Monk: Dampf Good BBQ has recently come onto the Raleigh barbecue scene, bringing a distinctly Texas take to the pork-centric capital. Here, Nick Dampf sits down with The NC F&B Guys and describes, among other things, his background, approach to barbecue, and the intricacies of smoking on a dual 1000 gallon behemoth of a pit.
Description: We sat down with Nick Dampf himself to talk about his transition from Cisco sales rep to a full-time pitmaster (a term Nick’s too humble to use). We learned:
What do you get when you mix weekend pop-ups, Texas style BBQ, and a 2000 gallon smoker? Dampf Good BBQ of course!
Monk: While my hunch is that I had roughly as much barbecue as last year, I suspect the ratio of mediocre barbecue to great barbecue was higher than in past years. There’s always highlights to pick out, but let’s hope next year is a more favorable ratio.
In alphabetical order:
Beef rib, brisket, pork ribs, Cheerwine hot link from Jon G’s Barbecue – Peachland, NC
Chopped pork sandwich from Noble Smoke – Charlotte, NC
Some of the meats at Noble Smoke can be a little hit or miss for me, but the Lexington-style chopped barbecue sandwich is ever reliable.
Ribs and wings from Peg Leg Porker – Nashville, TN (link to review)
Speedy has said he often thinks the ribs at Peg Leg Porker are the best in the state of Tennessee, and who am I to argue? The full wings are also a must-order.
Randy’s ribs are a sub-regional variety with a sauce that I understand is found primarily in the Savannah area. It expanded my framework as to what barbecue is in different parts of the US.
Jones Family Original BBQ Tray from Sam Jones BBQ – Raleigh, NC (link to review)
Life-changing whole hog. So far I’ve only made it to Sam Jones’ outpost in Raleigh but I can’t wait to try this same tray at Skylight Inn this spring.
Sausage, wings, hash and rice, ribs, brisket, and turkey from Sweet Lew’s BBQ – Charlotte, NC (link to post)
Between the house-made sausage, the barbecue hash, and Lewis Donald’s ever-constant tweaking of his main meats, Sweet Lew’s continues to evolve, and I’m here for the the journey.
Chopped pork tray takeout from Whispering Pines – Albemarle, NC (link to review)
It’s a shame that Whispering Pines was takeout only but I’ll make the hour drive to Albemarle again I’m sure. Great Lexington-style barbecue.
Campbell won the inaugural BBQ Bowl against Gardner-Webb this past Saturday, pulling ahead late in the fourth quarter after recovering a muffed punt before scoring the go-ahead touchdown. They would go on to tack on another touchdown making the final score 42-28.
While the initial image of the trophy (which was likely a mockup instead of the real trophy) roused the ire of Iowa fans for allegedly being a copy of the Floyd of Rosedale trophy between Iowa and Minnesota, it turns out that the actual trophy was something much more cuddly.
Initial mockup:
Floyd of Rosedale trophy:
Actual trophy:
Back to barbecue matters…after the game the teams were treated to a post-game dinner of Red Bridges Barbecue as a result of Gardner-Webb losing the barbecue bet. Better than the White Swan that would have been served had Campbell lost.
The Carolina Cowboy Roll from Fatboy's BBQ is for those who are tired of the dainty egg roll. This crispy shell encases delicious Mac n cheese and barbecue topped with their barbecue sauce! #NCStateFair@NCStateFairpic.twitter.com/JOTp4cDqBF
Whole hog is the little engine that could of Houston barbecue. Even though this Carolina-style dish lacks a widespread following here, area pitmasters continue to experiment with increasingly delicious results. https://t.co/Z8O9sIWI1W
Tales from the Pits tries to guess the next Texas Monthly Top 50; the list is published later this month
Had some fun trying to predict the @TexasMonthly Top 50 BBQ list. Let’s see how we do once the list is published. Have any predictions you’d like to share? Let’s hear ‘em!
One of Houston’s top barbecue joints, Roegels Barbecue Co., will open its second restaurant in Katy before the end of the year. https://t.co/9WlgB55HAI
Hecho in Texas is a Cameron, TX joint trying to feed its locals the best way they know how
The family behind this Cameron food truck has cut prices and slashed menu items to keep prices affordable for the locals, with admirable results.https://t.co/L6i6ZFiVBz
Blood Bros. BBQ in Bellaire, TX , Eem in Portland, and Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna, AR make The New York Times’ Restaurant List
We dispatched our critics, reporters and editors around the country to find the 50 most vibrant and delicious restaurants in 2021. They’re not ranked, but together they reflect the rich mosaic of American dining. https://t.co/6kZyKEqXm9
Monk: Eater’s Smoke Point continues to roll out the content, this time going behind the scene with Matt Horn of Oakland’s Horn Barbecue. Instead of the tri-tip one might expect in California, Horn is putting out Central Texas-style barbecue mostly cooked by feel instead of temperature. Horn BBQ finally opened last fall to a lot of hype and by all accounts is delivering. For more eater
Description: Horn Barbecue pitmaster Matt Horn fell in love with barbecue from a young age, when he learned to get a feel for how to make juicy, tender, and smoky brisket, ribs, and other meats from his grandfather’s smoker without even using a thermometer. Now, he cultivates his “West Coast-style” barbecue, inspired by a combination of Central Texas barbecue, traditions from the deep south, and Horn’s Bay Area roots, at his restaurant in Oakland.
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