We want the smoke!
Nathan Gough and Karli Kemmish stand in front of the order window at Slab Meat Company, Wallace's newest stop for delicious smoked meat faire. Gough opened Slab Meat in September, which was the realization of a decades-old dream he had that has finally coming to fruition.
Photo by JOSH McDONALD
The Lawless Breakfast Taco… An 8-inch flour tortilla filled with chorizo, smoked potatoes, homemade salsa, avocado and smoked brisket. It's OK if you're drooling, I did too.
WALLACE — If you’re looking for some mouth watering smoked meat, look no further than Slab Meat Company in downtown Wallace.
The SNP got to sit down with owner Nathan Gough, who served up a delicious Lawless Breakfast Taco while we discussed his new venture.
Located inside a bus on the corner of Fifth and Pine streets, Gough has cooked up something delicious that folks from the Silver Valley and really all over – will definitely enjoy.
After his last venture didn’t go in the direction that he wanted, he shifted his focus into making his dream and vision a reality.
“I’ve been enamored with food for over 20 years, particularly smoked meats,” Gough said. “Slab Meat is a dream that I’ve had since I was in Salt Lake City.”
Gough has always been drawn to the Southwest, barbecue, Tex-Mex style of cooking, which suited his dream perfectly and when the opportunity arose he seized it and early signs indicate that it’s going to be a success.
Gough’s love of smoking food hasn’t been limited to meats, if he can smoke it — he will smoke it and the taste seems to always hit the mark.
“We gained quite a following due to our location, and I think they like what we’re doing here,” Gough said. “Before this, I wasn’t putting all of myself into what I was doing because it wasn’t my passion or my dream. But now I think people can tell that this is where my passion is.”
Smoking mass quantities of meat is a labor of love and not something that you can start and just leave.
Which just goes to show just how dedicated Gough and his partner in life Karli Kemmish are to pursuing his dream.
“I don’t get him anymore,” Kemmish said. “We keep a cot around so that he can get a little bit of sleep between smoking meats.”
Gough will spend a full day peddling his delicious sandwiches, tacos, and by-the-pound meats to customers and then spend an entire night smoking the next delicious batch, sometimes without ever leaving the location.
Gough isn’t a local per se, but he’s not one to forget where his base is, and has no plans of ever abandoning Wallace, even if Slab Meat continues to grow.
“Obviously, everyone wants to grow,” Gough said. “We’re always going to be here, but I definitely want to grow. This is always going to be a place here as long as I can help it. I’d love to one day, you know, get my own property here.”
You can taste the passion in Gough’s food, and the smoked meat really fits the old town Wallace motif – oh, and don’t forget about Taco Tuesdays.
Slab Meat is open Thursday through Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 207 Fifth St. in Wallace.
Follow them on Facebook at slab.meat, or call them to order ahead at 208-329-5322.
