Name: The Cheef
Order: Brisket wrap, sausage wrap (link to menu)
Pricing: $$
Monk: After a day hiking or tubing on the river in the mountains of NC, a wood smoked barbecue food trailer parked outside the local outfitter is quite a welcome site. On a recent trip to Brevard , The Cheef was that welcome site parked outside of Headwaters Outfitters on the North Fork French Broad River.
The Cheef serves Tex-Mex barbecue from a food truck that makes the rounds in the town of Brevard and nearby Rosman. I actually spotted it twice on Fourth of July weekend, once here and the very next day at The HUB Pisgah Tavern at the doorstep of the Pisgah National Forest.
Actually, “food truck” would be a little misleading, as the meat is smoked on a reverse flow offset Lang Smoker mounted in the bed of the heavy duty pickup truck that also hauls a food trailer. Based on Instagram posts, the menu seems to regularly consist of a variety of smoked meats including smoked pork, sausages, brisket, and chuck roast. Though I didn’t have it that day, chuck roast is smart as its a cheaper cut of beef than brisket that I can personally attest makes great tacos. Well played, The Cheef (or is it just Cheef?).
Other than the El Guapo (a pork taco topped with roasted tomatillo salsa, onions, and cilantro) or the loaded baked potato, the menu is largely made of smoked meats presented simply with either Texas toast or a large flour tortilla. I opted for brisket and smoked sausage at $13 and $6 respectively.
The brisket looked to be moist and perfectly smoked, and that was mostly the case. My only minor complaint was that it could have used a little more flavor, though that was ultimately achieved by pouring some of the sauce that came on the side over the brisket before folding it in the tortilla as a wrap. It proved to be a pretty satisfying mid-afternoon snack, even though it was a little pricey for what you get.
The smoked sausage was a little less successful for me, with the kielbasa-style sausage plenty smokey but not exactly what I was looking for in my order. Admittedly, I was hoping for more of a Texas-style link such as a the ever-present jalapeno cheddar. However, at $6 it was less than half the price of the brisket and offers a good beef alternative at a much lower price point.
A Tex-Mex barbecue truck is a bit of a rarity for North Carolina, much less in the mountains. Not to mention one smoking with a legit smoker such as a Lang. When in the Brevard area, definitely be on the look out for The Cheef while having a beer after your outdoor adventures.
Ratings:
Brisket – 3.5 hogs
Sausage – 3 hogs
Overall – 3.5 Hogs