On Friday, July 15, legendary pitmaster Mike Mills, along with his daughter Amy Mills and the rest of his pit crew, prepared a barbecue bonanza at the James Beard House in New York City, a right of passage in the culinary world. Mills is the owner of four 17th Street Bar & Grill locations in Southern Illinois, as well as three Memphis Championship Barbecue restaurants in Las Vegas. He also contributed expert ‘cueing tips to the barbecue package in our June issue.
The five-course menu, designed to bring a taste of Southern Illinois to The Big Apple, featured meat-laden classics like pork shoulder tacos, brisket, burnt ends and 17th Street’s famous ribs along with innovative twists on Southern specialties such as a collard greens and grits parfait. Also paired with the meal were brews by Big Muddy Brewing, a craft brewery located in Murphysboro, Ill. Here’s a look at the complete menu.
Cascading fountain of St. Louis red sauce
Skewers of smoked Creekstone Farms beef tenderloin, turkey and Virginia ham
Crispy Soul Rolls and Mills’ family mustard sauce
Fried dill pickles and dipping sauce
Fresh pork rinds with Vidalia onion soufflé
Pink Pull Your Panties Down Punch
Creamy deviled eggs, pimento cheese and Fontanini hot links
Twomey Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Smithfield pork shoulder taco with crunchy cole slaw and fresh lime
Coal-fired Mexican-style corn
Big Muddy Brewing Saluki Dunkel Dog
Creekstone Farms sliced brisket, moist and lean, and burnt ends
17th Street tangy pit beans
Hogue Cellars Genesis Columbia Valley Syrah 2007
World Grand Champion Wichita packing baby back ribs
Sliced money muscle
Hagood Mill grits and collard greens parfaits
Big Muddy Brewing Kinkaid Wheat
Comforting bread pudding with praline sauce, toasted pecans and pig candy
WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey
— Photo by David Grunfeld
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2011.