Let's get one thing straight, this was not my idea. This cookout is happening because a few brisket hounds, who all happen to be chefs, got to talking about different brisketing techniques and whose was perhaps better than whose. As hounds do.
They said: Hey, we should all have a cookout and make different brisket and see whose is better.
I said: Hey, can I invite, like, 250 friends?
And thusly, the South of the North Cookout was born. So friends, you should come, because it will be a seriously good time!
Sunday, August 14 is the day of the cookout, we had to do it on a Sunday because some of those chefs are starting the barbecue process the day before, and some of them still have service to cook. What we have is a cadre of smoke and fire loving people coming together to celebrate good food cooked over good heat, with maybe some bourbon and pimento cheese on the side.
Who's in?
Thomas Boemer of Revival. He's going to be in the brisket-off and as King of Porc will likely also have some sort of whole hog in a homemade rotisserie situation. Never doubt that he was an instigator in all of this.
Jon Wipfli of The Minnesota Spoon. Also in the brisket-off, he'll bring some smoked pork belly too I'm told. You have to check out his new smoker rig which he trucked down south to buy. I think we should name it.
Jorge Guzman of Surly. Having shown his guts as Prince of Porc at Cochon this year, he's got a taste for winning, so yeah he'll be brisketing. Plus he's going farther south than anyone and also bringing some cochinita pibil style pork ribs and BBQ duck hearts. Shut up.
Alex Roberts of Brasa. Mr. Nothing-to-Prove is confidently showing his barbecue techniques on lamb and he'll also be offering a vegetable 'cue.
Erik Sather of Lowry Hill Meats. There's a lot of guys in town who use him as their meat bodhisattva, and they are wise to do so. He'll be cooking up some goat barbecue and you will receive enlightenment.
For the non-meat portion of your plate, you can count on Molly Herrmann of Kitchen in the Market, and Southern Drawl Crawl expert. She'll be plying you with her signature pimiento cheese. We have the ladies from Wholesoul Eatery who have been killing the food truck scene with catfish sliders and mac n cheese bites. And The Salty Tart herself, Michelle Gayer will be on hand to sample some pies. I believe peaches are being procured. Surly Brewing will be there with beer, we have Baker's Bourbon being poured in cocktails and punch form, and there will be plenty of other treats and sips to make your Sunday Funday.
And here's a fun little kick: It's all happening at Revival's new St. Paul location, so you get to be one of the very first in the metro to get a sneak peek of it! It's not ready ready, but you can see what's close.
All of this food and drink is yours from 2-5pm for $50 (GET TICKETS!), and like I said, because it's a parking lot party cookout, space is limited. Besides all the eating and drinking, you'll get recipes from the chefs and even an instruction sheet so that you can DIY your own parking lot barbecue pit like Boemer's.
Y'all are not gonna want to miss this.