Monk: From November 2023, CBS Sunday Morning sits down with Kareem El-Ghayesh of KG BBQ, Don Nguyen of Khoi Barbecue, Tatsu Aikawa of Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, and Texas Monthly Barbecue Editor Daniel Vaughn to discuss the newer fusion barbecue places in Texas that spotlight flavors not native to central. Just don’t call it fusion.
Description: The Lone Star State’s distinctive barbecue is getting some impressive variations, with the help of pitmasters with roots in such places as Egypt, Vietnam and Japan. Correspondent Lee Cowan talks with some of the new bright lights of Texas BBQ, and with Daniel Vaughn, barbecue editor of Texas Monthly.
Monk: Bon Appétit’s On the Line video series stops by Austin, TX and KG BBQ. Pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh left a corporate career in finance to pursue Texas barbecue, but outside of the traditional central Texas brisket he incorporates his Egyptian heritage in the other proteins on the menu such as pomegranate glazed pork ribs, lamb bacon ribs, smoked lambchops, smoked kofta, and sumac and cinnamon rubbed lamb shoulder. His middle-eastern influence is also found in the sides like Mediterranean rice, baladi salad (a tomato, cucumber, and onion salad), and a pink buttermilk potato salad. His smoker is even named after King Tut.
Looks delicious, and Kareem seems like an affable guy.
Description: Bon Appétit brings you along for a day with Egyptian pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh at KG Barbecue in Austin—where Texas barbecue is being transformed by incorporating the bright flavors of the Middle East.
Monk: A brewpub with a True ‘Cue barbecue joint attached is coming to Main Street of Mount Holly in early April. Owner Scott Blackwood is combining craft beer with traditional NC wood-smoked barbecue in what he’s calling Firehawk Brewpub. That means pork, ribs, and chicken smoked over a mix of oak, hickory, and pecan in a reverse-flow offset smoker cooked by “BBQ Don” Trevor Seifts.
“Being in the fire department, it seemed logical that we cook our food on live, wood-fired grills,” Blackwood told CharlotteFive. Couldn’t agree more, and I hope to report back on it before too long.
Native News
John Tanner and company (including John Shelton Reed) devoured their try of barbecue at Old Colony Smokehouse in Eden
Southern Fire Pit has closed due to building expenses. It replaced Arcadia Q, which itself closed in late August 2022. Toni London had been the manager of Arcadia Q before opening this restaurant.
The latest (perhaps final?) chapter of the Cafe 71 Smokehouse saga sees the former owner Newlan Otto Spears Jr. charged with writing bad checks
Non-Native News
Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer have launched a barbecue company called AC Barbeque and will film a series for A&E called “Kings of BBQ”
John Tanner made it back to Smokecraft Modern BBQ in Arlington and found it worthy of recommendation
Today, Adrian Miller is at the History Colorado Center to take “an informative and entertaining look at people and places that shaped Colorado’s barbecue traditions”
Monk: The second annual Carolina BBQ Festival is once again bringing some of the best and brightest pitmasters to the Queen City in early May. Lewis Donald has invited many of the same pitmasters from last year’s festival and added a few new faces: Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue, Keith Henning of Black Powder Smokehouse, Michael Letchworth of Sam Jones BBQ, and Tank Jackson of Holy City Hog.
Backyard BBQ Pit has received nearly $50,000 from its GoFundMe campaign and even got new kitchen appliances donated by an angel donor; now they are paying it forward to other local small businesses
It’s Brunswick stew season
In sad news, Clyde Cooper’s daughter Joyce recently passed but the occasion brought together is grandchildren and great grandchildren
Sweet’s Turkey BBQ is a Greensboro food truck serving chopped turkey barbecue, a healthier alternative to pork and beef
Midwood Smokehouse‘s Raleigh location has gotten their Oyler
The James Beard semi-finalists were announced last week and pitmasters from Moo’s Craft Barbecue in LA, Heirloom Market BBQ in Atlanta, Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach, Distant Relatives and KG BBQ in Austin, Goldee’s in Fort Worth, Curry Boys BBQ in San Antonio, Gatlin’s BBQ in Houston, and Burnt Bean in Seguin make the list
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