What's Cookin' with Victor Wainwright

What’s Cookin’

with Victor Wainwright

All photos by Ck Harrington

When your life is spent touring the ol’ blues highway, it doesn’t leave much time to eat well. In fact, it can be a downright struggle!

Figuring out what and how to eat is part of a puzzle that I’ve slowly pieced together after nearly 15 years of hard touring. Carbs? They’re on break! Old favorite recipes? Many have been reworked to fit my current lifestyle! However, here’s one dish that’s always been a hit, has stayed more or less true to the original and doesn’t sacrifice any flavor for the sake of dieting.

This recipe probably wouldn’t be considered quick, but it is easy and can feed a big house. It does require a little cooking gear, like a smoker, temperature probe, a stock pot... but nothing that isn’t easily obtainable or already owned by most blues fans or food enthusiasts.

A Little Background...

In 2005, I moved to Memphis, TN. I was born and raised in Savannah, GA, surrounded by the roots music my father and grandfather taught me. They knew the struggles of being a touring musician, because they were themselves professional musicians, so my family encouraged an education. When I was old enough, I went to school in Daytona Beach, FL, to attend Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, where I studied hard to become an Air Traffic Controller and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in Air Traffic Management. The FAA called me up shortly after graduating and offered to station me in Memphis. I took the offer, of course, hopped on a train and soon after arriving in Tennessee, I bought a big house on a FAA salary, settling in for what was going to be a wild ride!

Fast forward two years later, and the draw of Air Traffic Control was being quickly swallowed up by the allure of Beale Street and amazing blues music. I was hooked, and my budding career as an Air Traffic Controller soon took a back seat to late nights under Beale Street lights, paying dues and honing chops.

It wasn’t easy though! Just as my family already knew, the hardships of being a musician were real, and the new career wasn’t financially comparable to working for the FAA. I had a big house with a big mortgage, and playing for tips on Beale Street wasn’t going to cut it. I had to think, quick... I had all these empty bedrooms. Who needs affordable housing the most in Memphis that I could easily get along with? Musicians! The rest is history.

I have always rented my spare rooms to musicians in Memphis, and throughout the last 15 years, some 11 professional touring musicians, many of whom you all know, have stayed in my house. Together, we’ve shared some of the very best of times and formed amazing, lifelong friendships.

With so many musicians living in the house, it was never quiet. It was always filled with music and it was always LOUD! That was OK though! We slept musician’s hours, worked on music and didn’t give a lot of attention to much else while helping each other hone our craft. We focused, had fun and enjoyed each other’s camaraderie.

The Food

There’s a lot of hunger in a house full of musicians. None of us had much money, but somehow, we managed without opening too many packets of Ramen – big family meals became the norm. I’ve always loved entertaining, and cooking big meals for large crowds is just another form of that. It also makes eating more affordable.

So, what’s on the menu? What takes us from Savannah to Memphis on the music and food train? What’s relatively cheap, can feed an army and bring together a house full of musicians to the dinner table amid the loud music playing, chatter, laughter and normal everyday noise?

Memphis Loud BBQ Stew with Mamma’s Cornbread

My current lifestyle and diet choice would be considered “low carb.” This, along with moderate exercise, has helped me lose over 150lbs. I dabbed in the keto diet (low-carb, moderate protein, high-fat) for a while as well, and although I wouldn’t classify this recipe as keto, it is very carb conscious. The flavors here meld together the highway from Memphis to Savannah, from Beale Street to the Low Country – there’s something here for all our friends, far and wide.

To start, we need a good ol’ pork butt, smoked low and slow. You know what’s good about smoked pulled pork? Everything. You can follow this recipe, cook the pork and stop right there. It’s damn well good enough to eat by itself. Putting some of it in this stew, though, is going to take the whole experience over the top!

So, what do you need to smoke a pork butt? Well, you need a smoker. It can be coal, gas or electric, it doesn’t matter and I’m not biased to one versus the other. I’m not an expert at smoking meats, but I have learned plenty from living in Memphis, which is famous for blues and BBQ. Along with my own trial and error, I have it fairly honed in for my personal tastes, which I think you’ll like! Now, I know some of you are already panicking because you don’t have a smoker. However, most all of you know a friend that has one. Why not collaborate on this recipe? Just like when I’m feeding an entire house full of musicians, this recipe is going to make a ton of food and it’s going to be a party, so why not ask your friends to pitch in? Everyone involved is going to most definitely benefit! He/she helps you with the pork butt, and you make the stew... If you don’t have access to a smoker at all, or you just don’t like pork, then you can skip ahead and make this recipe substituting the pork for additional grocery store rotisserie chicken.

The Rub

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my time in Memphis, it’s that really great BBQ starts with the “rub,” the seasonings. The combinations of spices will build flavor on the outside of the meat while it cooks. You know that amazing wonderful bark that forms on the outside of a properly smoked pork butt or slab of ribs? That comes from the rub.

There are plenty of store-bought options for BBQ rubs on the market, but I tend to use an old local favorite, the “Rendevouz” rub from here in Memphis. As a bonus, this rub doesn’t include sugar. Most all rubs start with the same basic recipe. You probably have most of the spices in your home cabinet. So, if you feel like making your own, experiment with the below basic rub recipe. You can’t go wrong with it!

For a basic rub, mix together: ½ cup paprika ½ cup salt ½ cup granulated garlic ¼ cup granulated onion ¼ cup chili powder ¼ cup cumin 2 tbsp black pepper 2 tbsp dry mustard 1 tbsp cayenne pepper ½ cup Splenda brown sugar (optional)

Preparing the Butt

Once you have the rub together, take a 6-8 lb. pork butt out of the packaging and dry it off with paper towels. Once it’s dry, cover it with some yellow mustard, nice and even. That’s right... yellow mustard, the simple hot dog kind. It doesn’t have to be a lot. What we’re trying to do here is give the rub a nice way to stick to the butt. You don’t taste the mustard, and all together this will form the bark.

Once the butt is covered in an even layer of mustard, start shaking on the rub. Don’t be afraid, coat that sucker until it is completely covered! If you’re preparing this the night before, stick it on an aluminum pan covered in foil and place it in the fridge. Otherwise, it’s ready to go on the smoker!

Smoking the Butt

Depending on what smoker you have, the following can change just a bit, but generally, this is what I do for mine:

1. Put six big handfuls of wood chips in a big bowl of water. I like apple, cherry and pecan wood chips, but use any you’d like. Let them soak for 30 minutes. 2. Get your smoker to a steady 275°F. 3. Place the soaked wood chips in the little box in the smoker. 4. As soon as it starts smoking with the wood chips, add the meat (fat side down) in the smoker, right on the grate. If, at any point, it stops smoking, add more chips. 5. About every hour or so, spritz the meat with a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water. 6. Let it go for about 4-5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. We’re done with the smoke and spritzing at this point. 7. Take the meat out, and wrap the butt in two layers of aluminum foil, tight. 8. Place the wrapped butt back in the smoker and let it go until the meat reaches 198°F internal temperature. The general rule of thumb is that at 275°F, it should take about an hour per pound, but every butt is different – when it’s done, it’s done! 9. When it’s done, take the meat out. I usually let the butt rest in a dry cooler for an hour before pulling it apart.

The Stew

1 tbsp olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, chopped 3 lbs. pulled pork 1 store-bought cooked rotisserie chicken, pulled 1 (30 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped 1 cup sugar-free ketchup 1 cup sugar-free BBQ sauce Salt and pepper to taste Hot sauce to taste (I use 2 tbsp of Louisiana Hot Sauce) 3 cans of triple succotash (lima beans, corn and tomatoes) 1 can cut green beans 1 green bell pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot and sauté the onions and celery with a little salt and pepper until soft and translucent. 2. Add the chicken and pulled pork and mix, bringing everything up in temperature. 3. Stir in the cans of vegetables, undrained. 4. Add in the ketchup and BBQ sauce. 5. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. 6. Place the whole green pepper into the mixture. 7. Cook low, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 hours or to desired consistency. I like it thick. 8. Remove the green pepper and chop it up and return it to the stew. Now it’s done!

Mamma’s Hot Cornbread

Now... everyone needs a little extra lovin’ when they’re passing through their hometown. For me, the perfect side to Memphis Loud BBQ Stew is Mamma’s Hot Cornbread. Fair warning though, there’s nothing low carb about this cornbread. So, if you’re trying keep those sugars down, you might want to double down on the stew and after a couple bites of the cornbread, leave the rest to your band mates and instead double up on Mamma’s hugs – which coincidentally are even sweeter than the cornbread, but won’t raise your blood sugar.

3 Jiffy Cornbread boxes 3 eggs 1 can whole kernel corn, drained 1 can creamed corn 16 oz sour cream 1/2 jar sliced jalapenos, chopped OR 1/2 jar diced jalapenos (both drained) A little milk (no more than 1/4 cup) 1. Grease a 10”x15” glass pan. 2. Heat the oven to 350°F. 3. Combine all ingredients in mixer, except the milk, and mix on low speed. 4. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it becomes like a cake batter consistency. Sometimes, I only use one tablespoon. 5. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes. 6. At this point, turn the pan around in the oven, and bake in 10-minute increments until a toothpick inserted on the middle comes out clean. The top will be a very light brown color, and the edges will have turned brown.

Enjoy!

Since perking up ears with his 2005 release, Piana’ From Savannah, the now Memphis-based Georgia native has been a vital force in the blues music scene. Victor Wainwright’s highoctane boogie piano and big soul sounds have, among numerous industry recognitions, earned him six Blues Music Awards from The Blues Foundation − including Band of the Year and B.B. King Entertainer − as well as a 2020 nomination for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year. With his band The Train, their self-titled studio debut got the nod at the 2019 Grammys with a nomination for Contemporary Blues Album, and look out for their latest release, Memphis Loud. Follow Victor on his journey through Facebook, Instagram and victorwainwright.com.