Linkdown 1/31/24 – The James Beard Semifinalist Nominees Edition

Monk: The Semifinalist Nominations for this year’s edition of the James Beard Awards came out last week, and several barbecue restaurants were nominated in various categories.

Congrats to Robbie Robinson of City Limits Barbeque in West Columbia (aka “West Coalumbia”) for his Best Chef Southeast Nomination. He is the second pitmaster in South Carolina after Rodney Scott to get a semifinalist nomination.

Outside of the southeast, Texas dominated the rest of the semifinalist nominations for barbecue.

In the Outstanding Chef category, David Kirkland and Ernest Servantes of Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin, TX got a nomination. Daniel Vaughn believes this is a first time a pitmaster has been nominated in that category.

Barbs-B-Q in Lockhart got a nomination for Best New Restaurant:

Convenience West in Marfa was nominated for Outstanding Restaurant:

In Best Chef Texas, Geoff Ellis of Mum Foods Smokehouse and Delicatessen in Austin, Andrew Ho, Andrew Samia, and Sean Wen of Curry Boys BBQ in San Antonio, and Arnulfo Sánchez III of Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Que in Grapevine were all nominated.

In Best Chef Southwest, Tabb Singleton of Phat Tabb’s BBQ in Idabel, OK was also nominated.

Congrats to all of the nominees! Finalist nominees will be announced on Wednesday, April 3, and winners will be announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago

South Carolina is the Place You’ll Find This Dish

Monk: We previously featured Food YouTuber Mark Wiens when he traveled to Lexington and Pitt County in eastern NC. For this video, he stops outside of Charleston, SC for a backyard barbecue featuring chicken, pork, ribs, collards, and hash, a South Carolina specialty dish.

Description: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – We’re just outside Charleston, South Carolina, and on Sunday, I was invited over to my friend John Haney’s (alveronbbqco8462) house for a real deal southern barbecue. It was an incredible experience, watching John and bbq and all of his side dishes including collard greens and the greatest bbq mac n cheese you’ll ever have.

Additionally, in South Carolina is the only place you’ll find hash, a mixture of all the pig bits including the face made into a stew. There’s ketchup based hash and mustard based hash, and we had a full lesson on South Carolina hash.

John Haney (Alveron BBQ) makes the best bbq grills in the United States all hand made – so definitely hit him up: (alveronbbqco8462) and he also one of the greatest legends of American bbq.

Huge thank you to John and his family for hosting my family and I on this amazing Sunday meal.

Linkdown: 11/28/23 – The Brisket Makes Everything Better Edition

Featured

Monk: Team applications for Memphis in May are officially open for next year’s festival which will take place in Liberty Park

This of course is after a new, upstart festival has been announced to be held at (plot twist) Tom Lee Park, where Memphis in May had traditionally been held. Forward Momentum are the organizers behind the rival festival which will be held at the same time as Memphis in May, and Carey Bringle of Peg Leg Porkers is on board to compete, even going so far as to say “BBQ in Memphis belongs on the river, and with Forward Momentum, we now have the means and resources to make it happen.”

This has led to the picking of festivals between the big competition teams and so far it looks like Memphis in May is ahead early by my unofficial count with Jack’s Old South and Moe Cason are on board so far as well as The Usual Saucepects Championship BBQ, Heath Riles BBQ, and former 2x Grand Champions Willingham’s World Championship BBQ,

As for me? If I make either festival it will surely be Memphis in May at Liberty Park.

Finally, in perhaps somewhat related news, the CEO of Memphis in May is retiring at the end of January.


Native News

Congrats to Raleigh’s The Pit, which will celebrate 15 years open this weekend

Phar Mill Brewing and BBQ’s downtown Concord location is now closed to the public and they will focus on the original Harrisburg location going forward

Can’t wait to see this new Jon G’s design on a t-shirt

FoodieScore checks back in with Johnny Ray’s Smokehouse in Fallston

A free gift with purchase from Concord’s SnS Grills

Speaking of gifts, this shirt from House of Swank is a little too reductive terms of barbecue ideology, but I appreciate it nonetheless

Non-Native News

FatStack Smokers, who relocated from California to Texas and has been accused of taking customers’ money without providing actual smokers, has closed up shop

Speaking of Houston, here’s J.C. Reid’s top 30 barbecue restaurants list for the city

One more from J.C. Reid on how brisket makes a Philly cheesesteak even better

Big Dave’s BBQ makes this Eater Essentials list for Greenville, SC

A review of a new type of grill brush

Talk about a #woodpilewednesday

Linkdown: 10/18/23 – The Mallard Creek Barbecue Back Edition

Featured

Monk: The Mallard Creek Barbecue is back later this month for its 92nd annual event, but with a wrinkle. The barbecue will be drive-through and carryout only this year. That’s right, no dine-in. Per the event’s Facebook page:

The BBQ is on for 2023!

The fourth Thursday of October holds a special place in the hearts of the members of the Church and the community at large. This year’s BBQ will be a little different from our traditional event. Our delivery methods will be DRIVE-THRU and WALK-UP CARRY OUT ONLY.

1 – The Walk-Up Carry Out under the awning at the left side of the Drive-Thru area for large orders Plates, Sandwiches, Bulk BBQ, Stew, & Slaw
2 – The Sandwich Stand – Small orders – Sandwiches, Drinks, Bulk BBQ, Stew, & Slaw (No Plates) Souvenir T-shirts & hats also available at the Sandwich Stand

Sorry, we are not able to offer dine-in seating this year.

Our menu is assuredly the same; Hickory Smoked Pork BBQ, our special Brunswick Stew and our own blend of Cole Slaw (vinegar based). Please check the price list below for current pricing. We accept CASH and VISA/MC CREDIT CARD payment methods for your convenience. Sorry, NO DEBIT CARDS accepted.

Serving begins at 10:00 AM and we will continue until sold out.

Call 704-547-0038 after 9am on BBQ day for pick-up orders of 50 or more units ONLY. No other advance orders are taken

The pricing is as listed below.

The 92nd Annual Mallard Creek Barbecue will take place on Thursday, October 26 from 10am until sold out at 11400 Mallard Creek Road in Charlotte.

Native News

Pik N Pig is set up at the NC State Fair this month

Speaking of the State Fair, Longleaf Swine is offering a Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburger

Old Colony Smokehouse is Edenton is moving…eventually

It’s always been a family thing at Skylight Inn

The Pit origin story

Order information for Jon G’s-Giving

Non-Native News

City Limits gets featured in The State

And even makes the front page of the actual paper

Ribbee’s is coming from the folks behind Goldee’s (get it?)

Robert Moss made his way through west Tennessee and checked out Blake’s at Southern Milling