Q&A with Jord Althuizen
Whoever thinks of barbecue, thinks of Jord Althuizen. If you don’t see him standing at a food festival with the enormous Smokey Goodness barbecue truck, you may be busy cooking from his barbecue cookbook. In his latest book, Smokey Goodness 2: The next-level barbecue book, he takes you to South America, where they take meat just as seriously as he does.
Which food trend should we stop immediately?
This is an easy one. We need to stop buying pre-marinated small chunks in barbecue packages. It’s very easy to buy small pieces of meat that have already been marinated at the supermarket, but don’t. Add your own flavor with your own marinades and make sure you are in control of your own meat.
Most memorable food experience?
There are so many. I love traveling and do so many bizarre things that I find it difficult to say that one weighs more heavily than another. Things that really made an impression include, for example, a barbecue in Spain among the vineyards. Cooking lamb on a small grill while looking out over the valley.
Or the first time I walked into a large barbecue joint in Texas, where the smoke was already coming toward you and the walls were black because people had been barbecuing there for a hundred years. That is hugely impressive; that is real food.
Favorite drink?
It’s a coin toss between a really good IPA beer or a knockout full-bodied red wine. It just depends on what I’m in the mood for.
Indispensable gadget for the kitchen?
A sharp knife; that’s the foundation. If you want to cook beautifully and work with quality, a sharp knife is where it starts. Many people are afraid of large chef’s knives, while you are more likely to have accidents with small, dull knives.
What would you never eat again?
I’ve eaten some really bizarre, strange things, but all of them are actually worth repeating. What I really don’t want to eat anymore is McDonalds. They stand for everything I don’t stand for. I stand for artisanal craftsmanship and good provenance, whereas McDonalds is the devaluation of food. They make a copy of a hamburger that absolutely isn’t a hamburger anymore. If you think you can get a hamburger for € 1, something isn’t quite right.
That intrigues me, such rotten fish
Which country is your favorite when it comes to food?
Vietnam. I went there on my honeymoon and we traveled all the way from north to south. I have deep respect for the fact that everything that has ever lived ends up in a wok, pan or on the grill. I also love the fact that genuine regional cuisines exist: in the north, you eat completely different things than in the south; there is so much culinary diversity. They draw the flavors from fresh herbs; it’s a very light cuisine but still full of flavor.
What should everyone have eaten at least once?
I’m a big fan of offal. In the Netherlands, we have all grown unaccustomed to it and find it intimidating. But, for example, blood sausage is incredibly tasty when prepared properly. We should all simply eat everything, from head to tail.
What is the best product from the supermarket?
A good specialty beer.
What’s still on your food wish list?
I usually tick things off my wish list fairly quickly. But I would still like to eat surströmming [canned fermented fish from Sweden, ed.] one day. That intrigues me, such rotten fish. I’ve watched those videos on YouTube with great amusement, where people eat it for the first time. I haven’t dared try it yet, but I actually think it would be fun to do so.
Which cookbook should everyone have on their shelf?
The Butchers Book by Dierendonck. He is a butcher from Belgium, and he cooks with the less conventional cuts that Dutch people often don’t eat. I really like his style and the statement he makes through photography. The book provides a good explanation of recipes and the background of various animals.
What do you like to make at home when you want to eat quickly and well?
I simply always open the fridge, see what’s in there and throw something together. I don’t have a favorite recipe; I love Asian flavors, but I also really enjoy a French cassoulet. I actually like seeing your pantry as a mystery box and creating beautiful new things from it.
The best thing about cooking is that it’s an endless puzzle. You have so many different flavors, textures and ingredients that you can vary endlessly and create something new every time.
Which dish makes you lose all self-control?
Haha, quite a lot of things. But I think I’d have to go for a perfect steak. A good cote de boeuf with a classic béarnaise that has the perfect accents of freshness, acidity and creaminess. If I have that on my plate, you’d better not come near me.
