Rob Leake is the Meat Wizard. Photo: Tenele Conway.
Mobile purveyor of low and slow American BBQ, The Meat Wizard, has set up a permanent base in Karabar, and he’s taking all the time he needs to slow-smoke the highest-grade cuts of meat to absolute perfection.
Having established his business at events around the region for more than eight years, the Karabar base is the first time that owner Robert Leake has put down roots for his mobile food business, and he’s inviting the public to join him around the campfire every weekend to enjoy the spoils of his obsession with smoked meats.
“What I love most about low and slow BBQ is the repetition and the craft. Anyone can throw meat in a smoker and think it’s the best thing ever, but it takes real effort, precision and consistency to reproduce the same quality every time,” Rob explains.
I use the word perfection in describing Rob’s BBQ, bearing the full weight of expectations of those who will be guided by such hefty words, but the platter I enjoyed on a recent sunny Saturday was just that: perfection.
The Meat Wizard has a massive offset smoker for his low-and-slow BBQ. Photo: Tenele Conway.
Robert’s menu is a rolling, changing beast where the platters and the specials change regularly, but you can be assured that he’s tracked down quality cuts of meat like the heavily marbled MB9-grade wagyu brisket that blew me away with its rich, buttery, fall-apart texture and incredible flavour. It made me stop to appreciate what’s happening in our food scene: that food of this standard can be found on an unassuming, formerly vacant block of land deep in suburbia in truly remarkable.
The MB9 grading on this wagyu indicates the highest grading assigned within the Australian meat grading system and tells you that your piece of meat will be heavily marbled with intramuscular fat. It’s that fat and Rob’s expertise on the smoker that takes this BBQ up a level.
Somehow, though, the wagyu brisket doesn’t outshine the rest of the platter, and all of the dishes hold their own with quality, flavour, moisture and tenderness.
On any given weekend, the platter will change, but we enjoyed dry-rubbed pork ribs that are smoked until perfectly tender and then fried to add an incredible crunch.
The smoked buffalo chicken is surprisingly moist and the char on the skin is just right without being overpowering, while the housemade buffalo glaze adds tang, smoke and a nice touch of spice.
We also had a pile of pulled pork that had been smoked low and slow until it was fall-apart tender, seasoned with restraint to let the pork shine, and with an added touch of apple cider vinegar for balance. I find it rare for shredded pork not to be dry, but with Rob being the Meat Wizard, this pork was beautifully moist.
Rob is cooking with the highest grades and cuts of meat. Photo Tenele Conway.
The massive beef rib, with the meat just dropping off the bone, was a complete showstopper. For me, it was so tender and so beefy in flavour that I think I enjoyed it even more than the wagyu brisket.
We also enjoyed two types of homemade sausages. A mac & cheese with brisket sausage was a fun twist on the well-known comfort food. A version with added jalapeños accompanied this to give you a nice little kick.
Rob also dishes up ample sides, including a homemade dry slaw, which cuts through the rich meats, and cowboy brisket beans, which are delightfully smoky and sweet with their added chunks of brisket.
If that isn’t enough, we got a side of cornbread waffles, which were perfect for dipping in the sauces and grabbing chunks of meat with. To prove he really is a wizard, even the housemade sauces were a highlight. The Texas-style tangy-spicy BBQ is a good dunker for the meats, and the smoky pepper sauce pairs well with everything, but I particularly enjoyed it with the chicken.
Reflecting his commitment to magnificent meat, the BBQ platters are available for pre-order only, with a specific pick-up time. This allows Rob to ensure the meat comes out of the smoker at the perfect time and will be served and eaten just as it is intended.
Rob is vigilant in communicating on his social media that BBQ doesn’t travel well and should be enjoyed on the spot, just as it is served. I’m with Rob on this all the way. With meat this marbled, the passing of time will ruin your eating experience as the fat congeals and the meat loses all the qualities that make it so enjoyable.
If you haven’t been quite so organised to order ahead, Rob has a changing specials menu which includes dishes like the double double smash burger, a brisket plate and the Montreal sandwich with smoked brisket pastrami, but this is one time I urge you to plan for the weekend and order the platter for the full Meat Wizard experience.
To keep up with The Meat Wizard specials, head to his Instagram, or get to 29 Sunnybar Parade, Karabar, and get some pork (and more) on your fork.
