Porkbelly BBQ
Blends The Best of American BBQ To Create Unique Flavor
P.J. and Heather Earl have spent years cultivating their own style of barbecue food and are showcasing this style with their newly opened restaurant, Porkbelly BBQ at 1616 E. Wooster St.
Porkbelly BBQ started off as a side hustle for the Earls, catering different events, most popularly weddings, after participation in rib-offs in nearby fairs and festivals began attracting people to their unique twist on barbecue foods.
“Porkbelly kind of started eight years ago as a side hustle. We both had “real jobs,” Heather Earl said. “I was in customer service and PJ was a contract manager for University of Toledo’s Health Science Campus. We both had different things going on, two young kids at home, so it just started off as an extra way to earn money.”
From a “side hustle” it’s grown into something more. And that growth has been intertwined with the couple’s unique interest in the different styles of barbeque and creating something special, resulting from P.J.’s studies of the five main regions of barbecue.
“I’ve studied the five main regions of barbecue: Texas, the Carolinas, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Memphis. I took pieces and parts from all of those areas while staying true to Northwest Ohio,” P.J. said.
P.J. stays true to Northwest Ohio and Michigan roots by using cherry wood to smoke all the meats served, an original twist to normal styles of barbecue.
This twist, as well as the hard work and patience that goes into preparing all food, are what the Earls attribute to the high quality food that Porkbelly BBQ produces.
“Our commitment to quality begins where our customers’ expectations end,” Heather Earl said.
Besides the unique flavors and ways all food is prepared, the Earls also pride themselves on how the restaurant is run. They both believe a well-run restaurant starts with the owners.
“Because we are the owners, we help do everything,” Heather Earl said. She described how she is constantly in the front and back of the restaurant, not only working on food and customer service, but also bussing tables and washing dishes.
The Earls also believe it is essential not only for them to be educated on how the restaurant works, but also to make sure their team is educated in it.
“It’s important to us to train and educate our staff in the ways and processes in which we do things,” P.J. said.
In educating their team in the techniques and processes they do things, the Earls believe they have a strong team.
“We have a strong crew with us in front and back of the house,” Heather Earl said.
Moreover, Porkbelly BBQ is dedicated to continually improving their all-around quality and service.
“Our goal each year is to be better than we were the year before and there’s a certain way of doing that. We aren’t going to cut corners. We are not going to change the process of anything unless it improves or keeps the quality the same and makes us more efficient. We are adamant about those points. We will do what’s right every single time,” PJ said.
In getting better, the Earls have big plans to continue expanding their menu.
“There’s a lot of new ideas that will be coming down the pike as we continue growing,” P.J. Earl said. “My goal is to get nose to tail on what we are using from the animal and try to show the lesser known meats to the community that they can’t necessarily find anywhere else around here.