Monk: Aaron Franklin takes Huckberry on a trip down memory lane at his salvage yard before he turns his attention towards welding an old Schwinn to a rotisserie smoker for this year’s Hot Luck Festival, which took place earlier this year in Austin.
Description: Who do you call when you need a rotisserie made from an old bicycle? Apparently, Aaron Franklin…
We caught up with the BBQ Chef and self-proclaimed “tinker-er” a week ahead of Hot Luck, a food festival he founded, while in the middle of a project for the festival: a peddle-powered rotisserie, fashioned from an old Schwinn Bicycle.
Along the way Aaron gives a tour of his workshop and personal salvage yard where he works on welding projects for Hot Luck and beyond. In Aaron’s words: he started welding “out of necessity” because to make a good cooker you “have to be someone who cooks.”
The Southern Foodways Alliance presents a barbecue sides bracket for their contribution to this year’s March Madness. Vote now as we’re already in the Final Four, with the Championship tomorrow and the winner announced Friday.
Native News
If true, not a good look for Noble Smoke
The business is Good Life at Enderly Park owned by Robbie McNair, who's also the creator of the new Babe Cave you've heard so much about. https://t.co/zmgIBYSSje
D.G. Martin seeks input from readers on NC eateries off interstate highways for the next edition of “North Carolina Roadside Eateries”
COLUMN: D.G. Martin's updated revision of "North Carolina’s Roadside Eateries" will feature some big changes, largely due to the pandemic. 🍽 https://t.co/wCIL8wslzo
BBQ Fest on the Neuse wants to know: are you team slaw or not?
Non-Native News
Archibald’s BBQ is celebrating 60 years open this year
Since opening in 1962, Archibald’s BBQ has weathered three generations, a fire and the COVID-19 pandemic to retain its place as Alabama culinary royalty. https://t.co/AIP5alYqBZ
Adrian Miller on the dearly departed Boney’s Smokehouse in Denver
“Order anything but brisket”; Arthur Bryant’s pleads customers to not order their most popular cut due to rising beef prices
Franklin Barbecue’s new sauce is Spicy
Hot off the line and hitting the shelves of @HEB this week — have a gander at our newest BBQ sauce made from red hot chili peppers. (Red jalapenos, arbol, ancho and habanero to be spice-ific) It’s called Spicy for a reason, y’all. pic.twitter.com/cvGOg0VaKB
North Carolina has lost another classic barbecue joint; Smiley’s Lexington BBQ officially closed this past weekend as a result of the NC DOT widening of Winston Road. Restaurant owner Steve Yountz and his wife, Tena, have no official plans to relocate the restaurant as of now but are not ruling it out either, depending on how much money they get from the state. For now, they are going to take some time to evaluate their options.
The building housing Smiley’s has been a barbecue restaurant for over 70 years and according to Yountz, ““It’s the oldest pit-cooking restaurant in Lexington. We’re still using the original pits.” Before Yountz opened Smiley’s in 2002, it operated as Southern Barbecue from 1963 to 1998 and started as Dan’s in the 1950’s.
This NC DOT project, first announced in 2018 and not set to begin until July 2023, actually has two victims as Speedy’s Barbecue the next block over is also closing due to the road widening.
Through the Preserve the Pit fellowship, Ron Simmons of Master Blend Farms in Kenansville was able to add 56 acres to his family farm and add barbecue catering as a side gig
Congrats to Garren and Kelly from Jon G’s, who 2 years ago on Sunday closed on the former Barbee’s Barbecue location, which they would open in June 2020 just a few months into the pandemic
Non-Native News
Texas barbecue James Beard semifinalists
Congrats to Damien Brockway of Distant Relatives, Quy Hoang of Blood Bros BBQ, Esaul Ramos of 2M Smokehouse, and Ernest Servantes & David Kirkland of Burnt Bean Co. for being named James Beard semifinalists for best chef (Texas). TX BBQ, baby! https://t.co/WFnGUkHJc7
Should we call this the Memphis Airport Barbecue Challenge?
Here's the challenge: I have limited carry-on luggage space and 4 gallon-sized freezer bags to fill with #barbecue before I go to the #Memphis airport. Where should I go and what should I get?
I covered this on the Facebook page briefly a few weeks back, but Smiley’s Lexington BBQ has officially announced its closing due to the NCDOT widening of Winston Road in Lexington. This widening was first announced in 2018 with a start date in summer 2020 but had likely been delayed due to the pandemic.
While owner Steve Yountz is not ready to retire just yet, per him “right now there is no definite plans on relocating as far as availably and affordability.” Patrons will have until February 26 to dine at the current location of Smiley’s before it closes its doors for good.
Nearby barbecue restaurant Speedy’s is also expected to close as a result of the road widening, however they are more optimistic about reopening in a new location and plan to rebuild and relocate, depending on the compensation they receive from DOT.
While the optimist in me hopes that both restaurants are able to relocate and continue business in due time, I worry that by next month we will be down two more classic NC barbecue joints.
Native News
A helpful post from Grady’s
Non-Native News
Applications for the Preserve the Pit fellowship are due March 1st
We continue to celebrate Black barbecue culture by launching year two of our Preserve the Pit fellowship and doubling our investment towards aspiring barbecue professionals. Check out details and apply: https://t.co/IYglP3WOgf#PreserveThePitpic.twitter.com/r1sGUEZvJL
Tim Carman of The Washington Post comes out with his annual barbecue list, with the wrinkle of releasing it in the winter time when some joints are closed
Carman also mourns the loss of pitmaster Corries Hardy
As we celebrate the best smokehouses in DC for 2022, I’d like to pause for a minute and acknowledge the loss last year of one of Washington’s best pitmasters: Corries Hardy. I really miss his presence at the Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market. https://t.co/6kwtRV7OMV
Rodney Scott and Eric Church getting into the honkey tonk game, and bringing whole hog to Broadway at Chief’s
In case anyone was wondering, the next country singer signing on for restaurant and bar ownership in downtown Nashville is Eric Church, and this time Carolina pitmaster Rodney Scott is getting in on the action.https://t.co/v472hUfRe2
Texans love traditions, and when it comes to barbecue, that means the Texas trinity of brisket, pork ribs and sausage. But like everything else in the barbecue business recently, that tradition is adapting and evolving. https://t.co/dpg88ZCGOi#houbbq#texaspic.twitter.com/0XZ3o7s6vj
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