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For the past two years, Andrew Darneille has had a lot more on his mind than barbecue. The pitmaster and owner of Smokecraft opened his stylish, full-service restaurant in July 2020, just four months into this global nightmare that we’re still dealing with. The date of Smokecraft’s debut is pertinent… Read More

Andrew Darneille, owner and pitmaster at Smokecraft Modern Barbecue in Arlington, brings home fifth place in pork and finishes eighth place overall at the barbecue world championship. t’s a oft-repeated phrase that “It’s an honor just to be nominated” for an Oscar. The same can be said of being invited to compete in “The Jack.”…

If your idea of barbecue is simple, inexpensive heaps of smoked meat, look elsewhere. Owner and pit master Andrew Darneille—formerly of the late Georgetown restaurant Old Glory—hit barbecue competitions for years before opening his Clarendon spot. He doesn’t skimp on ingredients or ambition. Duroc pork belly, prime brisket, and steakhouse-level rib eye make their way…

A high-end barbecue joint isn’t the first place we’d think to look for a great Jewish-deli classic, but for chef/owner Andrew Darneille, the sandwich has a personal connection. Decades ago, his mom would shuttle him to and from a job at a restaurant that made a killer Reuben, and he’d bring her one each time.…

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Andrew Darneille, pitmaster of the Smokecraft Championship BBQ team and owner of Smokecraft Modern Barbecue in Arlington, has qualified to compete in the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue. “We’ve worked so hard every day to cook the best barbecue that we can, and this invitation validates that we can cook with the very best,” said Darneille in…

This new Clarendon-based joint offers an upscale dining experience accompanied by your favorite backyard barbecue bites – and it’s only a three-minute walk from Clarendon station on the Metro and currently open for dine-in or delivery through Toast. Pitmaster Andrew Darneille’s aims to incorporate flavors from the grill with every bite, so don’t be surprised to find…

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue opened in late July, and the timing almost feels prescient, given that barbecue and its sides are perfect comfort foods to soothe our pandemic-weary souls. Restaurateur and pitmaster Andrew Darneille produces some mighty fine wagyu brisket, St. Louis pork ribs, pork butt, whole chickens, chicken wings, turkey and sausage from his Southern…

Pitmaster Andrew Darneille has won dozens of barbecue contests, and the menu at Smokecraft has a common thread: Everything on it, he says, must be touched by fire or smoke. That leads to interesting choices like smoked crabcakes and cedar plank salmon, a smoked Monte Cristo sandwich and even smoked desserts like Key Lime pie and chocolate-cherry…

Smoke is ethereal. From wisps to clouds, it’s almost as difficult to harness as it is to pin down. When it comes to cooking with it, some experts know how to properly control it; others let it take the lead. Too many barbecue restaurants apply a heavy waft of the stuff in their cooking. While it…