Herald-Dispatch features grilled pork menu

John Brown used his latest Herald-Dispatch food-and-wine column to lay out a Memorial Day grilling plan built around pork barbecue and pinot noir. The May 12, 2026, “Vines & Vittles” piece was published on HD Media’s site under the headline “JB’s Tangy Barbecue sauce and pinot noir.” Brown wrote that he was planning holiday menus for family and friends and said he intended to grill pork and pair it with pinot noir. (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) The column framed the pairing as a picnic-season recommendation rather than a restaurant review or product launch. (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) Brown wrote that “there is no better red to match with picnic fare, especially, barbecue than pinot noir,” and he tied the menu idea to the approach of Memorial Day weekend. ### What exactly did the Herald-Dispatch column recommend? Brown’s May 12 column recommended grilled pork as the centerpiece of a Memorial Day menu and named pinot noir as the wine to serve with it. He wrote that he was “going to concentrate on menus that feature picnic foods” and planned to “grill pork and accompany it with that very versatile red – pinot noir.” (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) The article also made clear that Brown was discussing barbecue in the broader grilling sense. Brown wrote that barbecue can mean different things to different people, but said that for him it means a style of cooking and that his grill is used for pork, chicken, beef, lamb, fish, vegetables and fruit. (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) ### What recipe details did John Brown include? Brown said his sauce recipe works with “most pork, chicken or meat dishes,” with particular emphasis on bone-in center-cut pork roasts and barbecued pork ribs. He told readers that the dish begins with a dry rub before the sauce is applied. (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) The dry rub in Brown’s column uses one tablespoon each of cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper, brown sugar and cayenne pepper, which he said was optional. Brown instructed readers to stir the mixture, rub it onto both sides of the meat and, if time permits, let the pork sit in the refrigerator overnight or for a few hours. (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) ### How did Brown say to prepare the grill? Brown wrote that he prefers a charcoal grill and said barbecuing “requires a grill that uses ‘real’ charcoal,” while adding that newer gas grills with smoke boxes can approximate charcoal flavor. He wrote that adding wood flavors to picnic food adds “a wonderful nuance.” (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) The same column said he often uses hickory or apple wood chips and soaks them in warm water for at least half an hour before grilling. Brown said the chips are available at some grocery stores and home-improvement chains including Lowe’s and Home Depot. ### Why did pinot noir appear in a barbecue column? (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) Pinot noir appeared in the piece because Brown presented the wine as his preferred match for picnic food and grilled pork ahead of Memorial Day. The column was published as part of “Vines & Vittles,” a feature that combines recipe ideas with wine suggestions. Brown linked the wine choice directly to the holiday menu he said he was planning. (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) His framing was personal and seasonal: a Memorial Day gathering, grilled pork and a red wine he described as especially suited to barbecue. ### Where can readers find the full piece? (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com) The full article appears on HD Media’s site in the “Vines & Vittles with John Brown” section under the headline “JB’s Tangy Barbecue sauce and pinot noir.” The page is dated May 12, 2026, and carries Brown’s byline. Herald-Dispatch readers looking for the next step can find Brown’s complete recipe and wine notes in that May 12 posting on the outlet’s food-and-wine feature page. (vinesandvittles.hdmediallc.com)