Smokin’ Joe’s racks up the flavor

After 12 years, Joseph Johnston and his wife Dena have fell into a niche that seems to be suiting them just fine – smoking ribs, briskets and chickens for area residents.

Joe, an ex-marine and Vietnam War veteran, opened Smokin’ Joe’s BBQ on Main Street in April 1996 as an alternative career from the construction business. He worked as a construction supervisor for more than 20 years.

“I wanted to try something different,” he said.

When a friend from Joe’s hometown state of Mississippi suggested that he open a smokehouse, he was game for it.

“My friend already owned a smokehouse in Mississippi. So he knew the ends and outs of the business, and he came down to help me get started,” Joe said.

Although there were several barbecue establishments in the area at the time, Joe said he knew his new venture would be successful because none of the other offerings were smokehouses.

“I was able to tap into a market and offer the residents something different,” he said.

It proved to be a sound business venture because after nine years his customer base was better than he expected and Joe expanded to a bigger building on Bayou Gardens Boulevard. He has been at that location for three years.

Since, Smokin’ Joe’s opened there have been two or three more smokehouses to make their debut in Houma. However, despite the increased competition, Joe is still confident his food quality speaks for itself.

“I think my product is very different from the other barbecue places in Houma because I have my own cooking style,” he said.

Dena said her and her husband’s customers come back because of Smokin’ Joe’s specially-seasoned taste, and they also rave about the eatery’s beef jerky.

Joe said after experimenting with different recipes and technique’s he knew he had a winning when his customers cried out, “Don’t touch it, you got it!”

Although Joe and Dena suggested barbeque recipes to feature in the Gumbo Entertainment Guide, the couple’s exact technique is a closely guarded secret. However, Joe did say that Smokin’ Joe’s tasty barbeque ribs are not cooked with barbeque sauce. Instead, the couple prepare them usiung a dry rib.

Dena Johnson slices her and her husband’s popular Smokin Joe’s baby back ribs.