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Ron Johnson, aka "Smokin' Jarhead" is a former marine, now offering some of the best barbecue I've ever eaten, and absolutely some of the very best barbecue you can find in the Washington, DC area. A couple months ago, I bought three Full Racks of Ribs ($24) from Ron, and he delivered them to my front door, where they were waiting when I got home. Between me and my son, one of them didn't survive the evening; the second didn't last the week, and the third is still in my freezer, waiting for Matt to come home from college in a couple of days - the ribs freeze, reheat, and are 90% as good even after being frozen and reheated - all the more reason to stock up. Ron doesn't have a brick and mortar location, and he doesn't have a "food truck" in the traditional sense of the word; he has this huge smoker that he puts on a trailer, and brings over to catered functions anywhere in the DMV - extra delivery charges begin after 40 miles, which easily covers all of DC and the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Ron will smoke anything from ribs, to brisket, to pulled pork, and just about anything else, and he'll bring the food to your door with a minimum order. Let me emphasize again: These are as good as any ribs I've ever had in the DC area, and that includes places like Johnny Boy's, Buz & Ned's, Chubby's, and The Pit Stop - in other words, the Best of the Best. It's unusual for me to be raving about a place that doesn't have a brick and mortar shop, but I did the same thing about Pupatella, eventually going on to declare them the best pizza in the area, which they were for a time - it's the same thing with Smokin' Jarhead: Just because there's no storefront means nothing when he'll bring your order to your door for you. If you're having a Memorial Day cookout, or a 4th of July barbecue, or any other type of house party, he'll arrive at your house with his smoker in tow, and everything will be cooked right there - no grocery store, no cooking, no cleanup - everything is done for you, and his prices are rock-bottom low. I really don't know what else to say: On short notice - one, perhaps two days, you can have the best barbecue in the area delivered right to your home. Call on a Tuesday for a Friday delivery, and the ribs will be waiting on your doorstep when you get home from a long week at work (this is exactly what I did; I've never actually met Ron - I paid him through PayPal, and the ribs were on my front porch when I got home the next day). If you're having guests over for a party, get him and his smoker over there too. I recommended this to one of our members once, who has since turned into a repeat customer, and this is a quote from him: All you need to do is write Ron on his Facebook page or contact him via his business card (below), and tell him what your needs are, regardless of the size of your order. He'll give you a quote that's reasonable enough that you'll wonder why you waited so long to do this. Ron should be in constant demand, and have a two-month backlog - that is how good his product is. Here are some facts about his meats: As a rule, he uses inexpensive cuts because the true flavor comes from his dry rub and the smoking process, but he will use whatever meats you request, so if you have a favorite butcher who makes a special cut of ribeye, or a favorite fishmonger who sells wonderful oysters, (I'm making an assumption here) he'll go there, purchase them, and smoke them for you - either at your premises or at his, followed by a delivery or drop-off. Things like hams, chickens, sausages, and turkeys are no problem, and he'll be more than happy to cater to vegetarians as well - the smoker has obviously seen meats in it before, so it would be impossible to keep kosher-vegan, but that's about it in terms of limitations. Some more factual information from Ron himself: The only other thing I want to emphasize is that supporting Smokin' Jarhead will be supporting a former Marine who was placed in harm's way to help defend our country - if you're looking to support our nation's veterans, then getting your event catered by Smokin' Jarhead is a win-win for all involved. One last thing: This is Ron's full-time job; not some hobby he does on the side. He's a professional in every sense of the word, and will bend over backwards so that you're happy. If you trust me as a food critic, I'm happy to put my reputation on the line by recommending Ron Johnson - it will be one of the safest things I've done. Support this great man - email him him right now while it's on your mind, even if you're not ready to place an order. Look at this smoker! <--- This could (and should) be your backyard at your next party! And what emerges from that smoker? Have a look: I'm proud to have a chance to support our country's veterans like Ron Johnson, but you can rest assured that if I didn't believe in his product, I wouldn't be writing this review, which is obviously a rave - that's why I included the pictures, so you can see for yourselves that I'm not just, erm, blowing smoke. Here's Ron's business card - I urge you to give him a try, even if it's just for a single rack of ribs (get dry rub - there are pictures on his Facebook page of pre-sauced ribs, and I got my order of sauce on the side so I could use exactly how much I wanted, when I wanted. It's really good sauce, too, but you don't want your ribs pre-sauced - whatever he uses in his rub is fantastic). PS - Ron, I have a suggestion: Like food trucks do, use Twitter to announce which days of the week you'll be making deliveries in which parts of the DMV. Tuesday can be Montgomery Country, Wednesday can be Arlington, etc. I'm not sure how you'd handle the specifics, but it's a thought, and one that may have some merit. That way, you won't have to run around all over town like a yo-yo. Maybe contact the owner of Food Truck Fiesta - feel free to tell him I referred you. You're also welcome to use this website to announce your deliveries (just try and keep it to "about twice a month," which is the standard we use for all businesses). Who knows? You might come up with something like this as a regular thing as your business grows. I really hope people don't simply read this post and forget about it six hours later - we have a diamond in the rough, and suitable occasions come up *all the time* (think about how many times *all you want* is some decent food in front of you, without having to trudge out to get it) - the fact that drop-off service is available is invaluable, and the fact that your meats freeze and reheat so well is also crucial. Next time I order from you (which reminds me ...), I'm going to buy in bulk like I did before, except given my track record of not having *anything* in my fridge, I may order even more next time. I hope your dry-rub is a success - that's how you'll acquire real wealth, but we're all benefiting from this early stage of your career (I have no idea how long you've been doing this, but if you play your cards right, you could be a rich man one day; it won't come from running around town dropping off orders of smoked meat). I look at this phase as a necessary evil to develop your name and brand, and something that everyone should be taking advantage of while it's still available. Keep grinding it out, but think *BIG* while you're doing it. Fall, 2016 picnic, anyone? One final word: It's not too late to remember Operation Honor Our Heroes this Memorial Day weekend - they *desperately* need both money and volunteers), Contact Christi-Ana Crews (my personal assistant) and help however you can. *Please read that post*!
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Hey Folks, We have some tickets left to the hottest party in D.C. in 75 years! But they're not going to last. BUY TICKETS to REPEAL DAY! I look forward to toasting you there. Here's a teaser.... Drink to me only with good hard cider. Or rye, or a Scotch highball. Drink to me with any old thing, Just as long as it's alcohol. For now that the wets have won the day, And prohibition is through, To drink to me only with thine eyes Is a hell of a thing to do. MORE INFO... On December 5th, The DC Craft Bartenders' Guild is inviting Washington area residents to party like it's 1933. The group, made up of DC's top mixologists, is hosting Washington's only Repeal Day party, taking place at The City Tavern Club from 8 P.M. to midnight. Priced at $80 per person if purchased before November 20th ($90 per person thereafter) with proceeds benefiting the Club's Preservation Fund and the Museum of the American Cocktail, this fundraising event honors the 75th anniversary of the date when the 18th Amendment - which established Prohibition in the United States - was repealed. During the ball, guests will be treated to classic cocktails such as the Aviation, Bee's Knees and Pisco Punch recreated by the best in the business. Hors d'oeuvres will be provided throughout the night by the City Tavern Club while a 1930s jazz band, The Red Hot Rhythm Chiefs, sets the mood and provide the tunes for dancing. Locals mixology talent, including Owen Thompson (Bourbon), Todd Thrasher (PX), Gina Chersevani (EatBar) and Derek Brown (The Gibson), will be featured along side special guests Tony Abou-Ganim (Host of Fine Living Network's "Raising the Bar"), Jeffrey Morgenthaler (RepealDay.org founder) and other top bartenders from throughout the United States. "Americans never stopped exercising their 'right' to have a drink, but after prohibition ended they could now do it out in the open. What a party that must have been - that's the mood we're recreating," says Dan Searing, Guild spokesperson. Thanks to the vital support of our sponsors, we will be featuring drinks made by only quality brands, including Martin Millers Gin, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, Skyy Vodka, Willett Rye & Bourbon, Old Forester Bourbon, The Bitter Truth Bitters, Macallan Single Malt Scotch, Mt. Gay Rum and Fiji Water. The City Tavern Club is located in one of the oldest buildings in DC, City Tavern, built in 1796. In addition to serving as President John Adams' headquarters while he was supervising the construction of the national capital, the historic building has also played host to numerous presidents and dignitaries. The City Tavern Club is located at 3206 M Street, NW in Washington, DC. For more information about the event or to buy tickets please visit repealday.org or www.dccraftbartendersguild.org. The DC Craft Bartenders Guild is an active body of professionals and enthusiasts dedicated to craft bartending--its history and practice--and providing training and services to its members and the general public in keeping with our guiding principles of professionalism, knowledge, hospitality, outreach and civic engagement. -
And how are we ushering in 2006? Here, it's oyster stew and ham biscuits at cocktail hour, then a late supper of dry-aged rib steaks, black-eyed peas and haricots verts. Then cookies. 2002 Baumard Savennieres "Clos du Papillon" 1995 Chateau Sociando-Mallet Haut-Medoc 1995 Jaboulet Hermitage la Chapelle 1986 Dow's Quinta do Bomfim 1996 Egly-Ouriet Champagne ...and a generously gifted-to-me bottle of Comte Georges de Vogue marc de bourgogne.
