Outside the Lines Original: Shaw Nuff BBQ
For many years Sam Shaw has been serving up his beloved BBQ, putting a smile on every customer’s face. One of the founding food trucks in town, Shaw Nuff is a staple to the people in Monroe. With over 35 years of experience, Sam is sharing more than just his delicious food; he’s sharing his love for the community in every bite.
Starting at Podnuhs in 1989, Sam got his humble beginnings in BBQ from the place he still considers the founder of the skill in this area. At the time, his brother was the manager at Podnuhs and Sam was able to learn from him and the restaurant. He also recalls his mother cooking BBQ throughout his youth, instilling a love for cooking in him from childhood.
“I didn’t care about working, I was a kid. But I got serious about it over time. I got to learning more about it and it just became a part of me.”
Now he calls himself the BBQ artist and it’s clear that many agree. One thing Sam does differently with his traditional BBQ is keeping it on the grill for that authentic smoked taste. He doesn’t like the idea of using rotisseries and he says if you want to keep it real, keep it on the grill.
When asked what his most popular menu item is, Sam explained the story behind the “Rosemary,” a chopped beef sandwich with onions and jalapeno peppers chopped into the meat and sauce mixed in.
When he first opened, a woman would come up and ask if he had a chopped beef sandwich with onions and jalapeno peppers. At the time he didn’t offer those toppings, so he let her know he’d get some soon. She continued to come by and ask, until Sam finally added the options to his menu. Quickly the sandwich became his most popular item, and he named it after the woman who inspired it, Rosemary.
As far as new items go, Sam recently added a BBQ baked potato to the menu. You can get a baked potato with any type of BBQ on top and any typical potato toppings.
The support of the community is something that came unexpectedly to Sam. Getting up and going to work is what he knew to do, but the response from the people was what surprised him.
“You can only thank God for folks just showing you the love and the appreciation for doing what you do. It makes you do better, and it makes you go all out. Your people are there and they’re supporting you to the fullest.”
Sam and the Shaw Nuff fam continue to bring good BBQ and love for the people of Monroe to work each day. He will be here serving up what he does best, giving the glory to God and with that he knows the word will get around.
As the Shaw Nuff motto says, “run tel dat!”
