Sunday, July 15, 2007

pied piper of barbecue

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There's not much that can pass for barbecue north of the Mason-Dixon line and even less in this part of the midwest. Here's an authentic entry into the barbecue world not far from my house.

I was driving down La Fox Road when I detected the aroma of hickory wood smoke - yep, I smelled the operation before it came into view. It's hard to miss Larry Hopper's custom made barbecue trailer - it's BIG RED. The truck's red too, as is Larry's shirt, which can only mean one thing - he's a Razorback fan. The farmer and I knew immediately that we were in for an awesome pulled pork sandwich. I know, I know, those of you from Houston or Kansas City will argue with me but my Tennessee and Florida panhandle roots proclaim and pulled pork is the grail of barbecue.

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Here's Larry himself, lifting the lid on his specially made, water-cooled smoker grill. I'm so hungry just looking at this image. Hopper's also serves the Texas variety of barbecue - beef brisket. Some Texans, relocated here during a company merger, have already sniffed out his operation and become good customers.

Within the next few months Larry and his crew will build out a storefront in Campton Center, the location of yesterdays farmer's market. He needs to work fast because I cna't imagine him cooking barbecue in our winter conditions.

UPDATE:
We stopped for barbecue on the way through Wasco on Sunday. The pulled pork wasn't quite ready yet so I made good on my promise to myself to try the brisket.

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I apologize to all the Texans, whose judgment I doubted. WOW - I think I'm a convert.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kansas City is supposed to be well known for its barbecue, or at least its kind of barbecue. I came here too late in my life to have acquired a taste for it (though I can still taste some barbecue I had as a boy in Kentucky). I'll eat it when offered, but I'm just not a big fan.

Anonymous said...

I live in Virginia now and have come to love North Carolina style barbeque. Is it anything like the Florida kind?

Always love your pictures, words and sentiments.

Marilyn : )

Lori said...

I prefer BBQ pork over beef any day.

Ah...I can taste it now!

Caffienated Cowgirl said...

Oh my! What a rig! I can only imagine how great that pulled pork was.

Ava said...

Wow! That looks pretty darned good to me!!!

Gerald (SK14) said...

I'm salivating just looking at the photo!