Black Hog, So Oinking Good! Frederick BBQ

This is part II of an explorative blog post series looking into Frederick, Maryland’s buzzing downtown food scene.

Upon returning to Frederick since the last visit, I decided to check out of the city’s most beloved BBQ establishment - Black Hog BBQ. Named after a rare species of a hog, this place is positively notorious for their treatment of both pork and beef. They have a few locations, but I paid a visit to the one in downtown Frederick. They have something on the menu for everyone (well, for meat lovers that is). 

I do not pretend to be a BBQ connoisseur by any strength of the imagination. I do believe, however, I can tell the difference between average, terrible, and exceptional quality barbeque and the Black Hog is up in the ranks. They display their years of experience in both the food and the service.

Check out this #barbecue mainstay in Maryland known for their #brisket, #ribs, and pulled pork. @blackhogbbq

(Click to view a short video of my visit!)

The Black Hog offers several types of meat cooked and or marinated, rubbed or smoked to perfection, from juicy beef brisket to smoked sausage to ribs both wet and dry (which got an honorable mention on the Washingtonian's website).

The sides alone, are great. What’s a barbeque platter without a good set of sidekicks? The candied yams (sweet potato), cornbread, fried mac and cheese, and kale are among the ones I tried, but the cornbread and the mac and cheese are a must.

They also have some pork fries which are made up of fries, cheese, and pulled pork baked into a pile of melted goodness. These are a great primer for when the mains come out

I got to sample all the mains - beef brisket (Arkansas), pit ham, smoked sausage, pulled pork, and chopped pork. The brisket was my favorite - super juicy and flavorful. The pork goes great with the range of sauces (especially the original sauce). Another favorite of mine on the platter were the ribs - one was wet and had a BBQ sauce, the other dry, had a brown sugar dry rub. Both were thick and juicy, and you are in luck should you go on a Tuesday where they offer a full rack for almost half the price.

Barbeque sampler with smoked sausage, pit ham, beef brisket, pulled pork, and chopped pork.

To be more specific, Black Hog offers the following smoked meat selections: 

SMOKED BEEF BRISKET: Texas-style, S&P rub, hardwood smoked, hand-carved

ARKANSAS BRISKET: Double smoked, rough cut, sweet & smoky sauce

SMOKED PORK SHOULDER: Hardwood smoked, pulled

PIT HAM: Double smoked, hand-carved

CAROLINA CHOPPED PORK: Chopped smoked shoulder, vinegar sauce

SMOKED SAUSAGE: Beef & pork, grill finish

Don’t worry chicken lovers, they got you! Offering a half or full bird grilled bone-in chicken with Sicilian marinade or house rub; and jumbo wings in buffalo, dry rub, BBQ or mustard sauce - your pick.  

A little background on the differences when it comes to BBQ may help you understand what makes certain styles delicious. Like a fine wine, beer, high-quality cheese or chocolate, a little basic understanding will go a long way. The Black Hog actually has a fantastic page dedicated to BBQ 101 from where I pulled this information to give you a super quick explainer!

So wait, what the barbeque is this?

ST. LOUIS STYLE RIBS: This refers to the cut of the rib. These spare ribs are a good mix of meat and fat. While this meat won’t be falling off the bone it will be close.

CAROLINA STYLE CHOPPED: This refers to pork, whole hogs, shoulders and or butts. Typically chopped or pulled and served with a vinegar-based sauce. We offer Lexington, which is tomato-based vinegar sauce and Eastern, which is a vinegar and spice sauce.

TEXAS STYLE: This refers to beef (typically brisket) that is seasoned with just salt and pepper then smoked for many hours. Texans usually shun this style being served with sauce, the thought being that the meat should be able to stand on its own.

MEMPHIS (aka dry): Neither too sweet or too hot, these ribs come from our hickory smoker, dusted with spice rub and served with a side of sauce.

KANSAS STYLE (aka wet): This refers to being finished on the grill and mopped with our extra sweet sauce.

Source: blackhogbbq.com/bbq-101/

Hold on, what the sauce is this?

Most people know that when it comes to good barbeque, it is not just about the marinade, rub, or style of preparation and cooking, but the sauce plays a major role in taste and experience. Thankfully, this kind of information has been covered by websites like Eater and Thrillist to help people like us out!

Black Hog also offers the four main sauces which have a little background information that is good to know as well. According to Thrillist:

KANSAS CITY: cooked super-slow and super-low, preferably over hickory wood. The sauce is most commonly a thick, sweet molasses-and-tomato concoction that sticks to ribs of both animal and man.

CAROLINA RED VINEGAR: the meat (typically pork) should be brushed with a spice-and-vinegar mixture while cooking and served with a ketchup-based sauce. Eastern proponents use the entire pig when BBQing and Lexington tend to use just the pork shoulder or ribs.

MIKE’S MUSTARD (BBQ Sauce): Pretty similar to the North Carolina style in terms of the meat used, except, in mid-state, the sauce is usually mustard-based and includes brown sugar and vinegar - often considered South Carolina style. 

ORIGINAL (Signature Black Hog Sauce): whether the pork is in rib or pulled form, and usually uses a dry rub that includes garlic, paprika, and other spices. The meat's cooked in a big pot and's typically served with a tangy, thin tomato-based sauce. 

And for dessert? A fine line of pies made me the nearby chef at the Tasting Room. The classic is the peanut butter pie which Black Hog is most commonly known. It is light but still decadent and airy - like a cross between cheesecake and mousse.

The food is filling and delicious. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and you will quickly find out why this is a local favorite. Enjoy the cool inside, sit in the sun on the patio, or enjoy the newly renovated bar. 

They have locations in Downtown Frederick, Urbana Village Center, Market Square Frederick, and coming soon to Middletown, Maryland.

If you are looking to get a taste of Frederick and are craving barbeque, the Black Hog is certainly worth a try. Check out my post about their sister restaurant The Tasting Room.