05-19-2024 Harford Magazine - Flipbook - Page 40
David Crump pulls a batch
of ribs from an oven at First
Sergeant’s BBQ. Between
smoking ribs, pulled pork
and chicken legs, he walks
the dining room, lobbing
jokes at fellow servicemen
and women and checking
in on veterans who
have become regular
customers.
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Crump started barbecuing in the late 1990s when he
was stationed in West Virginia. His food was a hit, and
he began catering military events and setting up shop
at local festivals. While he was stationed at Aberdeen
Proving Ground in 2009, he set up a barbecue trailer
on the base.
In 2012, he expanded the operation, opening a
300-seat dining room and kitchen inside the base’s
recreation center. The sprawling space is decorated
with military history: uniforms, vintage photographs,
helmets and patches. Many of the items are donated by
customers; one regular gave Crump the first combatrelated license plate to be issued and another donated
a McClellan saddle, a design used by the Army during
the Civil War.
Over the years, Crump has added to the menu
at First Sergeant’s, which now incorporates fish,
| Summer 2024 | harfordmagazine.com
cheesesteaks and a veggie burger for those who don’t
eat meat. “In the military, they taught me you go places
and you observe what people need,” he said. “Some
people get tired of the same old thing, so you have to
make adjustments.”
Still, the barbecue is undeniably the star at First
Sergeant’s. Crump says he smokes meats for about
six hours before they are ready to serve.
Patience is key when it comes to good barbecue,
the restaurateur said. He prefers to use indirect heat,
placing meat on one side of the smoker and wood on
the other side. The method is ideal “because it cooks,
rather than burns,” he said.
Old Line Grill
Henry Jones says two factors contribute to the best
barbecue: time and temperature.
