I’m starting to think that my attraction to Barbecue Sandwiches last week was the result of a circadian rhythm deep in my bones that associates summer with barbecue, because I’ve been craving that sort of thing lately , so much so that I finally dared to the Avenues for a plant-based barbecue of Blatch Backyard Barbecue. I had been following Blatch – otherwise known as Chris Blatchford – on social media for a while, so I spent a lot of time drooling over photos of his work. Since barbecue is on my mind a lot during the summer months, I decided it was time to delve into the world of Blatch’s smoked jackfruit and homemade seitan.
When it comes to plant-based cooking, I’m not skeptical. I’ve been around the Utah restaurant scene long enough to know that we have talented people doing wonderful things with plant-based ingredients. Barbecue, however, has always seemed dependent on the protein trinity of pork, beef, and chicken. Some say these proteins impart irreplaceable flavor to the barbecue process, but others say the root chakra of barbecue is found in the preparation itself. I decided to discuss this ongoing debate with Blatchford himself, who was kind enough to welcome me to his garden before opening his doors.
Blatchford’s interest in pitmaster culture came from his late father, who often came home from fishing and threw his spoils on the grill. “I remember standing on tiptoe watching him grill the fish he had just caught,” Blatchford said. “He died when I was eight, so my way of paying tribute to him is to do what we did together, which was a lot of barbecue.”
As the de facto leader of his teenage social group, Blatchford was often tasked with barbecue duties for many high school parties. “I noticed that barbecues always sucked for my friends who didn’t eat meat, so I tried to fix that for them,” he says.
So, Blatchford’s current occupation of providing award-winning plant-based barbecue to Utahns was born from a desire to simply share his love of barbecue with everyone. “It’s 2024 and having a very carnivorous diet is no longer as responsible as it used to be,” he says. “I love barbecue, and if there’s a way to honor it and bring it into the next century, I’ll do it.”
This brings us to our discussion of barbecue as a more spiritual concept that can be applied to any range of ingredients: it just takes love. Oh, and the weather. Lots and lots of time. “Our process for making vegan brisket takes five days, and it took me about 50 iterations to get it right.” Blatchford said.
Most proteins at Blatch’s start with his house-made seitan, on which he layers different umami-centric flavors using ingredients like smoked mushrooms and even a little seaweed; “We smoke 14 different types of mushrooms to get our flavor,” he says. I tried one of Blatch’s Fried Raspberry Jalapeño Chickenless Sandos after our chat, and it was fantastic. At Blatch’s, you get all the bombastic presentation of traditional barbecue, and all that visual flair is matched well with the flavor. After a few bites of the sandwich, I appreciated that it wasn’t trying to replicate a piece of fried chicken note for note. Instead, it uses the classic fried chicken sandwich as a template for creating something uniquely flavorful and satisfying from seitan. Blatchford’s concoction has just as much protein as its meat-based cousin, so all you protein evangelists can just relax.
In addition to offering numerous platters of barbecue, sides and plant-based sandwiches, Blatch’s home restaurant concept is another testament to Blatchford’s ingenuity. He and his wife Joy have transformed about 70 percent of their Avenues home into a prep area and display, so when you visit, they’ll literally welcome you to their table. If you want to visit Blatch, it’s a good idea to arrive early. Since he and Joy started running a business out of their kitchen three years ago, word has spread and the place can get a little crowded, especially on weekends.
Although Blatchford will still encounter a few customers who aren’t on board with vegan barbecue: “They’ll go out and eat a chicken nugget in a heartbeat, but they’ll have this phobia about trying raw, plant-based ingredients.” “, he says, his barbecue business continues to thrive. “I’ve met people who have been vegan for about 20 years and told me they miss barbecue, but then they would try my products and say how much It made them cry,” Blatchford said.
As someone who greatly appreciates our local plant-based scene and all the delicious vegan junk food that is available, I am continually impressed by people like the Blatchfords who represent all barbecue fans.
