INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’ s most engaging chefs
Redd Howe, Owner & Chef, Uncle Redd’ s BBQ
Uncle Redd’ s BBQ 6535 Saltsburg Road, Penn Hills; 412.636.7711 facebook. com / unclereddsrestaurant
On the Menu: Southern, homestyle comfort food prepared fresh and grilled daily, including ribs, chicken, chicken wings, pulled pork, kielbasa and hot sausage as well as succulent sides of cole slaw, potato salad, green beans, baked beans and mac‘ n cheese. Walk-ins, take-out or made-to-order, the menu can be catered for parties, cookouts, festivals and fairs— to name a few.
Describe the moment you found a passion for food.
Q A It was at an early age when I started working in restaurants. I
was 16 and one of my first jobs was at The Oliver Building Restaurant in the Oliver Building, downtown. I was the busboy and moved up to the dishwasher. From there I became a cook. The passion to cook grabbed a hold of me and I knew I wanted to serve people with food.
What led you to open Uncle Redd’ s BBQ? In 2015, my cousin, Posey, had a BBQ restaurant called Mr. Ribbs on Fifth Avenue, next to the Consol Energy Center [ now PPG Paints Arena ]. He had that place for more than 20 years and I was working there for him. Unfortunately, two years ago he was struck by a drunk driver. When that tragedy happened I decided to open my own restaurant to continue the family legacy.
What do you love about cooking? I’ ve been cooking all of my life and I can do it with my eyes closed— it’ s what I love to do. And I do it solo. I start every day at 9 a. m. to get the grill hot. Once it’ s hot and I start placing my meats to cook and everything else is good to go, I wait for people to come through the door. The restaurant business is up and down and seasons don’ t make a difference. However, spring and summer are a much better time of the year for me because my grill is in the front of the restaurant and people are out-and-about looking to try something good like my ribs, half chicken, chicken wings and pulled pork. I create lunch specials that I change every few days when I make kielbasa, hot sausage or hot dogs. One of my purveyors is the Restaurant Depot in the Strip District. Everything is fresh and cooked daily.
What kitchen tools can’ t you live without? I couldn’ t do any of this without my grills. I had them made out of an old steel oil tank. The larger of the two tanks is approximately 6 ' x 4 ' and the other is a little bigger than a backyard grill which is only used to whip up my chicken. I don’ t mix chicken with pork. Some people who don’ t or can’ t eat pork prefer not to have the two mixed and they can taste it. To keep my customers happy I put chicken on one grill and pork on the other.
What are your favorite go-to ingredients? Seasoning salt. It can season everything. Plus, you can’ t go wrong with it. It has no MSG so people who can’ t eat MSG can eat the seasoning salt. I keep my customers in mind for everything I cook, from the meats to all the sides. But my wife, Robin, makes the potato salad. She comes in, whips it up and she’ s gone. Her potato salad is just a shade better than mine.
Best advice for a novice? You have to have restaurant experience before opening your own place. Before any of that, you have to have a passion for cooking. If you don’ t have a passion for it, you aren’ t going to do it for long. This business is knowing how to deal with the public. When people come in with an attitude I find a way to turn the situation around. And, if I do a good enough job, they might give me a tip.
Redd Howe, Owner & Chef of Uncle Redd’ s BBQ in Penn Hills.
What’ s the next big food or dining trend? Mobile units are still hot and I would like to own one for Uncle Redd’ s someday. I can do access fairs and festivals so much better. Pull my food truck up, open up the sides and I’ m ready for business in 10 minutes. That would be my next big thing. n
— Reese Randall
Platters of Uncle Redd’ s BBQ Ribs.
Photos provided by Uncle Redd’ s BBQ.
Uncle Redd’ s BBQ in Penn Hills. Uncle Redd’ s Potato Salad.
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