Linkdown: 3/29/23 – The Top Piedmont Barbecue Restaurants Edition

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Monk: With the recent closures of Richard’s Bar-B-Que in Salisbury and Rick’s Smokehouse as well as Smiley’s BBQ in Lexington, John Tanner shares his updated list of top 10 Piedmont barbecue restaurants.

Off the top, I haven’t tried Dickie Do’s in Haw River or Real Q in Winston-Salem (though I should remedy that), so can’t comment on those. But the rest of the joints on the list I have no qualms with, though while I enjoyed both I was surprised that he liked Clark’s Barbecue in Kernersville and College Barbecue in Salisbury so much.

The qualm that I do have is the lack of inclusion of The Barbecue Center in Lexington, though John acknowledges he may be in the minority here and links to his story for reference on his experience and thinking. Regardless, John Tanner is a well-trusted source on barbecue and NC barbecue in particular, so head on over and check out his list.

Native News

The land where BBQ King in Charlotte sits is up for sale for $4.2M

The latest Jon G’s pop-up is today at Vaulted Oak Brewing

Lewis Donald of Sweet Lew’s BBQ is one of the pitmasters at the Pinehurst Barbecue Festival

Leroy’s Taco Shop, the taco concept from Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue, opened this past weekend

Non-Native News

Houston’s best barbecue restaurants near NRG Stadium for Final Four attendees this weekend

Two big barbecue festivals this weekend: the Houston BBQ Festival and Hogs for the Cause in New Orleans

The history behind Hogs for the Cause, which turns 15 this year

Hurtado Barbecue is bringing brisket birria tacos to Texas Rangers stadium

News you can use: don’t serve a pork butt sitting out accidentally for 12 hours

Robert Sietsema enjoyed Boots and Bones in Jersey City, which features the first pitmaster from Blue Smoke

Buc-ee’s gets a fossil named after it

Friday Find: “How Slab Barbecue Makes Smoked Brisket Burgers”

Monk: Burt Bakman’s half-pound brisket burgers are finished in a pan and topped simply with melted cheese. And wow, they look ridiculous.

Description: Burt Bakman at Slab Barbecue believes that LA’s barbecue scene is at its infancy, which is why he’s taken it upon his restaurant to catch the city up to the likes of Texas with dishes like brisket, half-pound brisket burgers, spare ribs, smoked Australian wagyu steak, and more.

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Credits: Producer/Director: Connor Reid
Associate Producer: Julia Hess
Camera: Daniel Geneen, Jimmie Armentrout III
Editor: Connor Reid
Executive Producer: Stephen Pelletteri
Development Producer: McGraw Wolfman
Supervising Producer: Stefania Orrù
Associate Director of Audience: Terri Ciccone

Linkdown: 2/16/22

Native News

The latest barbecue list from Only In Your State includes Jon G’s Barbecue

Some video behind the scenes at the underrated Rick’s Smokehouse outside Lexington

The 37th Annual Pigskin Pig-Out will take place April 8-9 and “will again feature a weekend of barbecue with the famous pig cookin’ contest, tailgating with friends and family, 1st Annual Pigskin Car Show, live music and carnival fun for all ages”

Lawrence Barbecue and Boxyard RTP remain on the Eater Carolinas Heat Map for the Triangle

Barvecue has raised $600 million thus far

ICYMI last year, the origin of hushpuppies

Non-Native News

RIP Ray Ramirez of Los Angeles’ Ray’s BBQ

Cobos Que bringing the heat: brisket boudin mac-and-cheese quesadillla

Burgers are the new sausage in Texas

Barbecue historian Robert Moss’ latest book is on the lost southern chefs

Diva Q has barbecue sauce hitting the shelves soon

Huge donation from Hogs for the Cause to Our Lady of the Lake

Linkdown: 2/2/22

Barbecue fests are back, baby! Earlier this week, both the BBQ Fest on the Neuse in Kinston, NC and the Houston Barbecue Festival announced separately that they were both back in spring 2022.

This is after other festivals announce plans to come back strong in 2022, notably Memphis in May, Hogs for the Cause, Jiggy with the Piggy, and Aaron Franklin’s Hot Luck Festival.

Plus the successful debuts of the Pinehurst Barbecue Festival and Holy Smokes in 2021. And finally, it looks like The Barbecue Festival should be back in 2022 as well.

Fingers crossed that we get on the other side of the omicron variant and things can finally go back to relative normalcy.

Native News

Lawrence Barbecue renames their most popular sandwich in honor of American Aquarium, with proceeds in the month of February going to the Jimmy V Foundation (a favorite charity of hardcore NC State fan and lead singer BJ Barham)

Jiggy with the Piggy seeks vendors and sponsors

Non-Native News

Introducing, the concept of a “Texatarian”

More on the wood issues facing Texas pitmasters

Former Texas A&M Defensive Lineman Jay Arnold is starting a new substack newsletter

Heim Barbecue has scheduled another BBQ class at their River location

RIP Danny Edwards of Lil’ Jake’s in Kansas City