Get ready for Christmas with these 3 BBQ tips (plus top news, events, & more)
With Christmas and the holidays fast approaching, now’s the time when things start to slow down and we have time to reflect on the year. In 2019, we did a lot and we’re continually thankful for your support through ups, downs, and everything in between.
This time of year is also one of your best chances for cooking recipes and smoking delicious meats. With that in mind, here are three BBQ tips to help you get ready for Christmas.
Add some extra flavor to your standard ham with smoke.
Smoke your Christmas ham
Along with Easter, Christmas is one of the most popular holidays for ham. It has been a holiday staple for hundreds (if not thousands) of years, and it can be prepared many different ways. If you want to take your ham to the next level, we suggest throwing it in the smoker to give it more flavor. Malcom Reed of How to BBQ Right recommends getting a Duroc Ham, smoking it with cherry wood for a few hours, and then glaze it. Watch how Reed smokes maple glazed whole ham in this video.
Try out some new spices to your mix during the holidays.
Change up flavor profiles on traditional meats
As family and friend gatherings are typically larger than usual during the holidays, this gives you extra incentive to try something different to surprise and delight your guests. To do this, you may want to experiment with spice mixes and flavor profiles that will wow everyone who tries your meats. For example, Chef Tom Jackson of All Things BBQ has shared recipes for brisket that subtly change its flavors, including Holiday Brisket with Savory Flavors and an Umami Brisket Bomb.
Do as much as you can before Christmas Day.
Prepare dishes in advance
One thing we can’t stress enough is to do as much prep work as you can before Christmas Day. When the big day comes, you should focus your efforts on your main course like smoked, fried, or roasted meats. When it comes to sides, you can actually make several of them on Christmas Eve and then warm them up in the oven to help you keep your focus on your main dish and serving your guests. Jo Cooks has a nice collection of 15 make-ahead holiday side dishes that you should take a look at for inspiration. Gordon Ramsay has a video of how to make a delicious-looking pork, apricot and pistachio stuffing that you can make the night before as well.
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
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:
A new late-night taqueria from Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth will open soon.
Fort Worth’s Panther City BBQ, as one of our top meals of 2019, have announced plans to open a spinoff with a new concept called La Pantera Tacos Y Mas. The late night taqueria will serve street-style tacos made using smoked meats from Panther City and will occupy the same space as the barbecue restaurant.
According to Post and Courier’s Hanna Raskin, pitmaster Anthony DiBernardo has bought out his partners, taking full ownership of popular Charleston barbecue joint Swig & Swine.
Visitors from around the world flock to the tiny town of Brownsville, Tennessee for a taste of Helen’s Bar-B-Q. The Jackson Sun recently profiled pitmaster and owner Helen Turner, who said, “What makes me want to get up every morning is that I have customers that depend on me.” (Read about our own visit with Helen here.)
Ten Houston barbecue joints landed on Alison Cook’s 2019 Top 100 list of restaurants for the Houston Chronicle. The list features some of our favorites, such as Truth Barbeque, Corkscrew BBQ, Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue, and Blood Bros. BBQ.
Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn visited Davila’s BBQ in Seguin and raved about the smoked and seared “brisket-on-brisket burger.” Sadly the restaurant’s founder Geronima Davila passed away last week at the age of 97.
The Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid writes that Kortex Barbecue is “one of the more fascinating Houston barbecue pop-up restaurants in recent memory” because it merges Korean cuisine with Central Texas-style barbecue.
Forbes contributor Leslie Kelly recently went searching for the best tri-tip barbecue in California’s Paso Robles wine country, finding that the area’s signature cut of beef pairs perfectly with the region’s bold wines.
Texas barbecue chain Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is expanding to Africa next year with a new location opening in Cairo, Egypt.
Iconic Memphis barbecue staple Charlie Vergos Rendezvous has partnered with a Dyersburg company to create the new Tigertail Sweet Glazed Mustard using their tangy Famous Rendezvous seasoning. The new condiment is available at the restaurant and on their online web store.
New York-based restaurant group Mighty Quinn’s is going green, partnering with SeaStraws to provide customers with compostable straws for a more eco-friendly dining experience.
In a humorous ESPN clip, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce credits barbecue with his success on the field, saying he is able to slip past defenders because “Kansas City barbecue leaks through my pores.”
North Carolina’s iconic Redneck BBQ Lab is opening a second location at the new 15,000-square-foot Old North State Food Hall in Johnston County.
Several good and great barbecue joints have closed their doors recently. These include:
The Granary closed in San Antonio in November, and Daniel Vaughn of Texas Monthly writes that the restaurant influenced many other BBQ joints.
New Zion Missionary Baptist Church’s Barbecue in Huntsville, one of the oldest and most storied barbecue joints in Texas, closed in November after more than 50 years in business, writes J.C. Reid of the Houston Chronicle.
HQ Prime Beer Garden in Dallas closed a few weeks ago. Dallasites likely remember the joint by its previous name Red Hot & Blue Barbeque, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Celebrity-backed Houston barbecue restaurant International Smoke closed in December. The restaurant had come to life by chef Michael Mina and lifestyle guru Ayesha Curry, reports CultureMap Houston.
Atlanta barbecue restaurant Smoke Ring has closed after six years on Nelson Street. The owners may plan to replace it with a different barbecue restaurant but that’s not confirmed as of yet, Eater Atlanta reports.
Finally, in a barbecue headline pulled straight from a television crime series, police in Cleveland County, North Carolina found millions of dollars in cash stashed inside of barrels containing raw pork shoulders.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
BBQ&A host Robby Melvin visits with Peg Leg Porker’s Carey Bringle.
Watch: Nashville's Peg Leg Porker Makes West Tennessee Ribs in an Aquarium Pit — BBQ&A
Nashville Pitmaster Carey Bringle of Peg Leg Porker shows host Robby Melvin how he makes traditional West Tennessee dry rub ribs in an aquarium pit and shares how Peg Leg Porker got its name. Bringle also talks about maintaining the right temperature and the wood he uses, plus the one ingredient he adds to smoke his true West Tennessee dry rub ribs. Watch here.
Listen: Travis Clark of Clark Crew BBQ — Tailgate Guys Radio
Travis Clark of Clark Crew BBQ has been one of competition barbecue’s iconic pitmasters since jumping into competition barbecue six years ago, but one championship had always eluded him. That is until Clark cemented his status as one of the all-time greats with his Grand Championship win at the Jack Daniels World Invitational BBQ Championship in Lynchburg, Tennessee in October. Hosts Lyndal and Steve visit with him about his landmark win, plus the new Clark Crew BBQ Restaurant in Oklahoma City, which recently opened. Listen to the episode here.
Read: The Bourbon Bible — by Eric Zandona
Bourbon is booming, and this guide will teach you all you need to know about America's favorite spirit. Eric Zandona — spirits specialist at the American Distilling Institute — explores 100 of the finest bourbons in the world, from the big-name classics to tiny craft distilleries, with flavor profiles and recommendations for the best way to drink each one. Also featuring recipes for 20 classic bourbon cocktails, as well as chapters on the history of bourbon, how the drink is made and the key things you need to understand when buying a bottle, The Bourbon Bible is the ultimate guide to the ultimate drink. Buy it here.
If you’re in or around Austin, don’t miss Stiles Switch BBQ’s uniquely delicious holiday specials event.
December 10-22: Stiles Switch’s 12 Days of Smoked Meats 2019 — Austin, Texas
Stiles Switch BBQ hosts a yearly event where they have 12 days of mouth-watering specials around the holidays. Each day they do a crazy special and sometimes bring in guest pitmasters and chefs to help. This year’s menu features smoked chicken fried beef rib, smoked duck confit, brisket meatloaf, smoked tomahawk ribeye, pulled pork tortas, and more. More info here.
December 27-28: 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.
January 1: Fired Up Florida Kosher BBQ Battle — 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 17-18: Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge — Bullhead City, Arizona
The 6th annual Slab-O-Rama is a large KCBS-sanctioned competition that will invite teams to compete in eight categories over two days. Outside of the competition, there will be something for everyone including a winter beer garden, vendors, live music, line dancing, a Bloody Mary bar, and more. More info here.
January 18: Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival — Brooklyn, New York
The 10th Annual Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival is leaving Manhattan after a decade and heading to Brooklyn. A ticket buys you access to tasting great local barbecue from NYC, hot sauce samples, and tons of spirits and craft beers. The event’s signature “Beast Cage” will be back too with exotic smoked meats, including alligator, lamb, bison, longhorn rounds, and much more. The Smoke Sheet’s Sean Ludwig will be at the event, so if you go, be sure to say hello. More info here.
February 27-29, 2020: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Bar-B-Que Contest — Houston, Texas
More than 250 teams, led by barbecue aficionados, compete in the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. While most team tents are invitation-only, visitors can enjoy several public venues, including The Garden, Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon, and the Chuck Wagon. Activities include live music, rides, games, and more and visitors will receive a complimentary sliced brisket plate with chips and beans. More info here.
March 4-8, 2020: Charleston Food and Wine Festival — Charleston, South Carolina
The Charleston Wine + Food infuses homegrown flavor with top chefs, winemakers, authors, storytellers, artisans, and food enthusiasts from around the globe for a five-day event that spans the first full weekend each March. More info here.
March 27-28, 2020: Hogs for the Cause — New Orleans, Louisiana
Hogs for the Cause returns as the largest, tastiest BBQ festival in New Orleans. The city welcomes numerous local and regional BBQ masters and the best backyard chefs to compete in seven categories: Whole Hog, Ribs, Pork Butt/Shoulder, Porkpourri, Sauce, Fan Favorite, and Fundraising Champion. The barbecue festival is a two-day event full of music, local beer, and fundraising. More info here.
See the full Smoke Sheet events calendar online here.
Check out this tasty recipe for Leg of Lamb from BBQ with Rik Rik.
Leg of Lamb by BBQ with Rik Rik
For this week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose this recipe from the BBQ with Rik Rik YouTube channel for Leg of Lamb. Host Tarik picked up a 5.7 lb leg of lamb and seasons it with “Mafia Had a Little Lamb” from Australia’s Barbecue Mafia. He smokes the lamb on his Weber Smoky Mountain using Jealous Devil charcoal and cherry wood chunks. Stay tuned for more special recipes from BBQ with Rik Rik in future issues. View the recipe here.
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