Merry Christmas and happy holidays from The Smoke Sheet

The Smoke Sheet

Dec 24, 2018

It’s been a wild few months since the launch of The Smoke Sheet in October. We’ve loved getting all your feedback, and we are excited about what’s to come in 2019. We’ll be attending more events, bringing new talent into our operation, and much more next year.

In the meantime, we want to say thank you to our readers and to wish you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays from our family to yours. We hope all your barbecue meats you’re making for your big gatherings go well. And if you need to pick up any last-minute barbecue-themed gifts, take a look at our list of take a look at our list of 5 gift ideas for barbecue lovers in your life.

To better celebrate the holidays with our families, we will be taking a short break from publishing The Smoke Sheet next Wednesday, December 26 and we will be back in full swing on Wednesday, January 2. We can’t wait to be back with you in the new year!

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

Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:

Pork rinds are served before each meal at Melissa Cookston’s Memphis Barbecue Company and they are some of the best barbecued pork rinds around.

The Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid writes about the resurgence of pork rinds on barbecue menus, in part to the rise of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets like Atkins and Keto.
A new Texas-style barbecue joint called The Pig’s Gig will open in San Diego’s Liberty Public Market in the new year. The menu will include brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, turkey breast, and smoked sausages.
West Dallas barbecue favorite Smoke will soon have new owners, creating considerable uncertainty about the future of the institution.
Jack’s BBQ, one of Seattle’s best barbecue joints, will soon bring its Texas-style ribs, brisket, and sausage to the Columbia Tower food court next week. This is the first of two planned expansions for Jack’s.
Texas barbecue business owners and employees traded tips and discussed economic trends related to their field at the fifth annual Texas Barbecue Town Hall Meeting, held last week at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center.
A new Texas Monthly video chronicles the The BBQ Shop in Farwell, Texas, including some of its ups and downs and trying to keep the operation going in spite of family members passing away.
Truth BBQ, one of the top BBQ joints in Texas, is making its top-notch meat available for delivery nationwide via the restaurant's website—and your meats will arrive before Christmas, if you order soon.
One of Austin’s top barbecue spots, La Barbecue, is teaming up with Austin pizzeria 40 North for some inventive barbecue specials, including a spicy pickle pizza, a pulled pork calzone, and a two-sausage pizza with regular and chipotle sausages.

Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:

Watch: SEC Traditions: Texas Barbecue with Big Moe Cason and Marty Smith
Marty Smith meets up with Pitmaster Big Moe Cason (seen above) to talk everything Texas Barbecue. Moe and Marty discuss the history of what makes good Texas Barbeque some of the best in the world. Moe also gives his secrets to what makes barbecue so great. Watch it here.

Listen: Kevin’s BBQ Joints - Episode 89, Dan and Katie Misuraca - Red, White & Que Smokehouse
In this episode, Kevin chats with Dan and Katie Misuraca from Red White & Que Smokehouse in Kearny, New Jersey. They discuss their early days, from Dan’s time in the Marines to Katie and he meeting (and falling in love) to their early days smoking on a tiny smoker before making the jump to open a small BBQ restaurant in Kearney. They eventually went on to grow the business with a partner to 8 locations only to pull the reins in back at the initial location. The couple share everything and are extremely candid and insightful. Listen to it here.

Read: Playing with Fire - by Michael Symon
Co-host of The Chew and celebrated Iron Chef and restaurateur Michael Symon returns to a favorite subject, meat, with his first cookbook focused on barbecue and live-fire grilling. The 72 finger-licking, lip-smacking recipes here draw inspiration from his favorites, including dry ribs from Memphis, wet ribs from Nashville, brisket from Texas, pork steak from St. Louis, and burnt ends from Kansas City--to name just a few--as well as the unique and now signature Cleveland-style barbecue he developed to showcase the flavors of his hometown. Order it here.

December 28-29: Arizona National BBQ Stampede - Phoenix, Arizona
The Arizona National BBQ Stampede is a special event brought to you by the Arizona National Livestock Show in collaboration with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). Teams will be able to enter the competition to earn points at the first event of the KCBS competition season. More info here.

December 31-January 1: Fired Up Kosher BBQ Battle and Festival - Boca Raton, Florida
The Jay Feder Jewelers Fired Up Kosher BBQ Battle and Festival will be held on January 1st, 2019 at the South County Regional Park in Boca Raton, Florida from 1:00-5:00 pm. The event will include a barbecue competition, food for sale, and family activities. Proceeds will help support Hadar High School for Girls. More info here.

January 20-22: Whole Hog Extravaganza / Brisket Bonanza / BBQ MBA - Murphysboro, Illinois
Restaurateurs, barbecue competitors, caterers, and enthusiasts are invited to level up and continue your education at the Whole Hog Extravaganza, a one-of-a-kind seminar at 17th BBQ in Murphysboro. Pitmasters and speakers on hand will include Tank Jackson of Holy City Hogs, John Lewis of Lewis Barbecue, and Mike and Amy Mills of 17th Street Barbecue. More info here.

Standing Prime Rib Roast - by All Things BBQ
For this week’s recipef Tom from All Things BBQ is preparing a delicious Standing Prime Rib Roast on the Yoder Smokers Pellet Grill using the reverse sear technique. He tops it all off with a Horseradish Creme Fraiche. This recipe would make an excellent main course for any holiday feast.