Not many recipes call for a pair of broken-in running shoes, 93 cinder blocks, and somewhere to sleep as part of their prep list.
Then again, not many recipes compare to Pat Martin’s 33-page manifesto on West Tennessee-style whole hog barbecue that describes each step from building the pit; to slow-smoking a 185-pound pig; to picking and piling the tender, confit-like meat onto a perfect pulled pork sandwich—a 30-hour labor of love.
For the Memphis-born, Nashville-based pitmaster and restaurateur, this regional specialty lies “at the core of [his] story.”
During his first year in college, Martin was blown away by the whole hog sandwich he had at Thomas & Webb Barbecue in Henderson, Tennessee. The meat was pulled straight off the pig by owner and pitmaster Harold Thomas. Martin became determined to learn the craft. He became a regular in the pit room, where Thomas became his first mentor….