After spending several years running a financial planning company, an Edwardsburg man is getting into the barbecue business.

Jeremy Vohwinkle is putting the finishing touches on The Prized Pig, a new dine-in/take-out barbecue restaurant, that is tentatively scheduled to open Friday at the corner of Bell Road and U.S. Highway 12 in Niles, formerly the site of The Udder Place.

His goal is to bring authentic barbecue to the Michiana area.

“I know the food is good. It’s just a matter of people trying it,” Vohwinkle said.

A certified judge of the Kansas City Barbecue Society, Vohwinkle got his first taste for barbeque by watching his father cookout as a kid.

“I was just following in his footsteps and found out it was something I was really good at,” said Vohwinkle, who took first place in the backyard chef competition at the most recent Cass County Fair.

Vohwinkle describes his food as traditional southern barbecue.

“It’s all my own recipes. I got a lot of practice at home, tweaking it until I liked it,” he said.

The menu features a wide range of tastes from Carolina style pulled pork to Texas brisket.

Patrons can get a pulled pork sandwich for $6.99 described on the menu as “tender smoked pork shoulder pulled to order and heaped on a toasted bun with your choice of barbecue sauce, or no sauce at all.”

Looking for ribs?

Try a half rack of St. Louis style spare ribs for $12.99 described as “full pork spare ribs trimmed in the St. Louis style and given a run with a little sweet and heat.”

The menu also features smoked chicken, smoked sausage, rib tips and more.

Traditional sides can be ordered, including baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, mac and cheese and corn bread.

Patrons can also order their favorite barbecue by the pound, including brisket, pulled pork, smoked sausage and pulled chicken.

The Prized Pig’s barbecue dishes will be served with sauce on the side, allowing people to choose how much they want to slather on. There will be four homemade sauces to choose from ranging from sweet to spicy.

“It’s a little bit unique,” Vohwinkle said. “People tell me it’s nice to be in control of the sauce.”

Vohwinkle lives in Edwardsburg with his wife, Tiffiny, and two children ages 3 and 5. He grew up in Flint and graduated from Michigan State University.

The Prized Pig will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Learn more online at prizedpigbbq.com or on Facebook at prizedpigbbq. Call them at (269) 262-4956.