Monk: Jeremy Yoder of Mad Scientist BBQ learns to cook a whole hog with Will Stafford of Sam Jones BBQ during last summer’s Windy City Smokeout in Chicago.
Linkdown: 1/26/22
Featured
A fun story from Charlotte Magazine on how Chapel Hill-born fashion designer Alexander Julian got paid in barbecue for designing the original Charlotte Hornets jerseys.
According to Juilian (also known for the UNC Chapel Hill argyle and being the costume designer for Robert Altman’s The Player), “I had this idea: What good is money if you can’t buy barbecue? I call it Carolina caviar. … I said, ‘I’ll give you ownership of the design for five pounds of Carolina barbecue a month.’ A (writer) asked me to sum up the whole experience. I said, ‘Well, George (Shinn) got rich, and I got fat. I traded $10 million worth of royalties for a gut.'”
Getting paid in barbecue, that’s the dream. Well played Alexander Julian, well played.
Native News
Garren of Jon G’s Barbecue featured on the Minsters of Smoke Instagram page
…speaking of which, Jon G’s is popping up at Triple C Brewing in Charlotte tonight
Sweet Lew’s has a new “Just Peachy” barbecue sauce available through the end of the month
Non-Native News
John Tanner checks out Ruthie’s All Day, The Federalist Pig, and DCity Smokehouse for an upcoming Smoke Sheet article
Adrian Miller is interviewed for this Atlas Obscura piece on the Southern Foodways Alliance oral history project
The Oak Texas BBQ makes its debut in Kemah, TX; they were previously based in Nashville and were Speedy’s favorites
The Texas Monthly BBQ Fest moves to Lockhart for this year’s edition
Tips on selecting the best wood for barbecue
Nice merch special from Fox Bros Bar-B-Q: two mystery shirts and a mystery hat for $35
BBQ Joe’s – Trinity, NC
Name: BBQ Joe’s
Date: 11/24/21
Address: 4865-4873 NC-62, Trinity, NC 27370
Order: Two meat combo with pork and ribs, (link to menu)
Pricing: $$
Monk: Growing up in High Point, I have distinct memories of driver’s ed pit stops at a barbecue restaurant called Henry James BBQ off of Greensboro Rd in Jamestown. It is long gone but I believe another restaurant in the regional chain is in nearby Asheboro. The Greensboro Road store seemed to be the usual place for my driver’s ed teacher Ms. Sealy to stop and get refills of her large cup of Diet Coke but not necessarily a meal. I’m certain I ate there once or twice in high school but I can’t be sure whether it was on one of these stops. In concept and layout and even quality, BBQ Joe’s in Trinity reminds me of Henry James.
While both Henry James and BBQ Joe’s are both barbecue restaurants, they might also be more accurately categorized as “country cooking restaurants.” Barbecue is on the menu and in the name, but may not necessarily be the focus.
I would guess the pork is likely cooked offsite for both BBQ Joe’s locations but I found it to be passable. The table sauces were not essential but helped its cause. I would not be unhappy with a barbecue sandwich of this pork topped with some red slaw, sauce, and Texas Pete.
I was feeling frisky and ordered the ribs as well. The color was that of a half rack that had been boiled, rendering the ribs bland and inedible. I don’t know if they assume that patrons will drown them in the sweet, sticky sauce but that’s asking a lot.
The hush puppies at BBQ Joe’s were some of the most original I’ve seen. At first glance, they look like a large onion ring or a small cake donut. They are on the sweeter side, and I loved them. They also had Cheerwine from the fountain, which is always a welcome sight.
Next time at BBQ Joe’s, I’ll stick with a simple barbecue sandwich combo. I suggest you do the same.
Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 2 hogs
Pork – 2.5 hogs
Ribs – 1 hog
Sides – 4 hogs
Overall – 2.5 hogs
Friday Find: “Gatlin’s BBQ is Building a Legacy as one of Houston’s Best BBQ Joints”
Monk: “BBQ Brawl” season 2 winner Erica Blaire Roby has joined forces with The Smoke Sheet newsletter on her web series “The Pit Stop with Blue Smoke Blaire.” In this episode she is in Houston speaking with business partners Greg Gatlin and Michele Wallace of the renowned barbecue restaurant Gatlin’s BBQ. She gets their backstory on how they each stumbled into the restaurant business after starting off in the corporate world.
On a side note, its good to see our friends at The Smoke Sheet getting more and more into the video game. Check out the rest of their videos at their YouTube Channel and subscribe here.
Description: Pitmaster Erica Blaire Roby (otherwise known as Blue Smoke Blaire) was recently crowned Master of Cue on Season 2 of the Food Network show BBQ Brawl. In this episode of her new web series The Pit Stop with Blue Smoke Blaire, she visits with Greg Gatlin and Michelle Wallace of Gatlin’s BBQ, one of Houston’s most highly-acclaimed BBQ joints. They discuss their journey from the corporate world into the world of BBQ and how they are building a lasting legacy in their community.