Cameron Wilson, owner of SmokeDay BBQ in Midway, said he was raised to make great food. He grew up feeling comfortable in the kitchen, though he would call himself a cook, not a chef.  Wilson said he ended up marrying into a family that “just really knew great cooking.” They passed down fam ily recipes and made food that was better than what Wilson grew up with.  Wilson and his wife, Liz, developed their taste for quality food over time and, when they relocated, discovered a love of barbecue.  “When we moved to the South, that’s where it all changed,” Wilson said. “Because the southern cooking, when you get into the grits and you get into the souffles and the puddings and everything, it’s so different.” He trained himself in the art of wood-fired cooking and barbecuing. Eventually, the Wilsons got the idea to start their own barbecue restaurant.  SmokeDay BBQ meat options are wood-fired with Utah-based oak. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record “We just kind of said to ourselves, if we ever have the guts to try a barbecue place … we just knew if we ever did it would have to be Texas,” Wilson said. Wilson was intrigued by the idea of attaching to an existing business, so he might serve barbecue as a weekend affair rather than as a daily restaurant. He approached the owner of the Market at Midway, who was amenable to Wilson’s request.  Then, SmokeDay BBQ was born. Barbecue cooked low and slow, every Saturday, until it’s gone. Last week, SmokeDay BBQ had its grand opening for Fridays, too.  “We kind of dove into it and said, if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it the way we want to,” Wilson said. For the Wilsons, that meant operating with a few caveats. First, that they would cook only as much as their grills allowed. When they sell out, they’re sold out. It’s a first-come, first-served operation.  Wilson said that mindset gets people excited about the true Texas barbecue experience.  Cameron Wilson said he and his wife, Liz, wanted to open their own barbecue restaurant for years before moving to Midway. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record “You’ve got to think about it at the start of your day, and come here and make it part of your experience,” Wilson said. “Weekends have been very busy.” But he said SmokeDay is a community affair. At the start of their day every Saturday, Wilson gives the first customer in line a free plate. It’s his way of saying thank you to the community supporting the pop-up barbecue joint.  The barbecue meat plates are sold by the pound. Everything made on the grill is wood-fired with Utah-based oak. That aspect of cooking is important to Wilson.  “It’s got to be purely Texas,” Wilson said. “But with as much Utah flavor as we can … Depending on who you talk to, it’s a better smoking oak than even what they use in Texas … we get pretty passionate about it.” Wilson said that if he’s the one ordering at SmokeDay, he’ll pack his plate.  Chicken, smoked turkey, ribs, pulled pork, hot sausage and pork chops. Dutch oven potatoes, cucumber salad that’s “to die for,” vinegar-based coleslaw that’s nice and crunchy, green beans and Texas pinto beans paired with Texas toast.  Wilson will pick his main meat (or two) from the list and then move on to the sides.  If SmokeDay BBQ owner Cameron Wilson is ordering at his own restaurant, he loads his plate up with plenty of sides and more. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record “What sets us apart from many Texas joints is really we focus as much on our sides as we do the meats,” Wilson said.  For Wilson, it’s not about recognition.  “It’s about just making this a place where people who want this type of barbecue come,” Wilson said. “You’re never going to see me join any competitions. I’m not looking to post my own greatness in any way. I’ll never do that.” Instead, Wilson hopes SmokeDay will continue to be a community affair.  “We only hope to be recognized by the people that come,” Wilson said.  SmokeDay BBQ is now open every Friday and Saturday at the Market at Midway.  The post Texas barbecue in Midway? SmokeDay BBQ is cooking it up appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less