbside pickup, feeding essential workers, finding ways to stay connected to the community that had supported them.

When Marcus shared his struggles accessing PPP loans in a Deseret News article, Zions Bancorporation Chairman Harris Simmons personally called him to help. That's the kind of support that comes when you've spent nearly two decades building trust and relationships through consistently excellent food and service.

"This is ours, our piece of the American pie," Marcus says. And he means it—Miss Essie's represents something larger than just a catering business. It's a Black-owned business succeeding in Utah through quality, consistency, and that ineffable thing that happens when someone cooks food that actually tastes like love.

Planning Your Miss Essie's BBQ Experience

Location & Contact
6064 S 300 W, Suite 11
Murray, UT 84107
Phone: (801) 262-3616
Website: missessiesbbq.com

Hours
Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday–Sunday: Closed

What to Order
For catering: The pulled pork is the move—slow-smoked until it's falling apart tender. Pair it with that 10/10 mac and cheese that everyone raves about, add some BBQ beans and cornbread, and you've got a meal that'll have your guests talking for weeks.

For at-home cooking: Grab the four-pack of BBQ sauces at Harmons, Whole Foods, or Smith's. The Original is your everyday workhorse, but that Apple Cider Vinegar sauce is the one that'll surprise you.

Insider Tips

• Miss Essie's requires orders to be scheduled at least 7 days in advance (rush orders within that window get a 25% fee)
• They offer free tastings—take advantage of this if you're planning a large event
• Corporate clients love their breakfast and lunch catering packages
• They can accommodate dietary restrictions, including vegetarian and vegan options
• Available for events throughout the Salt Lake Valley, Murray, South Salt Lake, and beyond

Instagram: @missessiesbbq (check for seasonal specials and catering showcases)

Why This Matters to Utah's Food Scene

There's something powerful about food that carries history. When you eat at Miss Essie's—whether it's catered to your corporate event or you're picking up their sauce at the grocery store—you're tasting recipes that survived segregation, that moved across state lines, that fed generations of a family that understood food as more than sustenance.

Marcus didn't just bring Arkansas BBQ to Utah. He brought his great-great-grandfather's independence, Miss Essie's resilience, and his own vision of what Southern hospitality can look like in the Mountain West. Every tray of fall-off-the-bone ribs, every batch of that legendary mac and cheese, every bottle of sauce made from that 100-year-old recipe is proof that tradition doesn't have to be static—it can evolve, adapt, and thrive while still honoring where it came from.

"Delicious food. Best BBQ in Utah," one customer simply stated.

In a state where BBQ can sometimes mean Texas brisket or Carolina pulled pork, Miss Essie's brings Arkansas tradition—that perfect balance of hickory smoke and sweetness, that low-and-slow approach that can't be rushed, that understanding that good food is ultimately about bringing people together.

Whether you're planning a corporate luncheon for 200, a wedding for 400, or just want to grab some authentic Southern BBQ sauce for your weekend grilling, Miss Essie's Southern BBQ in Murray delivers. They're bringing the South to your mouth, one event at a time, with a century of family tradition backing up every bite.

Ready to experience authentic Arkansas BBQ in Salt Lake City? Contact Miss Essie's at (801) 262-3616 or visit missessiesbbq.com to book your catering event or find their sauces at your local grocery store. Trust me—your taste buds will thank you.