Forget Waldo, leave a comment to guess where Porky was when he took the below picture. Hint: it’s a tiny barbecue joint named after a tiny town (hamlet?) down east.
A true barbecue shack if there ever was one.
Filed under: Miscellaneous | Tagged: Where's Waldo | 4 Comments »
Sam Suchoff is not your typical pit boss. But then The Pig is not your typical barbecue joint. Indeed, Suchoff has a damn near disturbing range of culinary experience for a barbecue cook. More to the point, much of the fare he serves at The Pig veers away from North Carolina barbecue tradition with menu items like brisket, tamales, kielbasa and, yes, even country fried tofu.
Veering away from tradition is not necessarily a bad thing because many traditional North Carolina barbecue joints offer little on their menus worth sampling beyond the holy trinity of barbecue, slaw and hushpuppies (which, to be fair, is not necessarily a bad thing either). Suchoff offers a wide-ranging, pork-centric menu, but he respects the tradition of whole hog barbecue and that reverence is evident along with his creativity.
In a recent interview, Suchoff was kind enough to share with me the reasons he cooks with an electric smoker, why barbecue is the dish he’s most proud of cooking despite all the variety on his menu, and why vegetarianism is an easy way to get girls (at least in L.A.). Follow this link to read the interview.
Filed under: Barbejews, BBQ & A | Tagged: Chapel Hill, Interview, Orange County, Words of wisdom | 7 Comments »
I recently found out about this awesome Stew ‘n Q fundraiser this Saturday at Durham’s St. Luke’s Church. Then I found out I hadn’t found out recently enough.
I was too late–as they ask for preorders, which makes sense–sort of like the BBQ RSVP–but goes against the keep ’em comin’ ‘cue ethic. Then again, on scrolling the site with a hungry eye, you learn that they only “strongly urge” people to preorder to “guarantee” some stew and ‘cue. So…you’re telling me I have a chance?!
Anyway, I have a hunch you may be able to take part in this most holy of fundraisers if you head to St. Luke’s later in the day.
While this kind of Church-based barbecue event isn’t all that rare, taking a step back–what an idea! I’m no expert, but I’d guess that raising funds for charities by selling the divine swine must ensure a pleasant afterlife for all involved. And I’m pretty sure the same would hold true for participating congregants at the first synagogue to emulate it.*
Should the preorder buzzkill hold true, perhaps it’s best to smoke your sorrows at The Pig. This loving review in The Independent reminds me why I need to go back there pronto.
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*There is neither Biblical or Talmudic proof to justify this claim, just hot air.
Filed under: Hog Happenings | Tagged: barbecue, BBQ, BBQ Jew, Fundraiser, St. Luke's, Stew 'n Que | Leave a comment »
“Of all the signature foods of the South, none unites and divides the region like barbecue. When it comes to barbecue, southerners cannot agree on meat, sauce, technique, side dishes, or even how to spell the word. What they can agree on is that barbecue in all its variety is one of the fond traditions that makes the South the South. It drifts across class and racial distinctions like the sweet vapors of pork hissing over hickory embers.” – Jim Auchmutey, Atlanta Journal-Constitution in The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture Volume 7: Foodways.
Filed under: 'Cue Culture | Tagged: Words of wisdom | Leave a comment »
A young boy's first taste of barbecue. Love at first kiss.
Filed under: Miscellaneous | Tagged: High holidays | 3 Comments »
Recently I received an anonymous tip from a source I will refer to as “Deep Snout.” Deep Snout reports that serial upscale dining entrepreneur Giorgios Bakatsias–affiliated with over 30 restaurants and similar enterprises during his long career, including several high profile places in Durham past and present–is about the enter the world of barbecue.
Giorgios has long been a polarizing figure in the Triangle-area dining scene, hailed by some for helping popularize fine dining in places like Durham and dismissed by others who are less than impressed by his culinary credentials. Regardless of your opinion of his restaurants, Giorgios opening a barbecue place is big news. It is also fairly hard to imagine given his past forays into French food, pan-Asian cuisine, and many other Internationally-inspired menus. I suppose this is a sign that barbecue is becoming more cosmopolitan, for better or worse, or that Giorgos has run out of other countries whose food he likes.
Another source (Deeper Snout? Trotter?) told me Giorgios has spent a small fortune on a smoker for the new restaurant and is installing a chef from the former Durham institution George’s Garage at the helm; whether this chef has ever worked in the barbecue world is unclear.
Stay tuned, I am sure there is more to this story…
Filed under: Restaurants & Reviews | Tagged: Rumors and hearsay, Wake County, Wake Forest | 3 Comments »
4005 Patterson Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC
336.767.2184 or 336.767.3502 (pick your poison)
No website
Hours: Tue-Sun 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
BBQ Jew’s Grade: A
Porky Says: “The state’s most elegant barbecue.”
Barbecue Lexington-Style
Hill’s Lexington Barbecue occupies a handsome brick building with a red roof on a strange stretch of Patterson Avenue that is peppered with manufactured housing businesses and other light industry. Hill’s also occupies a coveted spot on the NC Barbecue Society’s Barbecue Trail, as it is a traditional wood burner that has been around since 1951.
According to Jim Early of the NCBS, Hill’s was the first joint to use the phrase “Lexington Barbecue,” as founder Joe Allen Hill hailed from Lexington and wanted to lay claim to his barbecue roots when opening a joint in nearby Winston-Salem. Hill’s therefore claims, rightly so as far as I can confirm, to be “Winston-Salem’s Only Original Lexington Barbecue” and, less provincially, “The Original Lexington Barbecue.” As long as Hill’s keeps cooking barbecue of the quality I experienced on my visit there, they can claim whatever they please.
Elegant Barbecue
Hill’s Lexington Barbecue, still family owned in its 60th year, is a nice family restaurant in the North Carolina tradition. However, 
they take themselves a little more seriously (or maybe less so?) than most old school barbecue joints. Their logo features a classy looking pig wearing a top hat and twirling a cane and, impressively, they serve their barbecue tray in a real tray. I don’t mean the standard flimsy wax paper tray, but rather a silver metal tray. And did I mention the pork is garnished with a sprig of parsley? It’s a nice touch, whether it’s sincere or a bit of tongue-in-cheekiness (I suspect the former, as barbecue is a pretty sincere business).
The barbecue itself is moist and flavorful, with generous amounts of outside brown mixed in and distinct smoke flavor. I ordered the ‘cue chopped and it was just a bit too finely chopped for my taste, but the pork is also available sliced (a “deli slice” according to my waitress) or “blocked,” meaning in chunks pig pickin’ style. I also found the dip just a bit too sweet (not uncommon for Lexington-style BBQ), but it is nicely spiced and complements the pork well. A splash of Texas Pete neutralized the sweetness nicely. The barbecue slaw that accompanies the pork Continue reading
Filed under: Restaurants & Reviews | Tagged: Banana pudding, Forsyth County, Grade A, Winston-Salem, Wood-cooked | 3 Comments »
BBQ Jew 