The Phantom Features Firefly's in Marlborough

As the Phantom Gourmet points out, Steve Uliss was born and bred in Boston, but “has barbecue in his blood and the hardware to prove it.”

The chef won the Massachusetts State BBQ Championships and represented the Commonwealth in the Jack Daniels World Invitational Barbecue Competition, and has a host of other barbecue-related trophies and medals.

Uliss owns Firefly’s Bodacious BBQ and Beyond in Marlborough,which serves up a menu that includes seafood, tacos and pizza, but is known for its ribs, pulled pork and fried chicken.

The Phantom says, “He also serves fried clams, fried pickles and homemade mac and cheese, but it’s the slow smoked ribs you’ve got to try.”

“They are looking for the meat to pull from the bone, not fall from the bone,” Uliss told the Phantom. “Perfect smoke ring, right amount of crust on the outside, perfect bark, lightly glazed - that’s the key to a great slab of ribs.”