Only in Denver are you going to find a barbecue food truck run by a Cowboys fan from Texas at a Philadelphia Eagles bar.
Sounds like sacrilege, yet that’s exactly where pitmaster Ruben Alarcon has found himself, settling the six-month-old Iron Age food truck in the beer garden outside the new-ish Philly tavern the Shambles as its official food partner — and a new contender for the best barbecue in the city.
“We’re from Austin and were born into a Cowboys family, so we’ve always been rivals,” Alarcon smirks. “So they make jokes that they don’t want us here anymore, but it’s all just good nature and we have a good time.”
But there’s one problem: the truck’s new home has been regularly plagued by vandalism. The most recent incident occurred the night after the October 6 Broncos/Eagles game, resulting in a stolen generator and cut power cord, forcing the truck to close for the normally busy Monday Night Football crowd. It’s currently on pause until further notice, but hopes to make a comeback soon.
We’re hoping for a quick return, too, because Iron Age BBQ serves undeniably delicious food, focusing on classic Central Texas barbecue smoked exclusively with oak out of a massive two-door smoker that Alarcon made himself.
Well, maybe not all classic. One of the nods Alarcon had made to his new home is a barbecue brisket cheesesteak, built on Amoroso buns shipped in from Philly and served anytime the Eagles are playing. Based on the enthusiastic reaction from the Philly ex-pats lining up to order the moment the doors open, football loyalty only runs so deep.
Alarcon’s barbecue journey to Denver began in his hometown of Austin, where he originally worked as a welder for many years (hence the “Iron Age” branding) before using his skills to build a smoker of his own. Despite having no training or experience in smoking meat at the time, he dove into his newfound hobby every day he had off.
“It’s just more or less a natural instinct, being in Austin,” he says. “It’s just part of the culture. You can’t throw a rock in the air without it landing on a barbecue.”
What started as a hobby soon became a part-time job in some of Austin’s best barbecue restaurants, including the famous LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, one of the first barbecue operations to earn a Michelin star.
When Alarcon and his wife moved to Denver, he saw the lack of similar Texas-style barbecue options as an opportunity, and soon began plotting a move of his own.
“Coming from Austin, every corner of every neighborhood has a top-notch barbecue place,” he says. “So it’s very different coming out here. There’s barbecue. But it’s not quite my style of barbecue. Not what I’m used to. So I just figured, let’s try to do our own thing.”
After a stint working in the pit at the highly regarded Post Oak Barbecue in Berkeley, he made the leap to starting the Iron Age food truck in April, bringing his brother Jacob along to help run it, initially operating out of York Street Yards.
Alarcon’s style is almost minimalist in nature. Despite what you see on the influencer videos on social media, there are almost no sauces at play here and very little in the way of rub. It’s a straightforward Texas barbecue brisket, seasoned only with salt and pepper, then smoked. Unlike most low-and-slow briskets, Alarcon cooks his comparatively hotter, at 375 degrees, for seven hours before it’s stored in a hot box overnight. But the result is just as moist, with a river of meat juices and melted fat saturating the butcher’s paper it comes served in. It’s so tender it falls off the fork when you’re eating it.
Pork spare ribs, seasoned lightly with garlic powder and paprika, and a homemade sausage link made with the brisket trim round out the trifecta. Alarcon has also started adding additional items to the mix, including a half chicken that almost explodes with juice when you tear it apart, basted with a little red sauce and dried chiles. Most recently, he served barbacoa with an avocado salsa. And in addition to the cheesesteak, a pork smashburger with tallow fries is available on Monday nights.
Add in sides like a honey jalapeño cornbread, cucumber and tomato feta salad, spanish rice, and pickles, and you’ve got yourself a barbecue feast that’ll make you forget you’re surrounded by Philly fans — even when they’re playing the Broncos.
Once it’s back in business, Iron Age BBQ will be open Thursday through Sunday with the full menu, and on Monday nights with just the pork smash burgers and beef tallow fries. And, of course, a rivalry-busting brisket cheesesteak whenever the Eagles play.