A New Hope

This Man Knows His BBQ

I'm happy to report that the diversity of food to be found in Cardiff has grown steadily since I first settled here over a decade ago. In those days I would stagger out of a pub in a ravenous state, only to be greeted by a seemingly endless, homogeneous cycle of fish & chip shops and kebab takeaways selling meat of questionable origin. Of course, by then I’d have a case of the munchies such that I could have eaten the ass out of a low flying duck, but that is beside the point. Boundaries have been broken since those barren times and the future is bright for the local grub scene.

With that said, one area still finding its feet is that of BBQ…There have been a few attempts that I know of, most of which have fallen a bit short in delivering the goods. Up until a few weeks ago, every BBQ place I’d sat down at in Cardiff was akin to watching the Jamaicans in Cool Runnings. Good effort, but lacking refinement. Simply put, it is an art -  nay, a skill - that has not blossomed here just yet, leaving a wood smoked hole in my heart. After my family, my friends and sunshine, there is nothing I miss about home more than BBQ.  

So, you can imagine my excitement when my buddy Karey – a transplanted Oklahoman - told me about a place called the Hang Fire Smokehouse, operating as a part time pop-up in a local watering hole known as “The Canadian”.  That is Karey pictured up top, helpfully presenting his plate. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking he looks like E.T if E.T were white and wore glasses. I can assure you, that’s just the lighting, and that dude knows a lot about a lot, including BBQ. When he said he “knew a place”, I knew we had to pay a visit. 

Turns out, Hang Fire is run by a couple of Irish chicks who spent a while in the States specifically to learn BBQ. They set up a home base in Tennessee and then toured the BBQ hotspots all over the south, including Texas (word). Having learned from the masters, they came back to the UK and set up shop, even going so far as to import of wood from the US to get the smoking right. That, my friends, is respect for the craft. Gotta love it.

As soon as I walked in, I knew these girls knew what they were doing. It was the small things, the details they had right where others had failed. For instance: the sauce. BBQ aficionados know that not all BBQ involves sauce, but its nice to have good sauce on the tables. Cardiff pubs/restaurants have this bizarre, almost militant stance against sauce on the tables. Any kind of sauce. Commonly in pubs, if one should ask for ketchup, the waiter will bring a tiny pot of ketchup with a spoon and stand there while you sheepishly take your spoonful. Not at Hang Fire. No Siree, Bob.  They had their own sauces that they made daily. Tasty to boot. Its the little things, folks.

BBQ Buffalo Wings | The Hang Fire Smokehouse | Cardiff, Wales, UK

 We started with a couple plates of wings.  Damn good. Fat, succulent, well seasoned. Had 2 plates full and that was just for starters.

Brisket Plate | The Hang Fire Smokehouse | Cardiff, Wales, UK

From there we moved on to the brisket. A favourite of mine and they did not disappoint. Tender, it fell apart with the slightest rub from my fork. Still, the star of this plate was that pot of beans. It was a fantastic mix of beef and beans and, presumably, magic dust. I dunno what that pickle is doing there but it could have used a big ol pickle wedge. A small critique of what amounts to a terrifically tasty plate.

Pulled Pork Plate | The Hangfire Smokehouse | Cardiff, Wales, UK

Last, we hit up the pulled pork. Normally, I take my pulled pork in sammich form but here it was served without bread. The meat was sublime. It harmonised perfectly with their home made sauce and dissolved on the tongue. Plenty of fries, nicely seasoned, but by that point I was so full I was just throwing the fries at my mouth in a futile attempt to continue eating. Once again, the plate is garnished by a mystery pickle slice. 

My final analysis? This place is the real deal. If you find yourself in Cardiff on a weekend and want to taste some authentic BBQ, check this place out. 

-meathead

(Note: you can see their FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hang-Fire-Smokehouse/203591489778567)