Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Ziegler
Hi Jake, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I came by my interest in cooking and meat processing honestly, being raised on a small farm in Tiskilwa, IL. My family came from Germany in 1853 and settled in the Illinois valley, where they would raise crops and slaughter livestock out of necessity. My father carried the tradition of butchery professionally, along with maintaining the farm, working as a farrier, and cooking whole hogs for special occasions. A large portion of my childhood was spent at dad’s meat locker, assigning myself to squeegee duty in the room that the animals were skinned and halved, along with helping to pack ground meat, and build boxes for pickup orders, as I was too young to take part in the processing duties.
On occasion; mostly summer and 4th of July, Dad would be hired to cook a whole hog on his rotisserie pit for local gatherings. My brother and I would pitch a tent and camp out while Dad tended the fire overnight, and then be first in line at the makeshift table of plywood and sawhorses where Mom would help pull and slice the meat.
I started working in restaurants in Highschool, holding every position from dishwasher to head chef through my career. I had dabbled in backyard bbq for years, but got my first job in the industry at Steamboat BBQ in Wheaton, IL where I started as a line cook and ended as the top meat cutter. Through this job I would get my first professional level smoker and begin to hone my skills and gain the confidence to do it myself. After two years of modifying a toy hauler trailer, I am finally operating independently with a focus on traditional Central TX Style Barbecue; operating under my family name as a nod to those that carried the requisite trades before me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not. Construction of the trailer came with many hurdles, finding ways to make do with what was available/affordable, and calling on the skills and help of family.
Working in kitchens for as long as I have prepared me for those challenges, but navigating the world of business, marketing, and licensing has been the biggest challenge of all.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
In business, one must always ask what they can do differently to add value and interest to their brand. Early in my journey of barbecue, I focused on the meat-market derived style pioneered primarily by German, Czech, and Polish immigrants of central Texas. This focus has lent itself well to living and operating in an area that does not have a defined barbecue culture, though it generally leans towards KC style in the Springfield area.
As true to the style; my methods, ingredients, and preparations are simple. I do not cook with gas or electricity, but with solid fuels of locally sourced oak on a traditional offset smoker, and mix of charcoal and wood on a drum smoker. There is no magic rub, sauce, or garnish that sets my food apart. It is a combination of simple ingredients and time, all treated with respect. Each recipe is intended to complement the flavors of the prominent ingredient, and to let the meat speak for itself. Some of the ingredients in my side dishes are smoked, not as a gimmick, but out of necessity due to my limitations of available equipment. I believe that these elements are the foundation of what sets my brand apart in the true spirit of the history of barbecue. It’s not about what you want, but what you can get, and doing the best that you can with what is available.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I believe that barbecue as a whole will remain mostly unchanged. I expect there to be further innovations in cooking equipment in the next few years, as it increases accessibility to the public. There is a trend currently happening where more people like myself are foregoing the gas pits and pellet cookers and tending fire the old way. I hope to see more of that in the future.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zieglerbbqco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZieglerCulinary
