Eater Denver - The Guide to All Things Barbecue in DenverThe Denver Restaurant, Bar, and Nightlife Bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52682/favicon-32x32.png2016-06-16T09:28:14-06:00http://denver.eater.com/rss/stream/118107112016-06-16T09:28:14-06:002016-06-16T09:28:14-06:00Where to Find Denver's Best Korean Barbecue
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<figcaption>Korean barbecue | Shutterstock</figcaption>
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<p>'Tis the season for barbecue ... with a spicy spin!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 25px; font-family: RobotoRegular, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; padding: 0px; color: #6e6e6e;" class="body-text__paragraph-text has-spacing">It is still <a href="http://denver.eater.com/barbecue-week">barbecue week at Eater Denver</a> and we're jumping on the bandwagon of the social, booze-filled dining experience that is <b>Korean barbecue</b>. There are different cuts of grilled meat prepared by guests themselves on a tabletop grill, to be paired with countless sides. It is casual and affordable, an experiential way of dining that shines best when enjoyed with a group. From <a href="http://denver.eater.com/2016/6/16/11945234/korean-barbecue-dae-gee-joseph-kim">a small locally-grown chain</a> to places set in multiple strip mall, these seven places hit the spot when you're up for a Korean eating adventure.</p>
https://denver.eater.com/maps/best-korean-barbecue-denverGigi Sukin2016-06-16T08:41:47-06:002016-06-16T08:41:47-06:00Korean Barbecue Darling Dae Gee Shares Its History
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<figcaption>Dae Gee | Facebook</figcaption>
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<p>Best thing to order? The marinaded beef short ribs!</p> <p>Earlier this year, owner <b>Joseph Kim </b>opened<a href="http://denver.eater.com/2016/5/2/11567842/dae-gee-broadway-baker"> the third outpost of <b>Dae Gee</b>, a modern fast-casual Korean barbecue spot in the Baker neighborhood</a>. Only around for five years, the restaurant's rise to popularity was swift. In honor of <a href="http://denver.eater.com/barbecue-week">Barbecue Week</a>, we asked Kim to share the secrets of his success. Here's what he said.</p>
<p><b>What is the story behind Dae Gee?</b> Well, five<span> years ago I literally jumped into the restaurant industry knowing the most important thing and that was I knew how to eat food really well and enjoyed it. When I tell people that I constantly get the response that I am crazy. I agree that I'm crazy, but sometimes the most phenomenal things happen in those difficult and crazy times. I partnered with the prior chef of Korean garden barbecue at the time and than bought out his portion a year later and than re-branded and did what I felt the restaurant needed. The rest is history and here we are. </span></p>
<p><b>Tell us about the name?</b> <span>Daegee which means pig in Korean is about pigging out or pigout!. Doing everything to the maximum whether it's the crazy red mohawk [<i>like the one Kim sports</i>] or having a trendy look to pushing the limits of how things are done.</span></p>
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<p><b>What is the place all about?</b> <span>Korean barbecue is all about the interactive experience of cooking your own meat at your own barbecue table. Some may say why would I go to a restaurant to cook my own food but once you experience it and experience the family style of Korean culture it is amazing. The friendship you build during shots of soju and feeding each other!</span></p>
<p><b>How did you end up in the business? </b><span>I have been in business all my life. My parents have always had a business from dry cleaners to super markets. I remember as an elementary kid stocking the aisles and helping my parents. In 2003, my father passed away so I moved back from California and the second day jumped into the family dry cleaning business at the age of 21. Never ran a business before or knew what do, but always had the mentality that I will find a way or figure it out.</span></p>
<p><b>With three outposts now, what was your expansion strategy?</b> <span>Honestly I didn't have a strategy or expansion plan. It was locations that people told me about and just negotiated the lease and made a deal with the landlords. Moving forward, I can't keep doing that. We'll plan better for future ventures.</span></p>
<p><b>Will there ever be more? </b><span>We are always working on new locations and currently have several in the works so "<i>Coming to a city near you</i>."</span></p>
<p><b>How is Korean barbecue the same and how is it different from traditional American barbecue?</b> <span>The </span>similarities<span> are the meats but the technique and result are totally different. Koreans marinade everything where as the american barbecue is smoking.</span></p>
<p><b>What about sides - there are so many for Korean barbecue?</b> <span>Literally, if you did an article on Korean side dishes we would sit here for days. In fact, you could probably write a book on it because there are so many. There are restaurants in Korea that only serve side dishes. Literally you get a bowl of rice and 50+ sides.</span></p>
<p><b>Why is your Korean barbecue restaurant different from other Korean barbecue restaurants?</b> <span>For the most part, our staff speaks english. That is one huge difference. If you go to any authentic Korean barbecue place English is not the norm. I mean, you can get by with some broken English, but I mean carrying a in depth conversation about life or anything might be hard to come by. </span><span>Also, we like to pride ourself on being authentic food-wise and being more trendy and having more fun!</span></p>
<p><b>What is the one thing that guests should not miss at Dae Gee?</b> <span>The marinaded beef short ribs!</span></p>
https://denver.eater.com/2016/6/16/11945234/korean-barbecue-dae-gee-joseph-kimAndra Zeppelin2016-06-15T17:36:15-06:002016-06-15T17:36:15-06:00Denver-Area Barbecue by the Numbers
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<figcaption>Globe Hall | Rachel Greiman </figcaption>
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<p>Hundreds of pounds of meat and many chords of wood</p> <p class="p1">In honor of Barbecue Week, Eater asked some of the most popular new-school spots about their meat (and more) statistics. From 2,500 pounds of meat per week at Roaming Buffalo to non-stop smoking at GQUE, here's a snapshot of a week in the barbecue life.</p>
<p class="p1"><b style="line-height: 1.5;">How many hours is the smoker running per week?</b></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><i>Roaming Buffalo</i>: The shop is closed on Mondays, but one of the smokers is running at least 20 plus hours a day.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>Ragin' Hog BBQ</i>: Some 20 hours a day, five days a week.</p>
<p class="p1"><i>Georgia Boys: </i>Almost 24/7 with the exception of Sunday afternoon at the shack and Sunday night and Monday morning at the Smokehouse. The shop closes early on Sunday at the Shack and is closed Mondays at the Smokehouse.</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><i>Globe Hall: </i>About 40 hours a week.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>GQUE Championship BBQ</i>: The s<span>moker runs 24 hours a day.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><b>How many pounds of meat get smoked a week?</b></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><i>Roaming Buffalo</i>: All total between 1800 pounds on a slow week to 2500 pounds on a busy week.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>Ragin' Hog BBQ</i>: About 1200 pounds of meat a week.</p>
<p class="p1"><i>Georgia Boys: </i>About 5000 pounds of meat each week at each location.</p>
<p class="p1"><i>Globe Hall: </i><span>Between 800 and 1500 and more for special events and big catering orders.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>GQUE Championship BBQ</i>: O<span>n average about 1500 pounds of brisket, 200 racks of ribs, 1000 pounds of pork, plus several cases of sausage and wings. Each month, the volume has increased over the previous month.</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><b>Where does the meat get sourced from?</b></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><i>Roaming Buffalo</i>: Lamb and bison products are both sourced from Colorado, natural beef and pork come from Nebraska.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>Ragin' Hog BBQ</i>: A variety of locations that meet the shop's specifications.</p>
<p class="p1"><i>Georgia Boys: </i>All meat is sourced through US Foods and all beef brisket is Certified Black Angus Choice Beef that sourced from Colorado.</p>
<p class="p1"><i>Globe Hall: </i>Local <span>Colorado farms that responsibly raise and care for their animals. All of beef and pork products are hormone and antibiotic-free. Meat for brisket comes from Aspen Ridge in Greeley, for p</span><span>ulled pork and ribs from McDonald Family Farm in Brush, and sausage comes from </span><span>Continental Sausage in Denver.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>GQUE Championship BBQ</i>: <span>It comes from a few different places. There is only USDA Prime beef for brisket. Here's what that means: The top 3% of cattle in America earn a prime rating, the rating is based on the marbling of the cow.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><b>What kind of wood is used?</b></p>
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<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><i>Roaming Buffalo</i>: We use a blend of White Oak and Pecan. What makes it unique is that we use wood pellets in our smokers.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>Ragin' Hog BBQ</i>: A<span> base of hickory to smoke and add oak for beef and a fruit wood - apple or cherry - for pork, and chicken.</span></p>
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<i style="line-height: 24px;">Georgia Boys: </i><span>Hi</span><span>ckory and apple wood.</span><span> Here's why: </span><span>Hickory wood typically only grows east of the Mississippi River which is why most southern barbecue joints use hickory which has its own flavor profile.</span><span> The one at Georgia Boys is</span><span> sourced from Missouri.</span><span> </span>
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<i style="line-height: 24px;">Globe Hall: </i><span>O</span><span>ak - a mix of red and white. Here's why: Oak is most commonly used in Texas and this is a Texas-style spot. Fruit woods are great for poultry and pork, but they burn up fast and don’t give the beef the flavor owner Jeff Cornelius is going for. </span>
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<i style="line-height: 24px;">GQUE Championship BBQ</i><span>: </span><span>Pesticide-free wood from eastern Kansas. </span>
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<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>How much wood gets used every week?</b></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><i>Roaming Buffalo</i>: About 250 pounds of pellets a week.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>Ragin' Hog BBQ</i>: About 100-125 pounds of wood every week.</p>
<p class="p1"><i>Globe Hall: </i><span>The smoker is pretty efficient by commercial smoker standards. In the winter, a cord a month. In the summer, when its warmer, a cord every six weeks. A cord is about 128 cubic feet, or a 4x4x8 foot stack. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><i>GQUE Championship BBQ</i>: A<span>bout a cord a month.</span></p>
https://denver.eater.com/2016/6/15/11950488/denver-barbecue-statisticsAndra Zeppelin2016-06-14T16:34:13-06:002016-06-14T16:34:13-06:00Globe Hall Shares Smoked Meats, Cold Beer, and Live Music in a Historic Space
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<figcaption>Jeff Cornelius at Globe Hall | Rachel Greiman </figcaption>
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<p>Owner Jeff Cornelius took a gamble on opening his business in Globeville and it paid off</p> <p><a href="http://denver.eater.com/2015/11/4/9670274/globe-hall-barbecue-music-venue-#4872021" style="line-height: 1.24;">Late last fall, <b>Jeff Cornelius</b> took a leap into the restaurant world with <b>Globe Hall</b></a>, a casual and friendly spot that is reminiscent of Texas bars. There is live music, a divey vibe, and fabulous smoked meats cooked in a mammoth smoker named <b>Betty</b>. In honor of <a href="http://denver.eater.com/barbecue-week" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Barbecue Week</a>, Eater asked this meat man to share the story of his restaurant in a Q&A. Here it is:</p>
<p><span><b>What's the short elevator description of your restaurant?</b> </span><span>Globe Hall is a barbecue joint, dive bar, and music hall in the Globeville neighborhood - near the Coliseum and the National Western Complex. It's been a saloon since the early 1890s - probably the longest surviving one in Globeville. The music hall is an old Croatian/Slovenian meeting lodge that was built in 1903. I bought it from the original fraternal lodge - it's never changed hands before.</span></p>
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<p><b>What motivated you to open it? </b>I wanted to open a place like the small town barbecue joints and honkeytonks I remember from my college days in Austin, Texas. Bikers, hippies, cowboys, frat boys, young, old, single, married, kids, grandmas and grandpas - everyone got along at these places. The combination of good barbecue, cold beer, and live music seems to bring out the best in people and it was palpable in those places. That's what I wanted to create with Globe Hall and I think I have. I'm there every night and I see everyone enjoying themselves - laughing, dancing, making new friends at the bar. I think its extremely important that we have places we can go and leave our divisions at the door and celebrate the things we all love - good food, good music and a cold drink are a great place to start.</p>
<p><b>Why this location?</b> The property was for sale and I fell in love with it. Its only 5 minutes from downtown, 5 minutes from the stock show, all the development is headed our way and you can't build over a hundred years of history into a new building, so its pretty unique.</p>
<p><b>Will there ever be a second one?</b> There can only be one Globe Hall - it's in Globeville and was originally named St. Jacob's Lodge Hall. It's all I'm focused on at the moment.</p>
<p><b>What's your philosophy on barbecue? </b>For me, three ingredients make great barbecue. 1. The food is cooked with passion and caring. 2. Wood is the only fuel used to cook the meat. 3. The food is ultimately shared among a group of people, be that friends, family or guests in your establishment.</p>
<p><b>What about sides?</b> We offer three classic sides and like to keep the menu simple: potato salad, coleslaw, and ranch beans. We put a lot of thought into the development of the sides. For the potato salad and coleslaw, I didn't want them to be a mayonnaise-y mess. We went for crisp and clean flavor profiles to compliment the richness of the proteins.</p>
<p><b>How did you choose your smoker?</b> I met Daniel Vaughn, who is the Barbecue Editor for Texas Monthly magazine, at the National Barbecue Association meeting in 2014. He's probably eaten at more barbecue joints in Texas than anyone in history, has a great palate for the central Texas-style I wanted to cook and spends his time interviewing owners and pitmasters, so he knows how they prepare their food. After narrowing my search to the top three commercial smokers on the market, he told me the only one that would reproduce the central TX flavor I wanted was the Oyler 1300, made by J&R Manufacturing in Mesquite, TX. Main reason - its 100% wood-fired.</p>
<p><b>What kind of wood do you use? </b>We use oak - a mix of red and white. Oak is most commonly used in Texas and the wood definitely affects the taste of the finished product, so that's what I wanted to use. Oak imparts a great flavor across beef, pork, and poultry as well, so we can cook all of it using the same wood. Fruit woods are great for poultry and pork, but they burn up fast and don't give the beef the flavor I like.</p>
<p><b>What do you aim for as your finished product?</b> All of our finished meats highlight their respective meat profiles, enhanced by a lot of natural smoke flavor.</p>
<p><span><b>What is the best thing you serve?</b> </span><span>We get compliments on all of our meats, but the favorite seems to be our pork ribs. People say they are the meatiest and most flavorful they've ever had.</span></p>
https://denver.eater.com/2016/6/14/11938574/globe-hall-smoked-meats-cold-beer-live-musicAndra Zeppelin