I had the pleasure of being invited back to Almost Famous Brewing Company in Granby, CT to taste and review three newly released beers. I went on a Saturday evening and was pleasantly surprised to see the Rolling Smokehouse food truck parked there. I had come across them on Instagram about a week before this encounter and thought their menu looked very appetizing. To say the least, I was rather pleased to see them.
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I bumped into Kenny McCarthy, one of the truck owners, and explained to him that I am a blogger and that I would love a sample of their signature dish to review. He was happy to comply and began to tell me about their business. Rolling Smokehouse LLC is a Father & Son operation owned by Kenny and his dad, Rich McCarthy. They started the business in 2019, but didn't actually start booking appointments until 2020. Then the pandemic hit. Through a very difficult time, Rich and Kenny managed to keep their business up and running and are now reaping the benefits.
It was mostly Kenny that represented the company in conversing with me. His father was busy preparing the food inside the truck. Kenny said that the "Loaded Tater Tots" is their biggest seller. I was getting excited to give them a try. I told Kenny that I only wanted a small sample, my wife and I had plans to go grab a burger at one of our favorite burger spots, and I didn’t want to get filled up before our meal. Kenny wouldn’t hear of it. He handed my wife and me two trays of food. There was more food in those trays than we could possibly eat. The portions are incredible. If portion size is a concern for you, don’t worry, Rolling Smokehouse is very generous.
We had loaded tater tots in one tray and a quarter rack of ribs in the other. I was beside myself. So much for burgers! Here's the thing, once I tasted this gastronomic delight, I wasn’t thinking about my favorite burger spot anymore. My mind, and taste buds were captured by the Sweet Heat BBQ sauce that covered the ribs. They were cooked perfectly and they slid off the bone with ease. The name suits the sauce well. The first thing you taste is the sweet. While writing this review, I contacted Rolling Smokehouse and asked, "what is the sweet and what is the heat?" You can see their reply in the pic.
No one will know for sure what goes into this tasty sauce, but I do know what comes out of it… pure joy. The heat is present on the pallet after the initial sweetness tapers off. Not too spicy at first, but as you go the heat rises! The spicy and sweet are so perfectly balanced, neither one overwhelms the other.
Quarter Rack of Ribs and Loaded Tater Tots with Pulled Pork coated with Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce and Cheese. A taste treat that needs to be experienced at a brewery with some good beer.
When it comes to the tater tots, they were prepared with a crispy outer crunch and a tender core. What makes these tots so special is the pulled pork with Sweet Heat, and some shredded cheese sprinkled over the top. The pork was tender with a slightly crispy outer coating. The flavor was outstanding. There was also a nice pile of sour cream with chives available in the tray for dipping our tots. The portion was too big to eat in one sitting. Mind you, we were two hungry adults chomping away at this meal and we couldn’t finish it.
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I know we all have our favorite brewery to go to and that is a wonderful thing, but I suggest looking at Rolling Smokehouse’s website or social media to see where they will be set up. Not only will you be able to check out a new venue for a change of pace, you'll taste some of the finest BBQ the industry has to offer.
Bud's Overall Rating
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The Truck's Appearance: The truck was clean and well organized.
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Staff: Extremely friendly, polite, genuine.
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Food: So much flavor! Sweet and spice were so well balanced. My tots and ribs get 4.5 wheels. Outstanding job!
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You can find Rolling Smokehouse online and order your food at:
https://www.rollingsmokehouse.com/
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Facebook and Instagram:
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https://www.facebook.com/rollingsmokehouse187
https://www.instagram.com/rollingsmokehousellc/
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They also have some great merch on their Etsy site at:
Now it's your turn.
1. Have you ever tried Rolling Smokehouse's food?
2. Do you have a favorite food truck?
3. What is your favorite Brewery and Food Truck pairing?
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