Two things can draw you in when you meet Winnipeg musician JP Hoe. His music (nominated for three Western Canadian Music awards) and his love of barbecue. And love might not be a strong enough word.
Hoe freely admits that when he planned his tour of the U.S., he forewent bigger cities and venues to be closer to great barbecue joints. It’s a level of dedication to the art of smoked meat that his fellow males (and discerning females) can truly appreciate.
JP: I found that, especially in the deep south of the US, it was really enjoyable to try and route tours around great barbecue joints rather than, necessarily, the best cities. From a business point of view, that’s a bad idea. But from a getting fatter point of view, it’s an excellent idea. So I recommend if anyone is driving down to New Orleans ever to make a stop at a town called Hattiesburg, Miss., and there’s a barbecue shack called Letha’s which is hidden behind an RV dealership and you pretty much have to be a local to know about it. But when you get in there — red checkered tablecloths and there’s a large sheriff and a large judge sitting at a table. And there are buckets of barbecue sauce in two-litre jugs on every table. It might be the greatest place on earth.
DEREK: That sounds amazing. What is it about barbecue? Because I have the same thing you do.
My mouth just seems to really enjoy it. My tongue thanks me. It’s something that’s special and really important to them down there. It’s a great cultural thing too. And it’s what they export to us and I will accept their export.
What’s your go-to? You’re in a place for the first time and you’re not sure what to have, what’s your barbecue go-to order?
I guess it’s baby back ribs. I don’t know why. Usually it’s trickier to screw those up than it is other things, and they’re less likely to be too chewy or too sinewy. So give me that and then we’ll take the brisket and then we’ll move on from there.
When you have a barbecue jones and you’re stuck in Winnipeg, what are your outlets for it?
Lovey’s is very good barbecue. I have yet to have Danny’s Whole Hog but do I ever hear about it. I don’t think I’ve been home long enough to have a chance. I’d like to give Danny’s a shot. My buddy Chris and my brother Mark and my brother-in-law Johnathan, they are all excellent barbecuers. They take their time and they’ll have a nine-hour barbecue session. I usually just defer to them.
Comments