– On the Smithsonian blog Food & Think, they discuss the origins of American barbecue. They also surmise how individual styles that are so distinct from one another emerged. In the explanation they go a little light on the Texas contribution.

– Raising beef is still a dangerous business. A Creekstone Farms (brisket supplier of Franklin Barbecue among others) employee was trampled to death in a cattle pen.

– Parade magazine published a barbecue cover story last Sunday about this being the glory days of American barbecue. There was also a dust-up over their cover design and its similarity to Texas Monthly’s June issue. Parade called it all an unfortunate coincidence

– Clarence Pierson an a very successful Pierson’s BBQ in Houston before having some health issues. Word is he might be back soon.

 

– New Jersey pitmaster Robert Egan looks towards barbecue as a weapon in diplomacy with North Korea. “There is a lot of North Jersey in the North Koreans: they’re sensitive, they’re caring people,”

– Texas style brisket and ribs are on the menu at Midwood Smokehouse in Charlotte, North Carolina. The pitmaster even came to Texas to learn a thing or two about barbecue. There’s another joint in the Carolinas looking for some tips on how to improve their barbecue. Charleston’s Home Team BBQ is packing up for an R&D mission to where else? Texas.

 

– John Lewis’s interview answer about never using just salt & pepper on a brisket (even while working at Franklin Barbecue) has thrown the BBQ Brethren forum into a tizzy.

– This isn’t about barbecue, but this was one heck of a fun photo/video journal of five day’s worth of driving through Texas.

– Franklin Barbecue was featured on a Chase Sapphire commercial with chef Nobu Matsuhisa.

Franklin Sapphire Commercial
A screen shot from the Chase commercial

 

– It also looks like Franklin Barbecue is expanding in some way. They’ve submitted a permit to the city of Austin for some improvements in the lot next to their building.

– The Mean Eyed Cat in Austin will now serve Stubb’s BBQ on their menu.

– Not surprisingly, Pecan Lodge was named best barbecue in Dallas by the editor’s of D Magazine. Thankfully the readers made the same pick. This follows some national attention with their appearance on NPR’s Morning Edition.

– la Barbecue has a new sign out front of their barbecue trailer in Austin. It makes it pretty clear that the “la” portion is not to be capitalized.

la Barbecue new sign
Image from la Barbecue’s Facebook page

 

– A joint called “Horse Thief” has opened in Los Angeles, and they’re serving Texas style barbecue. Brisket, spare ribs, chicken and pulled pork are on the menu along with beans, slaw and potato salad. It at least sounds like Texas barbecue.

– Amanda Greene, a food scientist writing for the Huffington Post, says she has solved the mystery of the smoke ring. However, food scientist Greg Blonder doesn’t agree with all of those assertions in his blog post about the smoke ring.

– London’s Daily Mail offers their history of American barbecue. Feel free to read the whole thing, but I stopped after they talked about the importance of mutton in Memphis.

– Wayne Mueller makes a special delivery of post oak to a man in Houston after a random twitter request looking for a post oak source in Houston. Random twitter user then made a pretty good looking brisket:

 

– An excellent and very detailed look at a (very long) day with Tom Micklethwait of Austin’s Micklethwait Craft Meats.

– Finally, if you’re looking for a barbecue joint (this on has two bedrooms too) you can buy Laird’s in Llano for $345,000.