Momma's Mustard, Pickles & BBQ

Every year at Christmas back in Kansas, my Mom would make a huge batch of her mustard and pickles. We would can them in Ball Jars affixed with a small red bow and drive around to all our friend’s houses to deliver them as gifts. Us kids would have the best job as we got to run up to the door with the mustard and pickles and I still remember how excited everyone was to get some more of my Momma’s Mustard and Pickles. As I got older and moved away, Momma would send me care packages with her mustard and pickles to Vail, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Indianapolis and finally Louisville. Problem is, no matter how much she sent, it was always gone right away.

Louisville is without a doubt, one of the finest restaurant cities in the world and I’ve been fortunate enough to call it home since 2001. Every once in a while though, I just want some good old fashioned Kansas City style BBQ. So in true Kentucky style, I took the winnings from a small share of a Derby horse (The mustard almost became “Momma’s Mucho Macho Man Mustard…MMMMM!”) and bought a food truck and a smoker. I partnered up with Chef Jamie Givan and we set out to learn about BBQ. We traveled to Kansas City where we went through detailed and exhaustive training with The Baron Of BBQ himself, Chef Paul Kirk, winner of 7 WORLD BARBECUE CHAMPIONSHIPS, one of which is the prestigious American Royal Open in Kansas City. With his help we have been able to recreate the taste of BBQ that I grew up loving.