Monk: In a recent episode of WTF with Marc Maron, before he gets to his interview with Sam Richardson (a good one btw), Marc talks about his experience smoking a brisket on an Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco drum smoker after using a Traeger for some time. As I’ve learned listening through the years, Marc is no stranger to periodically discussing barbecue on his show but its usually after eating a restaurant. Pretty cool to see him try his hand at smoking himself, to a successful effect. His pride is evident, but sadly I cannot find photo evidence on the internet.
The smoker talk, which was not a paid ad, begins at 7:00 and lasts just under 5 minutes.
Monk: While my hunch is that I had roughly as much barbecue as last year, I suspect the ratio of mediocre barbecue to great barbecue was higher than in past years. There’s always highlights to pick out, but let’s hope next year is a more favorable ratio.
In alphabetical order:
Beef rib, brisket, pork ribs, Cheerwine hot link from Jon G’s Barbecue – Peachland, NC
Chopped pork sandwich from Noble Smoke – Charlotte, NC
Some of the meats at Noble Smoke can be a little hit or miss for me, but the Lexington-style chopped barbecue sandwich is ever reliable.
Ribs and wings from Peg Leg Porker – Nashville, TN (link to review)
Speedy has said he often thinks the ribs at Peg Leg Porker are the best in the state of Tennessee, and who am I to argue? The full wings are also a must-order.
Randy’s ribs are a sub-regional variety with a sauce that I understand is found primarily in the Savannah area. It expanded my framework as to what barbecue is in different parts of the US.
Jones Family Original BBQ Tray from Sam Jones BBQ – Raleigh, NC (link to review)
Life-changing whole hog. So far I’ve only made it to Sam Jones’ outpost in Raleigh but I can’t wait to try this same tray at Skylight Inn this spring.
Sausage, wings, hash and rice, ribs, brisket, and turkey from Sweet Lew’s BBQ – Charlotte, NC (link to post)
Between the house-made sausage, the barbecue hash, and Lewis Donald’s ever-constant tweaking of his main meats, Sweet Lew’s continues to evolve, and I’m here for the the journey.
Chopped pork tray takeout from Whispering Pines – Albemarle, NC (link to review)
It’s a shame that Whispering Pines was takeout only but I’ll make the hour drive to Albemarle again I’m sure. Great Lexington-style barbecue.
Monk: We enter the new year with cautious optimism, both on the real world as well as barbecue world fronts. My hope for 2022 is that we can regain any Charlotte barbecue momentum that has largely been on pause for the past two years and see some new players enter the game.
Bring it on, 2022.
October
10/12 At Mac’s Speed Shop, beef ribs and bacon-wrapped jalapenos are two of the prep-intensive items that are being taken off the menu for now
A few of your favorite dishes at this Charlotte barbecue spot are going away — for now.https://t.co/hDHgsrmkmZ
11/8 A new live-fire cooking restaurant called Cinder is opening in Charlotte from Husk veteran Duke Kroger (who identifies himself as a pitmaster in his Twitter profile)
SCOOP: Chef Duke Kroger plans to open a new restaurant called Cinder in South End in June. He calls it “a modern play on open-fire tasting” with characteristics of Husk, the famed Charleston restaurant where Kroger got his start: https://t.co/Le0OYsUTsO
11/17 After announcing that its Lake Norman location was going to close, Mac’s Speed Shopannounced plans for the restaurant to stay open as a smaller location after an outpouring of love from the community
11/29 Jon G’s Barbecue and Salud Beer Shop team up for a pizza collaboration for the month of December
December
12/6 Sweet Lew’s BBQ celebrated 3 years open
12/8 Jon G’s Barbecue is named “Barbecue Restaurant of the Year” by Eater Carolinas
In a collaboration you simply love to see: Jon G’s is collaborating with Salud Beer Shop to create a series of barbecue-inspired pizzas available until all month until December 24. The Monk clan used to live down the street from Salud when we lived in NoDa and I am a huge supporter of what Jason and his wife Dairelyn have built; what started out as a kickass bottle shop soon expanded to a small brewery and coffee shop upstairs before offering creative pizzas more recently. Its long been my favorite beer bar in Charlotte and all of North Carolina. And you don’t have to take just my word for it; they’ve been voted “Best Beer Bar” in the U.S. three years running.
Put together by mutual friend Stephen Philpott, these pizzas look simply delicious:
The Jon: Brisket, Jalapenos, Pickled Red Onions, Jon G’s Barbecue Sauce, Salt and Vinegar chips, Chives, Smoked Sea Salt, Black Pepper.
The Kelly: Cheesey Tex Sausage Link, Mozzarella, Bacon, Chopped Calabrian Chilies, Ham, Crispy Cajun Onions, House Honey Mustard, Chives.
The Philpott: Cheerwine Sausage, House Chimichurri, Salud Kutless Lager Braised Sweet Onions, Bianco Dinapoli Tomatoes, Mozzarella.
The pizzas are available at Salud and I hope to try at least one but hopefully all three this month.
Native News
Jon G’s will finally be at Rhino Market in Wesley Heights tomorrow
Carolina Smoke, a food truck in Morganton, has opened its brick and mortar dubbed Carolina Smoke Barbeque Grill and Copper Still
Barbecue books from Asheville-area Buxton Hall and 12 Bonesmake great gifts
The First Pickles, Pigs, & Swigs Festival in Mount Olive looked to be a success
Non-Native News
More on the reopening of Franklin Barbecue indoor dining
After enduring twenty months of takeout-only service, Franklin fanatics were thrilled to spend hours—up to ten of 'em—in line for Texas's most famous brisket.https://t.co/pXqMHBN0EL+
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The Jon: Brisket, Jalapenos, Pickled Red Onions, Jon G’s Barbecue Sauce, Salt and Vinegar chips, Chives, Smoked Sea Salt, Black Pepper.