3 Things in BBQ We’re Looking Forward to in 2022

3 Things We're Looking Forward to in 2022

Last week, we said farewell to 2021 and all the good, bad, and weird the year offered. We may have been a , but many of our predictions were still correct, and we had a great time at restaurants, competitions, and BBQ weddings.

Now we are starting to look ahead to 2022,, and knowing that the year will probably still be unpredictable, we are looking forward to a lot of things. Here are four things in the world of BBQ we are excited about in 2022.

The Smoke Sheet will be working to publish more videos with help from our friends like Erica Blaire Roby in 2022. (Photo by Conor Moran)

More Videos from The Smoke Sheet Crew
Last year, we started publishing videos on our YouTube page with help from friends like Erica Blaire Roby, On3Media, and BBQ with Rik Rik. In these, we profiled many up-and-coming pitmasters and BBQ entrepreneurs from Texas and Kansas City. In 2022 we will be filming more and trying to show off our love for the BBQ community in a bigger way. In the immediate future, we’ll be visiting Houston this month to visit BBQ joints and film profiles of some of the most important restaurants there.

More steak competitions will be coming in 2022, and we can't wait to check them out. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)

Steak Competitions Will Get Bigger and Better
Steak competitions have quickly grown in popularity since the founding of the Steak Cookoff Association in 2013, and more sanctioned events are added to the calendar each year. Last year, 21-year old college student Marissa Ouverson burst onto the steak scene, winning the World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas. More recently, the Kansas City Barbeque Society announced its own steak series called the National Steak Championships. We are excited to see how interest in these competitions continues to grow this year and hope we can stop by a few events.

BBQ joints like Kansas City's Night Goat BBQ will continue to raise the bar. (Photo by Wai Chan)

The "Bar" Will Be Raised Even Higher in Bar-B-Que
In 2021, a “changing of the guard” occurred, with young pitmasters in most major BBQ markets capturing acclaim and attention. The bar in Bar-B-Que will be raised even higher in 2022 as more people flock to check out the smoked meats and sides from the likes of Night Goat BBQ in Kansas City, Goldee’s Barbecue in Fort Worth, and LeRoy and Lewis in Austin. On top of this, many backyard barbecuers who started smoking and grilling during the pandemic will also create their own operations. With more competition and more places to try, we expect to be eating more amazing barbecue than ever in 2022.

Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ) & Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet

Thanks to our sponsor DennyMike's! Use the code BBQTOURIST10 to save 10% off your order on these great seasonings. Learn more about DennyMike's here.

Kansas City BBQ staple Plowboys Barbeque closed its Overland Park location last week, but its two other restaurants remain open. (Photo by Leah Wankum)—

HOT OFF THE PRESS

In a blow to the Greater Kansas City BBQ scene, Plowboys Barbeque closed its Overland Park location last week. The restaurant was open for two years but the pandemic and supply chain issues impacted it. Owner Todd Johns said Plowboys would keep its locations in downtown KC and Blue Springs open. “Our sincere thank you to all the barbecue fans who supported us in Overland Park,” Johns told the Shawnee Mission Post. “It’s not ever the intent to close. Statistically, we know it’s a probability, even without a pandemic. We’ve had a little over two years of being a member of the greater Overland Park community, and that’s a good thing, but this is how that chapter ends, and we still have more chapters to write.” READ HERE.

While beer and bourbon are often paired with BBQ, maybe it’s time to try wine? Erin Smith, chef and co-owner of acclaimed Feges BBQ in Houston spoke with Wine Magazine about the wines served at her restaurant and some fun pairings. For example, Smith recommends pairing the restaurant’s sweet-glazed pork ribs with Argentinian Cabernet Franc. “Our pork ribs are sweet, so I wanted to compliment them and actually sort of tone down the glaze,” Smith said. “It’s definitely an unusual pairing, and I think it might puzzle some people, but you have to try it. It’s surprising.” READ HERE.

Aurora, Colorado has an exciting new barbecue joint that is getting a lot of attention called Plates by the Pound BBQ. Pitmaster Aaron Gonerway started Plates back in November 2020, but it took until September 2021 to move from his house to a takeout-only storefront. Now, 5280 reports Gonerway is serving up “tender ribs, juicy pulled pork, and brisket-loaded baked spuds paired with sides such as creamy, dill-relish-laced potato salad and smoked-turkey-studded baked beans.” READ HERE.
 

ADDITIONAL READS

Pitmaster Rodney Scott spoke with Insider about how to spot red flags at barbecue restaurants.

Lockhaven profiled BBQ by Clem, which has been serving State College and Penn State for more than two decades.

At Downtown Huntsville, AL hotel 106 Jefferson, the suite costs $777, so probably better to settle for the hotel restaurant’s $16 BBQ pork sandwich. 

ABC15 showcased the mouth-watering brisket-and-short-rib burrito at Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix.

Home Team BBQ plans to open a fourth location in the Charleston, SC area this spring.

If you are looking for good barbecue in the Birmingham area, these 19 spots are worth a stop.

The Decatur BBQ Blues & Bluegrass Festival announced that they are pulling the plug on the event after 20 years.

Southside Market’s Taste of Texas BBQ is now shipping nationwide. Place your order now.

—People can easily make mistakes with grills and smokers during the winter months.—

WATCH

Mistakes People Make During Their Winter BBQ — Pitmaster X

Backyard barbecue is completely different in the wintertime than it is in warmer months. Roel from Pitmaster X shows you how you need to change things to achieve success while cooking outdoors in the winter. He talks about starting your grill, controlling temperatures correctly, and more. WATCH HERE.

LISTEN

Clark Crew BBQ Interview — BBQ Radio Network

Travis Clark's "Clark Crew BBQ" team has won more than 700 Top 10 awards in competition barbecue, culminating with being crowned the Grand Champion of the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational in 2019. The Jack Daniel’s Invitational is one of the most prestigious BBQ competitions in the world. All of this while cooking on some of the biggest stages against some of the best teams in the world. LISTEN HERE.

READ

The Great Outdoors Cookbook: Over 100 Recipes for the Campground, Trail, or RV — Melanie Jenkinson

With more than 100 highly original and creative recipes for delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks, The Great Outdoors Cookbook solves what outdoor adventurers have been struggling over for years: How to make tasty, hearty, and nutritious camp food. Say goodbye to those sad, dehydrated dinners, full of sodium and fillers that can leave you feeling listless and bloated. The Great Outdoors Cookbook shows you how, with just a few tools and the right ingredients, you can make nutritious, even sumptuous, meals off the grid, on the trail, or in the comfort of your RV. Banana Bread Pancakes, Spicy Peanut Soba Noodle Salad, and Blackened Salmon with Pineapple and Thai Basil Salsa are just a few examples. ORDER HERE.

—Sean Ludwig’s mac and cheese recipe has been developed during the past few years.—

Sean Ludwig’s Crazy Good Baked Mac and Cheese

By NYC BBQ

During the cold winter months, there’s nothing quite like a hot and filling serving of homemade baked mac and cheese. The Smoke Sheet’s Sean Ludwig has been obsessed with creating a perfect mac and cheese recipe over the years and published his long-simmering recipe last year. This version of Sean’s “crazy good” mac and cheese recipe is focused on being well balanced — cheesy, not overly creamy, and benefiting from flavors including BBQ rub, cayenne pepper, and smoky cheese.

Learn more about Southside Market Barbeque.

—A lot of big barbecue events are being planned for 2022. Stay tuned!—

January 22, 2022: The Shed Double Steak Cookoff — Ocean Springs, Mississippi
The Shed Barbeque & Blues Joint, a popular BBQ destination, is again hosting a huge Steak Cookoff Association competition in late January with a total prize purse of $16,500. The event feature competitions for steak, ribs, turkey, and bloody marys. There will also be a Kids-focused Pork Chop competition to keep the younger ones busy. MORE INFO HERE.

February 7-8, 2022: OnCue Business of Barbecue Seminar — Murphysboro, Illinois
OnCue Consulting, from Amy Mills and the 17th Street Barbecue team, hosts these popular classes each year. Register early to experience ribs, pork, brisket, and chicken demos with an emphasis on restaurant production and holding. Discuss branding, marketing, PR, vending, restaurant financials, resources, and suppliers. Tour behind-the-scenes of our restaurants and catering facility. Novices and veterans alike will leave with concrete ideas that will impact their bottom line. MORE INFO HERE.

March 12, 2022: Tex Mex BBQ Festival — San Antonio, Texas
This fun event, masterminded by Miguel Vidal of Valentina’s Tex-Mex in Austin, will be full of food, education, and entertainment. The food will be executed by some of the most talented pitmasters, chefs, and cooks coming in from all over the nation, including Panther City BBQ, 2M Smokehouse, Burnt Bean BBQ, and Sugarfire Smokehouse. Mark your calendar for an amazing experience. MORE INFO HERE.

March 25-26, 2022: American Royal World Series of Barbecue Steak Cook-Off — Kansas City, Missouri
The relatively new National Steak Championships from KCBS will have one of its biggest events thus far with the American Royal Steak Cook-Off in late March. More information will be coming shortly on this event but mark your calendars. MORE INFO HERE.

March 26-27, 2022: Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival (Melbourne edition) — Melbourne, Australia
Meatstock will feature a stacked line-up of barbecue enthusiasts and bands. The two-day event brings American pitmasters Down Under; sees BBQ teams go head-to-head over the coals to be crowned the city’s best barbequers; and features live music, food trucks, and pop-up bars. Additionally, American BBQ joints such as Louie Muller BBQ and Blue Oak BBQ are scheduled to be there as well. MORE INFO HERE.

April 20, 2022: Brisket King NYC — Brooklyn, New York
If you love brisket (and if you're reading this you probably do), you won’t want to miss Brisket King NYC 2021 in Brooklyn. The event will be held at the huge outdoor space at Pig Beach NYC in Brooklyn. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their takes on brisket and pastrami. MORE INFO HERE.

May 11-14, 2022: Memphis in May — Memphis, Tennessee
The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition held in Memphis, TN. Teams representing the best of barbecue that have been honing their craft for years compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $140,000 in prize money. The Contest features championship pork categories of Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as the ancillary competitions of Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.” The 2022 competition will be held in the Memphis Fairgrounds due to construction at its normal home at Tom Lee Park. MORE INFO HERE.

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