RALEIGH, N.C. – During the month of July, Spectrum News 1 is showcasing delicious barbecue spots around North Carolina.
Midwood Smokehouse got its start in Charlotte, and now has three locations in the Queen City. There's also one in Huntersville and one in Columbia, South Carolina.
While the City of Oaks is the newest location, we’re told they still offer the same tried-and-true recipes that keep bringing people back for more.
At Midwood Smokehouse in Raleigh, most of the magic happens in the massive smoker in the back of the kitchen.
“Probably the shortest smoke we have here is our wings, which take about an hour, hour and a half. Our brisket, they're all smoking anywhere between 12 to 16 hours, depending on the size,” Mark Rodriguez, the executive chef at Midwood Smokehouse in Raleigh, said.
Rodriguez has worked at Midwood for almost a decade.
“We offer pulled chicken, chopped pork. Our sellers are definitely the pork ribs, definitely the brisket,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez says two secrets to good barbecue are controlling the temperature and the quality of the wood.
“Our wood that we use is all North Carolina hickory. It’s all locally sourced. We don’t use any of the flavors. Some people like cherry, or I’ll throw this in there. We just use hickory,” Rodriguez said.
When it comes to smoking the meat, that’s pretty much a full-time job.
“The big pieces overnight, like that's like a real important job. We got to get here at six in the morning, me and the smoker person, and they're coming in, they're checking the meat, they're pulling it, temping it. They're feeling it. We do a combination of those things, and they're trying to get like the optimal, optimal feel,” Rodriguez said.
While they have a Tex-Mex flare, Rodriguez says they have plenty of popular sides, and everything is made from scratch.
“We have macaroni, collards, baked beans, things that are staples, not only southern staples but also barbecue staples,” Rodriguez said.
He says barbecue may sound easy, but believes that’s a misconception.
“'Oh, you just put it in the smoker, just throw it on the grill and it'll come out.’ But if you've ever been to a barbecue or a cookout, someone grilling, you know, it's very easy to mess up. As simple as it seems, it's simple to mess it up,” Rodriguez said.
Even at Midwood, they’ve been at this for quite a while, and Rodriguez says it’s not a one size fits all method.
“Every day is a work in progress because we're trying to figure out, is this one right? Is that one right? And we're just constantly going back and forth. It might not be ready, so we got to let it go another hour or so,” Rodriguez said.
But when they get it right, he says all that time and effort is worth it.
“A lot of people, they associate their memories with, ‘Oh, I went to my family barbecue when I was younger’ and it's just such a staple that it feels great when you see people enjoy it,” Rodriguez said.
Midwood Smokehouse has had some famous guests in the past, specifically at its Charlotte location. Former President Barack Obama, Justin Timberlake, Bill Murray as well as Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers players have all stopped in to try their barbecue.
Midwood Smokehouse is located at 409 W Johnson St, Raleigh, N.C. 27603.