Showing posts with label Virginia BBQ Companies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virginia BBQ Companies. Show all posts
September 4, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ Wins the Taste of Del Ray 2009 Peoples Choice Award
We are proud to announce that last night Pork Barrel BBQ won the Del Ray Business Association's Taste of Del Ray People's Choice Award. The Taste of Del Ray brings restaurants throughout the Del Ray Neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia, together to provide samples of their food - we gave out over 400 servings of our award winning pulled pork sandwiches and Mango Mike's bourbon bread pudding. The Pork Barrel BBQ Restaurant is currently under construction and will open next spring on Mt. Vernon Avenue next to St. Elmo's Coffee Pub and The Dairy Godmother.
We'd like to give special thanks to the Del Ray Business Association and Gayle Reuter for hosting such a great evening, Mary Abraham and Eric Reid of Del Merei Grill for organizing the event, Christie Hart and Executive Chef Will Artley from the Evening Star Cafe for showing us the ropes (this was their 11th year!), and Sheriff Dana Lawhorne for keeping us all safe (see below)!
Mango Mike Anderson and Heath Hall survey the line outside the Pork Barrel BBQ booth!
August 3, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ Passes 15,000 Followers on Twitter
We're proud of many of our accomplishments at Pork Barrel BBQ, but one that sticks out to us is the success we've had on Twitter. In the 5 months we've been on Twitter we've been able to build a loyal following and are proud to announce that we've passed 15,000 followers and are well on our way to 16,000. If you're not following us on Twitter please go to http://twitter.com/porkbarrelbbq and follow us. We post a lot of our breaking news on Twitter first and frequent coupons for discounts on our products.
August 2, 2009
Heath, how did you get into BBQ?
Since Brett and I started Pork Barrel BBQ I've been asked dozens of times by friends, family and customers how I got into BBQ and why I decided to turn my love for it into a business venture. Although there are a number of reasons that influenced my decision, none was as big of an influence as my dad, Rex Hall.
I've posted before on how important his love of the grill was and how much it has influenced me and helped get me to where I am today. Growing up my dad was like the postal delivery man of the grill - rain, sleet, snow, hail, sun, fog, hot, cold it didn't matter, winter, spring, summer and fall he was outside grilling up chicken, ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, quail, corn, potatoes and just about anything else that can be grilled for our family meal.
So the most complete answer to how I got into BBQ and decided to turn my love for it into a business is because of my dad, a great teacher of many lessons to me. He taught me how to BBQ - from lighting a fire to seasoning meat. He, along with my mom, taught me that no star was out of my reach if I wanted to hold it in my hand - all I had to do was reach for it and work hard. They taught me the importance of doing whatever you are doing to the best of your ability - no one can ask more if you do your best. They also taught me about the importance of integrity, honesty and good communication - all traits we promise to bring to Pork Barrel BBQ on a daily basis.
Dad, thanks for sharing one of your passions with me because without your guidance and lessons there would be no Pork Barrel BBQ today.
I've posted before on how important his love of the grill was and how much it has influenced me and helped get me to where I am today. Growing up my dad was like the postal delivery man of the grill - rain, sleet, snow, hail, sun, fog, hot, cold it didn't matter, winter, spring, summer and fall he was outside grilling up chicken, ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, quail, corn, potatoes and just about anything else that can be grilled for our family meal.
So the most complete answer to how I got into BBQ and decided to turn my love for it into a business is because of my dad, a great teacher of many lessons to me. He taught me how to BBQ - from lighting a fire to seasoning meat. He, along with my mom, taught me that no star was out of my reach if I wanted to hold it in my hand - all I had to do was reach for it and work hard. They taught me the importance of doing whatever you are doing to the best of your ability - no one can ask more if you do your best. They also taught me about the importance of integrity, honesty and good communication - all traits we promise to bring to Pork Barrel BBQ on a daily basis.
Dad, thanks for sharing one of your passions with me because without your guidance and lessons there would be no Pork Barrel BBQ today.
The picture above was the first BBQ contest I ever participated in (and I was lucky enough to be working with my dad) - it was held in Jefferson City, Missouri at the Jefferson City Public Library in the mid-1990's. We've come a long way since then and when I say "we've" I mean my dad and I and our quest to always provide the best BBQ to our friends and family that we are capable of providing. Thanks again dad!
June 13, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ to Participate in Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival at the National Harbor
Pork Barrel BBQ will be participating in Beer, Bourbon & BBQ next Saturday, June 20, at the National Harbor just outside of Washington, DC from Noon to 6:00p.m. The event promises 60 beers, 40 bourbons & lots of BBQ so we can't think of a reason you shouldn't head down and enjoy the day with us.
The website for the event says:
In addition to beer, bourbon, BBQ and live music there will be a mechanical bull at the show, a demonstration stage, the Ms. Bar-B-Q-Babe Contest and the World BBQ Bean Eating Championship - who wouldn't want to see that?
Admission is $50 for VIP Tasting Glasses valid from Noon to 6:00pm; $30 for Regular Tasting Glasses valid from 2:00pm to 6:00pm; Designated Driver Tickets are $20 and kids 12 and under are FREE.
Come on down and see Pork Barrel BBQ at this years Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival at National Harbor!!
June 3, 2009
Recipe - Pork Barrel BBQ's All American Spice Rub Grilled Vegetable Ratatouille
All American Spice Rub Grilled Vegetable Ratatouille
2 zucchini squash, cut into quarters lengthwise
2 yellow squash, cut into quarters lengthwise
2 eggplants, cut into ½ inch think rounds
2 red onions, cut into ½ inch think rounds
4 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange, & 1 green), stemmed, seeded and cut into quarters
2 pints Baby Bella mushrooms
1 pint cherry tomatoes , left whole
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons Pork Barrel BBQ’s All American Spice Rub
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Preheat your grill to a medium-high temperature. We prefer charcoal, but you can also use a gas grill. Place all of your cut vegetables and the mushrooms and tomatoes in a large bowl and pour the ½ cup of olive oil over the vegetables (toss and coat thoroughly). Season vegetables with Pork Barrel BBQ’s All American Spice Rub (toss and coat thoroughly). Place vegetables on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side (tomatoes should be removed when you turn the vegetables over). On a cutting board coarsely chop your vegetables and move them to a large serving bowl. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, oregano and basil to the grilled vegetables in the serving bowl and gently mix together. Serve at room temperature.
May 29, 2009
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker - First Smoking Session
Setting up the new Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker was a lot of fun, but we knew the real fun wouldn't start until until we were able put some meat in the smoker and invite some friends over to taste the end product. We had heard and read all kinds of great reviews about the Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker, but being from the Show-Me State we decided it was time for the smoker to "Show Us" what it had and that is exactly what it did over the Memorial Day weekend.
At 8:00 a.m. on Sunday I started the charcoal and began to settle in for a long day of smoking. I started the process by filling my Weber Charcoal Chimney up with Cowboy Hardwood Charcoal and let the coals get nice and hot.
Once the coals were fired up and ready to go I dumped them in to the bottom of the smoker.
Next, I poured the remainder of the bag of charcoal onto the lit coals - this provided enough fuel for about 7 hours of smoking.
After all of the charcoal was on the smoker I placed 7 good sized chunks of Hickory onto the coals for smoking. I normally like to do a mix of hickory and oak, but I was out of oak.
After all of the fuel was in the smoker and ready to go I placed the body of the smoker on the base and installed the water pan. I filled the water pan with 6 cans of Bud Light.
While the charcoal in the chimney was lighting I rubbed a pork shoulder (on both sides) with extra virgin olive oil and Pork Barrel BBQ's All American Spice Rub - the best all-purpose dry rub around.
At 8:30 a.m. the coals were ready, the hickory was on and the water pan was filled with beer and we were ready to start smoking. I placed the first grill rack into the smoker and placed the pork shoulder onto it.
While the pork shoulder was beginning to smoke I applied extra virgin olive oil and Pork Barrel BBQ's All American Spice Rub dry rub to a brisket in the same fashion as I had done with the pork shoulder.
At 10:00 a.m. I placed the brisket in to the smoker on the same rack as the pork shoulder. The picture below is of the brisket just being put onto the grill rack and the pork shoulder after 1.5 hours inside the smoker.
While the pork shoulder and brisket were smoking I cleaned two racks of ribs - make sure you take the membrane off of the ribs before you cook them!!! I applied extra virgin olive oil and Pork Barrel BBQ's All American Spice Rub dry rub to the ribs and let them set for about 30 minutes.
At 11:30 a.m. I placed the second grill rack in to the smoker and placed my rib rack on the grill. I then placed my two racks of ribs in the rib rack.
Finally, I prepared a whole chicken in the same fashion as the other meats (extra virgin olive oil and Pork Barrel BBQ's All American Spice Rub dry rub). The chicken went on the grill at 2:30 p.m.
Here is the final product - ribs and pulled pork!!
More of the final product - chicken and brisket (notice the nice smoke ring on the brisket).
Heath and the final meal - smoked pulled pork, smoked brisket, smoked ribs, smoked turkey, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, salad and some nice bread - a great meal that was shared with some great friends!!
After our first use of the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker I must say that the smoker lived up to the reviews - she worked like a charm. We can't wait to get our two Smokey Mountain Cooker's out on the Competitive BBQ circuit this year!
We'll keep you posted on all of her stories as she produces some of the best BBQ you'll ever have.Don't forget to visit us on the web at www.porkbarrelbbq.com!!
May 27, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ State Capitol Buildings and Governor Mansions Challenge - Missouri
Pork Barrel BBQ is attempting to get pictures of our dry rub tins in front of all 50 State Capitols and Governor Mansions. In order to do this we need your help!! Summer vacations are a great way to help us complete this challenge so don't forget to take a tine of our All American Spice Rub with you if you plan to visit any of our 50 great state capitol cities this summer.
Our first submission comes from our home state - the great state of Missouri. Above is the state capitol and to the right is the Governor's Mansion with Pork Barrel BBQ's All American Spice Rub.
Don't forget to visit us at our website - www.porkbarrelbbq.com - and pick up some of our dry rub.
It is barbecue season and nothing makes your meal taste better than our All American dry rub! E-mail us your pictures at porkbarrelbbq@gmail.com!
Don't forget to visit us at our website - www.porkbarrelbbq.com - and pick up some of our dry rub.
It is barbecue season and nothing makes your meal taste better than our All American dry rub! E-mail us your pictures at porkbarrelbbq@gmail.com!
May 25, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ Was a Donor at the 2009 Taste of the South Charity Gala Held in Washington, DC on May 16
On Saturday, May 16 Pork Barrel BBQ donated our Pork Barrel BBQ All American Dry Rub to the 27th annual Taste of the South charity gala held at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. (We were very excited to see our name just to the right of one of our favorite BBQ joints - Gates BBQ from Kansas City, MO.) This year's featured charity was the Magnolia Speech School of Mississippi, a private, nonprofit, oral education program for children with hearing loss and language disorders. Additionally, a small portion of the funds raised went to Jubilee Jobs, a Washington, D.C. based charity that provides support for disadvantaged job-seekers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Taste of the South was a great time for all that attended, even though it felt like it was 100 degrees inside the D.C. Armory. We are already looking forward to next years Taste of the South and the chance to help some worthy charities.
In addition to giving back to the community Pork Barrel BBQ used this opportunity to unveil our new label on the sample bags of our All American Spice Rub. Here's what they look like up close. Let us know what you think of the new look and don't forget to visit us www.porkbarrelbbq.com!
February 21, 2009
Let's Meat On The Avenue Becomes First Pork Barrel BBQ Retail Outlet
We are pleased to announce that Let's Meat on the Avenue became Pork Barrel BBQ's first retail outlet in December. We are especially grateful to Let's Meat on the Avenue's owner, Steve Gatward, for taking a chance on Pork Barrel BBQ, an unknown quantity at the time he agreed to carry our All American Spice Rub.
Let's Meat on the Avenue is located in the heart of Del Ray in Alexandria, VA. Steve carries pasture-fed, free range and hormone-free meat and poultry raised locally in Fauquier County. Let Steve and the fine folks at Let's Meat on the Avenue become your neighborhood butcher.
Let's Meat on the Avenue
2403 Mount Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22336
(703) 836-6328
www.letsmeatontheavenue.com
Steve can be quite the character and is a lot of fun to talk to (As you can see from the photo!) and has an amazing selection of natural and organic meats - including beef, lamb, pork, chicken and even (coming soon) kangaroo!! He lived in Australia for almost 20 years and sells hamburgers and hot dogs from Greg Norman, a famous Australian golfer. As you can imagine, these items are a big hit with local golfers.
Next time you are in Del Ray, stop by Let's Meat on the Avenue and thank Steve for carrying Pork Barrel BBQ products and take home some of his natural and organic meats. Let's Meat on the Avenue is open Tuesday through Sunday and he's happy to take your special order and cut your order just the way you want it. Don't forget to visit Let's Meat on the Avenue on the Internet at www.letsmeatontheavenue.com.
Next time you are in Del Ray, stop by Let's Meat on the Avenue and thank Steve for carrying Pork Barrel BBQ products and take home some of his natural and organic meats. Let's Meat on the Avenue is open Tuesday through Sunday and he's happy to take your special order and cut your order just the way you want it. Don't forget to visit Let's Meat on the Avenue on the Internet at www.letsmeatontheavenue.com.
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