For the first half of this podcast, Aaron Franklin sits down for a cordial interview about steak and his recent cookbook Franklin Steak. While the conversation is not specifically about barbecue, brisket does get weaved into it several times during the discussion by Franklin. Check it out to hear his thoughtful discussion on live fire cooking as well as a tip on how long in advance to salt a steak.
Linkdown: 6/12/19
From this month’s barbecue issue of Charlotte Magazine
Texas Monthly on 2019’s best barbecue books
Houston’s barbecue scene is on fire
Several Lexington barbecue joints are featured in this blog post from Bites of the Bull City
Robert Sietsema on the history of barbecue in NYC from the 80’s to the present
Sam Jones will be doing a book event at the downtown Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Nashville on June 25
Congrats to The Smoking Ho on 6 years
Sweatman’s Bar-B-Que – Holly Hill, SC
Name: Sweatman’s Bar-B-Que
Address: 1427 Eutaw Rd, Holly Hill, SC 29059
Order: Barbecue sandwich with hash and rice and banana puddin’ (link to menu)
Pricing: $
Monk: Holy crap, you guys. I mean, holy crap. Sweatman’s Bar-B-Que has been on my list for a few years now, considering how I tend to get to Charleston a couple times a year and Holly Hill is not super out of the way if you are willing to take the scenic route off I-26 just east of Columbia around Orangeburg. Based on my visit, its a detour well worth taking.
Sweatman’s has been around since 1977 and according to Grant’s story over at Marie, Let’s Eat! in 2016, the current owners Mark and Lynn Behr bought the restaurant from their friends and original owners Bub and Margie Sweatman in 2011. Thankfully, it appears they have continued the practice of cooking whole hogs over coals for 12-14 hours.
As this was going to be a late afternoon snack, I did not opt for the full buffet line, instead ordering a a sandwich with a side of hash and rice. The waitress obviously sensed a weakness for ‘naner pudding in me by suggesting I also get it, but it wasn’t too much of a stretch considering its only $1.50 with tax.
The main building of Sweatman’s appears to have had a larger dining room added onto it at some point over the years, and that thing was like stepping back into the 80’s in the south but in the best way.
I bit into my barbecue sandwich and darnit if it wasn’t a near transcendent bite of barbecue. The wood smoke shone through each bite and was accentuated by the sweet and tangy mustard barbecue sauce. This was different than almost every other midlands South Carolina mustard-based barbecue sandwich I’ve had where the shredded pork is drowning in the sauce. The sauce here still let the wood smoke be the star and was content to act as a supporting actor.
The hash and rice was the co-star, if my forced metaphor hasn’t begun to completely break down yet. I’ve only had one other “200 mile” hash and rice before and that was at True BBQ in West Columbia. This was on par with that. I still don’t have the vocabulary to properly describe hash and rice, but this savory-gravy-over-rice-dish is a must-order at Sweatman’s.
Briefly about that banana pudding – it was quite simply one of the best naner puddings I’ve had ever. I wish I had gotten at least 2 more for the rest of the weekend (slash the rest of my meal). What a capper to the meal.
Sweatman’s Bar-B-Que is absolutely worth the detour but be aware that its only open two days a week on Fridays and Saturdays. So be sure to plan your pilgrimage accordingly.
Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 4 hogs
Pork – 5 hogs
Sides – 5 hogs
Overall – 5 hogs
For other reviews of Sweatman’s, check out
Marie, Let’s Eat!
Destination BBQ
Friday Find: Dave Grohl Talks Barbecue on the Bon Appetit Foodcast
Link to article with podcast at the bottom
Monk: You may have been hearing about Dave Grohl’s barbecue obsession for the past year or so, but here’s an in-depth conversation between Grohl, Bon Appétit editor Adam Rapoport, and Joe House from The Ringer’s House of Carbs podcast. In it, he discusses how he got into barbecue through tasting eastern NC barbecue at a shack (he didn’t mention a name) near the Currituck Lighthouse after he bought a beach house in Nag’s Head in the early 90’s (13:40). He also calls out when he met Elliott Moss from Buxton Hall Barbecue, whom he called “a badass” (24:14) and Sam Jones, who he “treated like a Beatle” (24:35). Grohl also gets into his barbecue venture Backbeat BBQ that started from a single Lang smoker (35:02) and how he worked his way up to feeding nearly a thousand firefighters for free during last fall’s Camp Fire in southern California (39:40).
It’s one thing to read about Grohl’s passion for barbecue (or see him hanging out during the tailgate party that is Memphis in May), but it’s another to hear the passion in his voice when he talks about barbecue. Also, now we know that he likes to drink High Life when he smokes (49:55) but won’t turn down a Coors Light if the Rockies are blue. Pretty cool stuff.