Pigs Eatin’ Ribs

Aug. 13, 2015

If you’ve ever visited the American South and run across a BBQ shack, you’ll easily recognize the ambiance of Pigs Eatin’ Ribs, a smokehouse-style barbecue restaurant and mobile food service run by chef Adam Kline.

THE SCENE

The small burgundy hut, about the size of four parking spaces, welcomes meat-lovers with picnic tables and an ordering window manned by friendly faces ready to explain the different barbecue options.

You might catch one of Pigs Eatin’ Ribs’ four food trucks on the road or at various events around northern Michigan. You'll recognize them by their burgundy color and their signature pig logo, but their casual restaurant on US 31 in Charlevoix is just as unique and interesting.

THE MENU

Pigs Eatin’ Ribs offers a full lineup of Southern-style food, starting with their unique appetizers, one standout being something Kline dubbed “Pig Marbles.”

“We take redskin potatoes and mash them up with pulled pork, cheddar cheese and scallions, and roll them into balls,” he explained.

“We deep fry ’em and serve them with Sriracha aioli for dipping. They’re so gooey and good!” For lunch/dinner, platters are the house specialty. Customers pick their meat – smoked daily using 100 percent fruit wood – from such selections as pulled pork brisket, BBQ ribs, chicken, ham or house-made sausage, and then add their choice of two sides.

“We have up to 10 sides per day available, all made in-house,” Kline said. “Nothing’s ever out of a can. I don't even have a can opener!” The sides include traditional coleslaw, house-made cornbread that Kline calls “cakelike,” roasted corn slaw, pickled pepper slaw, potato salad made from Kline’s grandmother’s recipe and pit-roasted BBQ baked beans.

“Many of our desserts are also Southernstyle,” Kline said, “like banana pudding and coconut cream pie. Plus, we have a huge list of ice cream floats made with Moomer’s ice cream.”

THE BEST

While BBQ ribs may arguably be the most popular item, with an average of 25 racks of ribs sold per day, Kline said the sandwiches really can’t be beat.

The Snortin’ Boar is a meat-lover’s feast, with house-smoked ham, fresh sausage, pulled pork and bacon piled high on a bun.

“The Chopped Brisket sandwich is another one that I love,” Kline said. “It’s slow-smoked beef brisket with caramelized onions and smoked Gouda. As a matter of fact, I just fed one of those to Mario Batali last night and he called me a ‘master meat magician,’” he laughed.

THE REST OF THE STORY

Kline got his start in the restaurant business when he was just a teenager.

“I then lived in Charleston, South Carolina, for a while when I got older, but decided to move back here to be closer to family,” he said.

Once he returned to northern Michigan, Kline started attending summer festivals and noticed that all of the food seemed pretty much the same.

“I mean, it was elephant ears, hot dogs. I just noticed there wasn’t a big variety of food,” he said.

Fast-forward a bit and Kline founded as one of the first food trucks in northern Michigan, influenced in part by the food he’d had while living in South Carolina.

“Our first truck was a converted short school bus pulling a little smoker behind it,” he said. “We started getting popular, everything moved pretty fast from there, and that’s how I got to the brick-and-mortar restaurant that we have today.”

THE SKINNY

Appetizers start at $4, sandwiches at $8, platters run $8–24, sides are $2/small and $4/ large, and desserts are $3–6. Sweet tea and Northwoods Sodas are also available.

Pigs Eatin' Ribs’ Charlevoix location is open 7 days a week 11am–8pm at 1530 US 31 South. Telephone: 231-547-7447.