Smokin’ F BBQ food truck is worth finding for its tasty fare | Grub Scout
It’s been so long since I first heard about Smokin’ F BBQ, I can’t remember exactly how the Philadelphia, Tennessee-based vendor crept onto my radar. But I do remember the buzz being that the barbecue was worth a trip to their food truck, which is their primary connection with the public these days.
Lately, they’ve been operating the truck on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, beginning service at 11 a.m. and ending at either 1:30 p.m. or when they run out of food, whichever comes first. The week I visited the truck, it was scheduled to stop in Sweetwater, Madisonville and Loudon. Since Madisonville was the closest location to my homestead, I headed there last week on a solo lunch outing.
First, however, I texted the number listed in their most recent Facebook post and placed my order for 11 a.m. pickup (I didn’t want to chance getting there after they had run out of something). The proprietors ask that customers place pre-orders before 10:30 a.m., although you can still order at the truck if you prefer.
The menu is very concise, starting with a weekly special — in this case loaded nachos — available with either brisket or pork in addition to cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, corn and jalapeño slices. I chose pork ($12), and I also ordered two sides: peach baked beans ($3) and potato salad ($3). Other sides include jalapeño cream corn, cole slaw and Texas tot casserole.
They also serve several sandwiches. The Stella features pork, pimento cheese and crispy fried onions, while The Fat Boy is made with brisket and sausage. I ordered the third-pound brisket sandwich for $11, and that includes a bag of chips. You can add slaw to any order for $1. You can also order quarter-pound and third-pound portions of brisket, pork and sausage.
I found the truck parked between Sloan’s Center Hardware and Advance Auto Parts, just off U.S. 411 in Madisonville. I parked nearby and queued up behind an already growing line of patrons waiting to place and pick up orders. When I got to the window, my food was already bagged and ready to roll.
Before I headed back to the Grubmobile to chow down, I picked up plenty of napkins, silverware and to-go containers filled with Smokin’ F’s two barbecue sauces: regular and red. I also grabbed some salt and vinegar chips from the selection on hand.
Once I got all my goodies situated and set up for in-vehicle dining, I began my mini barbecue fest. The nachos were pretty good. The tortilla chips were loaded down with meaty portions of pulled pork and nicely complemented by all the other traditional nacho toppings. They had added a generous glob of sour cream in the to-go container, though off to one side.
I also sampled my two side dishes. The potato salad was a decent mayo-based recipe, but the diced potatoes were a little undercooked for my taste. The baked beans benefited from thin shreds of peach that had been added to the mix. The flavor was subtly sweet but pleasantly noticeable. Finally, I dug into the brisket sandwich. Again, the meat was liberally loaded onto the buns, which were super-fresh and slightly sweet to the taste. The brisket itself was smoky, flavorful and plenty moist. I nibbled on a little bit of everything until I got full, and then I brought plenty home as leftovers.
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I will note that the food truck is the easiest way to get Smokin’ F barbecue. However, they also cater events for more than 100 people, or you can pick up bulk portions of their food on site for smaller events. They also host BarnBQue events once a month, where they set up their main barn facility like a restaurant, complete with live music. Pre-orders and reservations are not necessary.
The week I visited the food truck, it was having air conditioning issues, so they were temporarily suspending items that require preparation on their flat-top griddle. I’m not sure what those might have been, but my recommendation is to follow Smokin’ F on Facebook to keep up with their latest menu items and locations; they’re updated weekly.
And while I wouldn’t necessarily suggest that Knoxville-area residents make that long of a trek just for the barbecue, I would certainly steer you Monroe County folks in the direction of the Smokin’ F BBQ food truck — wherever it happens to be that week.
Smokin’ F BBQ & Barn
Food: 4
Service: NA
Atmosphere: NA
Overall: 4
Address: Food truck visits different locations three days a week
Phone: 979-436-3482
No alcohol service
Hours: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays
This mobile barbecue vendor serves up tasty fare from the smoker in various locations in the Monroe County area.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Smokin’ F BBQ food truck serves up tasty fare in Monroe County
