– Alison Cook of the Houston Chronicle doesn’t hand out the four star reviews often, but Killen’s BBQ in Pearland just got that high praise this week. She calls it “Houston’s first destination barbecue.”

– Fed Man Walking has released a number of Austin BBQ lists over the past two weeks, but on Tuesday he offered up his top 10 joints in the city. Like the Austin American Statesman’s list, this one has la Barbecue at the top.

– Fed Man Walking also shares his list of best pork ribs and barbecue sauces in Austin.

– Thrillist lists their favorite barbecue joints in Dallas.

– The Big Apple BBQ Block Party was this past weekend in New York. Meet five of the pitmasters here:

 

– Joshua Bousel of Serious Eats embedded himself at the Big Apple BBQ with 17th St. BBQ and filed a report about what it takes to smoke ribs for 12,000 people in two days.

– Here’s where Mike Mills, the 17th St. BBQ pitmaster, likes to spend is time in NYC during the Big Apple BBQ.

– The Daily Meal also shared their wrap-up of the Big Apple BBQ event.

– Zagat found three great bites of barbecue at the Big Apple BBQ.

– J. C. Reid at the Houston Chronicle shares his experience with all the different barbecue styles available at the Big Apple BBQ, but he liked the Brooklyn barbecue best.

– Here are some barbecue tips directly from the Big Apple BBQ pitmasters:

 

– You can now get smoked pork ribs at a new barbecue pop-up in Amsterdam.

– The Telegraph in England shares a Texas BBQ Trail with their readers.

– Stiles Switch has added some new sides for their summer menu.

– The Dallas Observer loves the brisket and homemade sausages at Cattleack BBQ in Dallas, but the sides didn’t impress.

– Slab BBQ in Austin looks to open a brick and mortar location.

– Bet the House BBQ will open in Denton on Saturday.

– Vegan BBQ for Life:

 

– Oak restaurant in Dallas makes a smoked pasta dish that begins with smoked flour. 

– Only for the Finals, you can get the Three-Pointer sandwich at the AT&T Center in San Antonio with three barbecue meats and a tower of onions rings. 

– “Leave the Blood, Take the Brisket.” The story from Galveston is paywalled, but I love the headline. 

– According to Miami chef Allen Susser, chef Julia Child had a taste for Texas brisket. 

– A BBQ oxymoron, Connecticut style, from WTNH: “How to smoke a brisket in your oven.” 

– Zagat takes a look at Texas BBQ History:

– Part 2 from Zagat is about the new and hip barbecue joints in Austin:  

 

– To go along with the videos, here is Zagat’s Texas barbecue family tree.   

-Of course I could always add a few, but this is a solid “Bucket List” of American barbecue joints from Thrillist. 

– Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix is serving up Texas style barbecue that has quickly become incredibly popular. 

– Jasper’s Bar-B-Que in Waco has added some items to their menu including beef short ribs and bacon wrapped chicken thighs:

 

– The Wall Street Journal looks at the more affordable side of the barbecue smoker market.

– The Texas Stars hockey team has placed a bet of Texas BBQ vs. Canadian beer with the St. John’s Ice Caps in Canada.

– Peruse these forty maps of the US and the world compiled by Vox to see a unique picture of food production and consumption in this country.

– Here’s a map showing the states with more cattle than people.

– Although it was probably contracted outside of the US, a Texan died of mad cow disease this past week.

– The True ‘Cue group in North Carolina is looking to certify wood-cooked barbecue in the Tar Heel State and across the country:

 

– A giant shout out to Stanley’s BBQ in Tyler from the band Uncle Lucius who calls the place their “second home.”

– The Smoking Ho loves the Brunswick stew at Mann’s BBQ in Austin.

– The Local Mustard blog in Austin likes Micklethwait Craft Meats.

– Micklethwait Craft Meats will host a series of movie nights this summer starting this Friday with Barbecue: A Texas Love Story.

– This sign really exists out in front of Currywurst in L.A., but it had been moved from the pole:

 

– It’s not really barbecue, but this guide to steak cuts is just too good not to share.

– On the subject of barbecue snobs from the Kansas City Star’s Ardie Davis.

– This fantastically detailed article from Serious Eats describes the differences between Montreal-style smoked meat and pastrami.

– Michael Pollan discusses race relations and barbecue: