Smokin’ Mississippi Queen BBQ: ‘It taste like wonderful’

The loss of Maytag provided Newton with at least one positive: it allowed Maggie and Steve Wilcox to start up The Smokin’ Mississippi Queen Bar-B-Que.

Both Maggie and Steve were Maytag employees, and when the doors shut on the factory ,the doors of opportunity opened up for this family-owned barbecue joint on wheels.

“The day they announced they were shutting the doors for the Maytag factory was the day we got our loan for our trailer,” Maggie said. “They (the bank) didn’t think we would want it because of the situation ,and we were afraid they wouldn’t give it to us because we wouldn’t have jobs then.”

Maggie said that Steve “loves to cook” and that starting this business was their back-up plan.

“Our business is seven years old and paid for the business this year,” Steve said.

Paying off an investment that large should tell you how good the barbecue that the Wilcoxes serve is. A recent concession trailer similar to the one they use for Mississippi Queen sold for $27,500 on usedvending.com

Their menu includes brisket, pulled pork, “Papa’s Pig Ribs,” “The Queen’s Beans,” two kinds of potato salad and, like many restaurants, they have several special occasion items. “Smoked Pups” is a specialty smoked hot dog and “Cow Chips” are their most popular item when they appear at the Brooklyn Raceway on Friday evenings. Cow Chips consist of their smoked brisket, corn chips, the Queen’s Beans, barbecue sauce, jalapeños, and melted cheddar cheese.

Another hidden menu item is “PB and Sauce,” which is both the pulled pork and brisket on a bun with a touch of sauce.

“It tastes like wonderful,” long-time customer Roxanne VanErsvelde said of the food. “I’m happy to see their vehicle wherever it is so I can get it.”

The Wilcoxes wouldn’t reveal the secrets to how they cook their meats but provided just a bit of insight.

“The love that we put into it,” Maggie said jokingly.

“Maggie’s technique of pulling the pork and brisket,” Steve said.

“I have the best butt picking fingers in the world,” Maggie added.

They also insisted that their baby back ribs are the most popular item on the menu.

“They wouldn’t pass competition, because in competition they want to be able to bite down and pull the meat off the bone,” Maggie said. “You can actually just pick our bones up and throw them away, it just falls off. We have found that our customers like it that way. We don’t cook for competition, we cook for people.”

Maggie is also a native of Mississippi and has been described as “bossy” by friends. That, coupled with the popular song “Mississippi Queen” by Mountain is how the name of the business came about. She and Steve said that her southern roots take effect in the preparation and taste of their side dishes.

“All of our side dishes are handmade,” Maggie said. “We peel and cut every potato for potato salad. They are also recipes of my mama’s. Mama never had a recipe. She had ingredients, but I had to figure out fourth a cup, half a cup, and that type of thing.”

“My coleslaw is her recipe and the beans are called the Queen’s Beans, but the ‘Smoker’ takes care of that,” Maggie continued. “It is his recipe and I have nothing to do with the beans other than tote the cans around.”

The Wilcoxes also said their children and grandchildren help with the business. The grandkids have grown up helping out and are the reason they are called Papa’s Pork Ribs. One granddaughter is currently working at McDonald’s as a cashier, which is something she learned how to do as a member of Team Queen.

After praying on it, the Wilcoxes said they will also be launching a new business this Tuesday at the Newton Farmer’s Market, Sweet Willy’s Kettle Corn. No worries however, as the endeavor is not intended to take away Mississippi Queen, but allow them branch out more.

From Thursday to Saturday, Mississippi Queen can be found from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the corner of First Avenue East and East 17 Street just north of Hy-Vee. Tuesdays they can be found at the Newton Farmer Market, located in the parking lot of the Centre for Arts & Artists.

In addition to those locations and Brooklyn Raceway on Friday nights, they attend local events, such as Colfax Music in the Park and Baxter Fun Days, and provide catering.

They may be reached at (641) 792-3792, (641) 521-2665 or (641) 521-5592.

Staff Writer Ty Rushing may be contacted at (641)-792-3121, ext. 426, or at trushing@newtondailynews.com