Success at the recent Goodnight Market has Gary Coring eager to share his Bubba’s Texas BBQ with patrons of the monthly Valley Market when it returns on Saturday.
He will introduce the taste of Texas to the SPAR Eastern Cape-sponsored market with his slow-cooked and gently smoked beef briskets, which he’ll proudly serve wearing the hats of founder, owner and chef.
Coring, who has lived in the United States for the last 18 years, returned to his roots and decided to share his passion for the popular cut of meat with his fellow citizens.
“South Africans love their meat and everyone has seen it on TV,” he said. “All my friends asked about it so I decided, instead of just making it for them, I’d bring it to other people too.”
He turned his passion into a profession more than a decade ago while still in America and has been perfecting his craft ever since.
He explained the locally sourced beef was coated in a thick layer of natural spices and cooked for 14 to 16 hours using a traditional Texan style of smoking.
“The spices are locally sourced from PE and are blended together into a rub. I coat that onto the brisket and leave it for about four hours,” he said.
“It’s then cooked at low temperatures in my custom-made smoker.”
After a warm reception at the recent TOPS at SPAR Goodnight Market, Coring said he was eager to introduce the flavourful dish to an even wider audience.
“I had a pretty good turnout at the last market. The majority of people are there to eat and try new food so it’s a good way to introduce my food to those who wouldn’t necessarily be looking for Texas BBQ,” he said.
“People will be able to sample our sliced or chopped brisket on a roll. There’s also going to be some traditional Texan sides, which include coleslaw and baked beans.”
Despite being only a month old, the business has been well received and Coring warned that those who snoozed might lose.
“I’ve even had people coming back for thirds,” he said.
The good reviews extended to more than just marketgoers and Coring said he had received high praise from a number of well-known names in the Port Elizabeth restaurant industry.
In addition to brisket, the Bubba’s Texas BBQ name also adorns his bottles of BBQ sauce.
“I offer an original and slightly spicier flavour. I also plan to bring out a Texas heat option in about two weeks, which will make you sweat,” he said.
Plans for the future do not stop there and the father of two explained he hoped to expand the American taste into South African households countrywide.
“I can see it being big for specific occasions,” said Coring. “Instead of having a braai for 20 to 30 people, I would be smoking off site and bring it to finish up the cook at their house as a catering possibility.”
Visitors to the market will have an opportunity to work up an appetite at the Valley Run, a 5km event through Settlers Valley that starts at 8am from the Tramways Building.
The registration fee of R20 will give runners entry to the market afterwards and cover a free coffee.
