Houston

Linkdown: 3/24/21

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In the latest sign that we’re slowly coming out of this pandemic, the BBQ Fest on the Neuse, “home to the largest whole hog cook-off in the world”, returns this May to Kinston, NC. This is on top of Governor Cooper announcing yesterday that as of this Friday restaurants can open at 75% capacity indoors and 100% outdoors. While this doesn’t mean that everything going’s to snap right back to how it was, things are definitely trending upward.

As for the BBQ Fest on the Neuse, the event hopes to be back in downtown Kinston but if they aren’t able to procure that permit they will go to the Lenoir County Fairgrounds. The barbecue competition will have less competitors, there will be less vendors, and the amount of bands and stages will also be smaller. Despite all this, hopes are high for “Kinston-Lenoir County’s signature event.

Says Joe Hargitt, Visit Kinston Chairman: “We want the overall feel to be a coming out party, after COVID, for the city of Kinston.”

Native News

Charlotte-based Mac’s Speed Shop eyes growth across the Southeast in the Carolinas, Tennessee and Florida

Jon G’s has a new convert

Non-Native News

Houston-based Blood Brothers BBQ, which fuses Asian flavors with central Texas barbecue, will open a location at the upcoming Resorts World casino on the Las Vegas strip in May

Ahead of his upcoming book Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue (out April 27 on UNC Press), Adrian Miller shares a few insights with Daniel Vaughn on his barbecue travels

Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ is on Eater’s list of noteworthy new cookbooks

More on that beer collab between La Barbecue and Zilker Brewing

Get brisket tips from Evan LeRoy; a video is available for Patreon members

Steve Raichlen has some brisket tips of his own over at Barbecue Bible

…and so does Jess Pryles. Must be something in the water.

Tips on fire maintenance

Sounds like my kind of place:

Robert Sietsema tries the brisket sandwich at four new NYC-area barbecue joints: Virgil’s Real Barbecue, John Brown BBQ, Izzy’s BBQ Smokehouse, and Hudson Smokehouse

Rest In Peace to Dorothy King of Everett & Jones Barbeque in Oakland

Linkdown: 11/4/20

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Featured

A trio of John Tanner Barbecue stories on NC barbecue joints – Rick’s Smokehouse, The Barbecue Center, and Midwood Smokehouse – including where I (Monk) was able to meet up with him in Charlotte. I enjoyed a meal with John – he got the pork combo platter and I got the brisket – on the patio at the Park Road location of Midwood Smokehouse a few weeks back on a warm October weekday. John certainly has his bona fides when it comes to barbecue – he is a certified True ‘Cue Inspector for the Virginia and DC Metro area and has an impressive archive of reviews over at John Tanner’s Barbecue Blog – and is an even nicer man to boot. I enjoyed our lunch conversation that ranged from barbecue to NASCAR to John Coltrane. Be sure to check out his blog and like his Facebook page.

Native News

Blues on Franklin gives Chapel Hill a new barbecue option owned by three generation of Tar Heels

QSR Magazine interviews Sam Jones ahead of his Raleigh restaurant opening later this year and some of the challenges faced due to COVID-19

Picnic is selling to-go coolers of barbecue or fried chicken

Non-Native News

Dozier’s BBQ is worth the drive, and in Houston that usually means a lot of driving

Interview with Evan LeRoy of LeRoy & Lewis from Austin 360

In Texas, Thanksgiving means barbecue (much like every other day)

In Texas, bakeries also sell barbecue cookies

Linkdown: 9/2/20

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Native News

The 91st Annual Mallard Creek Barbecue, “the Grand Daddy of All NC Barbecues” that is typically held the fourth Thursday of October in Charlotte, is officially cancelled this year; organizers and politicians are naturally disappointed

Longleaf Swine has announced their new location; instead of their previously announced stall at Transfer Co Food Hall they will be in a free-standing building that formerly housed Oakwood Cafe

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BREAKING NEWS: Longleaf Swine BBQ is moving into the old Oakwood Cafe building…we got the exclusive inside scoop! ⁣ ⁣ A project 4 years in the making, the guys behind @longleafswinebbq had originally planned on moving into a spot at @transfercofoodhall, but have always hoped to ultimately owning their own brick and mortar. Stars aligned, they’ve finally done it (congrats, Adam + Marc!) and we CAN’T WAIT.⁣ ⁣ Longleaf Swine made a name for themselves as a catering co., traipsing around the Triangle to serve whole-hog BBQ, locally-sourced and slow-smoked meats + seasonal sides.⁣ ⁣ You can expect those same FAME-MAKING DISHES (whole hogs + other local meats smoked on-site), along with a new LATE-NIGHT MENU that’ll have an old school diner spin. ⁣ ⁣ They’ll also have a FULL BAR and a WEEKEND BRUNCH MENU, so if anyone is wondering where to find us on a Sunday this fall, you know where we’ll be. ⁣ ⁣ Over the next couple of months, their team will be hard at work, renovating the space, but don’t worry—you won’t have to wait too long to get your fix. Their parking lot will soon be converted into a new OUTDOOR DINING space and they’ll continue offering takeout for the foreseeable future. ⁣ ⁣ And Offline members will get to experience it all before ANYONE else. Keep an eye out, fam. We’ll be sending you an invite soon. ⁣ ⁣ Want a shot on getting in on this EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK? Join the Offline waitlist or ask a friend for a referral code to skip the line and get your first month free.⁣ ⁣ #letsgetoffline #offlineraleigh

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Congrats to Big Tiny’s BBQ in Mooresville, who celebrated their 4th anniversary earlier this week

Foodie Score visits the Gastonia location of The Smoke Pit (the local chain’s 4th store), and reports back full bellies

Rx Restaurant and Bar, a fine dining restaurant in Wilmington, has pivoted to whole hog barbecue during the pandemic

Circle B BBQ in Spindale is raising money for Operation BBQ Relief to cook meals for communities and first responders hit by storms and other natural disasters.

The #SummerofCue ends this Monday

Non-Native News

Pappy’s Smokehouse in St. Louis will open a second location this October

Thankfully, it appears the fire last weekend at Pecan Lodge didn’t cause major damage and they were actually able to open later that day

Pellet smokers are on the rise, according to J.C. Reid

“California wildfires are making wine grapes taste like barbecue,” reports The Takeout

Heim BBQ is offering socially distanced barbecue class this weekend

Eliana Gutierrez is Austin’s (and perhaps the nation’s) youngest female pitmaster, working at Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ

“Chef’s Table: BBQ” explores the origins of barbecue and is now available on Netflix

Here’s a review from the Washington Post

Linkdown: 4/15/20

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Grady’s BBQ has closed until further notice

The Southern Smoke Foundation has donated more than $600,000 during the coronavirus pandemic

Barbecue joints from Los Angeles to Portland to Texas are having to adapt to a new model of doing business

Support Texas BBQ

Jon G’s Barbecue has an updated website ahead of their brick and mortar launch later this year

Wilber’s Barbecue continuing to get us primed

Tommy Tomlinson gets it

Bette Midler gets it