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Hidden Gems & Weekend Getaways
An authentic barbecue outpost in southern Sweden It all started with a longing for something not yet available in Sweden: Americanstyle smoked meat, barbecued for many hours until perfectly tender and tasty. This inspired Holy Smoke BBQ and its fantastic community. By Malin Norman |
Photos: Holy Smoke BBQ
In 2014, Johan Fritzell and Johan Åkerberg opened Sweden’s first authentic American barbecue experience, Holy Smoke BBQ in Bräcke, outside Nyhamnsläge in Skåne. Born from a backyard hobby and a passion for smoked meat, it has become a mega-hit – one of the largest restaurants in Sweden, in fact, with up to 1,500 guests per day. Holy Smoke is located in a wonderful rustic environment, in the middle of the countryside. “It’s like an outpost, you can even say it’s a bit of Texas in some ways,” says Johan Fritzell. “This is authentic American barbecue, the real thing. We have five smokers working 62 |
Issue 143
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June 2022
24/7 and last summer, around 65 staff were making sure that everything was running smoothly. It’s like hosting a festival, every day!” Backyard hobby turned popular outpost The five smokers are set up to barbecue for up to 24 hours, depending on the type of meat and its size. Guests can choose between different types of protein such as brisket, short ribs, pulled pork, chicken, sausages, plus classic sides like coleslaw and pickles. Even though Sweden has a long tradition of smoking meat, Fritzell explains that this was for preservative purposes
only – so as not to spoil the food. In the US, barbecuing is almost like a religion and the cooking process is different. With lower temperatures, slower and more careful cooking, the result is something quite different; a crispy surface and soft, juicy meat that simply falls off the bone, flavoured by the smoke. Inspired by culinary trips to Texas in the US, the two founders had built up a great interest in smoking and American-style barbecuing. After smoking meats and
