Charlotte

Linkdown: 12/24/14

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– Robert Moss goes deep on chicken mull, “the rarest stew in barbecue”

– To sauce or not to sauce: well that just depends on whatcha like

– Mission BBQ in Virginia Beach is the most patriotic bbq joint in America (h/t reader Robert Evans)

– Crown Town Living checks out The Improper Pig

– “Denver’s barbecue is atrocious” (via)

– Grant from Marie, Let’s Eat! finished up his NC/SC circumnavigation reviews last week, but checked out Praise the Lard BBQ in Buford, GA recently

– Johnny Fugitt of Barbecue Rankings is interviewed by the salad restaurant Chop’t after his 365 joints in 365 days sojourn ended

– ICYMI, here’s our holiday 2015 gift guide we posted last week for your (extremely) last minute gift ideas

Linkdown: 12/10/14

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– Charlotte gets a new barbecue spot in Improper Pig, located in Cotswold, and it looks like they will be doing a little bit of everything

Here, they’re doing ‘cue, in what they’re calling a “portal to the barbecue explorer’s world.” That means it’s got St. Louis-style ribs in addition to the pulled pork and chicken and brisket, plus Southern egg rolls (sweet potato hash mixed with collards, with spicy mustard), Korean barbecue salmon, a “no pig” portobello sandwich…

– Speaking of new barbecue restaurants, Asheville is getting a new one in Bonfire Barbecue next spring that will be using a wood-assisted Southern Pride gas smoker (the article conflates the two, but to me, a Southern Pride is a gasser at heart)

– For the brisket lover on your Christmas gift list, here’s some leather butcher’s coasters

– A Wilson, NC man with ALS is planning to go to Franklin Barbecue as part of his bucket list and will be ordering the brisket and ribs (via)

– Daniel Vaughn of TMBBQ has an interview with Adam Perry Lang, who is currently working on a barbecue project in Los Angeles

– The latest stops on Marie, Let’s Eat!’s “circumnavigation” through eastern NC: Jack Cobb & Son Bar-B-Q in Farmville, Bum’s Restaurant in Ayden, Wilber’s Barbecue in Goldsboro, and B’s Barbecue in Greenville

– Our State profiles Chapel Hill’s The Pig in their latest issue

The Pig belongs to Sam Suchoff, who is a 33-year-old California dude — pertinent facts, both of these. California dude is pertinent because seriously? California? And 33 because I’ve eaten barbecue older than that. He is, by far, the youngest cook I’ve met on this expedition. It’s fitting, though, and necessary, because if our children’s children’s children are going to be eating barbecue in the year 2525, someone from Generation Y is going to have to keep the pit fires burning.

– Robert Moss’ latest blog post is how to spot a wood burner; spoiler alert: the woodpile (and size thereof) gives it away

– Looks like the Buxton Hall crew was doing some research in eastern NC last week:

– If you are in Charlotte Thursday, The Great NC BBQ Map will be at the All Arts Market in NoDa

Brooks’ Sandwich House – Charlotte, NC

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Name: Brooks Sandwich House
Date: 11/7/14
Address: 2710 N Brevard St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Order: Barbecue sandwich with slaw on side and fries (link to menu)
Price: $6

Brooks Sandwich House has the best burger in Charlotte. Period. End of story. But despite being located not much more than a mile from my house, I have been there a shockingly limited amount of times in the eight years I’ve lived in my neighborhood. This more than likely has to do with their operating hours – 7am to 3pm, Monday to Friday only. In other words, when I’m typically at work (well, not so much the 7am part). The last time I did manage to go some months back I saw that they have barbecue sandwiches on the menu, but they are only available in the fall. So I made a mental note and the first time I could make it on a Friday afternoon, I seized the opportunity.

Now, despite their burger’s sterling reputation I was not really sure how their barbecue would turn out. They don’t appear to have a smoker on site, so I am not sure how and where it is cooked. As far as their atmosphere goes, there is only an order counter inside while outside has some standing covered tables. It really is a take out or eat in your car kinda place, so I won’t deduct hogs for its lack of atmosphere. Even after having eaten lunch that day, I stopped by for an early afternoon snack of a barbecue sandwich and fries.

And for a burger place, the barbecue was…passable. I mean, it would do in a pinch as it actually does have some bark mixed in and I even spotted some red pepper flakes (though the sandwich itself didn’t have much of a kick). But it’s not going to make any barbecue joints stand up and take notice.

The fries are great at Brooks, and I asked for the slaw that comes with the sandwich on the side. It turned out to be a mustard/mayo slaw and after trying the sandwich by itself I scooped on the slaw. Honestly, it neither added nor subtracted from the sandwich, simply giving it a slightly different texture.

So the moral of the story when you find yourself at Brooks Sandwich House in NoDa (and I would absolutely recommend it if you are in the area), is to go with the burger or even the dog. You will be much happier that you did.

–Monk

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – N/A
Pork – 2.5 hogs
Sides – 3 hogs
Overall – 2.5 Hogs
Brooks Sandwich House on Urbanspoon
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Linkdown: 11/19/14

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– Charleston-based food writer Robert Moss (who has written two books on barbecue) is named barbecue editor for Southern Living magazine

SL: How about a little preview. Where are the best places to grab barbecue in the Carolinas?

RM: There are so many great places to eat barbecue in the Carolinas [note, folks in “the Carolinas” always say “the Carolinas” and not “Carolina,” because to us they are two distinct places, just like the Dakotas] that it’s hard to narrow it down. But, here are a few can’t-miss places that should be on everybody’s list: Scott’s Bar-B-Que in Hemingway, SC; Skylight Inn in Ayden, NC; Allen & Son in Chapel Hill (the one on Millhouse Road, north of town); Stamey’s in Greensboro, NC; Jackie Hite’s in Leesville, SC; and, just about any of the dozen joints in Lexington, North Carolina, that still cook with wood, like Barbecue Center, Lexington Barbecue, and Cook’s Barbecue.

– Speaking of which, here is his first blog post on Southern Living’s The Daily South blog on John Lewis and his upcoming Charleston barbecue restaurant

“I’ve been looking for another city to go open a barbecue place,” he says. He considered Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, but decided the soil wasn’t fertile enough there. “South Carolina is deeply rooted in the barbecue tradition,” Lewis says. “People here [in Charleston] have been very receptive to what I make.”

– Belmont-based competition team Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ took home a grand championship at last weekend’s When Pigs Fly Barbecue Festival in Fayetteville, the latest NC BBQ Association event

– Interesting question posed by Burger Mary: Are you eating bad BBQ or just being served by bad staff? (via)

– Mac’s Speed Shop here in Charlotte is the latest to get the Our State barbecue profile treatment, though I think the writer goes a little too far in his praise of the joint

– More coverage on Carolina ‘Cue and its creator Elizabeth Karmel, who is coming to next month’s Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival

– The Great NC BBQ Map team stops by WNCN in Raleigh to have an east vs. west barbecue tasting

– They also have some map signings coming up around North Carolina, starting on November 28 in Belmont

– Pro tip: Don’t forget to rest your brisket

– Midwood Smokehouse is taking orders for smoked turkey (and other meats and sides) until next Monday, November 24th

– Elliott Moss (of the forthcoming Buxton Hall) is doing an eastern style barbecued heritage turkey as part of a pick-up dinner for Thanksgiving; details here
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