ORLANDO, Fla. — No matter how you rub it, barbecue hits the spot — when done just right.
A new restaurant in Orlando’s tourist district is bringing a particular part of the South to Orlando.
Ole Red at ICON Park has some Southern cuisine, but if you're wanting the flavors of South and North Carolina, Brother Jimmy's BBQ, also at ICON Park, is putting some South in your mouth.
Jimmy’s BBQ was established in New York in 1989, but it offers no-frills dishes like the Deluxe Mac and Cheese.
The brisket is smoked overnight.
“It's a gas-fired, wood-burning smoker,” says Mike Daquino, the managing partner of Jimmy’s BBQ at ICON Park. “Sixteen hours overnight, and they are perfection in the morning.”
After the brisket is ready, it’s time to prepare the mac and cheese.
“It doesn't get any more creamy than a big block of Velveeta cheese,” Daquino says. “And we melt Gouda cheese along with it. Smoked gouda.”
He adds a pinch of dry mustard, too.
Daquino and his wife were part of the Brother Jimmy's family in New York.
“We worked together,” he says, mixing the macaroni and cheese with a spoon. “I was her manager. So we had to have a conversation with HR (human resources) to say that we had to get married. So here we are.
“We thank God every day for bringing us to Florida.”
They stick with North Carolina-style BBQ, which is vinegar-based.
“I feel the vinegar itself, it holds the moisture in,” Daquino said.
Add some sweet cornbread crumbles, the juicy brisket and cheddar cheese to the mac.
Put it in a cast-iron skillet, and bake until it’s gooey.