PAGE 26 | INNOVATION 2019
Matheson pursuing tasty art of barbecue By Brian Hansel Innovation
Some try medicine, others go into computers and there are those who have a terrible time deciding what to do in adult life. Justin Matheson is one of those fortunate ones who realized his calling quite early. He went after a career in the culinary arts. His specialty is barbeque. The Rothsay native teamed up with his father to build a meat smoker out of spare parts when he was a high school freshman. By the time he was a senior he had another smoker and used it to prepare food for his own graduation party. Since earning a degree in culinary arts Matheson has been busy appealing to the tastes of his customers as a chef and the owner of Big J’s Smokehouse. With the help of his family, Matheson started an award-winning catering business six years ago. Graduation parties and family reunions helped him add a food truck to his business two years later. His most recent move was the purchase of a corner
restaurant in Rothsay (134 1st Ave. SW.), formerly owned by Ole and Lena’s Pizza. The two-story establishment has been his home base since April and the restaurant’s kitchen is where he prepares his food. Matheson is not trying to run his three enterprises alone. He has a dozen employees at his restaurant in Rothsay in addition to the help he receives from his father, mother and brother. Yet Matheson still carries a lot of the load on his shoulders. His “day” begins at 10 p.m. when he puts his beef and pork in the smoker. He is up at 3 a.m. the following morning to wrap the meat. At 5 a.m. he starts his ribs. By 11 a.m. he has everything he needs to begin serving. Of his three business enterprises, Matheson has come to enjoy his food truck the most. “It’s a smokehouse on wheels,” Matheson said. “I really like the food truck. I’m in the food truck almost every day. You go to where the people are and the scenery always changes.”
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SMOKEHOUSE ON WHEELS: Justin Matheson’s food truck served hungry patrons at the Lake Region Pioneer Threshermen’s Show in Dalton. Matheson calls his unit a “smokehouse on wheels.” The food truck follows a schedule. Tuesdays will find it in Wahpeton. Wednesdays bring it into Fergus Falls where Matheson sets up near Stener-
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Beef brisket is one of the meats that Matheson works with the most. His pulled pork is also a favorite as is the smoked pastrami he serves. “I’ll serve from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. most of the time,”
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son Lumber on Washington Avenue. Friday takes him up to Barnesville. From his food truck, Matheson also serves up its competition-style barbeque on street corners, at fairs and at shows.
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Matheson said. “It’s a major labor of love. I don’t feel like I’m working. It’s fine.” Big J’s Smoke House menu kicks out appetizers, entrees, salads, sandwiches, pizzas and desserts - all made from scratch.
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