Brian Ingle doesn’t have culinary training and didn’t grow up working in restaurants. But what the Texas native lacks in formal experience, he makes up for in research and experimentation skills.
Boredom in his former corporate role about 15 years ago led him to start smoking his own meat, which he served to neighbors at backyard parties he would host with his wife, Jordan.
The couple moved to Atlanta in 2014, and in 2021 they decided to take Ingle’s passion to the next level with a pop-up they called Broken Oak BBQ (brokenoakbbq.com). The name is a nod to the rows of white and red oak trees on Jordan’s family farm outside of Athens that her husband uses to smoke meat.
Credit: Courtesy of Broken Oak BBQ
Credit: Courtesy of Broken Oak BBQ
“I learned how to operate a backyard smoker, and people really enjoyed it,” he said. “It was a lot of trial and error.” When he wanted to elevate his operation, he watched video after video on how to build a smoker and the aerodynamics of smoke. He found some empty propane tanks and, with the help of Jordan’s father, a mechanic, welded them into the offset smoker he uses today, settled on a 14-foot trailer.
After doing pop-ups over the past couple of years at local spots including Outrun Brewing, Sceptre Brewing Arts and Wild Heaven Beer, the pair are looking for a residency or other semi-permanent setup.
Credit: Courtesy of Broken Oak BBQ
Credit: Courtesy of Broken Oak BBQ
Though the Broken Oak menu changes seasonally, patrons can expect to find brisket and ribs, along with turkey in the spring and fall. Brian, a big fan of Mexican food, will often work a taco or two into the lineup, and he also makes brisket pastrami “that people are obsessed with,” said Jordan, who handles Broken Oak’s design and marketing and assists at pop-ups.
Brian describes his barbecue as “Texas-influenced Georgia craft barbecue.” He makes his own sauces, including the cumin-forward Classic sauce and a North Carolina spicy vinegar sauce.
“There’s not a defining characteristic of Georgia barbecue,” Brian said. “It’s a mashup of the surrounding states, and that’s kind of what we do. We just choose what we like best and do that.”
Jordan said she advocates for “always having something green or a little lighter on the menu” in the form of sides like three-bean salad, boiled peanuts, broccoli salad and a smoked beet salad. But those looking for heartier accompaniments will find cheesy hashbrown casserole and corn cookies to finish off the meal. The pair works with local growers and producers like Tucker Farms and Buckhead Butcher Shop to source their produce and meat.
As much as possible, Brian makes everything from scratch, from the mustard for the pastrami sandwiches to the mayonnaise used in the broccoli salad.
“I’m more efficient and I’m like, ‘We need to make sure all this stuff is done in time,’ and Brian wants to make everything,” Jordan said. “We do a lot of tinkering. A lot of times we’ll put something on the menu that we’ve never made before. It’s risky, but it always works out.”
Brian said that he’s focused on doing pop-ups rather than looking for a brick-and-mortar “because there’s not a lot of investment and commitment. I’m trying to (maintain) balance, because it’ll lose its fun if it becomes work.”
“From my perspective, it’s the thing in life he gets the most excited about,” Jordan said.
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