Animales Barbecue Expansion Includes Birria, Brisket, and Even Brunch

Brunch, birria, brisket, and sandwiches are on chef Jon Wipfli’s mind as he plots a major expansion for his popular Animales Barbecue Co. While the outdoor trailer was closed for the coldest weeks of the year, he was busy buying some major equipment upgrades, including an enormous 1,000 gallon twin smoker and a second trailer clearing the way for a whole new location.

As temperatures warm, a second Animales Barbecue Co. trailer will take up residence at Bauhaus Brewlabs serving all manner of smoked meat sandwiches. This means generously spiced, pink-tinged pastrami, layered with pickley condiments and creamy swipes of richness tucked into tender bread. Oozy rich birria tortas, soaking crusty bread. Each component of the sandwiches will be made entirely in house, including the bread. Wipfli has secured a kitchen with huge capacity for him to rediscover his love of yeast, flour, and butter.

Jon Wipfli

Plus, the new operation will have space for a proper burger grill. Just picture a hot summer day in the shade on that giant Bauhaus patio, frosty pint of Short Pants Shandy in reach and a massive burger on a tray, fresh from the fire and ready to destroy all memories of hunger, while a freight train slowly chugs past in the distance.

If that’s not enough to dream of summer fun, the second location also has some choco taco and creamy treats planned.

Meanwhile, at the established trailer outside Able Seedhouse + Brewery, capacity is about to exponentially expand. Over the past two years, the popular dishes have had a pesky habit of selling out too quickly. “ [With] two giant smokers, we can cook about 110 briskets at once now,” said Wipfli. “We’re planning on layering in a brisket brunch program in Sundays with a pastry program and having both trailers at Able Sundays for eggs, hashbrowns, briskets, pastries, breakfast tacos and more.” Barbecue brunch dips back into Wipfli’s heyday as the onetime reigning brunch king at The Bachelor Farmer years ago.

Jon Wipfli

Animales at Able returns this week with a maiden voyage of the new smoker, serving takeaway taco kits with smoked pork shoulder that can be ordered now, and picked up on Saturday. In addition to the meat, each kit comes with 10 tortillas, green and red salsas, acoutriments, and spiced lard for frying everything up.

Once regular hours resume, Animales at Able will be open Thursday through Sunday. Animales’ new spot at Bauhaus Brew Labs will operate Wednesday through Saturday.

Animales Barbecue Co./Facebook

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