Tales From The Pits, A Texas Bbq Podcast

When we started this podcast three years ago we had no idea what the show would become or the places it would take us. We are incredibly grateful to all of the amazing people in the BBQ industry that have given us the gift of their time and their story.   From our first episode breaking down the 2017 Texas Monthly top ten list to interviews with some of the top BBQ cooks and pit fabricators and everything in between, we’ve had the time of our lives helping to provide a platform for these talented people to share their stories.    We can’t thank enough our guests and even more importantly anyone whose taken the time to listen to these episodes for three years. Thank you for letting these two barbecue nerds take you down the rabbit hole. There’s much more to come...    Recent Joe Zavala Interview referenced in this episode: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Idu-g_rxpD0&feature=youtu.be

The world, and more recently the United States, has begun to deal with the effects of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As large events cancel, corporations and school districts suspend operations, and people begin to stay home in large numbers, the inevitable decline in sales that small businesses will experience is frightening for many Americans.   Barbecue restaurants operate on tight budgets and slim profit margins and have begun to prepare for a slow down in business as best they can. In addition to those concerns, these dedicated hospitality professionals feel an overwhelming sense of obligation to keep their families, staff, and customers safe as they try to maintain a successful business.   In this episode we wanted to provide information to barbecue consumers and industry professionals based on our experiences and from our discussions with the business owners themselves. We provide tips for consumers on how they can do their part to not only support small businesses but to do so as safely and responsibl

In August of 2015 Leonard Botello and family opened up a tiny BBQ joint just outside of Brenham, Texas. There was no big grand opening, there was no meeting of the #BBQFam or podcasts, and no social media campaign. That is precisely how Leonard wanted to launch. Bryan noticed the name change from "J's BBQ" (not to be confused with LJ's which was to open later) to "Truth Barbeque" as he drove back and forth from Austin to Houston. Gone were the old school rectangular pits and in their place was a large Klose pit. Curiosity prevailed and a stop there resulted in surprisingly good barbecue. Repeat visits proved it was not a fluke and the word began to spread. By 2016 the word was out and lines began forming before open. In 2017 Truth landed a spot in the Texas Monthly top 10, cementing their name as one of the best barbecue joints in Texas. Plans were afoot to open a larger location in the heart of Houston's Heights neighborhood and by 2019 the almost impossibly small restaurant in Brenham had a big brother

On our way back from a recent road trip we came up with five of our favorite things happening in BBQ right now. We discussed the following topics: What's old is new again Breaking away from the brisket bubble Accessibility of great BBQ Expansion of quality BBQ joints The full meal experience Take a listen and if you like our show please make sure to tell others, and if you visit a BBQ joint or buy a pit from someone you found out about on the show, please let them know!  

The DFW barbecue scene is blowing up, and popups, food trailers, and brick and mortars are opening around town.  Brandon Hurtado has progressed through popups and food trailer into a retail store front, bringing his spin on Hispanic influenced Texas Barbecue to the game.  The brick and mortar retail establishment is having the grand  opening Sat Feb 22, 2020 at 205 East Front Street, Arlington, TX - go check it out! In our episode we talk about his background, what Tex Mex influence means to him, and his vision for Hurtado Barbecue    

Texas BBQ has seen massive growth in the last 10 years and many of us have been lucky to witness it firsthand. The epicenter has shifted and morphed from Central Texas; top tier BBQ is available in every major city and most towns. With the popularity, the supply and demand economics of the growing world of BBQ have altered the price of a BBQ meal from a modest blue collar staple to a luxury - but is this a bad thing? BBQ has also embraced more cultural influences of Texas, growing beyond the original German, Czech, and African-American backgrounds to encompass Mexican and Asian flavors. Andrew and Bryan discuss these changes, reflect on the pricing shift, and talk about a few of the more recent openings and closings.

When Justin Earley and Steven Bailey began fine tuning their barbecue skills they did what many in the current generation of pitmasters did, they turned to books and videos. While knowledge requires both learning and practice, the wealth of information available today provides a great starting point. Their chimichurri, made by Justin's mother, helped them land a spot in Texas Monthly's Best Texas BBQ Bites of 2019 and Daniel Vaughn wrote a positive review of their menu in January of 2020. Their customer base continues to grow and is starting to bring traffic from outside of the small town of Cleburne, a little over 30 minutes south of Fort Worth.  We sampled a large part of the menu, and enjoyed it all. The Brisket and ribs were top tier. The chicken was moist with a nicely done skin, but was even better when dipped in some of their white sauce which had a hint of horseradish and citrus. As noted, the chimichurri was tasty and unique. It was thicker than standard and more like a cross between a salsa verde

We answer listener submitted questions to kick off 2020 Our prediction of BBQ trends for the year Tips on cooking pork steaks BBQ Pit recommendations And more!   Mentioned in this episode: Butcher saw - Weston 47-1601 Butcher and Bone Saw with 16 Inch Stainless Steel Blade (47-1601), 16 Inch, Stainless Steel https://www.amazon.com/Weston-Butcher-Stainless-Steel-47-1601/dp/B001BQAQ88 Cut Resistant Gloves - Premium Cut Resistant Gloves - Food Grade - Level 5 Protection, High Performance Kitchen Work Safety Cutting Gloves for Food Prep, Oyster Shucking, Fish Fillet, Meat Cutting and Wood Carving, 1 Pair https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Cut-Resistant-Gloves-Performance/dp/B07RN8XPVF  

2019 was another whirlwind adventure for your hosts and we had an amazing time interviewing, eating, and cooking BBQ. In this episode we recap our year including some of our favorite bites and even our worst ones too. We hope 2020 will be as fun, rewarding, and challenging as 2019 was. Some of the events we had the pleasure to attend: Charleston Wine+Food Sausage Wars Red Dirt BBQ and Music Festival Windy City Smokeout Smoked Dallas The Butcher's Ball Houston Vs Austin HOU BBQ Throwdown We describe our best and worst bites of the year, including an explicit description of a very bad visit and an announcement of another big cross country road trip we are planning for 2020

Ben Lambert started cooking meat over fire at an early age, hunting and cooking animals with his dad. After a varied career that included everything from working as a tattoo artist to a slaughterhouse job to being a meat cutter at an old school joint, Ben eventually made his way to Austin where he’d meet his wife Sarah.  It was in Austin that his professional cooking career began to take shape. Ben worked at a well regarded place for its time, Blue Ox BBQ, and when a job opened up at Franklin Barbecue, he made the leap over there. For the next five years Ben honed his craft in the Franklin pit room with dreams of eventually opening his own place. In mid-2019 the time had finally come for the Lamberts to  launch their own business, JNL Barbecue. JNL is now serving at Buzz Mill in East Austin in their new service trailer with the meats smoked on a thousand gallon Mill Scale pit. Open weekends for now, Ben and Sarah are expanding their menu and hours as they get their operations streamlined. Armed with an unde

Shane Stiles' dream to open a quality barbecue restaurant came to fruition in 2011 when the craft barbecue scene was just emerging. Franklin Barbecue's brick and mortar had recently opened and the sides at the vast majority of BBQ restaurants were an afterthought. Shane reached out to Lance Kirkpatrick, a veteran pitmaster whose recent foray into fine dining had faltered, and the stage was set for Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew. Two years after open Stiles Switch landed a spot in the TMBBQ top 50, but they would continue to innovate. Stile's wife, Catherine, launched a successful Bloody Mary mix that infused their barbecue sauce. They launched the 12 days of smoked meat; a daily special each of 12 days in December. A second restaurant concept called The Switch held its grand opening in 2018, stretching the boundaries of a barbecue restaurant while still being rooted in the classic Texas proteins. Over the years Shane and Lance have built an all star team of pitmasters and continue to refine their processes. Ch

Bryan Bingham turned his passion for barbecue into a job at a historic and highly touted restaurant in Longview, Texas. Bryan began working at Bodacious Bar-B-Q on Mobberly Avenue in the summer of 2017 and by fall of 2019 he was running the entire restaurant with a very small staff.   Bryan and Bodacious on Mobberly blend traditional barbecue with inventive, modern specials as well as anyone in the state, and it's easy to see why people travel far and wide to visit them. Bodacious has a long legacy started 50 years ago by late BBQ legend Roland Lindsey, and their tradition continues today thanks to people like Bryan Bingham.   www.bodaciousmobberly.com Open Tuesday - Saturday 11am - Sell Out   www.twitter.com/bryancbingham    

The legacy of BBQ is anchored in tradition and multi-generational families, passing methods down from a time when smoking meats with wood was a necessity rather than a luxury.  However in the last 10 years more has changed than likely at any time in history. It started with higher quality meat sourcing, not just in the grade of meat but including hormone free meat, small farms, and select breeds. In the east and south, some BBQ pit masters are raising their own heritage breed hogs. BBQ restaurant owners are paying more attention to humanely raised and harvested animals. Sides were elevated, hand crafted desserts added, and even boutique coffee all to bring a richer experience to the BBQ world. Listen in as we discuss the changes and argue over the nuances within "craft BBQ"   - logo created by DesignEvo free logo designer www.designevo.com/logo-maker  

Pickles and barbecue have become a strong tradition. Pickling was invented for the same reason meats were salted and smoked; preservation. The acidic pickle also helps digestion of fatty meats. Most barbecue joints will offer free pickles along with bread and onions as standard condiments but these are off the shelf products, made with artificial dyes and other suspect ingredients. Even though free condiments can cost a BBQ joint thousands of dollars, more and more are moving to a gourmet or in-house made pickle. As craft BBQ elevated the sourcing, quality, and cooking methods of the meats the next area of improvement were the sides and even the free condiments. Some of the best BBQ these days comes complete from end-to-end with high quality sides, in-house or sourced pickles, and even fresh baked bread. Tom and Jessica Weldin moved to Texas in 2013 and began their journey into pickle making, launching the Texas Pickle Company. Starting simple and small, business has grown as their pickles have continued

Tejas Burger Joint A side project on a slow day was the genesis for what would become a standalone business. The second step was a glance at a store window while sitting at a stop light.  Listen in as Scott Moore discusses their signature burgers, launching a new business, and the details of what it takes to make a dream into a reality. This is the Wendy's Training Video, the music starts at 4:00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbVDQKcxg00&t=240s Tejas Burger Joint https://www.facebook.com/tejasburgerjoint/ Address: 214 W Main St, Tomball, TX 77375 Hours: Monday       Closed Tuesday      11AM–8PM Wednesday 11AM–8PM Thursday    11AM–8PM Friday        11AM–9PM Saturday    11AM–9PM Sunday      11AM–3PM This is the Wendy's Training Video, the music starts at 4:00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbVDQKcxg00&t=240s    

Andrew Soto quietly launched his BBQ joint two years ago but the secret is out - he and family are cranking out great BBQ in the small town of Mathis, Texas. If an article by Daniel Vaughn and making the Texas Monthly Top 25 new BBQ joints wasn't enough to put him on our must-visit list, our buddy Abe Delgado of the I Crush BBQ Show told us to quit procrastinating and make the trip. After a recent visit we sat down with Andrew to discuss his journey to the top 25, his struggles along the way, and his family that is involved in the operations. https://www.facebook.com/BUTTERSBBQ/ Address: 104 TX-359, Mathis, TX 78368 Hours: Sunday 9:30-6 or sell out Monday-Thursday 11-6 or sell out

We take a long overdue road trip to the southern tip of Texas, where barbacoa is king but Central Texas BBQ has continued to take a foothold. We hit up Butter's, Teddy's, and 1848 BBQ. We even got to take a firsthand gander at the SpaceX Starship prototype. While we did not get to revisit Smoking Oak or stop by Smokin' Moon, we did get to revisit Vera's Backyard Bar-B-Que which still cooks whole cow heads in an literal pit in the ground and is one of our must-experience stops for those who want to sample all kinds of Texas barbecue. We also get into some good conversation about the candidates for the 2021 Top 50 where there will be an abundance of top quality joints to choose from.  

Joel And Jesse Garcia grew in a barbecue cooking family, and Joel gravitated towards the world of craft barbecue as an adult working in Austin. Joel worked for several acclaimed BBQ joints in Austin while Jesse went to culinary school and began working in fine dining. When Joel and his wife decided to move back to the Rio Grande Valley area so that their son could grow up closer to family, the reality of Joel and Jesse opening their own place started to become more of a reality. After helping lead another restaurant in the valley to major accolades, the Garcias were ready to open their own place. Teddy’s Barbecue opened in September 2019 serving traditional central Texas barbecue with some personal touches like their housemade chile pequín sausage. They’re off to a strong start at Teddy’s and are a great addition to the growing South Texas barbecue scene. Teddy's Barbecue 2807 N Texas Blvd Weslaco, Texas (956) 532-6124 Thurs-Sunday 11am - sold out Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TeddysBarbecue/ Twitt

Some recent openings, closings, and moves have occurred in the Texas BBQ world and we catch you up with a number of them. Also tune in for an announcement from Jim Lero of Lillian's BBQ. We had a great time with the crew from Zavala's BBQ at the Smoked Dallas fest and would like to thank them again for allowing us to lend a hand. We would like to recognize Tin Roof BBQ for bringing their dual Oyler rig out to Beaumont to help the Giving Bak Foundation, helping to feed first responders and people affected by flooding from tropical storm Imelda. Hit us up on your favorite social media outlet and make sure to support great BBQ joints, pit builders, and photographers.

Ryan Newland's path to pit building started with fabrication. Building unique set designs for Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Pink his innovative work set the stage for custom one-off pits that he would build after moving to Texas. Probably currently most well known for the hog cookers at Banger's in Austin, he collaborated with Sunny Moberg to build a wild motorized pit for Smoke Draw BBQ that you have to see and his pits are beginning to show up at many well known barbecue joints. From the Santa Maria style live fire grill for Treaty Oak to dual 500's and more, if you can dream it Backline Smokers can build it. Contact: http://www.backlinefab.com/ Phone:  (818) 481-4157 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backlinefab/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backlinefab/