Since last month, Bobby Xiong’s Dijon BBQ service has offered Texas-style barbecue to hungry customers throughout the Wausau area and attracted rave reviews for its mobile operation.
Items on the menu include brisket and pulled pork, it differs from other kinds of barbecue because of its slow-cooked smoked style which utilizes indirect heat and came about for Xiong with support from his wife Dee due to the COVID-19 pandemic making him rethink life as it has for others.
“I always liked cooking since I was a kid but went to school to be a web developer,” he says. “During COVID-19, I was working from home and barbecuing a lot and realized I liked it a lot more than the web stuff. I still had some GI Bill benefits, so I figured I might as well go to school for culinary and set the goal of eventually opening up my own food truck or restaurant.”
From web to BBQ
Xiong got the education for the job his wife helps fund (the name is a play on a joke from before they were married about what her married name would sound like – Dee Xiong/Dijon) from Northcentral Technical College and quickly moved into his new career after graduating back in May.
In contrast to some who strike out on their own in a new space, he and Dee are enjoying robust support from family and friends and there has been little difficulty with setting it all up. Xiong did have to work to find a smoker, but, as luck would have it, a cheaper one was located on Facebook Marketplace.
“A brand-new smoker can cost $19,000-20,000,” Xiong adds. “I would have had to get it down in Texas and this is a lot of money, but, thanks to trolling around on Facebook, I found a guy in Appleton who was upgrading his and the price dropped and dropped until I got it for $11,000.” That key piece of equipment also came equipped with portable sinks.
Dijon BBQ Dedication
In contrast to other places that serve barbecue in the area, Xiong says his stands out due to the effort he puts into it. It is not uncommon for him to monitor a cook for 12 hours; in the future, he hopes to hire some employees.
He can be found at the Big Bull Falls Farm Market on Saturdays. He’s starting to make an impression and he begun to gather a loyal following.
“My husband and I will definitely be back,” Madeline Rogall writes in a July 15 Facebook post.
Those looking for more information about Dijon BBQ can find it by calling 252 – 658 – 4070, emailing [email protected], or looking at their Facebook page which has product shots, too.
Evan J. Pretzer is a contributor to City Pages. He can be reached at [email protected].
Read next: Object Homewares brings a decorative touch to Wausau’s downtown
