Mardi Gras March

March 2014

Sausage making is really old. Humans have been doing it for eons. Most of the credit goes to the Germans for bringing it to the United States, (and they were undoubtedly the first to commercialize it here) but you can’t tell me they haven’t been making sausage in some form or another down on the bayou for a million freaking years. And they make sausage out everything.

But it’s not just sausage that makes Louisiana such an enigma. It’s jambalaya and etoufee. Rustic Cajun and uptown Creole dishes. Crawfish and red beans. And the essential musical fragrance that wafts through the streets. Man, it’s eerie too…you can really feel the voodoo. Forget Vegas…the really funky ass stuff happens in NOLA.

So this month, in celebration of Mardi Gras, we pay our due respect to the cuisine of Acadiana and the entire ethos of it’s epicenter, New Orleans with the release of our Cajun Seafood Sausage and other accoutrements listed below. And don’t forget to come by JJ’s Red Hots in Dilworth on Fat Tuesday (March 4^th) for live music at lunch and a free cup of GUMBO!

Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler!

Cajun Seafood Sausage with Pork, Shrimp, Green Onions and Roasted Peppers//  This recipe is adapted from John Folse’s version. We changed some things around and decided to poach it in stock before we grill it, but it’s pretty close. And it is because John Folse is that good. We are proud to call him our friend. (www.johnfolse.com) We are serving this on our toasted Martin’s Potato Roll with our house-made remoulade and green onions.

Red Beans with House Smoked Tasso Ham//  This is a traditional ‘washing day’ recipe flavored with our own house smoked tasso ham.

House Pickled Okra//  Sharp and crunchy with a wonderful texture. Okra is made for pickling.

Dog of the Week (March 3-9) // Who Dat’ Dawg! // Sahlen’s Hot Dog/Martin’s Potato Roll/Red Beans/Green Onions/Remoulade

RECIPE | Red Beans

This is a traditional staple of New Orleans cuisine made a thousand different ways all across Louisiana. Smoky and satisfying, (and inexpensive) red beans were traditionally made on Mondays – or ‘washing day’ – when housewives would put up the beans, do the wash and catch up on all the gossip. When the wash was done, so were the beans, and there was always plenty to share. Ladle the beans over steamed rice, top with green onions and serve with a hunk of crusty bread and a chunk of grilled andouille sausage. And don’t forget the hot sauce, mon cher.

3            Lbs. Red Beans, Soaked in water overnight, drained and rinsed well.

2            Cups onions, chopped

1            Cup Bell Pepper, chopped

1            Cup Celery, Chopped

3            T Garlic, minced

2            Hamhocks or other smoked ham.

1            Cup chopped andouille sausage

3            T Bacon fat or olive oil

3            T Kosher Salt

1            T Ground black pepper

1            Tsp Smoked Habanero Confit (optional, may substitute hot sauce)

Garnish:

Chopped Parsley

Green onions

Preparation:
1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, Render the hamhocks and andouille in bacon fat or olive oil for 3 min.
2. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add ‘Holy Trinity’ and garlic, and sweat for 3 min, stirring often.
3. Add beans and cover with water by 3”.
4. Bring to boil, reduce and simmer about 2.5 hrs. Beans should be soft but not mushy. Add salt/pepper to taste.
5. Mash beans on side of pot until slightly thick and creamy, stir and simmer until thickened, adjusting the texture to your taste

    

  Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions, a shot or two of Tabasco, grilled andouille sausage and chunk of crusty bread.

February @ JJ's Red Hots

This month, JJ’s is bringing the heat. Let’s face it - this winter has been pretty crappy,  weather-wise. So we thought we would warm this winter up with the bright flavors of balmy Mexico!

The sausage of the month for February will be a house-made CHORIZO. This pork sausage has many variations including a Spanish cured version, a South American version, a Portuguese version (a/k/a/ Linguica) and a ‘dry’ Mexican version.  All of which have their own merits, but we especially liked the Mexican ‘Fresh’ version we came up with, which combines some South American flavors with more traditional Mexican seasonings.

JJ’s Chorizo includes cayenne pepper and chile d’arbols along with fennel, red wine (A nice Argentinean Malbec) and smoked paprika. After we grind, season and stuff the sausage, we gently poach it until it is fully cooked. This technique ensures a crispy grilled char on the outside, while retaining it’s internal moisture and texture. We then serve it in our famous toasted Martin’s roll with the traditional Mexican ‘street taco’ toppings of diced onions and cilantro. 

We are also offering this with fresh tortilla chips and our house-made Grilled Salsa Verde, made from fresh tomatillos. (See recipe below) Grilling these little beauties (sort of a cross between a small green apple and a tomato) really brings out their subtle sweetness and deepens their wonderful green hue. Like any bona fide Salsa Verde, it includes ‘green’ ingredients like fresh lime juice, roasted jalepenos and fresh cilantro.

Hope you enjoy!

Salsa Verde

This Mexican “green” Salsa features lesser known but wonderful tomatillos. Grilling them really

brings out their subtle sweetness and livens up steak, chicken and especially fish. We love it on grilled swordfish or grilled chicken tacos. Adjust lime and cilantro to your taste. It should have a chunky/smooth consistency and should not be too runny. As with all salsas, this should be served at room temperature if possible.

4 LB Tomatillos, Husked and Rinsed

1/2 C Onion, Grilled and Diced

1/4 C Minced Cilantro, loosely packed

1/4 C Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

1 Large Jalapeño, Blackened and Minced

1/4 C Freshly Squeezed OJ

1/4 C Pickled Jalapeño Brine (optional)

2 TBS Salt (adjust to taste, if needed)

1 TBS Ground Black Pepper

Makes about 1/2 gallon. Adjust accordingly for smaller batches.

Method:

1. Grill tomatillos until softened and skins are black all over.

2. Put all ingredients in a blender and pulse until ‘chunky/smooth’ but not liquefied. Blend in batches if needed.

3. Cool and store in the fridge. Keeps for about a week.

Tomatillos in their husks. These must be removed and the fruit needs to be rinsed of all residue before cooking.

 Husked and rinsed tomatillos on the grill

Tomatillos should be grilled until blackened all over. Be careful to remove smaller fruit before they get too soft. 

 Blend all ingredients together until smooth but NOT liquified.

 The finished salsa, perfectly blended.

Also, don’t forget about these exciting new menu items that are still available all day, every day!

 Chicken Sandwiches – We’ve been thinking about how to expand our product line without straying too far from our core – which will always be hot dogs and sausages. Well, our chicken tenders have been really popular, and they fit perfectly into a toasted Martin’s Roll, so we thought we’d give them a try! Check out the BLT with our house made Buttermilk Ranch Sauce, or dig into a JJ’s Fil-A sandwich – Fried Tenders, Cole Slaw and a Pickle Spear. One bite, and you’ll forget all about those ‘other’ guys with the silly cows that can’t spell.

Sahlen’s Premium All Beef Jumbos – Many of you have been asking for an all beef dog, so we thought we’d step it up and give you the best one we could find – from Sahlen’s of course. They are about twice the size of our regular dogs and we have designed some toppings that will complement their beefy deliciousness. Like the Quarter Hounder –Beer Queso, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion and our own ‘Special Sauce.’ And that’s just the beginning. Try them all!

Hall of Fame Dogs – These are some of our most popular dogs of the week from last year that we thought we’d bring back. The ‘Hey, Hey, Fry, Fry’ is a staff favorite with Cole Slaw, Tomatoes, French Fries and Remoulade. Also, the  ‘Weiner the Pooh’ is back! Peanut Butter, Bacon and Honey. You’re welcome!

Molar Vortex

Honestly, I kind of hate this time of year. It’s dark, gray and depressing. My beloved Buffalo Bills are not in the playoffs, and it is our ‘S-L-O-W’ period. Why? Well, apparently, most of you are too bloated on organic, free-range Christmas goose and barrel-aged porter to be buying encased meats. 

Or worse yet, you have made a bunch of godawful resolutions, which have you running on treadmills instead of eating pork. (I take this personally, by the way) And don’t even get me started on the whole cleansing trend.

And to complicate matters further, it’s cold. Really cold. Like freeze-yo’-damn-ass-off cold. In fact, as of this writing, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has announced a 2-hour delay for tomorrow morning. The official reason?  Some kid might freeze his damn ass off at the bus stop. I mean, it might just fall right the hell off. So there you go. Safety first.

Now, we can choose to wallow in this chilly discontent, or we can do something about it. After all, this is AMERICA! And, you might ask what a humble American hot dog vendor can do to shake off this depression? 

Well, we can fill your fat faces with flavor, that’s what we can do.

Forget the Polar Vortex – this is a MOLAR VORTEX! The Forecast? Extended deliciousness with periods of intense gustatory pleasure. And a Panthers win.

Chicken Sandwiches – We’ve been thinking about how to expand our product line without straying too far from our core – which will always be hot dogs and sausages. Well, our chicken tenders have been really popular, and they fit perfectly into a toasted Martin’s Roll, so we thought we’d give them a try! Check out the BLT with our house made Buttermilk Ranch Sauce, or dig into a JJ’s Fil-A sandwich – Fried Tenders, Cole Slaw and a Pickle Spear. One bite, and you’ll forget all about those ‘other’ guys with the silly cows that can’t spell.

Sahlen’s Premium All Beef Jumbos – Many of you have been asking for an all beef dog, so we thought we’d step it up and give you the best one we could find – from Sahlen’s of course. They are about twice the size of our regular dogs and we have designed some toppings that will complement their beefy deliciousness. Like the Quarter Hounder –Beer Queso, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion and our own ‘Special Sauce.’ And that’s just the beginning. Try them all!

Hall of Fame Dogs – These are some of our most popular dogs of the week from last year that we thought we’d bring back. The ‘Hey, Hey, Fry, Fry’ is a staff favorite with Cole Slaw, Tomatoes, French Fries and Remoulade. Also, the  ‘Weiner the Pooh’ is back! Peanut Butter, Bacon and Honey. You’re welcome!

We hope you enjoy these new offerings as much as we enjoyed creating them. And - all joking aside - we really had a great year last year, thanks to you. From everyone here at JJ’s Red Hots, we would like to offer our sincere thanks for your patronage.

Now get in here and buy something. Don’t you people know how this economy works?!

Many, Many Thanks...

For the fire in our bellies.

For the song in our souls.

For the time spent together.

For the love of our families.

For a sense of humor.

For the hope in our hearts.

For the many years to come.

For the rhythm and the blues.

For the passion and the journey.

For our flaws and vulnerabilities.

For undying friendship.

For good health and prosperity.

For laughter and love.

For a light in the darkness.

For our children and their laughter.

For the privilege to serve.

For the kindness of strangers.

For the encouragement of our guests.

For patience and pride.

For humility and grace.

For the differences between us.

For unity and teamwork.

For a job well done.

For those that came before us.

And for those not here with us anymore.

From our family to yours…have a wonderful holiday season from all of us at JJ’s Red Hots.

my brother's keeper

I have known a lot of these guys for damn near 30 years. Many of us went to college together, pledged a fraternity together, grew up together, played music together, lived together, dated some of the same women, won and lost on the rugby pitch together, got into fights together, had our faces slapped at bars together, drank together, woke up in the same bed, went to each other’s weddings, and spent way too many late nights and early mornings together in the spirit of camaraderie.  We’ve shared meals, went on road trips, and flew on planes together. Went to the beach, went to the mountains, played golf in exotic locales and hung out on the couch. We’ve been arrested together, and bailed each other out of jail. We’ve taken each other to the hospital. There are a few broken bones and too many stitches to count. This group probably has 40 kids among us. That’s just fucking scary. But we’ve always taken care of each other. And I am lucky to have them in my corner. Thanks for always being there, gents. And stay well until we see each other again.

October, ya dum dum...

October was stupid. A hulking beast of a month. A hapless boob. A relentless, stubborn, annoying and seemingly endless chunk of time. Stultifying. I. Mean. It. Just. Never. Stopped.

But it is over, and it was the greatest month in the short history of our brand.

In any young growing business, there are specific months/weeks/moments that stand out above all. Where so much careens past you at such an incredible rate of speed that it is extremely difficult to even capture, much less comprehend.  October 2013 was such a month for us, and years from now, we will remember it as an historic month for JJ’s Red Hots.

I am not exactly sure what happened, but I think October was really about three things - leadership, learning and execution. I know for a fact the following stuff did actually occur, as it is a matter of public record. It is in the ether:

• I spent some time with great leaders like Joe Essa, Randy Brashier, Louis Basille, Don Fox, Ted Balestreri, Doug Brooks, Jon Luther Sr., and Dick Marriott. Such great people and wonderful mentors for us.
• Brandy Newton, Director of Marketing and Events and I went to New Orleans for the Fast Casual Summit. New Orleans had our full attention, and we learned and shared ideas in a really well executed forum. Congrats, Cherryh Butler for a great event. And what a town. New Orleans can surely teach you a few things, mon cher!
• We had a record month of events. Turns out people love Frank the Tank. (http://www.jjsredhots.com/catering/) We set some revenue records and established our catering business as a bona fide revenue and profit driver. A special thanks to Jen Lover and the folks at the Providence Day Fall Fest, for believing in us. And to Brandy Newton for changing the game and the playing field for us. Inspiring work. And fun to watch.
• We improved our operation. We hired a new GM for our Dilworth location, Michael Swenson – who has instantly made a hugely positive difference in our operation. Michael understands leadership and service at a profound level and we are getting better every single day. We also promoted Sam Gomez to Kitchen Manager, who has really earned his way to this promotion. Well done, Sam!
• Finally, we had our biggest single day of sales on the day of our Second Annual SausageFest. Thanks to all of the brewers who came out in support: Unknown, OMB, Triple C and NODA. Right about now is a really good time to be a beer drinker and a sausage eater in Charlotte, NC. Just sayin'...

But there were both highs and lows. We parted ways with some people who had been with us since the beginning, which is always tough, but sometimes necessary - for both parties. Still, their influence remains, and I will never forget their contribution to our brand. Thank you.

And a quick note to all of our JJ’s supporters. We obviously could not do this without the incredible support of our guests and our crew. Thanks to all who believe in what we are doing as much as we do.

Now…on to NovemBEER!

It is shaping up to be another great month at JJ’s and we have some exciting offerings to tell you about.

BEER
Look for our soon to be famous '3-2-1' specials. Every day, we will be featuring a $3 Craft/$2 Draft/$1 Can specials in both of our restaurants, so PAY ATTENTION!

Sausage

This month we are featuring our SF 2013 winner – the Korean Bulgogi – which we are serving with an Asian “Chinois” Slaw – inspired by our friends at Wolfgang Puck Restaurants – and a snappy Wasabi Aioli.

Soup

We are also celebrating fall with a nice Puree of Sweet Potato Soup served with Chive oil.

DOW

As always, look for some creative ‘Dogs of the Week’ – upcoming offerings include “Yam I AM” – with Chili, sweet potato fries and sriracha mayo, and our FRANKSGIVING –with sage stuffing and cranberry mayo.

See ya soon...

JL

New Orleans. That's Brandy and I with Chef Paul Prudhomme at K-Pauls. (top left)

 Friggin' Halloween...

 Me and Bill Nelson..the adopted 'Mayor of Metairie' and a great host, at Herbsaint

 The Howlin' Wolf

Muuuuuthaaaaaa!

 Unheeded sidewalk Advice in the Garden District, New Orleans

Chain of Fools?

Are we a CHAIN?!
Man, this is a great question. I get this all the time. I am in the restaurant, prowling around like an overgrown, out of shape puma, doing my best to annoy the staff with my usual barrage of comments, suggestions and questions, when a guest will come up to me, crinkle up their nose, and say, “Excuse me....Is this a CHAIN!?”

My mellifluous and silky response goes something like this, usually: 

"Hmmmm....Ahhh...a "Chain, you say? Ummm...WelI Jeez, you know that's a great question sir...really. I haven't had time to think about that...I guess...Well I mean, It depends on what you mean, sir. If you mean, 'More than one...' Then yes. Yes we are..."

Well, it's true. 

On July 31st of this year we opened our second restaurant in the Ballantyne neighborhood - 15105 John J. Delaney Dr. (Suite J) This is a huge milestone for us and we couldn't be more thrilled. We have a great crew, a beautiful space and so many complimentary guests. For those that have said nice things, we thank you and hope you tell somebody about us and come back soon.

And if you are looking for a few sound bites to put in your face, here's what's going on:

THE BAR
Yes, we have a bar at our Ballantyne location! Jeremy Guthrie, our Food & Beverage Director, has put together a well thought out, balanced selection of 25 beers and 6 wines with fresh local beer and micros from around the country. And it is a great place to settle in a watch a game. This month features fall seasonals with several Oktoberfest beers from OMB and Great Lakes already available. Also try the PumpKick from New Belgium as well. 

Other features include Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Allagash White, and of course, PBR, Genny Cream and Natty Bo in cans.

And don't forget, we will be showing ALL Buffalo BiIls and Carolina Panther games this year as well as SEC College Football on Saturdays.

BAR MENU
The Bar area has also given Jeremy a chance to showcase some unique menu items for the fall. Check out our Borracho Bean Hummus, Buffalo Chicken Tender Sliders, Short Rib Nachos and more. And here's the best part - all selections are under $5! 

DAILY SPECIALS
We are rolling out our new daily Beer and Food specials this week. Three Dollar Thursday, Five Dollar Friday, Double Points Monday and many more exciting Daily Specials for all!

SEASONAL MENU ITEMS
As always, every Monday we will feature a new Dog of the Week - just to keep you guessing, and back for a limited time is our Maui Gold signature hot dog with grilled pineapple salsa, red onion and cilantro lime crema. 

Also, look for our "Let's GO Buffalo!" Chicken and Roasted Poblano sausage topped with Franks Hot sauce, blue cheese, pickled onion and diced celery. 

Simply great stuff going on at JJ's right now.

And, the thing is, even if we were to grow to a million stores, I don't think I would ever call JJ's Red Hots a "Chain." I just don't think of us in that way.

But we are something, aren't we?

Officially, we are an independent, multi-unit limited-service fast-casual hot dog joint fighting every day for your business. We have two restaurants and one hot dog cart where our dedicated and lovely staff try their darndest to serve you the best hot dog you have ever had in your life. Or, as we like to say, "There is no greater joy than a kick-ass hot dog."

And, because we truly believe in this simple idea, I would actually like to build a million locations. Just for you. Because the hot dogs are THAT good...and you deserve it. 

And there are many other reasons why we want to build a million restaurants. Some of them are as follows, in no particular order. And if this makes us a chain*, so be it. 

In the words of the great Bob Marley, "So who the cap fit, let them wear it..."

-JL

To create something from nothing. Every day.
(Whiteboard session for JJ's taken two years ago yesterday. I still wear that shirt)

Because Kids Love Hot Dogs.

Because of what this guy represents:

Hard Work/Passion for Quality/Respect/Value Creation/A Sense of Humor

Two words: 'Little League.'

To create jobs and nurture future leaders.

To design unique and 'fun-to-be-in' spaces.

To be part of something bigger than ourselves...

To work with fascinating and talented people.

To teach young people the values of teamwork, leadership, and responsibility.

To build beautiful things and have a little fun.

To celebrate more milestones like this.

For the dogs, man...the dogs!

*Photo by Kevin Chelko

 *photo courtesy of Michael Hernandez, super fan #1.

Because sometimes everyone needs a fresh perspective on things...

Because of Frank...

...and last but certainly not least, for our incredible guests, fans and crew. Thank you all!!

*For the record, the restaurant industry is the second largest employer in this country (13.1 MILLION people in 2013, to be exact) , and "chain" restaurants employ a huge amount of employees. Further, CEO's of successful chain restaurants don't consider themselves (or operate like) 'chain' restaurants at all - that's a pop culture word that doesn't really exist inside the restaurant business anymore. There are more refined and descriptive ways to describe restaurant concepts now. (QSR, Fast Casual, Quick Casual, etc.) 

Honestly, the negative public perception of 'chain' restaurants is just wrong in my opinion. It is a herculean effort to build a restaurant 'concept' into a large, multi-unit operation (a so-called 'chain') like Panera or Chipotle or Dunkin' Donuts. It's close to impossible, in fact, if you did the math. 

And to sustain and grow at scale is even more difficult - especially if you are talking about a brand that is mostly operated by franchisees.