– Making the most recent Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ joint list has been big local news for a few barbecue joint across Texas. Among those is Fargo’s in Bryan, The Granary and Two Bros. BBQ Market in San Antonio, Hatfield’s in Rockport, Hays County BBQ in San Marcos, Kirby’s in Mexia, Mumphord’s in Victoria, Pecan Lodge in Dallas, Stanley’s in Tyler, Tyler’s in Amarillo and Zimmerhanzel’s in Smithville. Bartley’s in Grapevine got only a lukewarm review from a Dallas reviewer, but the only real negative comments were from an impatient customer at Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor.

– The Transformers are coming to Taylor, Texas, and they’re filming at Louie Mueller Barbecue.

 

– The Big Apple BBQ Block Party just blew through Manhattan last weekend and featured the Salt Lick and Baker’s Ribs from Texas.

– Trace Arnold, aka The Rib Whisperer, is the pitmaster at 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House in Frisco. He went to Franklin Barbecue on his birthday. Here is his visit via Storify.

– Just before the Big Apple BBQ Block Party, Aaron Franklin and his kitchen manager Braun Hughes came to take over the pits at Hill Country Barbecue Market in New York. It was the first TMBBQ Pop-up. People in NYC seemed to like this brisket.

–Schmeat is coming, and it looks like this:

BEEF RECALL 20121001
Fresh ground beef is packed at a local butcher shop Monday, October 1, 2012 in Levis Que. The Liberals and the NDP are ganging up on the government over the safety of Canada's meat supply. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

 

– Foodways Texas had another successful Barbecue Summer Camp at Texas A&M. Here’s a recap.

– Austin based blogger Brisketman wrote and performed a song about the barbecue scene in Austin. I’m not making this up. Listen here.

– Joe Cotten’s grandchildren opened a restaurant in Calallen, Texas to honor their late grandfather’s old barbecue joint that burned down a couple of years back. Their uncle, Cecil Cotten, is unhappy with their sign outside because he says he owns the naming rights. They have now agreed to change the name on the sign to “Cotten’s Catering Dine-in and Take-out”. That’s a mouthful.

 

– You’d think a television show staffed with professional chefs wouldn’t offer up a recipe for baked ribs, then call them “Texas Style”. Boo to the Chew.

– Stephen Joseph it the pitmaster at Riverport BBQ in Jefferson. A friend of his shot a bear and of course Stephen smoked it.

 

– We finish this week with an odd line of questioning from a federal prosecutor. Former State Representative Stephen LaRoque was on trial in North Carolina for stealing money form a federally funded program. He was found guilty on Friday. During the trial, prosecutor Hamilton Burger was convinced that LaRoque had an evil plot to take over the local barbecue joint – Chap’s Restaurant. Here are some of the best lines from the trial:
>On why he wanted control of the restaurant: “Stephen LaRoque is a brazen barbecue addict who set out to take Chap’s secret recipes for himself.”
>He apparently ate Chap’s barbecued chicken with gusto: “He really was out of control. The footage shows LaRoque going through three entire napkins in one meal.”
>Even a purchase of bacon flavored toothpaste became an issue: “Stephen LaRoque’s penchant for barbecue was so great that he wanted it on his breath at all times.”
I hope I never have to defend myself against the same line of questioning. I’d be doomed.

Each week at TMBBQ we round up the news from the world of barbecue. Got a story you think we should feature? Let us know at