Restaurant review: It’s a battle to the smokey barbecue finish between Southern Charred and Maverick’s
Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Barbecue Smackdown 2018! Tonight’s event looks to be one for the ages.
You’ve heard of the Thrilla in Manila? The Rumble in the Jungle? Well, they’ll soon be talking about the Wrangle in the Triangle. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s bout pits two up-and-coming rookies trained in the New School of Barbecue.
These brash upstarts don’t limit their repertoire to a single region’s barbecue style. Instead, taking advantage of the more precise temperature control of modern hybrid smokers, they cook North Carolina pork, Texas brisket, and pretty much everything in-between. They round out their offerings with appetizers (unheard of in a traditional barbecue joint), an updated selection of sides and a well-stocked bar. Their respect for tradition is obvious, but make no mistake about it: these guys are out to prove that the old ways aren’t the only ways.
So without further ado, let’s get on with the action.
In this corner, setting up camp in the former Alivia’s building across from Brightleaf Square in Durham. . . the Durham Deadeye, aka Maverick’s Smokehouse & Taproom! Trainer Fergus Bradley, who also owns the James Joyce Irish Pub a few doors down, has his team in fighting form, using a gas-fired smoker with an offset firebox burning hickory or sustainable sugar maple logs, depending on what they’re cooking.
And in this corner, hailing from the heart of Glenwood South in Raleigh. . . the Glenwood Gladiator, Southern Charred! A promising rookie with a smoldering hot arsenal of weapons that includes hickory, mesquite and cherry in an electric cooker, Southern Charred is managed by the Bunch of Fives Hospitality Group — whose name, fittingly, is old British slang for a knuckle sandwich.
And there’s the opening bell!
Round 1: Atmosphere
Maverick’s comes out swinging with a rough-and-ready look: salvaged wood bar, one wall plastered with old barbecue posters, and the flags of North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas — the holy trinity of barbecue — flying high on another.
Southern Charred counters with an urban rustic vibe and glass garage doors that open to a patio with a front row view of the night life action on Glenwood South. Maverick’s parries with an impressive patio of its own (part of which can be enclosed in inclement weather) and a second outdoor bar.
Round 1 is too close to call.
Round 2: Service
Both opponents play it safe this round with service that is enthusiastic and attentive, with very few missteps.
Round 2 is clearly a draw.
Round 3: Booze
Southern Charred pours it on early in the round with a cocktail lineup that includes a frozen Orange Crush cocktail and an Old Fashioned with a candied bacon garnish. Maverick’s responds with Back Porch Lemonade and a one-two punch of champagne and peach Schnapps called Memphis Blue, with a chaser of 18 beers on tap, mostly local brews. Not to be outdone, Southern Charred sneaks Prosecco on tap into its lineup of draft brews.
Another tossup round.
Round 4: Starters
Maverick’s gets the round off to a smoking start with Memphis rubbed jumbo wings, homemade chili laced with bits of smoked brisket, and deviled eggs topped with a spicy onion and pepper marmalade.
Southern Charred retaliates with a series of similar punches, including smoked wings offered with the same sauce options as Maverick’s: barbecue, Buffalo or Alabama white sauce. Deviled eggs lack the promised smoked pimento cheese punch, but Southern Charred deftly recovers from the misstep with smoked pimento cheese dip, served hot with pork rinds and Ritz crackers. Another round too close to call.
Looks like it’s shaping up to be a fight to the finish.
Round 5: Ribs
Maverick’s Memphis dry rub ribs look impressive, but the meat is a little dry beneath that mouthwatering charred-spice crust. Southern Charred takes advantage of the misstep, scoring points with falling-off-the bone meat glazed with a lip-smacking tangy-sweet sauce.
Round 5 goes to Southern Charred.
Round 6: Brisket
The contestants appear at first to be evenly matched in this round, both landing glancing blows in the form of toothsome, respectably moist beef and a classic smoke-charred “bark.” Southern Charred’s brisket takes the form of coarse shreds, though, while Maverick’s is sliced — a more demanding (and more authentically Texan) presentation with no place for flaws to hide. Bonus points for the hallmark smoke ring revealed by this method.
Round 6 goes to Maverick’s. Folks, we’ve got a real battle on our hands.
Round 7: Chopped (or if you insist, pulled) pork
This is the round that the hometown crowds have all been waiting for, pitting these two young foes in the ancient art of North Carolina pork barbecue. Both rise to the challenge, turning out juicy, moderately smoky shreds of pork shoulder and butt riddled with crusty bits of outside brown.
Southern Charred offers both Eastern and Western North Carolina sauces to doctor your ‘cue (though the thick Western-style is decidedly not what aficionados would recognize as such). Maverick’s Carolina sauce, a mashup of Eastern and Western styles in a squeeze bottle, strikes a happy medium that should please all but the most diehard traditionalists. As the round winds down, it looks like the edge is going to. . .
But wait! Late in the round, Maverick’s unloads a powerful blow with a whole hog — brined for 24 hours and cooked low and slow out back before getting finished on a portable hog cooker on the patio. It’s served only on Saturdays and Sundays, but has rocked Southern Charred back on its heels.
Round 7 is a solid win for Maverick’s.
Round 8: Other smoky fare
Looks like Southern Charred is still reeling from the last round, as a too-salty smoked half chicken nearly brings it to the canvas. Smoky, vinegar-tinged barbecue tofu — a surprise move — helps it to a nice recovery.
But then Maverick’s comes on with a flurry of smoked house-made jalapeño-cheddar sausage, house-cured pastrami, and a left hook out of the blue: Memphis BBQ spaghetti, a regional specialty seldom seen outside its home turf.
Score another round for Maverick’s.
Round 9. Sides
Southern Charred is against the ropes now, and undersalted potato salad and coleslaw (more evidence that the kitchen needs to work on its salinity game) don’t help. But then, rising to the challenge with a whirlwind of scoring punches that include hushpuppies and homemade pickles (both included with platters), plus charred corn on the cob and garlicky green beans, Southern Charred works its way back into the center of the ring.
A surprised Maverick’s falters with doughy-centered hushpuppies, then quickly regains its footing with collard greens, bourbon baked beans seasoned with ham hock, and smoked gruyere mac and cheese.
It’s a valiant comeback effort by Southern Charred, but Maverick’s is still in command.
Round 10: Dessert
Aware that it’s now or never, Southern Charred pulls out all the stops with a first-rate banana pudding, made from scratch and topped to order with crumbled vanilla wafers and freshly sliced bananas. Maverick’s answers with a homemade banana pudding of its own, but it’s no match for Southern Charred’s version.
The final round goes to Southern Charred.
And the winner?
But it’s too little, too late. The decision goes to Maverick’s, though it was by no means a lopsided affair. I wouldn’t be surprised if Southern Charred called for a rematch.
Maverick’s Smokehouse & Taproom
900 W. Main St., Durham
919-682-8978
Southern Charred
510 Glenwood Ave., Suite 101, Raleigh
919-758-8851
This story was originally published August 29, 2018 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Restaurant review: It’s a battle to the smokey barbecue finish between Southern Charred and Maverick’s."