Exploring Cleveland’s barbecue scene with The BBQ Central Show (plus top news and events)
First, we’d like to wish everyone a happy Independence Day and a great holiday weekend. If you’re still planning your feast and need some last-minute tips for tomorrow, we . Now on to this week’s issue! - Sean and Ryan
I recently visited Cleveland for a short family vacation that was focused on baseball, barbecue, and roller coasters. On the count of baseball and roller coasters, it was a smashing success. I was able to watch my Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians on a perfect summer night in a beautiful stadium. I also rode some of the best roller coasters in the world at Cedar Point, just an hour outside Cleveland. (The Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame and Cleveland Art Museum are also worth a visit.)
But when it comes to barbecue, Cleveland doesn’t really have a big scene. Despite being a city that is upending expectations left and right with many things to do, only a handful of barbecue places were recommended to me.
When I told other barbecue buffs about my trip, most people told me the one place I must go to was Mabel’s BBQ, which was opened in 2016 by celebrity chef Michael Symon. I’m happy to report that Mabel’s was quite good and lived up to the hype, with excellent Texas-style brisket, good pork ribs with an unusual Eastern-European-style rub, great hot kielbasa with cheese, crunchy cracklins, and tasty baked beans.
I asked Cleveland native Greg Rempe of The BBQ Central Show to join me for a meal at Mabel’s so I could pick his brain on Cleveland’s barbecue scene and ask him a few questions about his long career. Greg has been taping The BBQ Central Show live for years and currently makes the show available via podcast, YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms.
The barbecue at Mabel’s BBQ in Cleveland is worth stopping in for.
When it comes to Cleveland barbecue, Rempe agrees with the general consensus that the scene is lacking. He says there weren’t any good barbecue restaurants in the Cleveland area until just five years ago and the only three he can recommend are Barabicu Smokehouse in Parma, The Proper Pig Smokehouse in Lakewood, and Mabel’s BBQ in Downtown.
What he likes about Mabel’s is that it’s perhaps the closest thing there is to “Cleveland barbecue” because it incorporates some of the style of popular Cleveland food items and uses many local ingredients.
“Instead using a traditional jalapeno sausage or a hot gut or a hot link, this is a kielbasa sausage, which is known around here because of the ethnicity that makes up some of the Cleveland area,” Rempe told me while we were eating. “The rub on the pork ribs is different from what you’d get in Memphis or Kansas City, with coriander or sweetness, but not hot. … The beef rib has a pastrami spice on it, which separates it from other barbecue restaurants. The pickles, onions, and slaw are Cleveland-based too.”
Next time I’m in Cleveland I will be sure to stop by Barabicu and The Proper Pig to see how they stack up to Mabel’s.
Greg Rempe of The BBQ Central Show and Sean Ludwig of The Smoke Sheet sat down to talk barbecue at Mabel’s BBQ in Cleveland.
While eating, I figured this would also be a good chance to hear more about Greg’s story and the genesis of The BBQ Central Show, of which I’ve been a casual fan for a few years.
If you don’t know much about The BBQ Central Show, Greg says it started with him posting frequently on a barbecue message board where he would talk about grilling with other enthusiasts in the early 2000s. That inspired him to create his own barbecue forum called BBQ-For-You.com, where barbecue fans and those the industry could talk about grilling and smoked meats.
The show and the community around Rempe was born on those forums. But someone who held a similar trademark to BBQ-For-You threatened to sue Rempe, so he changed the name of the site to BBQ Central in 2004. From there, he started experimenting with podcasting, which led him to create The BBQ Central Show in 2005.
The ribs at Mabel’s BBQ were good and used a rub that I’ve never had anywhere else.
In January 2010, The BBQ Central Show moved over to a live format, with Rempe interviewing people in the barbecue and grilling industry every Tuesday night from 9 to 11 p.m. Eastern. He thought there was a chance the show could get play on radio back when it was getting started.
“A long time ago, the original goal was to get some kind of terrestrial radio syndication,” Rempe said. “So, get 200 stations on Saturday from 1 to 4 and the BBQ Central Show would be on. … I made that attempt a number of times and found out it was very tough to get a show cleared in a market if you haven’t got the show cleared in a previous market. A lot of people said it was great, but didn’t go for it.”
Rempe said he instead decided to further build out his presence online, and the show has grown across all his different channels. Despite some people telling him to make the jump and take his show full-time instead of doing sales for Peterbilt, he thinks it would be irresponsible.
“What I make selling trucks and what I make on the podcast, there is a large disparity,” Rempe said. “I am ‘money motivated’ and I want to do the show and not interfere with my day job. Why can’t I make all the money and be good at selling trucks and keep sponsors and have them support the show and everyone’s happy? … I appreciate the passion of people saying ‘take the risk’ but there’s a risk-reward and I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket.”
Even without going full-time, Rempe has a dedicated audience with many thousands of listeners each week. Personally, I've been adding the show into my weekly podcast rotations and enjoyed the interviews with big names like "Grill Girl" Robyn Lindars, Malcom Reed, Meathead Goldwyn, and Pat LaFrieda.
The fried chicken sandwich at Larder may not be barbecue but it’s worth stopping in for any carnivore with good taste.
One last detail from my talks with Rempe was that he recommended that I try the innovative Cleveland deli Larder while I was visiting. He was spot on and the joint’s fried chicken sandwich, pork sandwich, and pastrami were quite good. If you’re around Cleveland, be sure to try it.
If Rempe or myself missed a particularly good Cleveland barbecue joint that you love, please let us know so we can visit the next time we go. And be sure to check out The BBQ Central Show in podcast form or other formats.
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founder, The Smoke Sheet
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
A new Huffington Post article explores how much of barbecue today ignores African-American contributions. They spoke to the Jones Sisters of Kansas City for the story. (Photo via Netflix)
The growth and popularity of Central Texas Barbecue in the U.S. often downplays or completely ignores the contributions African Americans have made to barbecue. A new Huffington Post article looks at several hard working black pitmasters who are “carrying on the legacy that has shaped a significant part of African American cultural identity.”
Jim Auchmutey, author of Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America, recently did some barbecue myth-busting in a Washington Post article, including debunking the idea that barbecue is “men’s work.” Vox also examined the gender stereotypes traditionally associated with grilling and barbecue in this article.
Celebrated pitmaster Bryan Furman recently spoke to Eater Atlanta about his future plans after a devastating fire closed his northwest Atlanta restaurant, B’s Cracklin’ Barbeque. He continues doing pop-ups and is hoping to open a temporary location while he rebuilds.
According to J.C. Reid of the Houston Chronicle, Texas barbecue and Vietnamese cuisine are a delicious combination at Houston establishments.
Men’s Journal gave some suggestions for a “new crop of smarter barbecue smokers” and accessories you can buy to help take some of the stress out of your backyard cooks.
Gear Patrol suggests four reasons why pellet grilling is not just a fad and is here to stay.
Award-winning pitmasters recently offered some great grilling tips to the Commercial Appeal just in time for the 4th of July. On a related note, pitmaster Phil Johnson shared his tips for picking out the best meats for your barbecue with USA Today.
It should come as no surprise that Austin was named one of the top five cities in the U.S. to visit for BBQ by VacationRenter. The other cities on the list include some picks you may not expect.
Pitmaster, restaurant owner, and Southern Smoke author Matthew Register spoke with the Winston-Salem Journal about how he was a real-estate developer who enjoyed grilling until he read Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue.
Texas native Nick Prince is literally bringing the flavors of his home state to Denver by importing wood from Austin to his restaurant Post Oak Denver on Tennyson Street. Meanwhile, Houston-area native Christopher Nicki recently opened Hank’s Texas Barbecue on East Colfax.
Butcher’s Smokehouse, a new fast-casual barbecue restaurant in Philadelphia, is opening this month with an aim to pair Southern barbecue with Chipotle-style convenience.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Watch: A State of Underrated BBQ - Zagat Documentaries
When it comes to great barbecue, Alabama might not the first state that comes to mind. However, Alabama is home to more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other state, and its pitmasters are extremely confident their state offers the best barbecue in America. Zagat toured a selection of Bama's famed barbecue joints to find out what defines this style of cuisine. Watch it here.
Listen: Things You Hear Standin’ Around with Sam Jones - Effin B Radio
Host Lindsay sits down with BBQ behemoth Sam Jones to talk preserving tradition while still evolving and what it’s like to be a third generation Whole Hog pitmaster. His brand new book Whole Hog is filled with beautiful stories and treasured recipes but the best part of the show might just be Sam reading a few excerpts from his unpublished collection of quotes that lives on his phone. He lovingly dubs these one-liners “Things You Hear Stand-in Around” and they’re hysterical. Listen to the episode here.
Read: Thank You for Smoking: Fun and Fearless Recipes Cooked with a Whiff of Wood Fire on Your Grill or Smoker - by Paula Disbrowe
Award-winning author and grilling expert Paula Disbrowe shows home cooks how to elevate everyday meals with seductive, smoky flavors in this collection of 100 recipes for smoking meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, nuts, grains, pantry staples, and even cocktails on a smoker or grill in as little as 30 minutes. Featuring an impressive array of smoke-infused recipes that extend well beyond the realm of rib joints, Thank You for Smoking shows home cooks how easy it is to rig a gas or charcoal grill or use a backyard smoker to infuse everything you love to eat--from veggies and greens to meat and fish--with a smoky nuance. Order it here.
The I Love BBQ and Music Festival will bring serious competition to Lake Placid, New York this weekend.
July 5-7: I Love BBQ and Music Festival 2019 - Lake Placid, New York
This annual event in Lake Placid, New York attracts some of the best BBQ competitors in the country and continues to grow in popularity each year. Not only are there Kansas City Barbeque Society competitions happening on-site, but there are also lots of food and drink vendors for the public to eat and drink well while watching a ton of live music. More info here.
July 12-14: Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival - Chicago, Illinois
Get ready for beer, BBQ, and country tunes, because the Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival is returning to Chicago. The Windy City Smokeout is one of the largest barbecue festivals in the U.S. and this year it will feature 20 of the world’s best pitmasters and more than 15 musical acts. More info here.
July 13: South Sound BBQ Festival 2019 - Lacey, Washington
The South Sound BBQ Festival is one of the largest BBQ events for the Pacific Northwest. It will include a pro cook-off sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association plus an assortment of food vendors and non-food vendors from around the South Sound. There will be live entertainment, free kids activities, chicken wing eating contest, adult-only beer & wine garden, and much more. More info here.
July 14: Tex-Mex BBQ Block Party 2019 - Houston, Texas
The Houston Barbecue Festival and Saint Arnold Brewing Company announce the inaugural Tex-Mex BBQ Block Party to celebrate the growing influence of Tejano and Tex-Mex cooking traditions in contemporary Central Texas-style craft barbecue. Ticket holders will taste unlimited samples of each vendor's barbecue dish as well as enjoy great Saint Arnold beer. More info here.
August 17: Stumptown Beer Revival and BBQ Cook Off 2019 - Monte Rio, California
This event, which is also called the “Russian River Beer Revival & BBQ Cookoff,” features copious amounts of beer and barbecue. An entry fee includes beer, cider, and barbecue tastings for the duration of the day, along with live music and activities. More than 40 breweries and 30 barbecue teams will participate. More info here.
September 7: Pig Island NYC - Brooklyn, New York
For those that love all things pork, the 10th annual Pig Island NYC in Brooklyn will be a can’t-miss affair. Held outdoors at beautiful Erie Basin Park in Red Hook, this all-inclusive event will feature great food from top Northeastern pitmasters, plus a ton of beer, cider, and liquor. More info here.
September 12-15: American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Kansas City, Missouri
The American Royal is celebrating 40 years of competition barbecue in 2019. On top of a huge KCBS competition with teams from around the country, this signature Kansas City event includes public-facing activities, including incredible live music, delicious BBQ and local food, a full line up of kids activities, and a vendor fair authentic to Kansas City and BBQ enthusiasts. More info here.
See the full Smoke Sheet events calendar online here.
Bacon Explosion - by All Things BBQ
For our Recipe of the Week, we chose this Bacon Explosion video from Chef Tom at All Things BBQ. He rolls out a sausage mixture and seasons with rub and adds sauce, cheese, and crumbled bacon. Then he rolls the mixture into a log and creates a weave using bacon strips. Finally, the concoction is smoked until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees. The result is a delicious, smokey, bacon-flavored dish. View the recipe here.
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