BBQ News Roundup: Burnt-End Christmas Cookies, Meat Allergies, and Texas-Oregon Fusion
Plus, how an East Texas pitmaster beat Austin and Houston joints and took home a trophy.
Daniel Vaughn is the author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey Through Texas Barbecue, the coauthor of Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue, and the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly. He has traveled the world sampling smoked meats at over 1,800 barbecue joints, most of which are in Texas.
Articles by Daniel Vaughn
Massive, Tender Beef Short Ribs are Worth the Splurge at Smokin’ Moon in Pharr
From juicy chicken to a hulking brisket sandwich, the joint offers some of the best barbecue in Hidalgo County.
Jay’s BBQ Shack Brings Food Truck Trailer Brisket to Abilene
The cramped quarters create a challenge, but pitmaster Jay Stearns manages to serve up tender, fatty bites anyway.
The Top 15 Tex-Mex BBQ Bites in Texas
Exciting things are happening as pitmasters join the two cuisines together in new and delicious ways.
Try the Tender Brisket at 1848 BBQ in Brownsville—and Save Room for Stunning Sides
The barbecue is perfectly executed, but make sure to try the airy corn pudding and rich potato salad as well.
Fire & Smoke: The Resurgence of Bodacious Bar-B-Q
The East Texas chain of Bodacious Bar-B-Q joints lost its founder, Roland Lindsey, in September. His son-in-law Jordan Jackson looks to not only carry on the brand's barbecue legacy, but improve it one location at a time.
BBQ News Roundup: 12 Days of Smoked Meats, Sausage School, and the Superiority of American Beef
Plus, barbecue joints for sale and a cow who stands head and shoulders above the rest.
At The Shed Market in Abilene, Family Tradition Means Smoky Barbecue
Hollis and Betty Dean first made it onto the top 50 barbecue list 21 years ago. Now, their grandson serves up classic Dean family recipes—with impressive new twists.
Couple Leave Cotton Far Behind With Their Two Locations of Blackland Smokehouse
Cole Fullwood smokes the briskets in Roscoe, while wife Amanda smokes everything else at their newer joint, in Snyder.
Tasting a Crunchy, Bacon-Like Bite of Flat Top Brisket at Evie Mae’s Barbecue
Why, yes, you can put a whole brisket directly onto a hot griddle.
At Pitforks and Smokerings BBQ, the Arellanos Offer Smoked Meat From the Family Repair Shop
Isaac Arellano grew up at Hwy 84 Service, where he now serves up BBQ tacos and brisket.
At Embers Barbecue, Green Chile Steals the Show
Andrew and Jewel Hill strike out to bring juicy, thick-cut pork ribs and tender pork belly to Levelland.
Rejino Barbeque Is a Testament to Hard Work in Small-Town West Texas
Aaron and Christina Rejino put everything on the line for their Olton food truck, and their passion pays off in delicious food.
Fire & Smoke: Smoking Thanksgiving Turkeys, the Greenberg Family Way
Sam Greenberg's family has been smoking turkeys the old-fashioned way since 1939 in Tyler. He continues the tradition at Greenberg Smoked Turkeys.
BBQ News Roundup: Foo Fighting BBQ, Chili’s Baby Back Ribs, and a BBQ Prodigy
Plus, what happens when a glowing review shuts down a burger joint.
Tex-Mex and Barbecue Make the Perfect Couple
The most delicious trend in smoked meats combines Texas’s two favorite food groups in exciting ways.
Try Smoked Brisket Pizza at Roast Social Kitchen in Tyler
For his second restaurant, Stanley's pitmaster Nick Pencis indulged his passion for pizza.
Pair Your Barbecue Sandwich With a Drive Around a Race Track at the New BBQ on the Brazos
The BBQ Top 50 joint has reopened, now offering one of the most unique barbecue meal experiences in Texas.
Find Craft Brisket at Brendyn’s BBQ, the First Food Truck in Nacogdoches
Pitmaster Brendyn Todd serves up barbecue sandwiches and smoky brisket from the oldest town in Texas.
BBQ News Roundup: BBQ Town Halls, Sauce’s Comeback, and a Barbecue Joint Run By Nudists
Plus: Wine with barbecue and a pit fit for a whole cow.
Fire & Smoke: BBQ Fest 2018 Preview
Miguel Vidal of Valentina's Tex-Mex BBQ in Austin provides a preview of his dish at the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest, and we discuss how his San Antonio upbringing informs his current Tex-Mex BBQ menu.
Pinche Gringo BBQ Offers Texas-Style ’Cue and Sides in Mexico City
Dan DeFossey has brought brisket from the RGV to CDMX.
Fire & Smoke: Plant-Based (Don’t Call It Vegan) Brisket
At Rice University, there's a little less meat in the dining halls because the chefs have embraced plant-based meat substitutes, including their own version of vegan barbecue brisket.
BBQ News Roundup: Sausage Tips from the Master, Tootsie Goes on TV, and the BBQ Fest is Almost Here
Plus: Wales needs to calm down about its barbecue, but New Zealand knows how it to bring it.
Smoke Sessions Offers One of the Wildest Bites of Barbecue Around
The Royse City joint brings smoked meat and cheese together with its garlic parmesan ribs, served on Fridays only.
1775 Texas Pit BBQ in College Station Is a Family Affair
As Brad Doan smokes the meats, his mom, Belinda, makes tasty sides—and, if you’re lucky, dessert.
BBQ News Roundup: Secret Barbecue Menus, an MLB Pitmaster, and Running a Barbecue Joint While Pregnant
Plus: Making barbecue indoors and a $5 million offer.
Try Crispy, Wood-Fired Chicken at Pollos La Pullita
José Vega brings his adobo seasoning recipe—and his rotisserie design—from his hometown in Mexico to three locations around the DFW area.
Take a First Look at Aaron Franklin’s Steak Cookbook
In April, the pitmaster and Jordan Mackay will follow up their barbecue best-seller with recipes and tips for grilling their favorite cuts.
Mad Jack’s: A Taste of Lockhart in New Mexico
Tired of used cars and small-town bureaucracy, James Jackson closed his food truck in the barbecue capital of Texas and went out of state.
BBQ News Roundup: Barbecue Bans, the Legacy of Black Pitmasters, and DIY Sausage-on-a-Stick
Plus: The similarities between barbecue and golf, and Texas ag commissioner candidates guessing brisket weights.
Brotherton’s Black Iron Barbecue Brings Tasty Classics and Inventive Dishes to Pflugerville
The joint has been so successful that they're bringing the three-meat plate to another outpost in Round Rock in October.
At Lady & the Pit, Look Beyond the Barbecue for a Mouthwatering Meal
Find excellent chicken-fried steak, buttery cornbread, and a unique pineapple cream pie in Fort Worth.
Try Kimchi-Topped Brisket on Korean BBQ Saturdays at LeRoy & Lewis
Once you try topping your BBQ with kimchi, it’s hard to go back to just dill pickle chips and onions.
See If You Can Finish the Huge, Brisket-Stuffed Baked Potato at Franks Holy Smoke BBQ
Abraham Franks finds his true calling as a pitmaster in Ovilla after a stressful career in Vegas.
Fire & Smoke: Johnny Walker Shares Lessons From Momma Jean
Podcast: At Momma Jean’s BBQ in Lampasas, owner and pitmaster Johnny Walker carries on his family’s barbecue legacy.
BBQ News Roundup: Vegan Brisket, Fake Beef, and Tex-Mex BBQ
Plus: Tootsie enters the BBQ Hall of Fame and ribs make it onto TV.
Reid Guess of Guess Family Barbecue Wants to Make Waco a Barbecue Destination
With a new restaurant and an invite to the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest, the pitmaster is creating new dishes while staying true to wood-fired cooking.
At Valentina’s Tex-Mex BBQ, the La Reina Sandwich Offers a Tempting Alternative
Valentina's is known for serving barbecue in tortillas. But for its newest addition, pitmaster Miguel Vidal looked to the Spanish bocadillo.
Loro Experiments With a New Vein of Texas Barbecue, Offering Unusual Takes on Smoked Meats
It’s not the meal you’d find at Franklin Barbecue. That’s not a bad thing.
BBQ News Roundup: Texas-Style Barbecue Rules Another List, Grilling Isn’t Easy, and Corky’s Comes to Katy
Plus: LeRoy and Lewis brings Korean barbecue to Austin's downtown farmer's market starting this weekend.
Off the Bone BBQ Still Serves Some of the Most Tender Ribs Around
Stop in at the Forest Hill barbecue joint for smoky ribs and brisket-stuffed baked potatoes.
Is Lockhart Brisket Actually Overrated?
'Austin American-Statesman' food critic Matthew Odam defends his recent article questioning the quality of the smoked brisket in Lockhart.
‘Barbecue Nation’ Showcases American Lore at the Atlanta History Center
The exhibition, featuring memorabilia from barbecue joints across the country, offers an educational experience as well as a nostalgic one.
Popularity of Texas BBQ Fuels Demand for Thousand-Gallon Smokers
Meet the passionate welders who are building these big beauties for pitmasters in the state and around the world.
BBQ News Roundup: Goodbye to Freedmen’s, Hello Again to Smokey John’s, and Introducing the Watermelon Ham
Plus: Eating brisket at Franklin is ranked as one of the ten best food experiences in the world. But we knew that already.
Sid Miller Is Still Obsessed With Barbecue Scales
Despite Attorney General Ken Paxton’s advice, the agriculture commissioner won’t let go of barbecue scale enforcement.