Monk: If I’m ever in Houston anytime soon, Blood Bros is going to be at the top of my list. Pitmaster Quy Hoang shows Eater’s Smoke Point the ropes of their operation.
Description: At Houston-area barbecue joint Blood Bros, pitmaster Quy Hoang combines his love for Texas barbecue with Asian influences to make gochujang ribs, smoked char siu pork belly fried bao buns, brisket burnt end steam buns, Thai red curry and chili sausage, and more.
Monk: One of the most recent exciting trends in barbecue is the fusion of other cultures with (primarily) Texas-style barbecue. The Gravy podcast producer Jess Eng visits Houston to explore the beginnings of this fusion with Khoi Barbecue before heading to San Antonio to meet with Curry Boys BBQ in this latest barbecue-focused entry into their podcast series. Bonus: Khruangbin on the backing track.
Monk: A fairly wide-ranging state of NC barbecue from News & Observer writer Drew Jackson, who has been very ably covering the barbecue scene in and around Raleigh for the past few years.
Despite the invasive species of brisket coming into the state, there are still a number of places clinging to the NC barbecue tradition, be that eastern whole hog or Lexington-style shoulders (though this story focuses on places east of Durham. Wyatt Dickson, Matt Register, Ronald House (night pitmaster at B’s Barbecue), and Ryan Mitchell are all quoted in the story but of course Sam Jones has the money quote:
“The hard lines that used to exist, that barbecue was either this or it’s not barbecue — that’s over. It used to be, for people in North Carolina, it was either whole hog, or it ain’t (expletive). For 10 million Texans, it’s brisket. As times go on and we’re so much more transient as a society, those lines are blurred.”
Sam Jones
Read more at the link:
Lewis Donald is no longer involved with Dish and will be focusing his efforts on Sweet Lew’s BBQ and the Carolina Barbecue Festival going forward
Axios Raleigh releases their Triangle barbecue list
Barbecue Center in Lexington is closing for a week later this month for some hard earned rest and relaxation, so plan accordingly
Hillsborough’s Hog Day festival is the oldest barbecue festival in Orange County and this year will officially be part of the Whole Hog Barbecue State Championship
Jon G’s makes the Yelp Charlotte Top 25 Places to Eat along with…JD’s Smokehouse in Rutherford College near Morganton?
A behind-the-scenes follow-up to Jeremy Markovich’s story on B’s Barbecue in Our State Magazine from 2016
A couple of recent stories where Adrian Miller was interviewed:
Little Pigs BBQ is on this Eater essential restaurants list for Myrtle Beach
Feges BBQ hosted Premier League champions (ugh) Man City on their pre-season US tour
Barbecue sauce beer? Barbecue sauce beer.
Going into Monday night’s NCAA Championship game, Governor Roy Cooper made a bet with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly as governors tend to do in these types of situations. The wager? Kansas City steaks vs Wilber’s BBQ. You may be aware that UNC lost to Kansas 69 to 72 after leading by 15 at the half, surrendering the largest lead in NCAA championship game history. You absolutely hate to see it.
John Tanner blames UNC’s NCAA Championship loss Monday night on said barbecue bet. Wilber’s gave Kansas players too much motivation!
Meanwhile, a few days earlier, the Duke-UNC Final Four matchup on Saturday night inspired a barbecue bet of its own between Durham County and Orange County sheriffs. No word or photos have surfaced yet of Durham County sheriffs ordering barbecue in UNC gear, but I look forward to that update.
The latest from the parking lot dispute between Noble Smoke and The Good Life
Sweet Old Bill’s and Biscuit Brisket & Beer are food options when visiting High Point
Seoul Food Meat Co has opened a fast casual Korean wing concept in SouthPark: Bit by Seoul
Tales from the Pits gives the lowdown on the “rib cut” from Hite’s BBQ in West Columbia
Last week’s Smoke Sheet featured a story from Bryan Suddith on whole hog and Rodney Scott’s BBQ
The State Line Celebration at Carowinds will run on select dates April 9-May 8 and will feature both NC and SC barbecue
Duke’s Barbecue of Beaufort is one of four options to get barbecue in Beaufort County, SC
Houston’s newest barbecue restaurant J-Bar-M BBQ impresses
Ever wonder why barbecue joints are covered in stickers?