Everywhere you look these days, everything is “Craft”. Craft beer, craft coffee, craft…well, pretty much anything you can eat or drink. But when it comes to barbeque, “craft” is not just a clever marketing word for us at Rocklands, it’s at the core of what we do. If you’ve ever wondered what sets our barbeque apart from what happens on a backyard grill, pull up a chair. Let’s pull back the curtain on what “craft barbeque” really means at Rocklands.
What Is Craft Barbeque? (And Why Isn’t It Just Grilling?)
Craft barbeque is a world away from tossing burgers over hot coals and flipping steaks while the kids chase each other through the yard. Backyard grilling is great, but it’s fast, hot, and often all about the sauce. Craft barbeque is slower, deeper, and a little bit magic.
At Rocklands, craft barbeque is about transforming humble cuts of meat into something extraordinary using nothing more than time, smoke, wood, and a lot of know-how. It’s a tradition that takes patience and practice, and it’s the reason you can taste the difference in every single bite. I sat down with owner John Snedden to talk about how Rocklands operates, hoping to capture not just the process, but the spirit behind Rocklands’ great barbeque.
The Building Blocks of Authentic Barbeque
Time: Low and Slow
The first thing you need to know is that we don’t rush. Our brisket, ribs, and pork spend hours, sometimes all night, cooking gently in the smoker. “Low and slow” isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s the only way to coax tenderness and flavor from tougher cuts. There are no shortcuts here. Some of our cuts of meat can spend up to 12 hours in a smoker.
Temperature: The Gentle Heat
Consistent, low temperature is key. 225 degrees to be precise. Any hotter and the meat dries out. Any lower and it never gets tender. We keep our fires steady, letting gentle heat break down the tough connective tissues and render the fat until everything is juicy and full of flavor.
Wood: Smoke as an Ingredient
Here’s where Rocklands Barbeque really separates from the pack. We use locally sourced Red Oak and Hickory when smoking our meats. The Red Oak has less residue and burns cleaner. The smoke isn’t just a way to cook; it’s an ingredient in itself, adding to the flavor profile and infusing the meat with a deep, signature flavor you can’t fake or get from a bottle.
But Isn’t It All About the Sauce?
This is where a lot of people get tripped up. I know I did. Sauce is great, and we love ours. But at Rocklands, the meat is the star. Sauce is there to complement, not to cover up. When you bite into our brisket or ribs, you taste the smoke, the rub, the quality of the meat, not just a blanket of sweet or spicy sauce.
The Quality of Meat
Great barbeque starts with great meat. We get all of our meat from local distributors and our meat is fresh and never frozen. We obsess over marbling, fat caps, and the perfect cut. If you start with a compromised, frozen and low-grade piece of meat no amount of smoke or sauce can save it. It’s why we only use fresh, high-quality, Choice cuts that can stand up to a long, slow cook.
The Rub
Nothing hits the smoker without considering the perfect seasoning first. Since we’re working with top-notch cuts, we keep our rubs straightforward. Each type of meat gets its own blend, but it’s always some mix of Kosher salt, cracked pepper, cumin, and granulated garlic. These aren’t spices that drown out the taste, they just lift the natural flavor. If you’re ordering baby back ribs, expect a hint of sweetness thanks to a dusting of brown sugar on each rack. Pork butts, though? They go in completely plain, no rub at all. At Rocklands, we want you to actually taste the meat, the real flavor, not a bunch of extra stuff. That’s what the barbeque sauce is for.
Can’t You Just Cook It Faster?
We get this one a lot. The answer is no, science (and experience) says you can’t rush greatness. Tough cuts like brisket are full of connective tissue that only melts into tenderness after hours of low heat. Try to hurry, and you end up with something chewy and bland. At Rocklands, patience is part of the recipe.
Our ovens are carefully watched to be at 225 degrees, the pitmasters adjust the fires and meats can be smoked for up to 12 hours sometimes. Cooking times can vary from day to day, season to season and store to store because of the humidity, size of primal meat cut, and the ambient temperatures. Knowing how and when to tweak things takes genuine skill.
So, What’s the Real “Secret Ingredient”?
Here’s the truth: There is no magic button, no “secret sauce.” Our real secret is the love for the barbeque. Barbeque at this level is as much about intuition as it is about temperature and time. Our pitmasters know, by sight and smell and feel, when a brisket is ready. That’s not written in any recipe, it’s learned over years, and it’s what turns good barbeque into craft barbeque. It’s about good quality products, respecting the process and patience.
A Spotlight on an Icon: Our Brisket
If you want to see what craft barbeque means to us, look no further than our brisket.
- The Cut: It starts with a whole, untrimmed brisket that’s got the right fat cap—enough to render down and keep things juicy.
- The Trim: Our pitmasters trim each brisket by hand, leaving just enough fat to do its work , turning each piece into a flavorful bite.
- The Rub and The Rest: We season it generously and let it rest, giving the spices time to work their way in.
- The Smoke: Then it’s into the smoker for hours on end, with red oak and hickory wood burning slow and steady. There’s no walking away, someone is always minding the fire, checking temperatures, and guiding the meat through “the stall,” that mysterious plateau where patience is the only answer.
- The Slice: Finally, it’s sliced against the grain, revealing that pink smoke ring and a bark that crunches just a little before melting away into pure, juicy brisket. Each Rocklands location almost always has the option for a Texas Slice as well.
Craft Is a Commitment (And You Can Taste It)
“Craft” isn’t just one thing. It’s time, temperature, wood, the right rub, and, most of all, the passion of the people behind the pit. It’s a commitment to doing things the right way, even if it’s not the easy way.
That’s what you get at Rocklands,craft you can taste in every single bite.
Ready to taste the difference for yourself? Visit any of our locations (listed below) or let us cater your next event. Experience the Rocklands craft firsthand.
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