Adam Perry Lang

Talking shine & swine with Adam Perry Lang

Billed as a “pioneer in urban barbecue,” Adam Perry Lang is best known for his BBQ, grilling and smoking skills. We caught up with the chef, author and co-creator of Original Moonshine in London (where he operates Babecoa restaurant) to talk pork, fat and BBQ as a social medium.

To start- I have to say - Shine & Swine is one of the Festival’s best-named events
And I will go ahead and take full credit for the name. The event is late night, not too many flavors going on. Pulled pork & moonshine

Pork seems to be everywhere this year
It’s funny but chefs love pork. I think it’s because it carries a lot of flavor. We love fat and pork is one of those fats where you can openly eat, where beef fat is a little less so.

This is your seventh year at the Festival, how have you seen it change?
It’s incredible to see how much it’s gown. It’s no another level right now, it’s corporate but it’s intimate. It’s large and it has all the players but Lee [Schrager] runs it on a very personal level. It’s the biggest small event you can participate in as a chef.

BBQ seems to be all the rage this year
We’re in this age where everyone is into mechanization and science, and that’s great, but there’s something real about cooking & working with the food. It’s just a bit more soul. There’s something about cooking with live fire and outdoors - it’s very social. You talk about social media, well the grill has been the ultimate social medium for ages,

What’s your favorite thing to eat on the grill
I’m a sucker for a ribeye steak, cooked rare to medium rare

Any tips for Festival attendees?
Pace yourself - both with drinking and the eating.  And talk to the chefs – they’re as excited to be there as the guests.

Adam Perry Lang’s Top 10 Grilling Tips

• Wrap a brick in foil. Use it as something on the grill to lean things against
• Instead of using a brush to brush on sauce, take a bundle of herbs and tie them to a wooden spoon
• Don’t be sacred of flames. Flames happen - don’t be afraid to work with them
• Thin down BBQ sauces (or any sauce that has sugar) with water to slow down burning
• Create board dressings. Add olive oil, lemon zest or herbs to your cutting board and coat the meat in them as you slice it.
• If you want the grill marks, you need to have a clean grill. Invest in a good clean grill brush
• If you don’t have a good brush, crumple up piece of foil, grab it wit tongs and scrub between the rods
• Create a safe part of the grill –I put a cast iron plate one on side of the grill, so I can keep cooking without having it on the flame.
• Resting is really, really important.
• Sweet and sour glazes that caramelize on meats hold in moisture and keep meat moist – a great solution if you have a group that’s going to trickle in