Meat-loving chef Karl Gregg, who you might remember from Railtown’s Big Lou’s Butcher Shop (now St. Lawrence restaurant), is launching a new food truck called Rosie’s BBQ and Smokehouse.

This should be welcome news to anyone who is even just a little carnivorous. I remember Gregg well from his butcher shop days and know him as someone who not only loves and respects meat but also appreciates the culture and traditions of BBQ. From the sausages and baby back ribs to the banana puddings and bottles of housemade sweet iced tea, I can’t imagine him doing anything halfway on this new project, so it’s fair to expect really good things.

From what I’ve been told their aiming to have a friends and family soft launch on the weekend of June 12/13 and then hit the streets thereafter. Here are the details from the presser:

Texas-style BBQ is more than just a way of cooking, it’s an attitude toward dining that’s built around the traditions of big table, family-style meals, sharing food with friends, and patiently slow cooking meats over wood smoke.

Chef Karl Gregg, founder of the late, lamented Big Lou’s Butcher Shop, has long been a passionate fan of traditional BBQ with pilgrimages to the most famous joints in Central Texas a regular part of his food explorations. The launch of Rosie’s BBQ & Smokehouse fulfills a long-held dream of running his own Vancouver BBQ spot. Blending relationships with the best local farms and suppliers with tested and perfected recipes, Rosie’s will raise the bar for local fans of slow-cooked BBQ.

Named for the smoker-equipped backyard shed which became the BBQ test kitchen during the pandemic year, the name “Rosie’s” is also intended to evoke the warmth of big family kitchens. Rosie’s BBQ & Smokehouse will specialize in family-style meals to take away and share in the backyard, on the beach, or at the park. Alongside traditional mains like tender brisket, baby back ribs, smoked pork steaks and sausages, Rosie’s will serve up a wide range of classic sides, made from scratch desserts, and southern refreshments. Think pit beans, smoked green beans, Moon Pies, Banana Pudding, semi-sweet tea, and Cherry Kool-Aid Pickles.

A summer schedule of brewery pop-ups is already in the works, with the early bookings including breweries like Main St., Strange Fellows, Parkside, and Slow Hand. Along with offering a convenient pick-up point, Rosie’s will offer an a la carte menu for hungry tasting room guests and drop-in diners with choices like a smoked tri tip sandwich, the Red & White smash burger, and a brunchable griddled egg and smoked jalapeno sausage sandwich.

Visit rosiesbbqsmokehouse.com for menus, ordering details, and upcoming location schedule and on Instagram @rosiesbbqsmokehouse to whet your appetite for BBQ.

And here are some supplied shots of what to expect…