Fresh off their first place win for best wings at the Memphis Southern Hot Wing Festival, pop-up Chucktown Smokin’ Gringos is making its Meathacking District debut at Fatty’s Beer Works (1436 Meeting St.) on Sat. May 19.
The work of pitmaster Mike Bastin and assistant John Sinclair, Chucktown Smokin’ Gringos is a traveling barbecue outfit that’s been racking up awards over the past few years. For example, at last year’s Smoke on the Harbor competition, the Gringos took first in chicken and brisket and placed seventh overall. Now Bastin says they’re ready to play with the barbecue barons and are hoping to make Fatty’s Beer Works a regular pop-up venue. And the competitive pitmaster thinks his brand of ‘cue can go rib-to-rib with the best in the area.
“The thing that makes me different from Lewis, Home Team, and Swig & Swine, is my recipes haven’t changed from the competition circuit and mine blow them out of the water,” Bastin says. “He does it every day. He’s cranking out a product every day that’s a high quality product. I’m doing it every weekend. That’s a different animal. I don’t want to be tied to a restaurant. I want to raise my kids and enjoy life a little bit and not be so stressed out. I don’t want to lose the passion and love.”
The contractor started Smokin’ Gringos as a hobby, but as his reputation on the competitive barbecue circuit has grown, he’s gotten a DHEC approved food truck to take his ‘cue more seriously.
Get a taste at Fatty’s on May 19 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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