Clay Stewart’s late grandfather known as him Zeke. Nobody else within the household used the nickname, and none of them knew the place it got here from. When Stewart opened a barbecue trailer in Huntsville together with his spouse, Sara, in 2022, the couple wished a significant title that was catchy. “In honor of my grandpa, we named it Zeke’s,” Stewart mentioned. With Zeke’s Craft BBQ emblazoned in neon pink on the truck, Zeke is now what most of Stewart’s prospects name him, and he stopped correcting them way back.
Stewart isn’t new to the restaurant enterprise. He labored for Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Miami, Florida; Colorado; and Maui within the early 2000s. Stewart got here again house to Texas in 2007 to attend the Artwork Institute of Houston’s culinary program. He and his mom, Debby Evans, opened Debby’s Prime Steakhouse in Conroe quickly after. Hurricane Ike blew the roof off the brand new restaurant, and the nice recession didn’t assist the financials. After the steakhouse closed in 2009, Stewart went to work at his father’s machine store, manufacturing oil subject gear. The brand new job changed into a profession, which led to an extended hiatus from cooking. Nonetheless, Stewart mentioned, “I at all times knew that some level in my life, I used to be gonna return to culinary.”
With extra time at house in 2020, the Stewarts bought themselves a small smoker. They began cooking barbecue for enjoyable, after which for competitions. Issues bought critical, and Stewart ordered a brand new meals trailer from SDG Trailers, in Georgia. It took a number of months to construct and got here full with a smoker. After Stewart picked it up, the trailer sat in his driveway for months. Stewart was hesitant to drag the set off on the subsequent step, however the proprietor of Arnaud’s Food Park, in Huntsville, provided him an open spot. Zeke’s opened solely on weekends at first, and Stewart maintained his place on the machine store.
However the half measures weren’t sufficient. Stewart had misplaced his good pal James to COVID-induced myocarditis in early 2022. That they had been pals for the reason that ninth grade and had attended the Artwork Institute collectively. James had been within the images program, however he didn’t make images a profession. “James by no means bought to dwell his dream of being a photographer,” mentioned Stewart. He didn’t need to lose the chance to pursue his personal dream, so he informed his father, “I believe I need to make an actual run at this.” He and Sara went into barbecue full-time. The meals trailer is now open Wednesday by way of Friday, which permits the Stewarts to attend weekend barbecue occasions such because the Red Dirt BBQ & Music Festival, held in Victoria earlier this month.
Zeke’s opened with a targeted menu of simply 4 meats. The sliced brisket is tender and juicy, with , smoky bark. That’s a feat, given how little Stewart initially understood in regards to the sizzling and funky spots within the cupboard smoker that got here with the trailer. When he known as the pit builder to ask, the one recommendation he acquired was, “You’ll determine it out. It’s trial and error, however you’ll get it proper.” Stewart did finally work out the airflow, and he decided that oak and pecan wooden made the correct mix for gasoline. “I take advantage of oak for the smoke and pecan for the flavour,” he mentioned.
As juicy because the brisket is, the shredded pork requires a squirt of the candy barbecue sauce for moisture. I choose the St. Louis–reduce pork ribs. If you happen to ask for no sauce, you’ll get ribs with a well-formed bark and a stability of candy and savory flavors. If you happen to like them tremendous candy, by all means request a layer of sauce brushed on high.
Stewart didn’t like potato salad till he tried the loaded baked potato model at Heim Barbecue, in Fort Price. His model, known as Hill Nation Potato Salad, is an effective one, with an analogous mixture of shredded cheese, bacon, ranch dressing, and inexperienced onions. Thick-cut potato chips are made in-house from a recipe Stewart developed over a few years. He makes use of a deli slicer for the potatoes and fries them in a giant batch on Wednesdays solely. They’re chunky and crunchy, with a dusting of home seasoning. College students from the Sam Houston State campus close by love the barbecue-topped nachos, however you’ll be able to organize them as “Panchos” if you wish to swap out the tortilla chips for the house-made potato chips.
Day by day specials embody brisket fried rice on Fridays. Sara didn’t love any of the fried rice choices on the native Chinese language eating places, so Stewart spent a pair days growing his personal model with chopped brisket. It was so good, they added it to the menu. Wednesdays function the Sara Particular, for which the Stewarts type shredded potatoes, bacon, cheddar, bitter cream, and butter into balls for breading and frying. The loaded potato balls are then topped with chopped brisket, queso, and inexperienced onions.
The couple took a meandering path to their shared barbecue profession, however Stewart mentioned he’s grateful for all the teachings they discovered alongside the best way. “I wouldn’t change a factor, to be trustworthy with you,” he mentioned. Enterprise was gradual after faculty let loose within the spring, and the Stewarts took a pair months off in June and July to flee the warmth. They notice now that the choice price them some momentum, which they’re attempting to get again. “We’ve managed to outlive, and we’re virtually to the purpose the place we’re starting to thrive,” Stewart mentioned.
Zeke’s Craft BBQ
2615 Montgomery Road, Huntsville
Telephone: 936-355-4544
Hours: Wednesday–Friday 11–7
Pitmasters: Clay and Sara Stewart
Technique: Oak and pecan in a cupboard smoker
Yr opened: 2022