Texaline BBQ and a sprinkle of salt

Mighty Quinn is an art form. It is precious, it is amazing, it is beyond what words can describe. Surprisinlgy, it is barbeque. I went to visit this particular stand at Smorgasburg a few weekends ago upon suggestion of many friends. The entire menu consists of two items, in sizes either small or large, a choice of pulled pork or brisket sandwich on a brioche roll.

We sample both as one does, when one has a small obsession with charred meat. The owner, smoker extradonaire, Hugh Mangum practices his own kind of bbq, something he refers to as "Texaline" a beautiful hyrid of Texas orginal and Eastern North Carolina, harkening his father's heritage and collaborating with his wife's home base. Word has it, Hugh will forgo sleep for 20 hours a day, three days in a row to smoke his meats.  He uses a sort of maschoistic twenty minute schedule for his sleep cycle to perfected his meat, maintaining a close watch on his fire to ensure the temperature stays at the right degree. 

Well, Hugh, it's worth it. The meat is everything you could imagine after someone tends to a fire for over seventy-two hours, forgoing personal comfort and perhaps a little sanity.  It falls apart, melts away in your mouth, with the most wonderful combination of fat and muscle. It leaves a taste of smoke, grilling, summer and sun.  The sandwich is nestled perfectly in a vintage paper french frie basket layering brioche first, bbq either pork or brisket, healthy dose of his secret bbq sauce and then covered with whatever fixings you choose. I asked for his recommendation on toppings which consisted of lightly pickled cucumbers, onions and red hot peppers. The most ingenious move is he uses a generous pinch of large sea salt over the toppings. One would think the bbq is salty by nature and perhaps this is overkill but it adds level of crisp, one that you may have not noticed without, but are so glad is there.

I am still dreaming of the brisket but my boyfriend was all about the pork. Both were equally delicious and well worth the twenty minute sleep cycle of pain.  Hugh Mangum, you are my hero.