Barbecue’s Role in Politics Takes a Hit in 2020
With Election Day in the United States not far off, it might feel strange to ask, “Where’s the beef?” As in, why is barbecue — traditionally associated with political events and gatherings — not more prevalent in the political back and forth this year
Throughout American history, barbecue and politics . Presidents including George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Lyndon B. Johnson, George H.W. Bush, and Barack Obama all hosted barbecues in some form. Also, barbecue gatherings have been a staple of politics in Texas and in the South for generations, with candidates hoping to entice voters with free food.
A few weeks ago, Ryan and I about the revised version of his book Barbecue: The History of an American Institution. Moss pointed out how unusual it was for barbecue to not be in the news more during the latest election cycle.
“This year is the first election season where barbecue really hasn’t played a huge role,” Moss said. “From the very early days of the Republic, barbecues became part of political campaigns. It was how you gathered large groups together."
President Dwight Eisenhower and former President Herbert Hoover cook steaks on a grill in 1954. (Photo by Maurice Johnson/International News Photos)
While chatting, Ryan and I speculated with Moss about a few of the reasons barbecue had not been in the news, as it traditionally had been. First and foremost, the COVID-19 pandemic has canceled so many events this year that it’s not surprising so few barbecue gatherings have happened for political figures. Several well-established annual political barbecue events were canceled out of safety concerns. These cancelations included the Mallard Creek BBQ in Charlotte, NC (sometimes known as the “Grand Daddy of North Carolina BBQ’s”), which usually draws more than 20,000 people and attracts local and national politicians.
“Barbecue does lend itself to ordering and eating in small groups, but this timing doesn’t lend itself to having thousands of people coming together,” Moss said. “The Mallard Creek BBQ [usually happens] right before the election. Everyone is focused on the presidential election, but in North Carolina politics, that BBQ is huge if you want to run for local office. … But clearly, that is not going to fly in 2020. But hopefully, this is just paused until 2021 or 2022.”
The annual Mallard Creek BBQ is one of the most important NC barbecue political events, but it was canceled this year. (Photo by Monk / Barbecue Bros)
Secondly, at such a tense moment of increasing political polarization in the U.S. and businesses hurting from COVID-19 shutdowns, more barbecue business owners may be sitting this election cycle out. They’ve got to focus on keeping their businesses alive and try not to alienate customers with opposing views.
“I think there’s a fine line people are walking,” Moss said. “What you are seeing in the restaurant business now … is trying not to take stands on anything because things can get divisive. You don’t want to get half of your audience mad at you or boycott you. I haven’t seen much political discussion one way or the other with barbecue restaurants.”
There were a few notable exceptions where barbecue and national politics collided this political cycle:
North Carolina U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham confused grilling and barbecuing in a social media post. He was rightly roasted for the mistake.
During the Presidential primary, Senator Kamala Harris held an event at Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston, SC. Scott has received national acclaim for carrying on whole hog barbecue traditions.
It’s certainly possible there were other occurrences where barbecue events or restaurants intersected with national political figures, but it’s true that overall few blurbs have broken through in the past year.
One of the few times barbecue intersected with national politics recently was when Kamala Harris visited Rodney Scott’s BBQ prior to COVID-19. (Photo via Rodney Scott’s BBQ / Facebook)
While politics and barbecue will always be linked, many barbecue fans I know (including myself) appreciate that barbecue can also be a vehicle to bring people together. There are many amazing barbecue and food events I’ve attended where I explicitly don’t talk politics because the focus should be on the smoked meats, drinks, and camaraderie.
Regardless of how you lean, we hope you’re able to get out and vote safely this election season. And please don’t tell me how you voted.
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ)
Co-Founder, The Smoke Sheet
—Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ joint Hays Co. Bar-B-Que in San Marcos, Texas is currently listed for sale.—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que, a Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ joint in San Marcos, was recently listed on the real estate market. Owners Michael and Asenette Hernandez are moving in a different direction but will continue to operate the popular restaurant while it is for sale. READ HERE
The Barbecue Festival, an annual celebration of barbecue in Lexington, North Carolina, will take place in a different form this year. The 37th Annual event was expected to draw more than 125,000 people but was canceled due to COVID-19 crowd restrictions. However, the festival staff will practice safe, social distancing while holding a series of smaller events called Lift Up Lexington on October 24th. READ HERE
The pandemic has taken its toll on barbecue restaurants in cities across the nation and Charlotte, North Carolina is no exception. Spots such as Bill Spoon’s, Art’s BBQ & Deli, and Queen City Q have all closed. In the Charlotte Observer, Kathleen Purvis recently wrote about five great Charlotte spots where you can still find delicious barbecue, including Jon G’s Barbecue and Sweet Lew’s. "No category of restaurant is doing all that well right now. But in Charlotte, we seem to be having a particularly rough time with barbecue disappearing in a puff of smoke. Even the Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church barbecue has been canceled – and it’s an election year," Purvis writes. READ HERE
A data breach at more than 100 locations of Dickey’s Barbeque recently took place, resulting in over 3 million credit cards being compromised. The credit cards were used at various Dickey’s locations over the past 13-15 months. According to Q6Cyber CEO Eli Dominitz, impacted financial institutions “have already seen a significant amount of fraud related to these cards.” READ HERE
ADDITIONAL READS
The much-anticipated Dallas location of Heim Barbecue is set to open this week on Mockingbird Lane.
J.C. Reid tackled the history of brisket in Houston for the Houston Chronicle.
Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque, one of the oldest barbecue restaurants in North Carolina, recently re-opened for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.
Columbia, SC barbecue maverick Scott Hall lost his barbecue restaurant due to COVID-19 but he ‘is back in his element as a caterer.’
The team behind a popular barbecue spot The Redneck BBQ Lab in Raleigh will soon open a second joint called The BBQ Lab.
The Hot Mess in Albuquerque excels at South Carolina-style barbecue and sides.
Don’t skip the chicken fried spare ribs at the Phoenix barbecue spot Freddy’s Backdoor BBQ.
—Pitmaster Roy Perez of Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas was a recent guest on Kevin’s BBQ Joints.—
WATCH
Roy Perez of Kreuz Market — Kevin’s BBQ Joints
In this episode, host Kevin Kelly chats with Roy Perez from Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas. This is a great conversation that spans the history of Kreuz, Roy's history before Kreuz, and more. They talk about how hard he works, how much he appreciates his job, and how he works through pain to show up every day for a job that he loves for the customers and fans that visit. They also talk for a good amount of time about Elvis Presley and what his two favorite Elvis songs are. Roy discusses how he has always been really reserved but has gotten stronger and better at dealing with strangers because of Kreuz. He also talks about Kreuz Market in-depth, including the food, the experience, and what his favorite thing to order is. WATCH HERE
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The Origin Story of Meathead (Amazingribs.com) — The BBQ Central Show
The host of The BBQ Central Show Greg Rempe continues his exploration of the barbecue “Origin Stories” of his guests, this time with Meathead Goldwyn of the Amazingribs.com website. Certainly, barbecue enthusiasts know some pieces of Meathead’s live-fire past, but in this episode, they dive all the way back into his past to see how Meathead was actually molded into the icon he is today. Prepare to be wowed as he recounts his first taste of BBQ, how he could have been “Fishhead” vs. “Meathead” and how Amazingribs.com was actually born and then fostered into the juggernaut it is today. LISTEN HERE
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From health and nutrition writer, podcast host, and self-proclaimed health nerd Ashleigh VanHouten, comes this entertaining and user-friendly guide to enjoying some of the more adventurous parts of the animal, as well as understanding the value of whole-animal cooking. Enjoy 75 delicious and uncomplicated recipes sourced from an enthusiastic advocate of nose-to-tail, ancestrally inspired eating who does not have a background in cooking or organ meats. Ashleigh has also enlisted the help of some of her chef friends who are known for their beautiful preparations of nose-to-tail dishes to ensure that her recipes nourish and satisfy both your body and your palate. BUY IT HERE
—You can make delicious, flaky fish on the grill if you follow these tips from The Dawgfatha’s BBQ.—
How to Cook Fish on the Grill Without Sticking
By The Dawgfatha's BBQ
For this week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose this YouTube video from The Dawgfatha’s BBQ. Host Alton shows you how to cook fish on the grill without sticking. He cooks whole tilapia that he got from his local Costco for a light and fresh cook outside on the grill. He first seasons up the fish with Victory Lane garlic jalapeno season all as well as Sweet Smokie Joe's fish and seafood seasoning. The result is a flaky, light grilled dish that does not stick to the grill.
—Many of the largest barbecue events of 2020 have been canceled or postponed.—
In light of the constantly changing coronavirus crisis, we are leaving our events section blank for some time. Many events in 2020 have been canceled or postponed thus far. We’ll be updating our events section on our website with the most up-to-date information as we have it.
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