Welcome

Friday Find: Roy’s Folks Takes a Trip to Rick’s Smokehouse in Welcome

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Monk: The local Fox affiliate for the Barbecue Bros’ hometown of High Point (where Rudy both interned and worked for a brief time) recently took a trip to the town of Welcome in neighboring Davidson County to visit the underrated Rick’s Smokehouse. Owner Rick Matthews gave Chad Tucker a behind the scenes look as he prepped barbecue chicken.

On my visit to Rick’s Smokehouse back in February 2020, I found them to be admirably carrying on the Lexington barbecue tradition despite being a relatively newer restaurant that opened in 2009. This piece covers the pit fire that burned the restaurant down in 2010 but they thankfully rebuilt and are seemingly thriving. I hope to make it back someday soon.

Linkdown: 2/16/22

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

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

https://twitter.com/matt_lardie/status/1493705067228286982

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: 11/4/20

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

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

https://twitter.com/timothymalcolm/status/1321494231735742466

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

Kerley’s Barbecue – Lexington, NC

/ Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Name: Kerley’s Barbecue
Date: 1/21/20
Address: 5114 Old U.S. Hwy 52, Lexington, NC 27295
Order: Chopped barbecue tray with hush puppies, red slaw (link to menu)
Pricing: $

Monk: Down the road from Rick’s Smokehouse is another barbecue joint, Kerley’s Barbecue. Kerley’s opened in 1978 and certainly looks the part of a classic NC barbecue joint. Unfortunately, looks are deceiving in the case of Kerley’s as the brick pits in the back corner of the large brick building sit dormant, having long cooled.

And unfortunately, you can taste it in the barbecue that Kerley’s serves. Whatever gasser they use doesn’t impart a lot of smoke onto the chopped pork that came with my tray. As a side note, shouts to the the waitress who allowed me to order a smaller-sized kid’s tray even though she wouldn’t have realized I was on lunch #2. And this way, I didn’t have to feel nearly as bad if I were to not finish anything.

The red slaw was minced finer than I’d prefer and was on the sweeter side. A large tray of their small orb-shaped hush puppies was filled to the brim and those pups were the best ones I had that day. And the ramekin of sauce that came with the tray had a pronounced vinegar kick, even more so than a typical dip.

I’m not sure when Kerley’s Barbecue made the switch over to gas (or for what reasons), but as a North Carolina barbecue purist I certainly wish they hadn’t. When in Welcome, I’d recommend you head to Rick’s Smokehouse instead.

Ratings:
Atmosphere – 3 hogs
Pork – 2.5 hogs
Sides – 2.5 hogs
Overall – 2.5 hogs