Learning from the Best at BBQ 101 Class
Attendees of Hoodoo Brown’s BBQ 101 class this past weekend pose for a quick photo. (Photo by Kelly Mead / Hoodoo Brown BBQ)
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This past weekend, I finally made the trek out to Ridgefield, Connecticut to visit Hoodoo Brown BBQ, one of the Northeast’s best BBQ joints. I’ve been meaning to go out for a while, as I’ve had great food from Hoodoo Brown at barbecue events in NYC and Chicago. But I’ve never had it at the home restaurant.
So when the owners invited me recently to check out the Hoodoo's popular BBQ 101 class, I couldn’t resist. Hoodoo Brown has offered BBQ 101 classes since July 2019, and I was honored to be part of class number nine. The class is a fairly unique offering and nothing like it (to my knowledge) is available elsewhere in the Northeastern U.S.
We learned to trim briskets just like the pros at BBQ 101. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
The class runs for four hours starting at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning. I have a hard time getting up early on any day of the week, but I was out of bed easily last Sunday and excited to get some hands-on time with this barbecue.
During the four-hour class, attendees learn how to prepare and smoke beef brisket, pork spare ribs, and pulled pork shoulder. Plus, you also get to ask any question you can think of during the class, including about smokers, grills, meat quality, meat cutting, wood, the restaurant business, and more.
The class has stayed mostly the same since its inception last year, but the instructors have continued to refine what is discussed based on questions asked in previous classes. For example, Hoodoo Brown owner Cody Sperry encourages more conversation about home smokers and grilling equipment that attendees use.
During the class, I especially enjoyed trimming the brisket, spare ribs, and pork shoulders and then learning how to apply house-made rub to each cut of meat. The meat that the class cuts and seasoned is actually used later at the restaurant at a later date.
During BBQ 101, you learn how to smoke brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. (Photo by Chris Sexton / Hoodoo Brown BBQ)
Another fun part was learning how the different smokers at the restaurant run and how the staff wraps meat, which is different for nearly every BBQ joint out there. Hoodoo Brown added a 1,000-gallon smoker from Austin’s Moberg Smokers last August and you can see the behemoth outside the front of their restaurant. Watching how they manage meats on the Moberg smoker was instructive and helpful.
Finally, the part that everyone was waiting for by the end of the class is trying the delicious barbecue. You’re hungry when it’s 11:40 a.m. and you’ve been in BBQ class all day. When the class was nearly over, staffers brought out brisket, pulled pork, and spare ribs. They carefully showed attendees how they cut and slice each style of meat and then you get to pig out.
The brisket we ate at Hoodoo Brown's BBQ 101 class was fantastic. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
I did some additional pigging out by sticking around after the class and sampling some smoked turkey, fries, and mac and cheese at the bar. One thing that was clearly apparent about the packed restaurant was that if you want to eat there, you need to go when it opens if you want to get in. I’ll have to come back and try more menu items, but everything I tried was outstanding, especially the spare ribs, brisket, and turkey.
If you’re a BBQ lover and want to learn how to make top-notch barbecue in person, I would highly recommend signing up for BBQ 101.
All remaining classes for this season are sold out, but Hoodoo Brown will announce its next set of classes in May, just in time for Father’s Day. Keep an eye on the joint’s Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter channels for those announcements. The joint is also exploring the idea of hosting a BBQ 201 class down the road for people who loved 101 or for those coming in with barbecue experience and want to take it to the next level.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
Here are the top BBQ (and related) food news stories you need to know about this week:
The executive chef at Red Hook Tavern, which is known for its incredible burger, departed recently. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Executive Chef Allison Plumer has left Red Hook Tavern less than a year after opening, Eater NY reports. Red Hook Tavern, opened by Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que fame in July 2019, is well-known for its Peter Luger-inspired burger. Johann Cottier, who has been a chef at Red Hook Tavern since its opening, is taking over as executive chef.
Speaking of places to get a good burger in NYC, The Spotted Pig in the West Village has officially closed after a tumultuous past few years. Allegations of sexual misconduct had been leveled against Ken Friedman, the restaurant’s primary owner, and in the past few weeks, Friedman reached a financial settlement with 11 former employees. The Spotted Pig opened in 2004 and was regularly included on lists of the “best burgers in New York City.”
Pig Beach NYC in Brooklyn will be opening its second location in Long Island City, Queens in the spring. Small details have been leaking about the new spot for months, but the LIC Post has written a nice summary of what we know so far. (I’ll have even more details on the space as soon as the opening date is finalized.)
Thomas Perone, aka The Pig Guy, announced that he will be taking over the kitchen at Atwood NY in Midtown in February. Perone won the top prize at last year’s Pig Island event in Brooklyn.
Dang BBQ, a Long Island-based barbecue joint, has opened a second location in Seaford, New York. Newsday reports Dang BBQ has taken over the space that was previously the “Seaford Palace Diner from the '90s until late last year.”
Just in time for the Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Inquirer has released a list of the best wings in Philly. The list includes Mike’s BBQ, Henri’s Hotts Barbeque, Sweet Lucy’s Smoke House, and Moriarty’s Irish Pub and Restaurant.
After 94 years in business, Stookey’s Famous Bar-B-Que in West Nanticoke, Penn. (about two hours east of NYC) is currently up for sale, according to the Times Leader. The 4,000 square-foot property is listed for sale at the price of $465,000. The listing invites buyers to “Continue the tradition.”
IRL BBQ
Here are the top BBQ (and related) food events coming soon to the New York metro area:
Hill Country Barbecue Market is hosting a weird and wild musical through February 11.
January 26 - February 11, 2020: A musical called Das Barbecü is currently being performed at Hill Country Barbecue Market in Manhattan through February 11. The performance, a reimagining of Wagner’s Ring Cycle that takes place in Texas, is a musical farce about mismatched lovers who meet during a double shotgun wedding. Five actors play more than 30 characters. This is the first full production to be performed in the lower-level music space of Hill Country Barbecue. Naturally, BBQ will be served during the show. Read a full preview here. More info here.
Friday, January 31, 2020: If you like bourbon and whiskey, you won't want to miss the Jersey City Whiskey Fest, which will feature over 100 styles of whiskey and spirits. Ticket holders are able to try their favorite as well as new spirits. Taste an outstanding selection of whiskies and even a variety of craft spirits ranging from the Kentucky bourbons to Mexican tequila to Russian vodka and more. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, February 22, 2020: Sink your teeth into the best charcuterie — sausages, patés, hams, salumi, and more — at the fifth annual Charcuterie Masters in Queens. Enjoy unlimited tasting of more than 60 varieties of charcuterie, dishes from NJ Ham Master Rodrigo Duarte Chef, Pitmaster Josh Bowen of John Brown Smokehouse, Anastacia Song of American Cut, and Chef Hugue Dufour of M. Wells Steakhouse. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, February 29, 2020: Food Karma Projects, the team behind Brisket King and Pig Island, is premiering a new, original food festival in late February called Bowl of ‘Zole in Brooklyn. The event will focus on pozole and mezcal, and is curated by Arik Torren (owner of Fidencio Mezcal) and Danny Mena (chef, restaurant owner, and cookbook author.) There will be 9 pozoles and 50 mezcals to try, plus other goodies. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, February 29, 2020: Celebrate Texas Independence Day with the Texas Exes NYC at HIll Country BBQ Market. The Texas Exes NYC group will be hosting a Texas-sized celebration in NYC at Hill Country. Tickets cost just $10. Come early to get your free Shiner or Tito's and take advantage of specials on drinks and food on our specially crafted menu just for Texas Independence Day. More info here.
Saturday, April 11, 2020: Don't miss the 2020 NYC Bacon and Beer Classic in April. The event, at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint, will turn into a foodie paradise filled with decadent bacon dishes, free-flowing craft beer, and games. Cheer on NYC's fiercest foodies as they go head to head in the Hormel Black Label Bacon Eating Contest, challenge your friends in cornhole, ride a bacon seesaw, and more. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, April 18, 2020: Mark your calendars for the Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit 2020 at Pig Beach. Following the successful 2019 version of the event, this will feature many of the top pitmasters from around the country at Pig Beach in Brooklyn. Read about the 2019 edition of the Jeff Michner BBQ benefit here and this listing will be updated when tickets are officially available.
April 18 - 19, 2020: The 8th Annual Hot Sauce Expo NYC will be back for two days in 2020. The event will be held at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint and features tons of hot sauce samples, barbecue and beer to purchase, fun on-stage events, and more. Buy tickets here.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020: If you love brisket, you won’t want to miss Brisket King 2020 in April. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their best takes on brisket, pastrami, and more. Early bird ticket sales are available now, so get them before prices go up! Read about the last edition of Brisket King to get a better sense of the event. More info here.
Looking for more events? Check out the full NYC BBQ calendar here.
SAY HELLO
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