The Road Ahead After 250 Issues of Chronicling the BBQ World

The Smoke Sheet will soon turn into a paid subscription newsletter.

Today we celebrate 250 issues of bringing you The Smoke Sheet, a love letter to the vast and delicious world of barbecue.

Bringing you the newsletter every week without interruption for almost five years has not been easy. This has been a passion project through and through. Between the two of us, we’ve experienced a lot of personal highs and lows alongside writing and curating the newsletter, including a battle with cancer, a marriage (at a barbecue joint!), and the birth of Sean’s first child.

We love the barbecue community — attending events and visiting restaurants around the country has produced incredible memories and forged friendships in fire. It has been our pleasure to bring you dispatches, but we do need to make some changes to keep the lights on.

Next week, The Smoke Sheet will turn into a paid subscription newsletter. During this shift, we will be iterating and experimenting to bring the best collection of features, news, recipes, and more to our subscribers. We will be moving away from Mailchimp to Substack in order to make subscribing easy. The cost will be $4.99 monthly, or roughly $1.25 an issue. It’s less than a large cold brew from Dunkin’ or Starbucks. Next week, you'll start receiving a free preview of the issue, and then you'll have the option to subscribe.

Subscribing will make it easier to fund cost-prohibitive travel and bring more writers from around the country to your inbox. Paid subscribers will also have access to future perks such as a monthly online happy hour, in-person meetups, and your name featured in The Smoke Sheet as a supporter. And, of course, you could always be a paid subscriber just to show your support!

Thank you so much to our readers who have made this journey so fun and so rewarding. We hope to keep the newsletter fresh and exciting as we evolve. Less low and slow and more hot and fast, as many of you know well. Let’s go!

Sean Ludwig and Ryan Cooper
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet

—Houston’s J-Bar-M Barbecue was named one of the best new BBQ joints in Texas by Texas Monthly. (Photo by Wai Chan)—

HOT OFF THE PRESS

This week, Texas Monthly released the list of the 25 best new (and improved) BBQ joints in Texas. The Innovative spots from across the Lone Star State highlight the diversity of the Texas barbecue scene. The list also continues the trend of highlighting small-town joints and increasing representation from farther-flung parts of the state that was seen in the most recent Texas Monthly Top 50 list published in 2021. Daniel Vaughn writes, “Thanks to ingredients and preparation methods from a medley of culinary traditions, we’re now blessed with dishes such as za’atar-spiced lamb, berbere-seasoned pork ribs, and brisket fried rice. It’s a glorious time to eat Texas barbecue.” READ MORE.

Memphis city leaders have issued a hefty bill for damages to the newly renovated Tom Lee Park from this year’s Memphis in May event. The price tag totals an astounding $1.4 million, which is up from “50-some-odd thousand” dollars from past events, according to Councilman Martavius Jones. According to WREG, the park’s lawns, landscapes, pathways, and irrigation system sustained significant damage during the event. READ MORE.

Last week, contestants were announced for the 2023 Jack Daniel’s World Invitational BBQ, which will be held October 13-14th in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Competitors in the event will include friends of The Smoke Sheet Porky Butts BBQ from Omaha, Nebraska and Smoke ‘N Magic BBQ from Grain Valley, Missouri, and many more. READ MORE.

ADDITIONAL READS

Famed North Carolina BBQ joint Bunn’s Barbecue has closed after 85 years in business.

Nearly everything has improved at Brix Barbecue in Fort Worth, making it the best new spot in town, writes Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn. 

Here are 19 ways to make the most of your barbecue leftovers, according to Epicurious.

Move over, offset pits: rotisserie smokers are cool once again, according to Daniel Vaughn.

A story from the Los Angeles Times explains how L.A. pitmasters face a ‘once-in-a-generation’ pork price crisis as California’s Proposition 12 takes effect.

—Texas Eats stops by Eaker Barbeque in Fredericksburg to try the Korean-inspired food from pitmaster Lance Eaker and his wife Boo. (Photo by Ryan Cooper)—

WATCH

Eaker Barbeque in Fredericksburg — Texas Eats
In this episode of Texas Eats, host David Elder samples the Korean-inspired Texas BBQ at Eaker Barbeque in Fredericksburg. Pitmaster Lance Eaker shares the story of how his passion for backyard barbecue led to him opening a food truck and then a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Eaker describes the unique dishes he and his wife offer, including Gochujang Ribs, Kimchi Rice, Korean Cucumber Salad, and more. WATCH HERE.
 

LISTEN

BBQ USA Host Michael Symon and Competition G.O.A.T. Darren Warth — The BBQ Central Show
During this episode of The BBQ Central Show, celebrity chef Michael Symon talks about his popular BBQ USA TV show, where he travels the country to showcase different BBQ competitions and the teams that compete in them. Symon discusses the show, how it all came together and what we can expect for the rest of the season, and the positives and negatives of the current competition scene. Next, Darren Warth from Smokey D's BBQ in Iowa joins the show. Warth discusses making it into the BBQ Hall of Fame class of 2023, whether he even cares about it, what his competition schedule looks like for the balance of the year, and his new podcast, Que The Mic. LISTEN HERE.
 

READ

The Open Fire Cookbook: Over 100 Rustic Recipes for Outdoor Cooking — The Coastal Kitchen
Whether you’re setting up a firepit for a backyard barbecue or going on a camping trip, this book suits all of your outdoor cooking needs. Go back to the basics with chapters dedicated to meat, seafood, vegetables, sides, and more. There is something here for all appetites. Become a fire master as you learn about building a home firepit, fire safety, outdoor cooking essentials, and next-level techniques for cooking over open flames. These bold recipes will bring any meal to life, no matter where you are. Gather your friends and family around the fire for your next meal with The Open Fire Cookbook. ORDER HERE.

—Savory, umami flavor is literally oozing from these mushroom duxelles burgers. (Photo by Lauren Nagel)—

Mushroom Duxelles Burger Recipe

By Bon Appeteach

Every detail of this recipe from Lauren Nagel of Bon Appeteach simply takes the burger-eating experience to the next level. Juicy Raikes Beef Co. American Wagyu beef patties are topped with a buttery mushroom duxelles mixture and then topped with a tangy and savory blue cheese cream sauce that is absolutely to die for. Don’t forget to toast your buns, too, and you will have yourself the perfect burger!

—There are a lot of exciting BBQ events happening this summer and fall.—

August 19, 2023: Blues BBQ Festival 2023 — Manhattan, New York
Get ready for a fun music and food festival in Manhattan. The Blues BBQ Festival returns to Hudson River Park’s Pier 76 on Saturday, August 19. This free, day-long music festival invites exceptional blues artists to perform on our stage. Come for a Saturday filled with great food, great company, and great music. BBQ is typically available from multiple vendors throughout the fest. MORE INFO HERE.

Sept 1-3, 2023: Pinehurst Barbecue Festival — Pinehurst, North Carolina
The Pinehurst Barbecue Festival is a celebration of taste and tradition, featuring award-winning pitmasters from across North Carolina in one of the most picturesque settings in the entire state. Presented by Pinehurst Resort, US Foods, and Our State Magazine, the three-day festival, staged in the Village of Pinehurst, offers a unique culinary experience of various barbecue meats, seafood, and traditional sides, plus bourbon tasting and BBQ classes. MORE INFO HERE.

September 4-7, 2023: Barbecue University 2023 — Solvang, California
BBQ master Steven Raichlen will once again be hosting Barbecue University this year. This time, it will be held at Alisal Ranch in Solvang, California. You'll get a chance to experience Steven’s inimitable teaching style designed to help you take your grilling to the next level and much more. Get ready for Steven’s spontaneous improvisations, the Instagram-worthy presentation table, the final exam, and of course, the coveted Barbecue University diploma. MORE INFO HERE.

September 9, 2023: Pig Island — Staten Island, New York
Back for its 14th year, Pig Island NYC is returning to Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens on Staten Island for its third year in a row. More than 20 chefs will come together for this pork-laden festival and compete to see who has the most delicious dish. There will also be craft beer, hard cider, spirits, and other food offerings. BUY TICKETS HERE.

Sept 27 - Oct 1, 2023: American Royal World Series of Barbecue — Kansas City, Kansas
The American Royal World Series of barbecue is the largest BBQ competition in the country. On top of a massive KCBS competition with roughly 500 teams, this signature Kansas City event includes public-facing activities, including live music, delicious BBQ and local food, a lineup of kids activities, and a vendor fair authentic to Kansas City and BBQ enthusiasts. MORE INFO HERE.

November 11, 2023: Holy Smokes: A Lowcountry Barbecue Festival — Charleston, South Carolina
Holy Smokes BBQ Fest will be returning for its 3rd annual event with over 40 of the country's most renowned pitmasters and chefs gathering once again in North Charleston to celebrate the culture, history and traditions of American barbecue. MORE INFO HERE.

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