Willa Cockshutt

Oct 26, 2011 — By Willa Cockshutt

Editor’s Note: The Texas Monthly BBQ Festival is almost here! Each day until then, we’ll be talking to one of the featured pitmasters, with questions from TM staffers, esteemed BBQ experts, Twitter followers and you, the readers of this blog. Today we’re featuring Gary Vincek, 48, of Vincek's Smokehouse in East Bernard. For more info, visit their page on TMBBQ.com. Photo by RioGailTX What is your heat source? We use pecan and oak wood. We start off with pecan and finish with oak. If you do everything with pecan it gets dark; pecan's a real heavy smoke Who did you learn your craft from? Did you work previously for another BBQ joint, learn it from family, or did you just learn it on your own? I used to work at Dozier's. It's just a meat market and barbecue joint. I learned here on my own through trial and error. There was a lot we didn't sell. What's your signature meat? Mainly brisket. Sauce or no sauce? We have it here if people want, and about 85 percent of people want it. But when we're cooking, we don't use any except the mop sauce which is vinegar, oil, and Worcestershire sauce.

Oct 10, 2011 — By Willa Cockshutt

Editor's Note: The Texas Monthly BBQ Festival is almost here! Each day until then, we'll be talking to one of the featured pitmasters, with questions from TM staffers, esteemed BBQ experts, Twitter followers and you, the readers of this blog. Today, it's 29 year-old Tad Honeycutt of Buzzie’s BBQ in Kerrville -- co-winner of last year's People's Choice award for brisket. For more info, visit their page on TMBBQ.com.What is your heat source? Oak wood only.Who did you learn your craft from? My stepfather Buzzie Hughes (pictured) taught me everything he knows. Buzzie grew up cookin’ and is self-taught, with a German background. Every weekend they [Buzzie and Tad's mom] would have big parties doing barbecue. The parties grew and grew and before we knew it we had two hundred people at the house. My mom said, "look we’re going to have to start charging people or start a restaurant."What’s your signature meat? Brisket - slow smoked, low temp. 275 degrees.Sauce or no sauce? We offer a tomato-base homemade barbecue sauce on the side. We've tried doing marinades. We just feel like our product comes out a lot better without injecting them with anything. We’ve just never got into it.What non-secret ingredients are in your spice rub, if you use one Fajita seasoning.