A new barbecue venue has opened near Stowmarket, and is all set to host its second “authentic Texas-style rib night” on Saturday.
Smokehouse Barbecue appropriately opened on July 4 at Suffolk Barns on the A140 outside Mendlesham, formerly known as Chilli Farm.
It has already held its first rib night, using a Texas-sized traditional charcoal and wood smoker, which can serve up to 100 full racks of baby back ribs in one night, cooked low’n’slow.
The barbecue restaurant also offers gourmet burgers, with vegan and vegetarian alternatives.
Pitmaster Adrian Nuttall has paid more than a dozen visits to Texas, learning his craft from some of the Top 50 Texas Monthly Barbecue Masters.
“It was a great experience and an honour to be cooking with top Texas Pitmasters, which meant getting up at 1am to hone my skills.” he said.
“I fell in love with the flavours of Texas barbecue and have been cooking on wood for over 15 years - often staying up all night to manage the fire.”
MORE: New burger venue opening in IpswichAdrian and Denise featured on TV series George Clarke’s Build a New Life in the Country series back in 2006, when millions of viewers saw them turning their 400-year-old barn into a restaurant.
Their Mexican restaurant and chilli farm launched following the restoration of the part thatched barn. A few tenants have since run a deli and coffee shop in the barn, but now the family are once again serving their own menu developed from international travels.
Denise said: “We opened a barbecue on the farm when we moved here in 2006, but Suffolk wasn’t ready for Texas style barbecue then, but now it is.”
It’s a real family affair too, with their daughter Hollie running the grill in the kitchen with her partner Adam.
Josh, their son, helps with front of house and runs their social media.
Hollie said: “We have a whole range of burgers on the menu to compliment the smoked meats, often with them in the same bun.
“However, I am vegetarian so I made sure there are vegetarian and vegan options on the menu too.”
Smokehouses are starting up around the area, including one in Lowestoft and another in Wroxham. However, the couple say this is the first Texas style drive-in Smokehouse Barbecue serving low’n’slow meats and burgers.
For more details, visit @SmokehouseBarbecueUK on Facebook.
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