Stampede and barbecue (also, of course, known as “BBQ” for its more hardcore fans) go hand in hand. The smell of slow-smoked brisket and pork ribs wafting from the barbecue area of the midway toward the Stampede Grandstand is one of the great culinary pleasures of Stampede week. But once the rides are packed up and the cowboys are off to other rodeos, that craving for smoked meat will linger. Read More
Stampede and barbecue (also, of course, known as “BBQ” for its more hardcore fans) go hand in hand. The smell of slow-smoked brisket and pork ribs wafting from the barbecue area of the midway toward the Stampede Grandstand is one of the great culinary pleasures of Stampede week. But once the rides are packed up
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Stampede and barbecue (also, of course, known as “BBQ” for its more hardcore fans) go hand in hand. The smell of slow-smoked brisket and pork ribs wafting from the barbecue area of the midway toward the Stampede Grandstand is one of the great culinary pleasures of Stampede week. But once the rides are packed up and the cowboys are off to other rodeos, that craving for smoked meat will linger.
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Calgary, like most of Canada, has not traditionally been known as a hotspot for American barbecue (as opposed to Korean or Brazilian barbecue), certainly not in the same way as U.S. destinations like Kansas City, Tennessee or Texas. Part of this is cultural — barbecue as we know it evolved in the southern states, growing out of a mash-up of African, Caribbean and European food customs — but other factors, such as the availability of traditional barbecue equipment and the right kinds of (typically expensive) wood, also play a factor. We saw a bit of a barbecue boom about a decade ago, although several spots from that era didn’t last long. That said, there are a few outstanding Southern-style barbecue places still standing for those hankering for a post-Stampede fix.
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Tool Shed Brewery Company
At the top of the list is Tool Shed Brewing Company, which is not only one of Calgary’s pioneering craft breweries but has one of the finest competitive barbecue teams in the world. Graham Sherman and his crew have proved their chops at several top American competitions, including tying for first place in last year’s Jack Daniels Invitational’s “Home Cookin’ from the Homeland” international category. Last month, Sherman and his son were in Kananaskis for the G7 summit, cooking ribs with an aroma so enticing that an American Secret Service agent coaxed them into giving him a taste at 4 a.m.
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To get to this level, Sherman has had to develop a nerdy attention to detail when manning his smokers, but he says what he loves about barbecue is that it’s the “opposite of pretentious.”
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“When you think about having somebody over for barbecue, you’re familiar with them. You’re going to break bread and share time together,” he says. “That’s very different than going to a fancy restaurant.”
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Over the years, Tool Shed’s food service has been a work in progress with Sherman — now pretty much retired from competition — travelling frequently and the staff dealing with the challenges of making barbecue to order at a relatively low-volume restaurant. Sherman has his staff dialled in and consistently serving up extraordinary ribs, brisket, pulled pork, Alabama chicken wings and “pig candy.” He also plans to do a monthly event to showcase his competition-style barbecue dishes, starting in July.