The aptly named Hogs n Hens for Hope festival will be held this Saturday, October 17th at the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville, NC. The festival is a fundraiser for the Lazarex Cancer Foundation, and features a motorcycle ride, officially sanctioned BBQ cookoff and more. Head on down I-40 East and eat some hog for a cause. If the logo (pictured above) is any indication, this should be a fun event.
Filed under: Hog Happenings | Tagged: Duplin County, Kenansville | Leave a comment »
Now through Monday, save 14.92% on BBQ Jew t-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers and all other merchandise. Click on the Merch tab at the top right of our web page and follow the link to the vendor’s site. Once on the vendor’s site, just enter “1492Columbus” as the code at checkout to get the discount. It’s a good way to honor Columbus, since he sailed the ocean blue and introduced the New World to hogs pink. And, frankly, making barbecue possible for future generations may be Columbus’ most impressive legacy.
Filed under: Swine Swag | Tagged: Consumerism, Shameless | Leave a comment »
[Note: Follow this link-Rosen BBQ&A-for an easier to read, .pdf version of the interview.]
Riddle me this: What do you get when you mix four New York Jews, Ubon’s competitive cooking team from Mississippi and the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party?
The answer: Jubon’s.
David Rosen, the central force behind Jubon’s, was kind enough to fill us in on the crew’s backstory, the barbecue competition experience and NYCQ.
BBQ Jew: What’s the full story on how Jubon’s came to exist and can you explain the name thing for those who don’t know?
David Rosen: I had just finished standing in a very long line for a plate of Memphis style pulled pork from Ubon’s Barbeque at the 2007 Big Apple Barbeque Block Party in Madison Square Park. As I was eating I commented to one of the guys pulling pork, “This is terrific.” Allen Campbell, member of the Ubon’s cooking team, replied, “You know, you’re eating that all wrong….” I responded “Then I’ll get back in line and do it the right way.” Instead Allen brought me up onto the trailer, within arm’s length of Ubon’s smokers, and taught me – everything on the plate, goes on the bun – especially the cole slaw. David and his family spent the next four hours visiting with Allen, Garry Roark, Leslie Roark Scott, and Brian Campbell.
Allen, Leslie and I stayed in touch and the Ubon’s family invited me to bring some friends to the Memphis in May World BBQ Championship in 2008. We booked hotels and got airfare; we were coming to Memphis. But, we didn’t know what to expect. The hospitality we received extended past a friendship and into the realm of family.
Gotta love that tagline
Three weeks after Memphis in May 2008, on a sunny, hot NYC June day, Me and my future teammates: Brian Jay, Adam Rosen and Bob-O Livingston, suited up in cotton and disposable gloves and joined Ubon’s on Madison Avenue for the 2008 Big Apple Barbeque Block Party. We found that our passing interest in the art of barbeque had turned into a passion for smoke.
Over the next year, plans were made for Jubon’s to enter Memphis In May’s 2009 “Patio Porkers Division” and cook ribs to be judged. We chose the name Jubon’s to honor our mentors (Ubon’s) and our heritage. First, t-shirts were made, then, the rub and ribs were developed and perfected. Ubon’s helped get a smoker, tent, tables, fence, Ubon’s BBQ Sauce and raw ribs to Memphis.
Jubon’s weathered rain, wind, mud, heat, humidity, and a new smoker, not to mention putting together a blind-box for the first time. They had great ribs, but didn’t make it to the Finals. They missed being in the top three by 0.3 of a point (which they would learn after the awards ceremony). Then, out of nowhere, a little bird brought great news for those four Jewish kids from NYC– Jubon’s would get up on stage. The boys from NYC received a 4th place trophy!
BBQJ: What are a bunch of nice Jewish boys like yourselves doing cooking pork–did you grow up digging on swine?
DR: It’s safe to say that none of us grew up with any dietary restrictions in our houses. We all grew up in Reformed Jewish households and ate pork. Continue reading
Filed under: Barbejews, BBQ & A | 10 Comments »
Swineday Bloody Swineday
According to an informative paid advertorial article in the News & Observer, when international supergroup U2 visited the area this past weekend for a concert they ordered out for barbecue from Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue in downtown Raleigh. Cooper’s co-owner Debbie Holt received a late afternoon call from a member of U2’s staff from on board their private jet a short while before it touched down at RDU. (Do private jets come equipped with $3.99 per minute Airfones in the seatbacks? Can even Bono himself afford these rates?)
Despite rumors to the contrary, Bono is not a vegetarian, though his bandmate Larry Mullen Jr. may be. Despite the presence of a vegeterian in their midst, the U2 entourage placed an order for slightly more than $225 worth of barbecue and sides, which had to be delivered to the jet after their concert ended in time for a 10:50 p.m. departure. (“We love you, Raleigh, but it’s time to go… there’s barbecue waiting on the jetway.”) Debbie Holt, her husband Randy Holt, and cook Chess Smith stayed well past Cooper’s usual 6:00 p.m. closing time to cook up the food for the hungry, pork-loving Irishmen.
Interestingly, this is not U2’s first NC barbecue encounter. There is a vintage photo of U2 on the wall of fame at Bullock’s Barbecue in Durham, where famous visitors to the restaurant are honored. The photo features a picture of circa mid-1980s U2 along with the classically underwhelming caption, “U2 – Band from Ireland.” A couple decades and more than a few millions album sales later U2 is back eating ‘cue in NC again. Apparently, slow-cooked pork is a hit Where the Streets Have No Name.
Filed under: Porky's Pulpit | Tagged: Raleigh, Wake County | 1 Comment »
If pigs could fly, which airport would they use? Not Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), at least if they knew they might get cooked there. Brookwood Farms BBQ is a relatively new entry to RDU’s dining scene, with a location in the posh new Terminal 2 (which used to be the still pretty new Terminal C before it got torn down, and before that there was just old Terminal A and old Terminal B, but Terminal B was closed after Terminal C was built, and… well, it’s a long story).
According to the blurb on the RDU website, Brookwood Farms BBQ is located near gate C-9 (even though the terminal is now called Terminal 2, not Terminal C, mind you) and is open from 4:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. The website says of the restaurant, “Hailing from nearby Siler City, NC, Brookwood Farms BBQ invites you to come and sit a spell while enjoying real down home cooking.” Needless to say, despite that folksy quote, I am highly skeptical of the quality of any BBQ joint that is in an airport. Plus, the folksiness smacks of faux ‘cue to me, but I’ll reserve final judgment until I visit, hopefully on my next flight out of RDU since even I can’t justify driving to the airport just for a meal.
Actually, let’s be honest, I’ve pre-judged Brookwood already because their wholesale barbecue is sold at large grocery stores. I’ve had it before and it is simply not good. See H. Kent Craig’s scathing review if you want the gory details. Interestingly, Craig says he used to really like their ‘cue, even going so far as describing it by saying, “it embraces your mouth like a silken sexy lover, kissing your tastebuds with one of the most pleasant initial tastes, as well as pleasant aftertastes when you burp your signal of approval later that night.” Craig writes that the BBQ’s quality has dropped markedly over the years. But maybe the ‘cue served “fresh” at the restaurant at RDU will be different? Heck, maybe pigs can fly!
Filed under: Porky's Pulpit | Tagged: Faux 'Cue, Raleigh, Wake County | 3 Comments »
The 2009 Throw Down trophy: holy hog, Batman!
Thanks to a reader, D, for pointing out that coming soon is the annual Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down in Rocky Mount. Honestly, I have no idea how I missed ever hearing about this event until now. Thanks D, it looks great.
The Throwdown, formerly known as Pignatius, is part of the 28th annual Down East Festival, which is put on by the City of Rocky Mount’s Parks & Rec Department. This year’s Festival will be held on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10 in downtown Rocky Mount, and includes music, a beer garden, arts and crafts, and… barbecue.
Indeed, the Throw Down portion of the event is an official Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned cookoff that will feature around 50 teams. Judging solely by the quality of their names, some of the teams to beat are: Grog N Hogs, Lazy Ass BBQ Crew, Two Old Men and a Grill, and Pickin’ Porkers. Items that will be judged in competition include chicken, pork ribs, pork and beef brisket. Why a BBQ competition in Eastern NC needs to fool around with anything but whole hog barbecue is beyond me, but that’s how the folks from the Kansas City Barbecue Society roll, like it or not.
Governor Beverly Perdue, who evidently doesn’t have enough to keep her busy what with the state’s budget and economy in shambles, has signed a proclamation endorsing the Throw Down and urging “all citizens to commend its observance.” I am not really sure what that means, but it’s from the Governor so it’s official. Plus, since Gov. Perdue has spent much of her life down east in New Bern, NC, she probably does have some affection for Eastern-style ‘cue, though I doubt she plays it up to much when campaigning west of Raleigh…
Filed under: Hog Happenings | Tagged: Nash County, Rocky Mount | Leave a comment »
Consider this post fair warning that The Barbecue Festival, far and away NC’s largest and most porktacular barbecue event, is coming up in October. Be there. Or don’t.
With or without you, there will be plenty of people descending on uptown (yes, they actually call it that) Lexington on Saturday, October 24th. In the past crowds have been reported to be as high as 100,000+. That’s a lot of folks to feed, so if you do head to Lexington, I recommend you skip the ‘cue sold on site and instead visit one of the nearby BBQ joints. The BBQ Center is a short walk from the festival, and several other worthy joints are within a long walk/short drive. The food they serve is much better than the stuff that gets thrown together for sale at the tents.
I’ve been to The Barbecue Festival a few times before and it is always a good time. Honestly, it is pretty much just a super-sized arts and crafts fair, but it is set in the heart of Lexington and there are some BBQ-friendly elements, from the food to the annual pig-themed sand sculpture. Also, note that The Barbecue Festival is the culmination of Barbecue Month in Lexington, and there are quite a few events leading up to the actual festival. Among my favorites are the “Tour de Pig” bicycle event (sponsored, appropriately enough, by a cardiology clinic) and the “Hawg Shoot” air rifle competition held at Lexington Senior High School.
Filed under: Hog Happenings | Tagged: Davidson County, Lexington, Lexington style | 1 Comment »
2419 Guess Road, Durham, NC
(2nd location at 2780 Durham Road in Roxboro, NC)
919.286.7447
Website
Hours: Mon – Sat 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“Closed Sundays for Worship & Family.”
BBQ Jew’s Grade: C-
Porky Says: “Is this hog heaven? No, it tastes like Iowa.”
Porkatory
Good (tasting) pigs go to heaven when they die, or at least to Grady’s, Lexington #1, and other such divine BBQ joints. Evil (tasting) pigs go to hell–or at least lousy BBQ joints–when they die. Despite the angel-baiting name, the pigs served at Hog Heaven aren’t nearly good enough to make it into the pearly gates. Neither are they among the worst pigs you can eat. Instead, Hog Heaven is a pork purgatory, where less-than-worthy pigs suffer eternal blandness.
From across the dining room.
Interestingly, Hog Heaven has won several reader’s choice awards for serving the Triangle’s best barbecue. Unfortunately, these awards show only that the masses don’t have much taste when it comes to ‘cue (and, alas, that there ain’t much good pork in the Triangle). Hog Heaven serves thoroughly mediocre pork that never cooks anywhere near a wood coal, and thus lacks in any authentic flavor. The tasteless pork is not helped by the thin but sweet and sticky sauce, which is a truly odd concoction. Since Hog Heaven is supposed to be an Eastern-style joint it is not surprising that the sauce seems ketchup-free, yet it is sweeter than all but the sweetest of the Lexington-style dips. It is sort of like syrup with a dash of hot pepper in it, and would not seem out of place at the Waffle House. I recommend you skip the sauce and simply douse your pork with as much Texas Pete as needed. To Hog Heaven’s credit, the pork is hand-chopped to order and that gives it a good, not-too-fine consistency, though it is a tad mushy for my taste.
Hog Heaven offers an admirably large menu of side dishes, in the Eastern-style tradition, as well as main course Continue reading
Filed under: Restaurants & Reviews | Tagged: Durham, Durham County, Gas/electric-cooked, Grade C, Person County, Roxboro | 3 Comments »
Hmm, this ain't a classic vinegar sauce.
A few weeks ago we received the inset photo from Joel Haas, a Raleigh-based sculptor and author of the recent novel Adlerhof, which he describes as a story about “NC Jews, race riots, cats, Nazis, naked women, money and asparagus.” (I’ll leave it to the readers to decide if the world really needs yet another book about Nazis, naked women and asparagus.)
Joel writes: “My first encounter with Asia (southern Taiwan) was in late 2004 when I went to the city of Kaohsiung to represent the USA in the International Steel Sculpture Festival. Riding in from the airport to the Kaohsiung harbor, I was reminded that the Nazis and Hitler had appropriated one of the great Buddhist symbols for peace and long life, the swastika. A towering Buddhist temple, built much like a 1950s skyscraper, loomed before me, its 15 foot high swastikas on all four sides lit with spotlights.” Interesting stuff, Joel, but what’s it got to do with this “barbecue” sauce?
Filed under: Barbejews, Miscellaneous | Tagged: Outside NC | 3 Comments »
Jim at work on one of his non-barbecue side projects
[Note: Follow this link-Noble BBQ&A-for an easier to read, .pdf version of the interview.]
Jim Noble is a real-deal Charlotte restaurateur with two establishments in the Queen City and three more in the works. Yet, in his heart of hearts, that heart beats for barbecue (It’s kind of a Russian doll thing). He’s Triad born and Triad bred, and he first experienced…Aw, shucks, let’s just let him tell it:
BBQ Jew: Where are you from and did you grow up on the divine swine?
Jim Noble: I am from High Point and grew up eating BBQ at least once a week or so with my Dad and family. My father was a furniture rep, traveling NC, and he was always on the lookout for great BBQ and local, homespun restaurants all over the state. In fact when we traveled together, he would take me to places he really enjoyed.
BBQJ: What’s your first barbecue memory?
JN: There were so many from an early age, I can’t recall my first, but Saturdays were the best Q days for us. Dad would normally get his mail together and go to the Post Office mid morning. Often I would go with him, then to the grocery store and end up at Kepley’s BBQ (The red pig on the sign signifies the first Q joint Kepley had, called The Red Pig.).
My dad’s favorite was Lexington and Gary’s in China Grove, but Kepley’s was only a mile or so from our home. Kepley’s was always good and I love those guys – we’ve been going in for 45+ years, but our favorite was Monk’s Q at Lexington #1 (in the west that is.) one of my favorite BBQ memories was going hunting with Bob Timberlake, Tom Ix and a crew from Lexington at the Wildcat Hunting club and eating the skins at Jimmy’s BBQ. They were absolutely awesome (overused but great word when used in its original meaning). He once approached me about buying Jimmy’s, but I wasn’t ready at the time.
BBQJ: As a gourmand and a chef, what do you appreciate most about barbecue?
JN: I appreciate the craft of cooking pork over live wood. All of our restaurants cook with wood and I wouldn’t think of cooking it any other way. If I had to cook without wood, I would go into the wine business or organic farming. The legend/lore/artisanal characteristics of cooking with wood is my most heartfelt passion. As one of my chefs and I say, “You can’t sous-vide that.”
Filed under: BBQ & A | Tagged: Charlotte, Interview, Mecklenburg County | Leave a comment »
BBQ Jew 