Eater’s Prime Time is back for the first time in awhile with a taste test of various rib glazes. For more from Prime Time, click here.
Description: The Meat Hook butchers Ben Turley and Brent Young try to up their rib glaze game by experimenting with ingredients like Fireball Whiskey, Dr Pepper, agave, honey, maple syrup, and more.
Instead of this year’s Barbecue Festival the 4th weekend in October in Lexington, the organizers behind the festival are instead holding a food and blood drive to benefit the community. The Barbecue Center, Smiley’s Barbecue, Smokey Joe’s BBQ, and Stamey’s Barbecue (the one in Tyro) are all participating by setting up donation tents where non-perishable items or blood can be exchanged for barbecue sandwiches. “Lift Up Lexington” is a positive spin on a barbecue festival cancellation.
From the press release:
On Saturday, October 24th, when more than 125,000 people were expected to gather in Uptown Lexington for the 37th Annual Barbecue Festival, local businesses and organizations will join the festival organizers in utilizing “festival day” to uplift the community.
With an emphasis on giving back and the city’s world-famous barbecue heritage, Lift Up Lexington (#liftUPlex) will include two components: a food drive and blood drive. Event organizers will have seven drop off locations for the food drive which will benefit Pastor’s Pantry. Those who wish to contribute are asked to bring a minimum of five new, unexpired non-perishable items. Requested items include can goods, cereal, pasta & crackers. Read more here
Clyde Cooper’s Back starting today
Southern Smoke BBQ‘s collards chowder is featured in Saveur magazine
Midwood Smokehouse, Stamey’s Barbecue, and several other barbecue restaurants appear on this list of places where presidents and presidential candidates have eaten in North Carolina
B’s Barbecue makes this list of things to do in Greenville, NC
Reminder: you can order Picnic by 3pm today and pick it up in front of the future Wyatt’s Barbecue in Raleigh on Thursday
TMBBQ profiles Dozier’s
Roegel’s Barbecue is diversifying its barbecue menu in beef-lovin’ Texas
The Pig Out Inn originally opened in 1996 and was sold to Katie and Bubba McCabe earlier this year during the pandemic
Name: The Gambling Stick
Address: 501 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
Order: Beef brisket, pulled pork, “pigsket”, beef back ribs + vegetable slaw (link to menu)
Pricing: $$$
Speedy: A place I’ve wanted to visit for a while but just hadn’t gotten around to is The Gambling Stick, a permanent food truck in East Nashville. It’s conveniently located next to the Porter Road Butcher Shop, where they get all of their meat. There are a couple of picnic tables outside The Gambling Stick if you want to eat there, but it’s basically a food truck in a parking lot so I got my order to go. I made sure to try most of the meats available (skipping the hot link), as I’d read good things across the board. The meal was nicely packed, so I dove in as soon as I got home, hoping to continue my streak of good ‘cue lately.
Monk: It looks like Porter Road Butcher Shop specializes in “local, pasture-raised, and antibiotic free with no added hormones” that is regularly visited by the butcher so kudos to them on getting their meat from an ethically responsible shop.
I must say, I’m actually surprised you skipped the hot link, being the spice fiend that you are. Did it have dairy in it?
Speedy: I didn’t ask. Sometimes you just have to make tough decisions, Monk, and I felt four meats was enough for me that day.
Monk: I would say what’s one more meat but glass houses and all…
Speedy: I’ll start with the good: both pork products were good to very good. The pulled pork had a nice smoke flavor, but was just slightly dry. I was provided with some vinegar based sauce (available in regular and spicy); however, I didn’t find the sauce too appealing. It was thicker than I like in a vinegar based sauce and may have had some mustard in it. Overall, I didn’t think it worked.
Fortunately, the “pigsket” which I was told was “pork brisket,” did not need any sauce. It was moist and very well seasoned and just hit the spot. I’m not sure exactly what cut of meat this was – perhaps a tenderloin – but it was by far my favorite part of the meal. In fact, if I go back to The Gambling Stick, this will be the reason.
Monk: This cut of meat really piqued my interest so I did a little digging. Based on the name I half expected it to be some sort of turducken-like frankenstein of pork tenderloin stuffed inside a pork shoulder stuffed inside a brisket but after some half-assed internet research, it appears to be cut from around the breastbone of the pig. It sounds incredible, though.
Speedy: The beef products were both disappointing. The brisket was quite dry and needed more seasoning (both salt and pepper). The need for seasoning also translated to the beef rib. You don’t see beef back ribs often, and I think there’s a reason for that. It’s a tough cut of meat to get tender, and unfortunately these beef ribs failed to hit the mark in taste and tenderness.
Monk: I must say, I’m happy to see you digging into the Nashville barbecue scene. Perhaps a Nashville Top Joints post is in the works?
Speedy: Monk – spoiler alert!
Monk: …my bad…
Speedy: Overall, I was a little disappointed in The Gambling Stick, as I had read really positive things. Overall, I think the pork products were good, but the beef missed the mark. The “pigsket” alone makes it worth a visit, but I don’t see myself becoming a regular.
Ratings:
Atmosphere – Not Rated
Pulled Pork – 3 hogs
“Pigsket” – 4 hogs
Brisket – 2 hogs
Beef Back Ribs – 2 hogs
Overall – 2.5 hogs
Eater’s Smoke Point profiles the innovative LeRoy & Lewis barbecue food truck in Austin – from smoked cauliflower to smoked burgers to “bacon ribs” to their signature beef cheek to “hop sausage” made with citra hops to a lot more. For more from Smoke Point, click here.
Description: At LeRoy & Lewis barbecue truck in Austin, chefs and owners Evan LeRoy and Sawyer Lewis use different cuts of meat to stand out among the many barbecue trucks in Texas. Think confit beef cheeks, smoky brisket burgers, salty bacon ribs, and even a number of vegetarian dishes, like smoked eggplant parm and cauliflower burnt ends.