Tuffy Stone’s Memphis in May Recap

Monk: Tuffy Stone’s started to become really active on his YouTube channel as of earlier this year, and one of his latest videos features a recap of his time at this year’s Memphis in May. Jess Pryles, Moe Cason, Carey Bringle, Melissa Cookston, and more make appearances in the montage while Heath Riles, Chris Lilly, Brook and Brad Orrison, Big Moe Cason, and the recently-retired Melissa Cookston give more in-depth interviews and sprinkle in a few tips on their process. A really well-done video.

Description: Memphis in May is a special event that brings together some of the very best in the world of barbecue. This year was a busy one for us and while my team did not get the results we were cooking for, we were thrilled to see some of our friends take the stage.

Linkdown: 5/24/23 – The Melissa Cookston is No Brett Favre Edition

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Monk: Firehawk Brewpub opened its doors this past Saturday in Mount Holly and the barbecue joint/brewery promptly sold out within hours of opening. Based on the comments on its Facebook page, it appears that the visitors that day were pleased with their food and beer. I hope to confirm for myself soon.

Firehawk Brewpub will be open Wednesday through Friday from 4-9 and Saturday from 11-9 this week. Check their Instagram and Facebook pages for further updates on hours of operation.

Native News

Some photos from Jake Wood’s Gettin’ Piggy With It; looks like it was a great event

An estimated 100,000+ people attended last weekend’s Cheerwine Festival

Non-Native News

Photos of the Winners from last weekend’s Memphis in May 2023 World Barbecue Championship

Melissa Cookston has officially cooked in her last Memphis in May and will be focusing on her other businesses as well as the World Junior BBQ League

More coverage of Cookston’s retirement of sorts

Cedric the Entertainer and Anthony Anderson stopped by Memphis in May for their upcoming TV show, “Kings of BBQ”

Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX has recently added a barbecue joint and distillery to its operations

Barbecue Showdown season 2 will be released this Friday on Netfllix

John Tanner loved the Brunswick stew from Porkey’s BBQ in Lothian, Maryland

The Southern Foodways Alliance profiles Daniel Vaughn

Linkdown: 5/17/23 – The Day After National BBQ Day Edition

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Monk: Garren’s turning 40 in late June and throwing a heckuva party at Jon G’s! The Jon G’s Jubilee will bring in town Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue in Durham as well as the N. Sea Oyster Co from the Topsail Beach area. Charlotte’s Divine Barrel Brewing will provide the beer with ice cream from Wadesboro’s Brown Creek Creamery, who Jon G’s uses for cheeses in their sausages. Tickets will surely go fast for this so if interested, I’d recommend you act quickly.

Ticket info here

Native News

Hubba Hubba Smokehouse has opened for the season; they close each winter and reopen during the spring

Elliot Moss’s Little Louie’s continues to play with smoked meats

Southern Smoke’s Matthew Register is one of the chefs who weigh in on “Boat Chicken”

A belated Happy National Barbecue Day

Non-Native News

Fork Grove BBQ will open this weekend in Anderson

Hector Garate of Palmira BBQ is heading back to Texas for another collab, this time with Khoi Barbecue on May 21

The Memphis in May Barbecue Fest starts this week; here are 10 teams to watch for

How to trim a brisket, by Jess Pryles

Linkdown: 3/8/23 – The “Cooking with Gas” Edition

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Monk: Southern Living readers pick their favorite barbecue in each state in the South for the annual “Best in the South” issue. While Robert Moss provides a foreword, please remember that this is a reader chosen list and not his South’s Top 50 Barbecue Joints list. So address your ire at the masses and not Moss’ inbox.

Moss does note that half of the 14 are repeat, with the other half being new to the list. For North Carolina, the reader’s pick this year was Lexington Barbecue but it was not a repeat winner as last year’s choice was Buxton Hall Barbecue.

Check out the Southern Living reader’s pick at the link below.

Native News

Steve and Gerri Grady get profiled in the local paper, the Mount Olive Tribune

Eat Raleigh checks in at Longleaf Swine and they are also a fan

Congrats to Black Powder Smokehouse on their Asheboro location, their second store

Midwood Smokehouse is doing pork versions of birria tacos

Tickets are now on sale for the Pinehurst Barbecue Festival taking place Labor Day weekend

Non-Native News

Hector Garate of Palmira BBQ is headed to Austin later this month for a collaboration with Interstellar BBQ

Sweatman’s Barbecue in Holly Hill has made the switch to gas

Howard Conyers is hosting The Roots of BBQ Invitational Memorial Day weekend in Paxville, SC (ticket link)

NYC BBQ checks out the relocated Pig Beach in Queens and found that “the quality has not declined a bit even with the big changes the past few months”

Memphis in May will be back at Tom Lee Park for this year’s event