Ron Simmons Breaks Down the Carolina BBQ Festival

Monk: Ron Simmons of Master Blend Family Farms recaps his time at the Caroline BBQ Festival earlier this month, with some sound bites from satisfied patrons of the festival.

Description: The Master Blend Gang would like to thank the city of Charlotte again for the opportunity to enjoy making new friends, sharing great laughs, and celebrating the culinary experience of barbecue. You guys made this year a treat, and it did not go unnoticed. Be sure to take care of yourselves and each other. All Gas No Brakes 365!!

The Smoke Sheet and friends meet for Barbecue Saturday

Monk: Earlier this month, Ryan (aka BBQ Tourist) and Sean (aka NYC BBQ) of The Smoke Sheet invited myself, Ronald Simmons of Master Blend Family Farms, Michael “Chigger” Willard of the Low and Slow Barbecue Show, and Paige Hogan of Barbecued_ to meet up at Jon G’s Barbecue for a Barbecue Saturday while they were in town from Omaha and New Jersey, respectively.

Not to be outdone, Ronald invited his friend and videographer Paul to video the experience, and this is how it turned out. Enjoy!

Description: The floodgates have opened in Peachland, NC. The Master Blend Gang, The Smoke Sheet, Barbecue Bros, Big Chigger, and Barbecued’s Paige all at Jon G’s, maxing out on a barbecue kick. Sean & Ryan, thank you so much for the honor! Tommy, Paige, and Will, it was incredible meeting you guys! Chigger, you are the man!! Thank you to the Jon G Pit crew for showing us such warm hospitality! Let’s get ready to bring the house down at 2024’s Carolina BBQ Festival. All Gas No Brakes 365!!

Linkdown: 3/20/24 – The NC BBQ Hall of Fame Edition

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Monk: John Tanner did some digging on the brand new NC Barbecue Hall of Fame, which was recently formed. Some details in his website here:

The first class of inductees were honored on March 1 in Burlington:

  • Kent Bridges of Alston Bridges Barbecue in Shelby
  • Steve and Gerri Grady of Grady’s BBQ in Dudley
  • Charles Hursey of Hursey’s Bar-B-Q in Burlington
  • Wayne Monk of Lexington Barbecue in Lexington
  • Sam Jones of Sam Jones BBQ in Winterville and Raleigh
  • Pete Jones of Skylight Inn in Ayden
  • Charles Stamey of Stamey’s Barbecue in Greensboro

John has hopes that the NC BBQ Hall of Fame can help fill the void left by the passing of Jim Early, the founder of the North Carolina Barbecue Society, some years back. I have the same hopes, and looking forward to see what comes next.

Native News

Monk: Check out a preview of a recent episode of the Low and Slow Barbecue Show with Ronald Simmons of Master Blend

Pinhouse in Charlotte is cooking two pigs for their Pig Pickin’ this Saturday and sandwiches will be $2; all sales are benefitting their Marketing Director’s Dad who has been going through kidney failure and looking for a kidney donor

Volunteers needed for the Carolina BBQ Festival in Charlotte on April 5-6; link here for more information

Stamey’s has new cups stating “94 years and still smoking”

Firehawk Brewpub is launching a kayak club

Laurinburg is hosting the Suds and Swine Barbecue Festival, a NC Whole Hog Barbecue Series event

Non-Native News

John Tanner has some of the best brisket he’s tasted outside of Texas at Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix

LeRoy and Lewis recently celebrated the 7 year anniversary of their food truck in addition to the 4th week of service in their new restaurant and bar

Linkdown: 2/21/24 – The #teamslaw edition

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Monk: Our thoughts are with the Wooden Robot Brewery family in Charlotte as news of co-owner Dan Wade’s passing spread Tuesday afternoon. Wade passed away due to an accident at the brewery.

Native News

Scott from Firehawk Brewpub remembers Dan Wade of Wooden Robot

Lexington Barbecue will sponsor The Lexington Flying Pigs baseball team this season

The Smoke Pit‘s Concord location will be closed this week

Elliott Moss announces a St. Patrick’s Day pop-up at The Hound in Asheville on his Moss and Moore Instagram page

Moss looks to have kept busy lately with his Velvet Moss Welding project

Sam Jones BBQ is also #teamslaw

The Charlotte Eats Instagram page features an old school photo of Spoon’s Barbecue

Non-Native News

Palmira Barbecue featuring their beef cheeks

Fork Grove Barbecue in Anderson, SC is providing pork to Guys Pizza 24 for their Pork Barbecue Ranch

Could brisket’s days be numbered due to its excessively high price?