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Food & Drink

What’s on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse

By Renée Suen| Photography by Renée Suen
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What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse

Name: J&J Bar-B-Que Neighbourhood: Kensington Market Contact: 193 Baldwin St., 416-531-4227, @jandjbarbque
Previously: Thomas Lavers Cannery and Delicatessen Owners and chefs: Jonathon Lucas (The Harbord Room, Ursa) and Jay Moore (Momofuku Shoto, Ursa, Petite Thuet, Sushi Kaji)

The food

Central Texas–style barbecue (turkey, brisket, beef ribs, pulled pork, house-made sausages) that’s smoked over white oak in wood-burning smokers. “It’s a purer style of barbecue that only needs a little salt and pepper,” Moore says. “There’s nothing to hide behind.” J&J also serves a couple of extreme sandwiches, like a smoked beef–stuffed pretzel bun, and chopped brisket between jalapeño-bacon danishes. The shop opens at 11 a.m., and closes when everything’s sold out (usually around 2:30 p.m.).

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
Turkey is brined, then smoked and finished in a butter bath. $12 for a half-pound.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
Spare ribs are smoked for six hours. $9 for a half-pound.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
Moore and Lucas haven’t completely abandoned the use of modern cooking techniques: all sausages are finished with a blast from a Searzall blowtorch.

 

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What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
A rotating menu of hand-cranked sausages includes the “mac n’ chz,” inspired by that old-school deli loaf. $5 each.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
All of the meat is priced by weight, so trays (like this one) can be customized.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
Sides include pickled jalapeños ($1), cornbread ($3), coleslaw, macaroni salad and potato salad topped with Hickory Sticks ($2.50–$4).

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
Cabbage gets the same spice treatment as the meat, and then it’s smoked for six hours. $5.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
House-made cornbread. $3.

 

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What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
All of the condiments (hot sauce, barbecue sauce, vinegar) are made in house.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
For dessert: banana pudding topped with crushed banana chips and vanilla wafers (left), and pretzel fluff bars—like Rice Krispie squares but with pretzels and potato chips instead of cereal. $3.50 each.
The drinks

Fountain pop, including Big Red, a cream soda–type drink imported from the States, and sweet tea. There’s also Topo Chico sparkling water, which Lucas says is synonymous with barbecue in Texas.

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
Note the bread station to the left of the soda fountain.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
A freezie made with Big Red. $2.
The space

The long room features take-away and butcher counters, as well as a communal high-top table—there’s no sit-down dining here.

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
Around here, you stand to eat your barbecue.

 

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What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
The retail counter sells cured-and-smoked honeyed ham ($4.50/lb), double-smoked bacon ($12/lb) and maple pork loin ($10/lb) to go.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse
Jay Moore (left) and Jonathon Lucas.

 

What's on the menu at J&J Bar-B-Que, a new Texas-style smokehouse

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