Fat Jack's BBQ Competes on National Stage

If you're a channel surfer, you might have recognized a familiar face on Destination America in the past couple of weeks. Glenn Gross, owner of Fat Jack's BBQ in Jenkintown and on the Boulevard in Philadelphia, competed on BBQ Pitmasters, aired on June 16.

Gross told Patch that he filmed the competition in Austin in mid-March. He did the challenge with his former business partner, Ed Willis, who owns his own barbecue restaurant, Lumpy's BBQ in Clementon, NJ. Gross explained that he and Willis have a "love/hate relationship" and were told that their relationship on screen "really made the episode."

Of the couple 1,000 barbecuers that applied for BBQ Pitmasters, Fat Jack's BBQ was the only team selected from the Philadelphia area and competed against Character's BBQ from Georgia and Ubon's from Mississippi.

When Fat Jack's was introduced on the show, judge Aaron Franklin, owner of Franklin BBQ in Austin, TX , said, "You're in a city known for cheesesteaks."

Gross responded, "We're going to be the barbecue city of the world."

He told Patch, "We perfected [barbecue] up north."

On the show, Gross had to cook beef ribs and beef shoulder clod.

Kevin Gross, the manager of the Jenkintown location, told Patch that beef ribs are something that Fat Jack's does every day. They cover them completely in a dry rub and smoke them for 5 to 6 hours. Kevin explained that, because of the dry rub, the ribs come out black, but not burnt. He continued that the ribs in store are their best sellers.

Also in the stores Fat Jack's sells their rubs, sauces and seasonings.

Gross said on the show, where he placed second, behind Character's BBQ from Georgia, he wasn't nervous and didn't even notice the cameras that taped all the action and every minute of their cooking.

Gross said, "As much as I wanted to win, it wasn't about the winning. It was about the exposure for Fat Jack's."

He added that he's been wanting to do television for a long time and hopes to do more in the future.

This summer, Fat Jack's BBQ will be heading to Atlantic City for the Food and Wine Festival. They will be at the Welcome Party, doing live cooking demos and on July 27, will be participating in the Blues, Brews, and BBQ event.

They will also be attending the Harrah's Philadelphia Food & Wine Festival Preview Party on July 6.

Learn more about Fat Jack's BBQ on their website and on their Facebook page.