Jim Noble

Linkdown: 6/27/18

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– The origin story of the great Bryan Furman of B’s Cracklin’ Barbeque, the next great pitmaster (who’s already here)

Though he’s been a restaurant owner and full-time pitmaster for just four years, Furman, 37, already sits among the greats. Maybe it’s because he swaps out typical commodity pork for whole heritage-breed hogs he raised himself. (“Nobody else was doing that,” Furman says, “Not in a barbecue restaurant.”) Maybe it’s his unique Carolina-meets-Georgia style sauce, a sweet and tangy blend of mustard and fresh peaches. (“He does everything different,” says Nikki Furman, his wife and business partner.)

– B’s Cracklin Barbeque and a few other Barbecue Bro faves are on this Eater list of best Atlanta barbecue

– Eater’s got a list of barbecue in New York City, too

– Meet the Executive Pitmaster for Midwood Smokehouse’s 4 locations, Matt Berry

– Noble Smoke is one of Charlotte Agenda’s 9 most-anticipated restaurants and bars opening in Charlotte by the end of 2018 (wow that’s not a brief title)

– The Takeout has a crash course on Chinese barbecue, which isn’t wood-smoked like American barbecue

– Houston foodwriter J.C. Reid on the expanding role of the pitmaster

Another responsibility is that of barbecue ambassador. Pitmasters are asked to travel to distant locations to cook for an event or speak on a panel. In this case, the pitmaster isn’t just drawn away from working the pits — he’s often absent from his barbecue joint for days at a time.

– 8 Austin barbecue sandwiches that break the mold

– This Travel + Leisure list of the 25 best places for barbecue in the U.S. is based on Yelp and is…certainly a list

– Reminder: Daniel Vaughn’s Smokelandia airs its pilot episode tonight

– Registration is now open for October’s Tour de Pig in Lexington

Photo Gallery: Noble Smoke at Hyde Brewing for St. Patty’s Day

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Monk: In advance of the forthcoming brewery/smokehouse/beer garden concept, Jim Noble and Noble Smoke set up at Hyde Brewing to serve chopped pork sandwiches on a beautiful St. Patrick’s Day in Charlotte.

Noble Smoke was set up in the side lot next to Hyde Brewing’s back patio where none other than Jim Noble himself was chopping up pork shoulders on a block in front of his smoker Beulah. On this day, they kept it simple with only sandwiches for sale for $7.

Each hefty sandwich was pre-topped with slaw and dip and while you could add more, I didn’t find it necessary. Noble Smoke certainly wasn’t skimping on chopped pork in each sandwich. The chopped pork was moist and the sandwiches were really good – a lot better than some of the dry barbecue sandwiches I’ve had since. Had I not had dinner plans, I certainly would have gone for a second sandwich and perhaps a third (the other one pictured in my hand was for my dad).

If this service is any indication of what’s to come, I will no longer have to drive an hour to Lexington for a true Lexington-style chopped pork sandwich, something I’ve been looking for as long as I’ve lived in Charlotte. Simply put, I cannot wait for Noble Smoke to open later this year.

Check out more from Noble Smoke on their website

Linkdown: 12/13/17

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– Sad news as Midwood Smokeshack has closed in Matthews. However, there is some good news in that the employees will keep their jobs at other Midwood Smokehouse locations and FS Food Groupd will be looking to build a full service Midwood Smokehouse in the Matthews area at some point.

– D.G. Martin’s list of last minute book gifts includes one of my all-time favorite barbecue books which was just re-issued on paperback, “Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue” by John Shelton Reed, Dale Volberg Reed, and William McKinney

– Charlotte Agenda: “Noble Smoke could give Charlotte a true barbecue flagship”

– However, one recently-elected city councilwoman will not be patronizing Noble Smoke when it does open due to his support of HB2 in 2015

– Carolina Smokehouse brings western NC barbecue to Carolina Beach’s boardwalk

– Congrats to B’s Cracklin’ BBQ!

Linkdown: 11/22/17

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– Big news!

– More coverage on Noble Smoke from the Charlotte Business Journal

– The LA Times has an easy guide to pairing beer with barbecue

– Re-opened yesterday

– A Texas man is the first pitmaster to make Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list

– More coverage from TMBBQ on Grant Pinkerton

– An Austin rag “takes the temperature” of the barbecue scene in Brooklyn and with one exception finds that it doesn’t quite add up to Austin

– Everyone has a dark past, and NC barbecue is certainly no different; it had a beef phase