Authentic NC Whole Hog BBQ Shines in Maine
This week’s guest article is written by John Tanner, founder of John Tanner’s Barbecue Blog. John is based in Washington, D.C., and has been writing about barbecue joints, events, and notable people in BBQ since 2015. Today we are featuring one of his write-ups about the impressive Wilson County Barbecue in Portland, Maine. If you would like to write a guest article for The Smoke Sheet, please get in touch.
It seems like only yesterday that if you wanted genuine whole hog barbecue cooked over wood, you had to go to one of a handful of places in the Carolinas and Tennessee. Even there, classic places were switching from wood to gas.
How things change! Notable restauranteurs/pitmasters like Sam Jones, Rodney Scott, and Pat Martin are opening new places all the time, it seems, and others are following. I find myself traveling all over to try new places and write them up on my blog. I even read about whole hog invading Texas! What next?
Wilson County Barbecue has Portland ambiance but serves authentic NC whole hog.
Wilson County Barbecue in Portland, Maine, that’s what’s next. Owner Spencer Brantley has opened a barbecue place in Portland where he cooks whole hogs over wood coals, just as they used to do back in Wilson County, North Carolina, where he grew up.
Portland is not now and never will be Wilson County, North Carolina, and Brantley’s place has a lot of Portland ambiance. It’s in a huge former Department of Public Works warehouse in “an up-and-coming neighborhood,” spruced up to look sleek and modern, and they offer a seemingly infinite variety of beers from the local breweries that seem to be the primary activity of Portlanders.
Nearly everything I tried at Wilson County was very good.
Still, you can feel Eastern North Carolina in the bones of Wilson County Barbecue. Their list of “Specialty Cocktails” includes Maker’s Mark and Water. There’s a “Hot Biscuits Now” sign made by the guy who does those alluring “Hot Now” signs for Krispy Kreme. Most of all and perhaps best of all, they cook whole hogs directly over wood coals and baptize it with a good vinegar pepper sauce.
On my visit, we sampled pork, chicken, collards, Brunswick Stew, hushpuppies, biscuits, fried okra, creamed corn, slaw, peach and blueberry cobbler, and buttermilk pie. That’s a variety any North Carolinian would love.
The whole hog at Wilson County Barbecue is slow-cooked over wood coals and then chopped in the kitchen.
After I wrote up my visit, I found, as so often with my barbecue discoveries, that John Shelton Reed had been there before me. He forwarded to me an email he’d sent to Dan Levine back in July while I was eating barbecue and hash in South Carolina.
John wrote: “This place is the real deal. Spencer Brantley, the owner, knows what he’s doing and is doing it right. … He deserves True ‘Cue certification if anyone does. I don’t just say that because he owns Holy Smoke and treated me like a celebrity. True, he charges Yankee prices and has fried chicken and baby back ribs (both very good) on the menu for the faint of heart, but the main event — hog meat— is very, very good, and not just by New England standards. He even has sweet tea. I was wrong to be cynical about this operation.”
I agree completely. Wilson County offers pork barbecue cooked as barbecue should be cooked, and it really shows in the flavor. The smoked chicken, Brunswick stew, collards, and fried okra, in particular, were also standout items.
Don’t sleep on Wilson County if you’re ever in northern New England.
When you find yourself anywhere near Portland, you owe it to yourself to take a break from lobster, chowder, and blueberry pancakes and head to Wilson County Barbecue for real, down-home barbecue and sides. One final hint for your visit: select your craft beer and memorize its name before you get to the front of the line. Otherwise, you’ll hold up a lot of hangry people while you sort through the 30 or so attractive local beer selections.
John Tanner
Founder, John Tanner’s Barbecue Blog
Thank you to our sponsor DennyMike's, which offers outstanding seasonings and rubs for every situation. Learn more about DennyMike's here
—Hurtado Barbecue in Arlington, Texas was listed on Robert Moss’ list of best new Southern barbecue joints. (Photo by Robert Moss)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
BBQ author Robert Moss recently released his list of the six best new barbecue joints in the South for Southern Living. “Over the summer, I had a chance to visit many of the promising new contenders on the Southern barbecue scene, and a half dozen stand out head and shoulders above the rest,” Moss writes. His list includes 2Fifty Texas BBQ in Riverdale Park, Maryland; Jon Gs Barbecue in Peachland, North Carolina; and Hurtado Barbecue in Arlington, Texas. READ MORE.
Speaking of Moss, he also recently launched an exciting new Carolinas-focused online publication called The Southeastern Dispatch. The publication will feature food and drink stories from North and South Carolina. One of his first stories discusses what happened to the supposed “BBQ boom” that was supposed to happen in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many new spots were predicted to open in the past two years but some fell through. READ MORE.
Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn visited Houston’s Third Ward to sample the now-famous "smoked brisket birria quesitacos" from Joseph Quellar of JQ’s Tex Mex BBQ. According to Vaughn, though he didn’t invent it, “Quellar did jump-start the popularity of this very specific taco, which has become part of Texas barbecue culture.” However, JQ wants everyone to know he is all about barbecue. “I don’t want to be boxed in as a specialty taco thing. I’m barbecue first,” Quellar says. READ MORE.
Georgia pitmaster Amanda Kinsey-Joplin is part of the new wave of female chefs making waves in the male-dominated world of Southern barbecue. Kinsey-Joplin owns Amanda’s BarBeeQue & Catering and has been featured on the Food Network and The Cooking Channel. “People just assume my husband is the pitmaster,” she told National Geographic. “They’re shocked when they see me with this heavy grill, playing with fire. But behind the scenes, women have been doing this for years — we’re just now getting to shine.” READ MORE.
John Mueller of the Mueller barbecue family recently started working with Trey Hutchins of Hutchins BBQ in North Texas. The two of them answered questions about their new collaboration, why they started working together, and what they have in store in the future. READ MORE.
ADDITIONAL READS
Oakland pitmaster Matt Horn was named one of the Best New Chefs of 2021 by Food & Wine.
After a hiatus, Smokin’ Z’s BBQ truck is back in Bayou Vista, Texas.
J.C. Reid writes in the Houston Chronicle that Texas barbecue’s 'fourth wave' is starting.
The Notorious PIG is striking St. Louis-style BBQ gold in Missoula, Montana.
Chef Nasir Zubair draws on his Pakistani and Texas roots at Karachi Cowboys in Seattle.
Myron Mixon's Pitmaster Barbecue in Hoboken is the only NJ restaurant to make Eater's shortlist of "Most Anticipated" NYC eateries.
Parry Avenue Barbecue Company opens a new restaurant near Fair Park Dallas with 'Texican' flair.
The downtown location of Plowboys BBQ in Kansas City has reopened after being shut down for a year due to the pandemic.
According to the Washington Post, vegan barbecue is carving out a place in traditional meat-smoking regions.
Elizabeth Karmel wrote about how to make next-level barbecue chicken.
—The Park’s Finest in Los Angeles mixes American and Filipino barbecue styles.—
WATCH
How Filipino Pitmaster Johneric Concordia Makes Some of the Best Barbecue in LA — Smoke Point
At The Park’s Finest in Los Angeles, the cuts of meat used in traditional American barbecue are paired with Filipino seasonings and sauces. They serve up delicious dishes like coconut beef, timuay beef tri-tip, and a smoked and seasoned meaty beef short rib. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Episode 130: Fred Robles, Emily Park, Jim Altic — Tailgate Guys BBQ Show
On this episode of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Show, hosts Lyndal and Steven preview the upcoming American Royal World Series of Barbecue, which takes place at the Kansas Speedway from September 16-19. First, they talk with Fred Robles of Rio Valley Meats, the American Royal Open reigning champion. He talks about what winning the major meant to him and how things are going in the inaugural year of the Texas-based Champions Barbecue Alliance he helped create. Next, they talk to Emily Park, the event manager of the American Royal. She discusses last-minute preparations and what the public can expect at the event. Steak Cookoff Association representative Jim Altic gives us the details on the SCA event held ahead of the American Royal. LISTEN HERE.
READ
Diva Q's Barbecue: 195 Recipes for Cooking with Family, Friends & Fire — Danielle Bennett
Diva Q's backyard barbecue book is packed with simple recipes for casual, down-to-earth family food. Get started with the six recipes you need to know most, then move to chapters that take you from the basics to the best the barbecue world has to offer. With more than just recipes, Diva Q takes all the guesswork out of grilling for you, with guidance on everything from getting great char marks, to picking the right meat. Diva Q's Barbecue is an indispensable book for every backyard barbecuer, and the perfect companion when cooking for a crowd. So fire up the grill and invite your friends over--because life's too short for bad barbecue! ORDER HERE.
e Blues Hog team makes amazing pulled pork sliders. Here’s how you can make them at home.—
World Champion Pulled Pork Sliders
By Blues Hog
The Blues Hog team was awarded first place in the pork shoulder category at the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest this year. Now they’re sharing their award-winning recipe for pulled pork sliders, which we have chosen as our Recipe of the Week. Check it out.
—Lots of must-attend barbecue events are scheduled for 2021.—
September 16-19, 2021: American Royal World Series of Barbecue — Kansas City, Kansas
The American Royal World Series of barbecue is the largest BBQ competition in the country. On top of a massive KCBS competition with roughly 500 teams from around the country, this signature Kansas City event includes public-facing activities, including live music, delicious BBQ and local food, a full lineup of kids activities, and a vendor fair authentic to Kansas City and BBQ enthusiasts. Read our to learn more about the experience. MORE INFO HERE.
September 17-19, 2021: Denver BBQ Festival — Denver, Colorado
BBQ in back in the Mile High City for the Denver BBQ Festival. The 3rd annual Denver BBQ Festival is happening at Empower Field at Mile High. Don’t miss this chance to grab an ice-cold brew and sample pure smoked bliss from award-winning pitmasters from across the country. MORE INFO HERE.
September 18-19, 2021: Born & Raised Music Festival — Pryor, Oklahoma
On top of many top musical acts like ZZ Top and Cody Jinks, the big new event will feature “The BBQ Ranch” curated by pitmaster Wayne Mueller. Joining Mueller will be Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue, Night Goat Barbecue, Phatt Tabb's BBQ, Roegels Barbecue Co., and more. MORE INFO HERE.
October 1-3, 2021: Q In The Lou — St. Louis, Missouri
Get ready to go hog wild and get your BBQ fix at another great year of Q in the Lou. Many of the country’s biggest names in BBQ will be back once again. Given heightened safety protocols, it will likely be a little different from years past but still offering lots of food and fun. Read our to learn more about how the event generally goes. MORE INFO HERE.
October 8-9, 2021: Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational — Lynchburg, Tennessee
The Jack Daniel’s Annual World Championship Invitational Barbeque – or simply The Jack as it’s known in the world of competition barbecue – is widely considered the world’s most prestigious barbeque competition where teams from around the globe smoke, season and sear their way to a chance to be named the Grand Champion and a $25,000 prize. Annually featuring more than 100 teams representing all 50 states and countries across the globe, The Jack transforms Lynchburg, home of the Jack Daniel Distillery, into the barbecue capital of the world. It’s also important to note that KCBS has changed the date The Jack is usually held in hopes of getting more favorable weather, so check your calendars. Read our to learn more about the experience. MORE INFO HERE.
November 6, 2021: Troubadour Festival — Celina, Texas
The first-ever Troubadour Festival will feature an all-star lineup of musical acts and BBQ joints from all over Texas. More than 40 of the best BBQ joints in Texas (many on the Texas Monthly Top 50 list) will be there slinging smoked meats, so don't miss out. MORE INFO HERE.
November 13, 2021: Holy Smokes: Lowcountry BBQ Festival — Charleston, South Carolina
The Holy Smokes BBQ Festival from Home Team BBQ, Swig & Swine, and Robert Moss will be held November 13 in Charleston. The big new event will include pitmasters from around the country including Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson BBQ, Patrick Feges and Erin Smith, Feges BBQ, Billy Durney of Hometown BBQ, Matt Horn of Horn Barbecue, and Rodney Scott of Rodney Scott’s BBQ. MORE INFO HERE.
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