A new Top 10 list of Washington D.C. area barbecue joints was published by the Washington Post. This wouldn’t normally be big news in Texas, except for this line from critic Tim Carman: “I wrote something in my notes that I never thought I’d utter about Hill Country [a BBQ joint in D.C.]: The ‘brisket is as good or better than Franklin’s.’” From a gasser? Really?

That prompted a response/defense from Austin American Statesman food critic Matthew Odam where he defended the besmirched name of Franklin.

At least in the response to the response, the Post got the headline right:

 

When in Austin, Arnold Schwarzenegger prefers the barbecue at Rudy’s.

Aaron Franklin builds barbecue pits from scratch. He can teach you, but if you don’t have those kind of welding skills he offers some tips to Esquire on how to modify your store-bought smoker.

Stacy and Aaron Franklin sat down to talk with the I Love You So Much podcast about how they manage to cook and serve 45,000 lbs. of brisket every month.

Stacy Franklin had more to tell the Barbecue Wife:

 

A day in the barbecue life of Justin and Diane Fourton of Dallas’s Pecan Lodge. They have a new catering facility in the works called the Commissary.

Honey Smoke Pit is opening in Fort Worth. Their pitmaster, Rodney Lambert, is from the recently opened-closed-reopened Smokey Mae’s BBQ in Mansfield.

Honky Tonk Kid BBQ has moved their food truck into downtown Waco, and has a new menu to boot.

Deep-fried ribs, anyone?

 

“You can make the best brisket in the world, but if I’m not eating it under the shade of some live oaks, it’s not the same.” – Paula Forbes in GQ.

There are literally two sides to the story of Missouri barbecue, and this is as good an explanation as I’ve found of Kansas City versus St. Louis.

Who has the right to make barbecue? I’d say anyone willing to cook barbecue:

 

Big restaurant groups are investing in barbecue. Roark Capital Group has purchased all 37 locations of Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q and big money restaurateur Johnny Carrabba is partnering with Truth BBQ for a new Houston location.

Eater NY loved the $28/lb brisket at the new Salt & Bone BBQ in Queens. They also say the beef links “might be the best sausage you’ll try all year [in New York, presumably].”

Of course there’s a recipe for cannabis-infused barbecue sauce.

Still available. Runs good, but smokes a little: