Where to find surprisingly good barbecue in Nebraska (plus top news & events)
This week’s guest introduction takes a look at barbecue in an unlikely place: Nebraska. Omaha-based food blogger Dan Hoppen explores restaurants throughout the state for his blog, Restaurant Hoppen with Dan. He is also active on Twitter at @DanHoppen. Dan gives us his take on the best barbecue Nebraska has to offer. We look forward to presenting other great original articles in The Smoke Sheet and if you’d like to write for us, please shoot us a note.
Any barbecue fan worth their salt knows the barbecue hotbeds in America: Austin, Kansas City, Memphis, the Carolinas, and the like. And there are plenty of cities with growing barbecue reputations, such as New York City, Chicago, and Washington D.C. But what if I told you you could get great barbecue in a place like Nebraska?
Barbecue purists may scoff at that idea, and it’s not accurate to say Nebraska is on the level of the long-standing greats when it comes to ‘que. But as barbecue continues to grow in popularity and pitmasters spread across the country, cities with little to no barbecue prestige are starting to get some legitimate restaurants.
If you’re passing through or visiting the Cornhusker State, here are a few places worth checking out:
Tired Texan (Omaha)
Owner Chip Holland honed his skills working late nights with a pitmaster in Birmingham, Ala., before bringing his ‘que to Omaha, and the city is better for it. The spare ribs are the highlight, accented with a slightly spicy rub. The meat pulls perfectly off the bone and is delightfully tender. The brisket is excellent, as are the beef ribs. In an interesting twist, Tired Texan serves only cornbread tops rather than the whole muffin, and these pillowy discs are the perfect sweet finish to a savory, filling meal.
Smokin Barrel (Omaha)
This former food truck just opened its permanent location in December, but it already has lines out the door during the lunch hour. That’s because the pitmaster, a transfer from Central Texas, makes the best brisket in Nebraska. He still smokes everything inside the truck, which now sits in the parking lot, accosting diners with a heavy hit of smoke as soon as they exit the car. There’s prodigious bark on each meat, and Smokin Barrel is the only Nebraska barbecue joint that sells meats by weight.
Lippy’s BBQ (Malcolm)
Lippy’s is a pitmaster’s dream come to life. Owner Kelly Streeter opened a trailer-sized restaurant about 15 minutes outside of the state capitol, Lincoln. Word quickly spread of his tremendous product, and Lippy’s expanded into a much larger location. The quality hasn’t suffered from expansion, as Lippy’s spare ribs, with a brown sugar rub, remain the best in the state. Don’t miss the sweet cornbread, which is so delectable that some have requested it for their wedding cakes.
Muchacho’s (Lincoln)
Food trucks are more difficult to track down, but the payoff is worth it in this case. Muchacho’s specializes in New Mexican-barbecue fusion, combining owner Nick Maestas’ love for smoking meat with his New Mexico roots. The result is a menu of tacos and tostadas filled with chicken, pork, and brisket, all prepared with Muchacho’s hatch chili-based spice blend. Maestas is constantly tinkering with the menu, adding items such as breakfast tacos and mac ‘n cheese.
Phat Jack’s (Lincoln)
The ribs, brisket, and pulled pork are all solid at Phat Jack’s. But the must-try item is the burnt ends. Each cube provides a burst of fatty, salty flavor, and they’re beyond tender. It’s a cliche in the food industry to say something is as soft as butter, but these flavor bombs truly are.
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These are but a sampling of Nebraska’s barbecue options, and they all either opened or relocated to a larger space in the last two years. That’s the encouraging thing about barbecue in America. The hotbeds will always remain and reign as kings of the meat marketplace. But as barbecue’s popularity expands across the nation, you can increasingly find great spots in unexpected places.
Dan Hoppen
Blogger, Restaurant Hoppen with Dan
Learn more about our sponsor Turkey Smoke.
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
Arrogant Swine in Brooklyn is one of the most interesting selections on Thrillist’s list of 33 best U.S. barbecue joints. (Photo by Sean Ludwig / NYC BBQ)
There are many lists out there of the “best barbecue joints” in the United States, but they are often lacking in diversity and surprises. Thrillist’s new list of 33 best U.S. barbecue joints, curated by executive food editor Nicole A. Taylor, is one of the best of these lists we’ve seen because it features all regional styles, has geographical diversity, and we can personally attest to the quality of most of these restaurants. It may not feature every top barbecue joint you can think of, but it absolutely worth a read.
Denver’s BBQ scene is heating up, writes Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn. He visited multiple restaurants and found lots of high-quality Central Texas bites there. On a related note, the Barbecue Bros also visited Denver’s Owlbear Barbecue recently and rated it highly in their review.
While barbecue is spreading nationally, it’s also spreading internationally. Food & Wine contributor Mariah Taylor writes about how much she enjoyed Texas-style barbecue at MELT in Paris, France. “For a barbecue place across the ocean and miles away from the smokers of Texas, the meal was quality — far better than some barbecue-style menus in New York,” she writes.
The Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid writes that while food delivery services are rising in popularity, real barbecue has not been added to many of these services. The reason? Barbecue doesn’t travel well and the experience of going is important. “There’s something unnatural about separating the barbecue from the barbecue joint,” he writes.
Blood Bros. BBQ is one of Houston’s most buzzy barbecue joints thanks to its blending of Texas and Asian BBQ styles. Character Media dives into the story of the three friends behind the operation who get to hang out and smoke meat everyday.
If you’re looking for good barbecue in or around Palm Beach, Florida, Palm Beach Illustrated has a new list out of six barbecue joints that are bringing the heat in the area.
As the two largest cities in Missouri, Kansas City and St. Louis have a bit of a rivalry. But barbecue can hopefully help unite the two. Case in point, Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright recently stopped in for K.C. barbecue while playing the Royals, and had some “special” barbecue at L.C.’s.
Dayne’s Craft Barbecue in Fort Worth will return to Lola’s Trailer Park, where Dayne Weaver and Ashley Hays started their barbecue operation. The two were considering a brick-and-mortar location on West Berry Street, but are no longer.
If you want to find some of the most unique barbecue in Houston, the Houston Food Finder blog has you covered with its list of the nine best restaurants for creative Houston barbecue.
On a final note, Canes Country (the blog for the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team) released the results of their poll for the best barbecue in North Carolina. B’s Barbecue in Greenville, Lexington Barbecue in Lexington, and Pik ‘n Pig in Carthage were the top three.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Greg Rempe spoke to Meathead Goldwyn about some of the biggest barbecue trends today recently on The BBQ Central Show.
Watch: The BBQ Central Show - Interviews with Meathead Goldwyn, John Stage, and Emily Park
On a recent episode of The BBQ Central Show, host Greg Rempe interviews Meathead Goldwyn on new BBQ trends, barbecue e-classes, and much more. If you stick around, you can also see Greg speak to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que founder John Stage, and American Royal World Series of Barbecue Event Manager Emily Park. Watch here.
Listen: Carey Bringle of Peg Leg Porker - Communal Table
Carey Bringle developed his penchant for smoked pig pretty early on, following in the hoofprints of his uncle Bruce who competed in the first Memphis In May barbecue contest. He realized he could turn his passion into his profession, and opened up Peg Leg Porker (a nod to the limb he lost to cancer as a teenager). Bringle opened up about his path to the pit, how physical challenges inform his approach to hospitality, and how a busy restaurateur can keep the home fires burning. Listen to the episode here.
Read: Weber’s Ultimate Grilling: A Step-By-Step Guide to Barbecue Genius - by Jamie Purviance
From the experts at Weber, the must-have guide for total grill mastery, with 100 all-new recipes and more than 800 inspiring and instructive photos. Much more than just a recipe collection, Weber’s Ultimate Grilling is an entirely new take on grilling today, with every recipe step visually depicted in full-color photography. With these extensively tested recipes, anyone—from amateur to ace—can be a barbecue genius. Foundational recipes for popular grilled foods—steak, burgers, pork chops, ribs, chicken breasts and wings, and salmon fillets—are masterfully explained in this keepsake classroom-in-a-book. Order it here.
The Sister Cities Smokeout will bring some serious heat to Minnesota.
August 29-30: Sister Cities Smokeout - Moorhead, Minnesota
The Sister Cities Smokeout festival takes place on August 29-30 at Bluestem Meadow in Moorehead, Minnesota. This two day festival will include music from a variety of national and local artists, and award-winning pitmasters from Sugarfire Smokehouse, Ubon’s Barbeque, and Pappy’s Smokehouse will serve delicious mouth-watering barbecue. More info here.
August 30 - September 1: Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival - Bedford, Texas
You won’t want to miss out on three days of blues music, delicious barbecue, and more at the Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival. Come out on Friday night for a free-for-all with free admission and parking, presented by the Trinity Rivers Blues’ Society. Bring your appetite for exclusive tasting events all weekend, then stay for the eclectic musical lineup of blues legends and local Dallas-Fort Worth favorites. More info here.
September 6-8: Kentucky BBQ Festival - Danville, Kentucky
The Kentucky BBQ Festival will feature great food, live music, and a backyard barbecue competition. Top pitmasters that will be serving barbecue there include Leslie Roark, Amy and Mike Mills, Moe Cason, Carey Bringle, and Shelly Hunt. 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.
September 19-21: 2019 Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off - Murphysboro, Illinois
The Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-off is a unique dual cook contest sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network and the Kansas City Barbeque Society. The event will also include a steak cookoff and a bloody mary contest as well as a kids Que competition. More info here.
September 21: Smoked Dallas - Dallas, Texas
Join us for a Texas-sized food fest and backyard BBQ party in the heart of downtown Dallas at this event. Enjoy tastings from 20 of the most celebrated BBQ joints from all across Texas at the event, along with live music from Dale Watson, Straight Tequila Night, and The 40 Acre Mule. More info here.
September 27-29: 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 are back once again, including Peg Leg Porker, Ubons BBQ, The Shed Barbeque & Blues Joint, Sugarfire Smokehouse, and more. There will also be live music all three days. More info here.
September 29: Houston BBQ Throwdown 2019 - Houston, Texas
The Houston Barbecue Festival and Saint Arnold Brewing Company will throw the 5th annual Houston BBQ Throwdown on Sunday, September 29. It will feature 14 of Houston's best barbecue restaurants competing to create the next great barbecue dish that represents Houston-style barbecue, including Daddy Duncan's BBQ (2018 Judge's and People's Choice winner), Eddie O's Texas BBQ, Harlem Road Texas BBQ, Reveille Barbecue Co, Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue, and Victorian's Barbecue. More info here.
October 3-5: Firebox 3 BBQ On The Bluff Invitational - St. Simons Island, Georgia
The 3rd Annual BBQ on the Bluff Invitational takes place October 3-5, 2019 on St. Simons Island in Georgia. The festival is presented by Southern Soul BBQ and features some of the biggest names in barbecue from around the world. Proceeds benefit the Firebox Initiative. More info here.
October 5: Brew N’ Que - Perth, Western Australia
On Saturday, October 5th, the Brew N’ Que Festival will take place in Perth, Australia at the Ascot Racecourse. Experience the best in craft brew and barbecue. The event includes barbecue food vendors, craft beer, live music, cooking demos, competitions with national and international teams, Kids Q competition, classes from “BBQ Pitmasters” television celebrity Harry Soo, and the headline event with pitmaster Bill Dumas of The Switch in Dripping Springs, Texas. More info here.
October 6: Southern Smoke - Houston, Texas
An impressive lineup of pitmasters and chefs have been announced for the fifth annual Southern Smoke festival, which takes place on October 6 in Houston, Texas. Proceeds from the event will go towards the Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Fund and the National MS Society. More info here.
October 12: EGGtoberfest - Stone Mountain, Georgia
EGGtoberfest is a fun-filled, family-oriented celebration held each October for Big Green Egg fans. This event takes place on October 12 at Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia and features food from over 200 Big Green Eggs, demonstrations, music, and more. More info here.
See the full Smoke Sheet events calendar online here.
Mexican corn is a great side option for barbecue events.
Grilled Mexican Style Street Corn (Elote)
For the week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose this video from Sam the Cooking Guy for Grilled Mexican Style Street Corn, or Elote. Sam gives us four different options for flavor profiles for this dish, including cotija cheese, pesto, red/white/blue, and Hot Cheetos. View the recipe here.
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