Your Filthy Barbecue Pit Is Not “Seasoned”
Pitmasters should stop using the term to justify cooking in dirty smokers.
Daniel Vaughn is the author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey Through Texas Barbecue, the coauthor of Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue, and the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly. He has traveled the world sampling smoked meats at over 1,800 barbecue joints, most of which are in Texas.
Pitmasters should stop using the term to justify cooking in dirty smokers.
In 1926 Etta Randall, a young black woman from deep East Texas, set off for a lawless boomtown in the Panhandle, where she found unexpected success not in the oil fields but in an old concrete pit.
The state’s favorite smoked meat is so reliably excellent these days that it no longer feels like an achievement.
Smoke’N Ash BBQ pays homage to its dual traditions while wholly, joyfully embracing something new.
Here’s a primer to the language of African American barbecue joints in Texas.
The fast-food chain is using a longtime employee of Sadler’s Smokehouse in Henderson to help sell sandwiches.
The East Texas chain of Bodacious Bar-B-Q joints lost its founder, Roland Lindsey, in September. His son-in-law Jordan Jackson looks to not only carry on the brand’s barbecue legacy, but improve it one location at a time.
The multigenerational ranch’s Midland Meat Company sells its famous Wagyu-Angus-Hereford crossbred beef directly to consumers.
When you find school desks, sawdust, and pickle bars in a Texas joint, they owe a debt to what was once a Dallas lunchtime mainstay.
Texas has it beat when it comes to beef-based barbecue. But a few upstart pitmasters are hoping to change KC's reputation.
With no barbecue mentor, pitmaster Terrance Smith had only himself as inspiration. That means Smith Spot BBQ's menu is full of surprises.
Texas-style barbecue joint owners nationwide: I implore you to ditch the half-pound minimums for your smoked meats.
Standing outside in the sun over flames is tough enough. Simplify your outdoor cooking experience with these ten barbecue editor-approved tools.
As Sí Baby-Q, you’ll find smoked chicken smothered in coconut curry and served with peanuts and ikan bilis, and roti instead of white bread.
Fourth City Barbecue in Missouri, enhances the traditional local style with skills borrowed from Texas.
Mimsy’s Craft Barbecue in Crockett upped its slaw game by adding fried onion strings for a satisfying crunch and Carolina barbecue sauce for tang.
At Harlem Road Texas BBQ, Ara Malekian spices up his smoked pork shank with curry sauce with a subtle but impactful blend.
Brendyn’s BBQ, in Nacogdoches, has excelled since opening its brick and mortar in 2020, especially with its coffee-rubbed brisket.
Zavala's Barbecue is rolling out a special menu at the American Airlines Center as the Mavericks hope to get a few Finals wins at home.
If fans of the former Bailey's Bar-B-Que can accept it, the new Fort Worth BBQ Company will be a welcome addition to the almost century-old space.
Artist Rebecca Manson pays homage to her family’s summer traditions in the compelling installation.
Many folks may be firing up the grill or smoker for the holiday weekend, but there are some basic food-safety precautions you need to know first.
Pitmasters Robert Owens and Bryan Hull put their powers together to create a blend of Atlanta- and Texas-style barbecue at their joint restaurant.
Joey Victorian may have been eliminated halfway through Netflix's "Barbecue Showdown," but he's hoping Victorian's Barbecue stays for a long time in Mart.
Twenty years ago, the Big Bend Sentinel, based in Marfa, wrote about a backyard barbecue thrown in Austin by some guy who played bass in a band.
Sosa's Barbecue trailer, in Dallas, dodged city officials for years, but there's nothing criminal about its superb brisket and flavorful burgers.
Bobby Monsted III serves true-to-form Texas barbecue sixty miles southeast of New Orleans.
Behind the scenes with the Dallas Jackals as the third-year franchise establishes its niche in a crowded pro sports landscape.
From Egypt to Australia, the native Italian has spread the gospel—and the techniques—of Texas’s smoked meats.
John Bates of InterStellar BBQ is offering Polish-style sausages on his menu this spring, kicking off a year-long project.
It seems like the heyday of smoked meats is far behind for the Big Apple, but there is a promising new food stall, Bark Barbecue, that shows some hope.
As Helberg Barbecue, near Waco, recovers from a devastating fire, it’s pivoted to serving drive-through meals, like this citrusy wonder, from a trailer.
I can’t stop eating this sauce from Feges BBQ, which tastes good on everything from chicken to noodles.
There's finally great barbecue on the lonely stretch of highway between Houston and Beaumont, at Mout's Barbeque, in Winnie.
The Texas barbecue scene in Washington State runs the gamut from fine-dining restaurants exploding with wood-fired flavor to coastal shacks with rib sandwiches.
There's been a spate of closures of old joints over the last few years due to tiny profit margins, costly repairs, and retiring owners.
Ribbee's, a cutely named offshoot of Goldee's, offers a simple menu of pork or beef ribs in a meal box for $20, allowing for a simpler, more affordable barbecue option.
After seven years of running a successful food truck, Evan LeRoy and Sawyer Lewis now have the space to get even more creative.
Since this city hosts the State Fair of Texas, it’s no wonder Dallas barbecue joints go over the top with their ’cue.
There's so much great barbecue in the city that Cowtown now stands apart from Dallas.
Mill Scale Metalworks forges a new home for its smokers and more in the barbecue mecca of Lockhart.
The Capital City is overflowing with great places to grab some ’cue, from classic trays to more unconventional meats and sides.
While there are a handful of great Texas-style joints in the area, it was the Sonoran style of Papalo that most wowed this barbecue editor.
Here are 28 barbecue joints worth visiting in and around America's fourth-largest city.
Many pitmasters, a gallerist, a boxer, and this writer describe the phenomenon of having a barbecue epiphany at the legendary Taylor joint.
Chris Magallanes and Ernest Morales, proprietors of the Fort Worth joint, banded together with local business owners who were similarly victimized, in hopes of getting some justice.
But only because they’re so popular at Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, in Aledo. While the double-patty wonders shouldn’t outshine the brisket and sausage, they are still unique works of art.
"You can't eat just one," says pitmaster Charles Brewer of Charlie’s Bar-B-Que, in Beaumont. Maybe that's why they've become the latest hot commodity.
The brisket at Yearby’s Barbecue & Waterice, in Pilot Point, was so good last year that I had to write a review, even if the business wasn’t at full strength yet. CJ and Sabrina Henley were serving a small menu from a food truck parked next to their brick-and-mortar,
I went on a tour of North Carolina (with a detour to Norfolk, Virginia) and stopped at ten joints. I was impressed not only by the quality of Texas-style dishes, but also by the ingenuity in general.
From its truck in South Austin, Valentina’s upgraded to a new location in Buda last year that’s way bigger, serving drinks, and experimenting with new specials.
Kelly Evers closed Creekside Cookers in Wimberley in 2021 and opened Kelly’s Hill Country Barbecue the next year. Going from brick-and-mortar back to a trailer has allowed him to focus on perfecting his brisket.
Esaul and Grecia Ramos have opened Blu Lacy Smokehouse and Baked, respectively, in Castroville. Building on the success of 2M in San Antonio, the husband and wife show the growth of their skills in their new ventures.
After falling out with their investors, the three owners of the East Texas barbecue joint struggled to find their footing. Now they’re back, and as strong as ever.
The oddly located treat comes from Ricci Neer, a Corpus Christi restaurateur who opened her food court spot, Taste at 555, in 2022.
The owner of Brotherton’s Black Iron Barbecue, in Pflugerville, died this week, leaving a legacy of supporting fellow pitmasters.
Pitmaster Zain Shafi, another gold-star alum of Goldee’s, opened his own Fort Worth truck, Sabar BBQ, that exemplifies patience.
Jorge "Choche" Flores II brings his winning ribs, brisket, and chicken to a new permanent location where his whole family works.
It’s true that the Fort Worth restaurant could work on its brisket and ribs, but it’s got potential to be competitive in the flourishing local scene.
DB’s Rustic Iron BBQ operated from a trailer until two years ago. The brick-and-mortar space has an expanded menu, impressive views, and, most important, “pristine bathrooms.”