Noble Smoke

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

Photo Gallery: Hot Dogs and Smoked Pastrami from Noble Smoke

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Monk: For the second year in a row, Jim Noble of the forthcoming Noble Smoke partnered with local menswear store Tabor for their Bungalow Social block party, While last year he smoked NC-style barbecue, this year he brought house made hot dogs grilled out of one of his mobile rigs, Flossie. So while I have still yet to try Noble’s barbecue, the hot dogs ground and made in-house at his uptown Rooster’s location more than hit the spot on a sunny fall day. I went Carolina style with chili, slaw, and mustard before topping it off with Texas Pete. Additionally, in an off-menu item, Jim had also smoked a pastrami and when I asked for a small taste he graciously offered a full sandwich. I’m no pastrami connoisseur but it was just fantastic.

I enjoyed introducing myself to Jim (who, by the way, like me is also from High Point, also went to High Point Central, and also went to NC State) through friend of the blog Susong and together we pestered him about Noble Smoke, which was been my most anticipated barbecue restaurant since it was first announced back in August 2015.

In maybe a tiny little bit of a scoop, according to him Noble Smoke will be coming in 2018 in a location off Freedom Drive in a space that is currently a warehouse. That certainly seems to fit the stated intention in the article linked above, where it mentions:

First, he needs to secure a Charlotte site that’s close to Interstate 77 with easy access. Most importantly, the restaurant needs to be in a space that allows the barbecue to be slow-cooked over wood, Noble adds.

From the little bit I recall from a brief discussion (free beers and cocktails for the win), he will be partnering with a local brewery (no word on which) and the space will also have an outdoor beer garden. I can’t wait to hear more details as they become available. In the meantime, I’ll be keeping an eye out for the next opportunity to finally try the barbecue from Noble Smoke.