Monk: I’ve never really been one for New Year’s resolutions in my personal life, but barbecue-related ones? Well those are the types of resolutions I can get on board with. Now that the calendar has turned from 2024 to 2025, here are my barbecue-related New Year’s Resolutions:

Visit the joints I’ve been putting off

Ever since we started this barbecue journey in 2012, Grady’s Barbecue in Dudley, NC has been on my “must visit” list and was even warned that they won’t be around forever as there was no next generation to pass the restaurant down to. Well, 13 or so years later, owners Steve and Gerri Grady continue to own and operate it as they’ve done for the past 38 years with Steve still splitting the wood and cooking the hogs even at the age of 80. Steve was even inducted in the National BBQ Hall of Fame in November 2024, so that’s a reason to visit if I’ve ever heard one. They reopen from their well-deserved winter break on Wednesday, February 5th and mark my word, 2025 will be the year I finally get to Grady’s.

In addition to Grady’s there are a few other newer joints that I want to check out (funnily enough, all in South Carolina): the James Beard-nominated City Limits Q in West Columbia, Fork Grove BBQ in Anderson, and the soon-to-open Elliott’s Barbecue in Florence from Elliott Moss formerly of Buxton Hall Barbecue. I hope to hit those this year for the first time and maybe revisit a classic NC joint or two in addition.

Attend an Out-of-State Barbecue Festival

Everyone knows that barbecue festivals can be an efficient way of tasting a bunch of new and different barbecue without having to make the trips to each individual restaurant, especially if you have pitmasters that are travelling across the country for the event. That certainly was the case for the two festivals I attended last year in the Charlotte area, the Carolina Barbecue Festival, and the Jon G’s Jubilee where I was fortunate enough to taste (among others) City Limit’s Q’s barbecue hash and rice, Elliott Moss’ whole hog barbecue, smoked oysters from N. Sea Oyster Co, and Lawrence Barbecue’s brisket caramel wings, the best thing I ate all year.

This year, its time to try an out-of-state barbecue festival, perhaps something like the Memphis in May Festival or Holy Smokes in North Charleston, both of which I’ve done in the past and would happily revisit. Or perhaps attend one that haven’t been to such as the Windy City Smokeout in Chicago, Jack Daniel’s World Championship in Lynchburg, TN or one of the many festivals in Texas like the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest in Grand Prairie or Houston, the Red Dirt BBQ & Music Festival in Tyler, or Aaron Franklin’s Hot Luck Festival in Austin.

Smoke my own whole hog

My one and only whole hog took place Father’s Day 2019 and was an amazing experience. My fellow Barbecue Bro Speedy and I smoked a whole hog in my backyard in an temporary cinder block pit (courtesy of Garren from Jon G’s Barbecue) and I had 80+ neighbors and friends over for a big party. Other than deciding to reposition the the burn barrel a couple hours into the burn, Speedy making a 3am Wal-Mart run for more charcoal to help kickstart the fire, and deciding to hang backyard lighting solo from a teetering ladder during a middle of the night shift, it all went according to plan. That includes finishing the hog about 6 hours before the party and frantically Googling out how to keep it warm for our guests later that day. Still, the barbecue was amazing and the party went off without a hitch.

I’ve thought over the years about doing another one but just haven’t made it happen. Well, that needs to change and this fall I plan to do just that.

What are your barbecue new year’s resolutions?