Kawartha BBQ Delivers Southern Style with Local Flavour

Karen Graham

With many years of food experience in his youth, Onafrychuk was interested in launching a business of his own to develop his own style of cooking, but was not prepared to give up his day job and take a flyer. This year he ventured into the food world with Kawartha BBQ, a food service he runs with the help of his wife Cathleen and his father Wally. In this their first year of operation,they have learned a lot and developed a bit of a following. It is a part-time, seasonal business based on Craig’s love of Texas-style barbeque which he has researched extensively and recreated with his own spin. In 2013, Onafrychuk took a tour of southern Texas to explore different barbeque styles and develop his own brand of flavour combinations. Cooking in a custom made wood-fired smoker, their barbeque menu consists primarily of pork ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket and chicken. All meat is prepared with their own custom- blended dry spice rubs to enhance the flavour of their dishes. They also produce chili, Jambalaya and side dishes including salads to provide more balanced meal choices. Consistent with their menu, the events where they operate are casual and country in nature and the food is served buffet-style.

Most of their meat dishes are smoked in their custom-built smokers on a wood fire. Don’t imagine a barbeque with billowing smoke: this is a slow process over low, constant heat. A twelve pound brisket takes approximately twelve hours to cook, and with a full time job, Craig often relies on the help of his father Wally to get things started. He serves as “Pitmaster”, stoking the fire and watching the slow progress of the smoker.

Onafrychuk is particularly proud that he relies on local resources as much as possible for his business. The beef is supplied by the Frenchs, the chicken is produced by Three Roads Chicken in Keene and other meat is sourced from Otonabee Meat Packers. The wood used to fire up the smokers must be of very high quality and well-seasoned, as green wood produces too much smoke. Onafrychuk prefers maple, and the wood is supplied by Roka Firewood of Pontypool. Even his two smokers are local: the drum for the small unit came from the Transfer station on Syer Line. In its previous life it had been used as a container for maple syrup in Quebec, so it could be considered “pre-seasoned” with the sweetness of the syrup. The large smoker was built by Sloan Custom Smokers of Keene using recycled materials including the metal from his children’s bed frames!

This year, Kawartha BBQ has operated primarily as a vendor, meaning that they cook and serve the food on site for local customers including the 4th Line Theatre, the Millbrook Farmers’ Market and at other private events. They hope to gradually migrate to catering, which is more predictable and therefore easier to manage. They can prepare specific dishes or entire meals for crowds of 40 to 150, and can drop off the finished food or set up and serve it as the customer prefers.

To get a taste of the south before the barbeque season ends, visit Kawartha BBQ’s booth at this Sunday’s Farmers’ Market and bring your appetite!

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