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Here we are in the summer of 2012, living in a fresh fish and seasonal produce kind of neighborhood, and at the same time putting out a big welcome mat for that meat-centric cuisine of the American South, barbecue. Maybe it’s a need to affirm ourselves at the top of the food chain or maybe it is just part of the delight of life in the Hamptons to have all those alluring food options, but traditional Southern style barbecue is definitely on the rise. On recent visits to the brand new Miller’s BBQ, the newly named but something-familiar-about-the-menu Smokin’ Wolf, and the old favorite, Townline BBQ, we listened to earnest discussions about parts of the animal, varieties of wood, characteristics of the smoker or roaster and regionally influenced sauces, and at moments we pictured ourselves someplace way, way beyond the Shinnecock Canal.
Mark Smith, a partner at Townline BBQ, is a also a partner at Nick & Toni’s and La Fondita, which helps explain why the five year old Townline struck out in a new and different food direction. Smith and Joseph Realmuto (a partner at Townline and the chef at Nick & Toni’s) found inspiration in the barbecue mecca of central Texas. The cooking focus there is on the meat itself, with sauce served on the side. And while cattle doting Texans instinctively favor beef, Townline expanded the concept to pork and chicken. The restaurant even operates in a friendly, informal Texas style: carry your own tray from the serving counter to your table and slather on as much or as little sauce as you like. And make sure you have plenty of napkins handy. Townline’s bar and pool table as well as pub quiz nights are big attractions, but if you are more the surfing type try their newest innovation: summer long beach delivery.
North Carolina cookery excited the imagination of Erik Miller, a longtime chef, caterer and food entrepreneur, and after studying the arts of smoking and grilling with an old-time barbecue master there, he recently opened The Miller’s BBQ in East Hampton. It’s a takeout shop with some tree-shaded tables on the side and a serious approach to the food it offers. Miller is a perfectionist about his rubs and sauces as proved by his versions of honey glazed pulled pork or sweet and sticky St. Louis ribs. The food along with Miller’s high-spirited personal greetings to every customer walking in seems destined to put Miller’s on target for families picking up dinner on the way back from the beach.
When Stanley and Nancy Singer decided to close Turtle Crossing, their longtime chef Arthur Wolf leased the premises and took the opportunity to start his own restaurant, Smokin’ Wolf. The menu in some ways is a revival of those early and well-remembered years at Turtle Crossing with Wolf in the kitchen. The lodestar for Wolf is Oklahoma. Barbecue mavens will understand the finer points of, say, thicker and sweeter sauces. The rest of us will just relish the brisket and ribs. And Wolf is planning for diners with tastes other than meat. Seafood, salad (from Satur Farms on the North Fork) and sandwiches emphasizing local and organic ingredients are on the menu. Wolf, hardworking and genial, retains a kitchen staff that has years of experience with him, something that will be essential when he, as the owner, spends time in the front of the house meeting and greeting.
To make sense of these different regions and types of barbecue, we turned to East Hampton resident James Villas, author of “Pig: King of the Southern Table,” which won the James Beard award for the best cookbook published in 2010. Villas told us “sauces, from spicy vinegar-clear emulsions to thicker, more tomatoey and mustardy and sweeter ones as you move geographically west, along with the type of firewood, distinguish one style of Southern barbecue from the next.” If you don’t currently have your own opinion on this, you’ll have a good opportunity to form one this summer with three dedicated barbecue stops as well as restaurants like B. Smith’s in Sag Harbor that include barbecue on their menus.
And on the side…
Cole slaw, baked beans and French fries are Southern barbecue classics, but there are lots of other delightful nibbles to choose from.
From Miller’s BBQ, where even the side dishes are inspired: hush puppies, mac and cheese made with cheddar and Jack, red potatoes smashed with chicken gravy, corn on the cob (with Balsam Farm corn).
From Townline BBQ, where the character of the Lone Star State comes through: Texas caviar (black-eyed peas, green onions, cilantro, jalapenos, tomatoes, bell pepper), corn bread, fried onions, pickled jalapenos, spicy bread and butter pickles.
From Smokin’Wolf, where you’ll find it quite a treat to eat your vegetables: sweet potato fries, garlic mashed potatoes, mango salsa, baby bok choy, collard greens. And a terrific variety of seasonal vegetables.
And in your glass…
Iced tea, soda, beer and hard liquor are traditional. If you want wine, look for medium body and lots of spice. Riesling, merlot, zinfandel and gewürztraminer are good choices.
