barbecue

Linkdown: 12/30/15

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– Robert Moss finishes up 2015 with two posts: Barbecue is Celebration Food and 2015 in Review

As is often the case with food origin myths, these tales get things exactly backwards. Barbecue did not originate as a way to transform cheap cuts of meat into something palatable. Instead, it started as a way to cook all of the cuts of meat at one time, for barbecue originally was a form of whole animal cookery.

In the 19th century, barbecues were large-scale outdoor events, and local farmers donated valuable livestock for the occasion—pigs, cows, sheep, goats, or whatever else they had on hand. On the Fourth of July in the antebellum South, long before refrigeration and reliable supplies of ice, fresh meat didn’t stay fresh for very long. The animals were typically taken to the site of the barbecue and slaughtered right there by the pits.

– Marie, Let’s Eat! spends some time in Kentucky: Thomason’s Barbecue in Henderson and Ole South Bar-B-Q in Owensboro

– Steve Raichlen recaps his 2015 in barbecue

– Congratulations to Midwood Smokehouse, who comes in at #32 in Charlotte Magazine’s Top 50 Restaurants in Charlotte

Charlotte Barbecue Joint Big Board – December 2015

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The Smoke Pit – Concord, NC
Tray from The Smoke Pit
Killer Q
Killer Q
Ballantyne location of Midwood Smokehouse

Since our last big board in January, a few new notable joints have popped up (particularly The Smoke Pit at #4 and the second location of Midwood Smokehouse at #2), a few have closed (including  longtime north Charlotte joint Old Hickory House, #9 on our list), and we even debuted our Austin version of the list. In terms of future 2016 reviews, the trend appears to be towards food trucks and upscale barbecue restaurant concepts, save for maybe something like Glenn’s Again in Kannapolis.

What other Charlotte area joints should we check out? Feel free to weigh in on your favorite in the comments and if you present a strong enough case we will try to head there next. I recently checked out The Smoke Pit based on reader feedback and loved it, so we do try to take feedback seriously when we can.

-Monk

  1. Boone’s Bar-B-Que Kitchen (food truck)
  2. Midwood Smokehouse (Ballantyne) new
  3. Midwood Smokehouse (original review)
  4. The Smoke Pit new
  5. Queen City Q
  6. Sauceman’s (original review)
  7. Bill Spoon’s Barbecue (original review)
  8. Kyle Fletcher’s Barbecue & Catering
  9. Old Hickory House CLOSED April 2015
  10. The Improper Pig
  11. Killer Q new
  12. Elwood’s Barbecue & Burger Bar CLOSED September 2015
  13. Bar-B-Q King
  14. 521 BBQ and Grill (Tega Cay)
  15. 521 BBQ and Grill (Indian Land)
  16. Mac’s Speed Shop (Steele Creek) new
  17. Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q (Concord) 
  18. The Q Shack new
  19. Smoke & Go Bar-B-Que (food truck)
  20. Smoke Modern Barbeque (Huntersville) new
  21. Mac’s Speed Shop
  22. R&R Bar-B-Que (Concord)
  23. Lancaster’s BBQ (Huntersville)
  24. Lancasters’s BBQ (Mooresville)
  25. Rock Store Bar-B-Q (Stallings)
  26. Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que (food truck) new
  27. Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que (original review)
  28. McKoy’s Smokehouse and Saloon
  29. Brooks’ Sandwich House
  30. Rock Store Bar-B-Q (Mint Hill)
  31. Bobbee-O’s BBQ
  32. Farmer’s BBQ
  33. Bubba’s Barbecue 
  34. JJR’s BBQ Shack
  35. Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ new
  36. The Dixie Pig (Rock Hill) new
  37. City Smoke
  38. OooWee BBQ (food truck)
  39. Carolina Ribs on the Run (Mooresville) CLOSED July 2014
  40. R.O.’s Bar-B-Que

Still to review: Dan the Pig Man (food truck), Q2U, Fort Mill BBQ Co, Bodrick’s BBQ, Glenn’s Again (Kannapolis), Slow Smokin’ BBQ (food truck), Smokey J’s BBQ (food truck), Treehouse Whiskey and Fork, Smoke Modern Barbeque (Stonecrest), Seoul Food Meat Market (coming soon), Unnamed Jim  Noble barbecue restaurant (coming soon), Midwood Shackhouse (coming soon), Unnamed Martin Sprock Mediterranean smokehouse (coming  soon)

Previous Big Boards: January 2015, May 2014, December 2013, July 2013

Linkdown: 12/16/15

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– Now at Stamey’s:

– Grilling with Rich reviews Sam Jones BBQ in Winterville

– They also have an interview with Cary-based BBQ pitmaster and author, Christopher Prieto

– Here’s a recipe for a Georgia-style brunswick stew from Virginia Brock; speaking of Georgia and Virginia

Virginia staked her claim boldly in 1988, with a statewide proclamation as this stew’s place of origin, and it has hosted an annual Brunswick stew festival and contest for more than twenty-five years. In a gesture of goodwill, they invite rival stew-masters to bring their crews up from Georgia for some spirited stew celebrations. Georgia staked her own claim by building a monument featuring a massive cast-iron stewpot, which they proudly declare to be the very one in which noble Georgia residents stirred up the very first batch of Brunswick stew back in 1898.

– City Smoke (one of our least favorite Charlotte barbecue restaurants) is shifting their concept from barbecue restaurant to rotisserie, smokehouse, and speak easy

The re-brand comes at a time when the restaurant’s owners wanted to take the eatery to a new level – more than that of a barbecue joint. Of course, that barbecue was the cause for much celebration after City Smoke was named the winner of the Carolina Cook Off edition of “BBQ Blitz” on Food Network thanks to Chef Adam Pugh’s rendition of smoked pork chops with cheddar grits.

– Meathead Goldwyn’s list of best books for the BBQ lover (via)

– Big beer news from Charlotte’s Queen City Q, official barbecue of the Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Knights baseball team, Charlotte Checkers hockey team, and Charlotte Hounds lacrosse team:

The Barbecue Bros Holiday 2015 Gift Guide

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Here’s some gift ideas for the barbecue lover in your life. The bolded items are the ones I can personally recommend. Feel free to add or suggest any other gift ideas in the comments below and I’ll update the post through the holidays.

–Monk

Books


Apparel

Other

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See our 2014 gift guide here
See our 2013 gift guide here