Another sign of an early spring sprouted as the flashing “Open” sign beneath the Black Jaxx Barbeque smoker on the Kenai Spur Highway lit up and cars began lining up.
Harold and his Bean Queen Nicki, avowed snow birds who winter in Oklahoma, returned early this year to expand the family business to Homer. Actually, according to Harold it was warmer here than most days in Oklahoma.
“I may have to start thinking about staying here year round,” says Harold. “I mean all I do down there is lie, cheat and steal anyway,” laughs the king of smoked as well verbal bologna.
“But, we have a brand new custom made trailer down in Homer now and my nephew Jim Newcomb is down there now running it so we’re going to help the Homer folks reduce their carbon footprint by not having to drive all the way up here to get our barbeque, but we’re keeping it all in the family because there’s a lot secrets to getting food especially barbeque done right, like hard work, slow cookin’ and me that only a family member will put up with. And that way I guarantee that you’ll get the same brisket, pork or chicken in Homer as you will right here in Soldotna,” said Harold who claims to have been retired for 20 some years. “But that’s the OK side of the story, up here we work seven days a week, 12-14-hour days with naps in-between.”
Nicki has been proclaimed the “Bean Queen” of Black Jaxx but says it was Harold’s recipe. So where did the secret recipe come from?
“I dreamed it up but then I forgot, I must have told Nicki because now she’s the only one that remembers, I guess that’s job security,” he laughed.
A visitor who experienced Black Jaxx barbeque while visiting the Kenai Peninsula posted on their Facebook page, “when the aroma first drew us to Black Jaxx six years ago, they had one smoker outside the woodcarver’s in Sterling. Now he smokes 500 pounds (per) day at this new location. The line was so long into the street here that the police told him he was a traffic hazard. His meats are the best of any BBQ we’ve had anywhere, and we have eaten BBQ in Texas, all over the South, and we have our own large smoker.
His meats, especially the pulled pork, melt in your mouth.”
Open seve days every week from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., unless they sell out first, Black Jaxx offers smoked meat by the pound in addition to their daily menu of ribs, chicken, pork, sausage, brisket and bologna with sides of potato salad, cole slaw and of course baked beans.
Having a party or special event, Black Jaxx with advanced notice can take care of it just call 907-262-2255 in Soldotna or 907-756-3255 at the new Homer location.
Back from OK Harold & Nicki & Keegan at their Soldotna family 0location.
Harold, Nicki and nephew Jim Newcomb at the new Black Jaxx in Homer.
