Chelsea State Bank was pleased to donate food from Smokehouse 52 to the amazing frontline team at St. Joseph Mercy. This event was highlighted in a full article originally published by MLive written by Amy Sherman. Below is an excerpt.
We fell in love with Smokehouse 52 on our search for Michigan’s Best BBQ, and ended up naming them one of our top ten. Smokehouse 52 owner Phil Tolliver knows his way around pork, as he grew up on a pig farm. “The only thing I knew was ‘hogwise’,” he told us during our visit in 2018 that “I’ve done my share of pig roasts.”
They take a fresh approach to barbecue here, making classic items and serving them with a twist. All the sauces are homemade, and the sweet sauce gets a fun kick from the root beer reduction in it. The stewed green beans and tomatoes are incredibly simple, and yet so very good. Hush puppies are buttery and tender and light. Potato chips are handmade, and the loaded mashed potatoes are loving referred to as “butter, with a side of potatoes.”
Tolliver is very particular about his ribs. They need to hang off the plate, be tender but not falling off the bone, and have a great smoke ring. He’s nailing it. Brisket can come both sliced or chopped. We especially loved the brisket in one of the craziest dishes we had, the “Main Street Mac and Cheese,” a conglomeration of epic proportions. Cavatapi pasta, a rich and complex cheese sauce, and smokey brisket get mixed together. Then a creamy onion dip gets put on top and broiled. It puffs up like a souffle and is pretty dang amazing to eat.
We also visited them on our search for Michigan’s Best Chili, and also named their bowl of red as one of the best in the state. It’s so popular that it’s on the menu year round, and features both brisket and ground beef. We highly recommend you get it loaded which comes topped with crumbled Jiffy cornbread, sharp cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream and scallions. It’s fantastic, like everything else here.
Smokehouse also has a location in Saline, which is currently closed. You can still get their great BBQ for curbside pickup at the Chelsea location.
Smokehouse 52 was partnered with our sponsor Chelsea State Bank to deliver goodies to the staff at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Chelsea.
“Smokehouse 52 BBQ is truly honored to partner with Mlive to feed our frontline workers,” Tolliver said. “Being voted one of the best, means still being one of the best even when times are the worst. So as we navigate this storm together, the best will always find a way to give back, lead the way, and make sure we all come out on the other side together.”
A quote from John K. Mann, CEO of Chelsea State Bank about participating in Feeding the Frontlines:
“Reinvesting in our communities has been a priority of Chelsea State Bank for over 120 years. On behalf of our team of essential workers, we are proud and honored to provide hospital staff at St. Joe Mercy Chelsea with food from Smokehouse 52, both valued customers of the bank and so important to our community.”
