Homewood's BBQ maestro: Drew Allen's journey from DJ to pitmaster extraordinaire

Drew Allen, owner of Showcase BBQ in Homewood, moves swiftly. If you can’t keep pace with his speed, you might lose sight of him amid a haze of smoke. Patrons queue up before the restaurant opens, eagerly anticipating the savory, finger-licking taste of his ribs that are hailed by many as the best in Pittsburgh.

With a low baritone voice, Allen exudes a cool aura. He’ll hop on the grill at a moment’s notice and be right at the front door to assist a longtime elderly customer to her car.

Once known as DJ Drake Steelz, Allen, 53, would spin tracks at the Civic Arena and various other Pittsburgh venues. His goal of creating an under-21 club led him to culinary endeavors, initially while renovating the space on Braddock Avenue in Homewood.

There were permit issues, and with his last $150 he decided to hold a fish fry.

“I just started cooking,” he said.

He started Showcase BBQ in 2003, moved it to Frankstown Avenue in 2008 and bought the building.

Allen initially had a simple menu with sides of baked beans, green beans and mac n’ cheese to complement the main dishes. Today, the menu is more extensive with homemade moist cornbread that’s a satisfying addition to any plate and other sides, including red rice and beans, broccoli and cheese, yams and potato salad. Hot sandwiches include a chicken hoagie, beef brisket, pulled pork and more with varying availability.

Inside are two countertop tables. There is also outdoor seating, which is where the real flare is — the large grills are outside, and the smoke and smell mingle together to create an essence that practically lures you in.

“I know I will go down in the books in Pittsburgh for barbecue,” Allen said.

At Showcase, the demand for barbecue chicken and ribs is booming.

Allen starts his day at 5 a.m., usually by working out at a gym. The grills are lit by 8:30 a.m. or 9 a.m. at the latest.

“And then we’re flowing,” Allen said.

A lot of people can’t handle the smoke, he said. “Get in the smoke, things change real quick. You gotta be built for that.”

Kevin Nelson Jr., Jawan Coachman and Jared Elerby, cooks at Showcase BBQ, can handle the smoke.

“There are no leftovers. We take pride in seeing people smile walking out the door,” Elerby said.

Helen Blackwell lives in East Liberty and counts the ribs as her favorite dish.

“I really like the spicy hot sauce. Oh, it will take your breath away, but I love it,” she said.

It’s not just the tantalizing flavors. It’s about the consistency.

“People know I’mma be here. If people say they came and we weren’t open, it’s because they came on a Monday when we were closed,” he said.

What makes Allen so good at the craft is trial and error — he said he’s burned a lot of briskets.

“I burned a lot of ribs. I don’t want anyone to think that I just got on the grill and I was the man,” he said.

Anytime Allen was at a cookout, he kept an eye on the grill because he never wanted to eat burned food. Some instruction came from the late Kenny Stubbs, who owned an auto repair shop and a car sales lot. He made Allen a custom grill.

“The problem was, do I cook low and slow, or are we going at a medium heat versus indirect heat,” Allen said.

It was his friend, Dave Lineburg, who helped him with the chicken. He would say, “Just flip ’em and turn ’em, man. Shut it, turn it, let them cook,” Allen said. “The grill will talk to you. The grill makes a sound. You know it’s cooking.”

The smoked flavor makes all the difference, Allen said. “Smoke always makes people smile,” he said. “People seeing the grills out, you associate that with a good time … like we’re in the park, throw some dogs on or I’m at the crib, throw some hot dogs on.”

Outside of consistency, ownership is crucial.

“I want to show these young people or whoever is watching how to get it quietly … but for yourself,” Allen said. “Ownership is the most important thing. Once you have ownership, they can’t take it from you. If you don’t own nothing, what you got?”

He talks about diversifying portfolios and multiple streams of income. His philosophy is to save, invest, save, then reinvest.

His entrepreneurial spirit has rubbed off on his daughters. Aphne Allen also cooks with her Forever Hungry Pgh, a catering company specializing in birria tacos. Ayanna Allen, who goes by Acrylic Assassin, is a Homewood-based nail artist and technician. And Taylor Allen is heading to Morgan State University, a Historically Black University in Baltimore.

“In business, you gotta get up and make something … in everything, you follow the formula,” Allen said. “That’s the success.”