This piece is part of a larger project to document the culinary resilience of southeastern Minnesota’s Houston County during the pandemic. You can read more about my Crystal Creek Citizen-Artist Residency project here.

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At Fat Pat’s BBQ in Spring Grove, Minnesota, the word BBQ most definitely does not mean a sloppy joe. It’s rare to come across authentic Texas-style BBQ here in the rolling hills of southeastern Minnesota’s Houston County.

With a population of 1,272 people, Spring Grove is a vibrant small town with Norwegian roots. It is home to Spring Grove Soda Pop since 1895, Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, Ye Olde Opera House, Spring Grove Cinema, and RockFilter Distillery, makers of locally-grown, milled, and distilled organic whiskey and bourbon.

Patrick Longmire of Fat Pat’s BBQ says, “I go to RockFilter Distillery and the patio is packed, but I don’t recognize a soul! I grew up here. You’d think I’d recognize someone. But it just shows how they’re doing such a good job creating a unique experience, offering organic and local spirits, and drawing a crowd from a wider area. We hope to do that, too. We want to be a destination between Decorah and La Crosse.” 

My afternoon with Patrick is awe-inspiring. It’s clear immediately that he is a man of many talents who cares deeply about food. Patrick started Fat Pat’s BBQ with his father, Patrick Longmire Sr., who goes by Pat and owns Red’s IGA in Spring Grove. With a restaurant menu launching Friday, this entrepreneurial-minded duo is onto something. They collaborate, they work off each other, and they’re constantly evolving.

I arrive at Fat Pat’s BBQ around lunchtime. “Come and see the back,” Patrick says right away. While we chat, Patrick shows me the smoker and monitors the temperature on three giant beef briskets wrapped in white paper. He describes how he takes the meat out of the smoker and lets it cool down in temperature to avoid drying out.

Fat Pat’s BBQ specializes in Texas-style beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken, and ribs. They sell brisket and pulled pork in the cold deli case at Red’s IGA. Now that more people are eating at home during COVID-19, Patrick says with amazement, “I didn’t expect to be making 16 pork butts a week to keep up with the demand.” 

“Brisket is the king of meats, for sure,” Patrick says. He seasons his brisket with salt and pepper in the traditional Texas style and cooks it for 10-12 hours in the smoker before letting it rest. “Yeah, the brisket’s good. But chicken is the unsung hero,” he claims.

We talk side dishes. Patrick mentions Fat Mac, their mac and cheese with pulled pork. I tell him with sincerity that I’ll have to come back for that. He cooks his beans for 4-5 hours, then overnight on the smoker. I don’t get to sample them, but something tells me they’re divine. He makes his own vinegar-based dressing for the coleslaw and a vinegar-based BBQ sauce, though he doesn’t encourage dousing the meat.

Patrick cuts a few deliciously thick slices of brisket, whips up some coleslaw, and sets a squirt bottle of BBQ sauce on the table. We sit down to eat. I struggle to adequately express the lusciousness of the brisket and the smoky perfection of the meat.

As we eat, Patrick tells me that during COVID-19, his dad sawed, planed, and finished all the tables for the new barbeque venture. “We like stuff to do,” Patrick says. “Some people are into boats and campers. I can’t live life just sitting on the couch doing nothing. I’d be so damn bored.” More than once he mentions that he loves projects. This is obvious, as I watch his eyes light up while talking about future plans for the store. 

Patrick credits Austin, Texas for igniting his barbeque passion. He was a sports guy until he discovered bass guitar his senior year of high school and never imagined that he’d one day tour for a living. He played in a Buddy Holly show in Branson, Missouri for nine months. Then a family friend told him to check out Austin. 

“Growing up here, you just don’t even know what’s going on out there,” he says, referring to the world outside the Midwest. He got a blues gig in Austin, which he says was a bigger education than anything.

While in Austin, Patrick started smoking meats for his friends to sample. It was just a fun hobby. He enjoyed finding people who love the “real stuff.” Inspired by Austin’s food scene, he became obsessed with Aaron Franklin’s PBS show BBQ with Franklin. “I read his book twice. And I don’t even read books!” he laughs. He devoured Franklin’s MasterClass on Texas-style BBQ. From backyard hobbyist to James Beard award-winning restaurateur, Franklin now smokes 106 briskets a day for his Austin restaurant. Franklin’s an icon and a big influence on Patrick, even now that he’s returned to the Midwest.

“The Midwest doesn’t really care about BBQ the same way other places do. When you say BBQ here, everyone assumes you mean a sloppy joe,” Patrick jokes. He wants to expand that mindset with his barbeque. Fat Pat’s BBQ first launched as a food trailer and quickly gained a loyal following. Eventually, the schedule of nights and weekends away from his wife, Jayme, and two small children convinced him to sell the food trailer and relocate Fat Pat’s BBQ to Red’s IGA.

Inspired by the coffee shops of Austin, Jayme suggested to Pat that they add a coffee shop at Red’s IGA. Pat’s response was, “Why not?” Jo’s Coffee House, named for their daughter Josephine, opened in August of 2019 with cappuccinos, lattes, espresso, nitro cold brew, and a drive-up window for drinks on the go. They added a stage for live music events. When it comes to coffee, people are used to what they know, but Jayme is finding that, drip by drip, Jo’s Coffee House is attracting regulars.

“Everything we’re doing here is because of what we learned in Austin,” Patrick says. 

Patrick also brews beer. At the time of my visit, he has five different beers going including a barrel-aged stout, a bock, and more. He mentions that his dad recently suggested the idea of a brewpub. And true to form, Longmire style, they are doing just that.

To the many residents of Houston County who miss Fat Pat’s BBQ food trailer — you’re in luck! 

Fat Pat’s BBQ is taking their barbeque to the next level. Starting Friday, October 16th, they’re offering a full menu including BBQ by the pound, Fat Patties (burgers), BBQ-topped sandwiches, and classic sides. With appetizers like Mac & Cheesy Brisket Fries and Pulled Pork Nachos, what more could you possibly want?

They’ll be open Fridays 4-8pm and Saturdays 11am-8pm in the Jo’s Coffee House space. Domestics and local craft beer options will be available. With this new restaurant menu, Patrick can keep creating and the rest of us can eat delicious brisket-topped burgers every weekend. It’s a win-win for everybody.

During my visit to Fat Pat’s BBQ, Patrick admits to me, “Until I get good at something, I don’t feel confident.” 

If you ask me, he should definitely feel confident because Fat Pat’s BBQ is legit.