Linkdown: 10/6/20

Featured

The Barbecue Center is often overlooked in the shadow of Lexington Barbecue but those who are in the know believe that it’s every bit as good as its more popular counterpart (perhaps better?).

The late Sonny Conrad started out as a carhop before purchasing the restaurant in 1967 (it originally opened in 1955) and his family has run it ever since, with sons Cecil and Michael taking over day to day activities since their father passed in 2013. More on their family story at the link below.

Next time you are passing through Lexington on Business 85, consider stopping at The Barbecue Center which is just two miles away from Lexington Barbecue off N. Main St.

Native News

More from Lexington: a profile of the city’s history with barbecue with some quotes from the Conrads and the Monks of Lexington Barbecue

Barbecue-gate for Democratic candidate for NC Senate Cal Cunningham, born and raised in Lexington of all places (yes, I’m aware of the more recent scandal)

Parker’s Barbecue in Wilson found itself in the news this week after a customer complained about employees not wearing masks.

I’m going to file this in the “Native News” section even though its from Texas writer J.C. Reid

Non-Native News

Robert Moss finds a mention of pork steaks in Charleston from a menu from 1851

That very same Robert Moss has an updated version of his book out now, and he spoke with The Smoke Sheet last week

Doveshack BBQ is well worth a stop-off from I-95 during the eventual back-up, writes John Tanner’s BBQ Blog

Kevin Bludso of Bludso’s Bar & Que and “The American Barbecue Showdown” talks to the Washington Post about the neglected contributions of black pitmasters among other topics

John Brown Smokehouse’s original location closed this past week, but it will be reopening in a new location this Thursday

Another hard lesson learned in the form of Prause’s Meat Market: don’t take your favorite classic barbecue joints for granted

Linkdown: 9/30/20

Featured

ICYMI, check out our post this week where Garren and Kelly Kirkman of Jon G’s Barbecue describe what it’s like to open a barbecue restaurant in the middle of the pandemic

Native News

Charlotte-based Bojangles is adding barbecue to its menu for a limited time just in time for National Pulled Pork Day on October 12

Joe Biden made a stop at Mac’s Speed Shop while campaigning in Charlotte last week

Brisket is the order of the day in southeastern Virginia (with the best of the list actually coming across the border in North Carolina)

Non-Native News

Horn Barbecue hit a bureaucratic snag and hasn’t opened in Oakland yet, but when it does it may put Oakland barbecue on the map

Get to know Derrick Walker of Smoke-A-Holics BBQ

Seely’s Mil, the restaurant at the Beeman Hotel in Dallas, is getting serious about barbecue

Eater NY critic Robert Sietsema takes a bike tour of NYC brisket

Mmmm…brisket donut

Friday Find: Texas Barbecue in Canada

Darien List of Beach Hill Smokehouse uses a J&R Oyler Smoker to bring Texas barbecue to the frigid winters of Toronto. From Eater’s Smoke Point, which you can watch videos from here.

Description: At Beach Hill Smokehouse, pitmaster Darien List prides himself on bringing meat with the flavors, spices, and fall-off-the-bone textures of central Texas barbecue to Toronto. In a 7,000 pound indoor smoker, he and his team are able to cook 1,800 pounds of meat at one time, which, in a place that gets as cold as Toronto, comes in handy.

Linkdown: 9/9/20

Featured

Food & Wine Magazine released a huge barbecue blitz last week just in time for Labor Day

From writer Caroline Schnapp reflecting on her childhood in Durham at local institution Bullock’s Bar-B-Q to an unassuming barbecue joint in Alabama between a race track and a Bass Pro Shop

…to tips and recipes for the home smoker from the different types of sauces

…what spices to use to make a rub

…to which cuts of meat to smoke. Plus a whole lot more in the original link.

Native News

Raleigh Magazine has the latest on the still-about-to-be-booming Raleigh barbecue scene; the article notes that Ed Mitchell’s new venture The Preserve hopes to finish its kitchen soon for takeout and that Friendship Barbecue is not moving forward

Sam Jones BBQ’s Raleigh location is on track for a November opening

The Gaston Gazette profiles the Webb family of Red Brides Barbecue Lodge in addition to two other non-barbecue families in the area

Behind The Redneck BBQ Lab in Johnston County is a brother/sister duo with some serious competition barbecue pedigree

The last chance to claim your #SummerofCue t-shirt is today by 3pm

Non-Native News

Fresh off the release of Chef’s Table: BBQ, Rodney Scott’s got a book coming out next year titled “Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day” that is co-written with Lolis Eric Elie; you can pre-order it now (h/t Robert Moss’s The Cue Sheet)

Scott also shares his favorite places to eat in Charleston

The Charleston Post and Courier writes up the SC Midlands barbecue restaurants like Big T Bar-B-Q, True BBQ, and Hite’s BBQ, who were all featured in the Food & Wine 50 states article

RIP Mike Wilson of Saw’s BBQ, who recently passed away unexpectedly; he spent his adult life in the Birmingham area but grew up in Charlotte

Chicago restaurants are also pivoting to barbecue during the pandemic

Birria, a meat stew traditionally made from goat meat, but occasionally made from beef or mutton, is having a moment in San Antonio

I look forward to continuing to follow this story about John T. Edge and how the Southern Foodways Alliance will move forward