From Kazakhstan, with a love of Texas barbecue
Fascinated by the giant trays of meat and the colorful characters known as pitmasters who made them, Grekalo was hooked. He was determined to learn everything he could about Texas barbecue, with the goal of opening a Texas barbecue joint in his home city of Almaty, a large and bustling city in that former Soviet Republic.
This past week, Grekalo flew into Houston to begin an apprenticeship at Roegels Barbecue Co. under the tutelage of pitmaster Russell Roegels. He'll spend two weeks working in the restaurant, and another two traveling around the U.S. tasting different types of barbecue.
It may seem odd for someone from Kazakhstan to become obsessed with Texas barbecue, but I've heard dozens of stories like his over the past few years. Global interest in Lone Star State 'cue is at an all-time high. Cities like Paris and London don't have just one token Texas-style joint to choose from, but several legitimate smoked-meat outlets. American barbecue festivals and competitions are overrun by international visitors wanting to learn the craft.
I asked Grekalo what it is about Texas barbecue that caused him to change his life's course.
"There just seemed to be a sense of community, of people who believe in what they are doing and are willing to share their knowledge," says Grekalo, who speaks fluent English thanks to mandatory foreign-language classes in Kazakh schools.
Indeed, this is the same refrain I've heard from virtually every international visitor who wants to learn about and become part of the culture and Texas tradition.
Grekalo first traveled to Houston in the late aughts to attend the Offshore Technology Conference as a marketing representative for the American heavy equipment company Caterpillar. Kazakhstan is known for its rich mineral deposits, including oil and gas. Though technically landlocked, the country borders the Caspian Sea, where offshore drilling is big business.
Grekalo got his first taste of Texas barbecue at a not-particularly-memorable local chain restaurant during OTC. But it wasn't until the Kimmel episode that he got serious about it. He eventually found the Camp Brisket barbecue class at Texas A&M University and booked his flight to attend in January 2015.
Unfortunately, this small class sells out in minutes and he was left without a ticket. Via social media, he contacted one of the coordinators, Dr. Jeff Savell, who put him in touch with organizer Marvin Bendele of Foodways Texas. True to the spirit of Texas barbecue generosity, Bendele was able to accommodate the interested man from across the pond. Grekalo met Russell Roegels at the class, and began planning for his apprenticeship in Houston a year later.
Though they may seem like vastly different places, Kazakhstan and Texas have similar culinary traditions.
"We eat meat for every meal in Kazakhstan," Grekalo says. "Breakfast, lunch and dinner."
The traditional meat dish there is shashlik, or skewered meat. Big chunks of beef or lamb are threaded onto a skewer either alone or with pieces of vegetables, and then cooked on an open grill known as a mangal. Though Kazakhstan is a nominally a Muslim country, pork also is occasionally served.
Currently, there are no Texas barbecue joints in Almaty. Grekalo knows of a couple of restaurants that have semblances of offset barrel smokers, though nobody seems to know how to use them yet.
Grekalo recently acquired a barbecue pit from Russia and has been practicing on it. But the biggest obstacle to opening a Texas-style barbecue restaurant in Kazakhstan, according to Grekalo, is procuring the right cuts of meat. U.S.-style "packer briskets" are hard to find, and sparerib-style pork ribs are unavailable; he'll have to work directly with a butcher.
Despite the challenges, Grekalo is slowly putting all the pieces together. And the good news is that his countrymen are well-versed in the traditions of grilled meats - so the smoky traditions of Texas barbecue should be a natural fit.
Source: https://www.houstonchronicle.com