New food trailer smokes up BBQ favorites

Local barbecue enthusiasts will have a chance to sink their teeth into hours-smoked brisket and homemade pulled pork sandwiches thanks to another new food trailer to open in Springfield.
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New food trailer smokes up BBQ favorites By Samantha Tighe | Dec 30, 2014 Photo by: Samantha Tighe Owners Mike Deschaine left and Trevor Watkins right stand in front of Two Neanderthals Smokin’ BBQ in Springfield. SPRINGFIELD — Local barbecue enthusiasts will have a chance to sink their teeth into hours-smoked brisket and homemade pulled pork sandwiches thanks to another new food trailer to open in Springfield. Two Neanderthals Smokin’ BBQ, located on 361 River Street, fired up it’s barbecues approximately three months ago and is the creation of Trevor Watkins and Mike Deschaine. The duo said they had been smoking meats for years and also had been catering pig roasts before they decided to open their food trailer. “We’ve talked about having a restaurant for years,” Watkins explained. “It’s a stepping stone, right?” Deschaine added. The menu revolves around traditional barbecued food — brisket that has been smoked for almost 14 hours, ribs and pulled pork. Two Neanderthals also added burgers and hot dogs to the menu, Watkins said it was a move originally made for children but it’s become popular lunch items for customers. Additionally, the trailer also sells baked beans, coleslaw, fries, bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapenos and chili on occasion. Everything is homemade, Watkins said, and from personal recipes — from the rub on the meats to the barbecue sauce and the side dishes. Even the fries are hand cut. “It’s just something different,” Deschaine said. The recipes for the food are something Watkins and Deschaine worked on for years. They say their wives were the taste-testers, letting them know when something was a little too overpowering, and they just played with everything until perfection was reached. The ingredients used at Two Neanderthals are local — Watkins and Deschaine have begun using rolls from Simply Baked in Vermont, order their meat from Liberal Beef or Black River Produce and the spices for the rubs are purchasedfrom Claremont Spice & Dry Goods. “We want to keep our business as local as we can,” Watkins said. “Just trying to keep as much as we can in the community.” The community, Watkins said, has been more than kind to the new barbecue place. Despite the freezing temperatures, Two Neanderthals has had a steady stream of customers and regulars who rave about the food. Customer favorites include the pulled pork quesadilla and the ribs that have even won over a former-barbecue competition judge. “We’ve had basically nothing but positive feedback since we opened,” Watkins said. Though Watkins discussed some of the local barbecue competitions, he said that he isn’t planning on entering Two Neanderthals’ food anytime soon. He wants to just focus on getting the trailer off the ground and preparing for the summer, which Watkins anticipates will be very busy for them. “Small steps,” Watkins said. As for why they think people should stop by their trailer, Watkins and Deschaine believe there filling a well-needed barbecue niche in Springfield. “We just want to let people know it’s not fast food we got going on in our trailer, it’s all fresh, made to order,” Watkins said. Two Neanderthals Smokin’ BBQ is open Monday to Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit the Two Neanderthals Smokin’ BBQ Facebook page.