Linkdown: 11/22/23 – The Happy Thanksgiving Edition

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Monk: The Cuegrass festival, a mix of barbecue, bluegrass, and beer, is back next April in downtown Raleigh. It’s been a few years since I’ve been, but it looks like they’ve moved a few blocks away from in front of The Pit restaurant onto Fayetteville Street. Here were my thoughts from 2019:

Mark your calendars for April 20 for what is sure to be a fun time.

Native News

The Barbecue Festival has been nominated by NC Tripping for best annual festival

Non-Native News

John Tanner visits Franklin Barbecue

DC barbecue featured in Texas Monthly

Team applications are now open for Memphis in May

Texas Monthly with some helpful suggestions for leftover barbecue

The labor shortage hits Texas barbecue

Noted fan of barbecue Jon Favreau recently stopped in at Heritage Barbecue

WANT:

Wayback Wednesday:

Lunch at The Barbecue Center in Photos

Monk: I recently stopped by The Barbecue Center in Lexington for the first time in a few years for a lunch with the Monk clan. Here was my experience in photos.

The barbecue tray with red slaw is the classic order.

A basket of fresh hush puppies comes with every tray or plate order (the plate comes with fries as well).

I wandered around the building to check out their wood pile for the first time, and this was just a couple of the piles of wood right off the smokehouse.

Another view of the stacked pile against the building.

There’s a couple different styles of signs on the property, and this is one at the far end of the parking lot along N. Main Street.

The Barbecue Center is my second favorite barbecue restaurant in town behind Lexington Barbecue and this was yet another great lunch. For my full rankings, check here.

Linkdown: 10/4/23 – The Texas BBQ Bubble About to Burst? Edition

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Monk: Is the Texas barbecue bubble about to burst? Daniel Vaughn reports slowdowns at a few barbecue joints in Texas due in part to the sheer number of joints that have opened in recent years, the intense heat wave that rocked Texas over the summer, and the skyrocketing price of brisket.

As a result, joints are struggling to make the economics work and are trying to lure casual customers in with lower cost items or specials.

From an outsider’s perspective it does seem as if the growth was unsustainable but despite that, Vaughn lists his reasons why he thinks the barbecue bubble isn’t quite yet about to burst. A fascinating read.

Native News

GGCC Smokehouse, an all-wood smoked barbecue food truck, is in the final four of the CharlotteFive Reader’s Choice Poll

The Lexington Barbecue Festival is featured in CLTure’s fall festival guide

Don’t forget you can take the train to the Barbecue Festival

I wonder if you will see any of these shirts at the festival…

A short video on Cook Out on Insider Food

Smoked chicken and dumplings at Pik N Pig

ICYMI, The Smoke Sheet recently profiled Morris Barbeque in Hookerton

Non-Native News

Congrats to Chef J BBQ for being named #1 barbecue in Kansas City; that’s high praise!

Zavala’s Barbecue is voted best brisket in Dallas

The town of Spring is home to Corkscrew BBQ

Also ICYMI, John Tanner dropped his best barbecue places in DC list

Now that’s a great barbecue sign