– Barbecue catering circa 1954 in Wilson, NC:

 

– “A 300,000 year old hearth unearthed in…Israel suggests that the use of fire to cook was a communal and social event as well.” 

– Thrillist provides their list of the most iconic foods in America. Making the list is brisket from Franklin Barbecue (Austin), burnt ends at Arthur Bryant’s (Kansas City), and ribs at Rendezvous (Memphis). 

– As we reported, Aaron Franklin is getting his own television show. Here’s the full press release. 

– The chart is a bit misleading (it shows percentage growth, not overall popularity), but BBQ sauce’s growth is outpacing ketchup and mustard as a condiment in the US:

 

– Leave Me The Oink pleads for respecting the pork rib, then shows you how. 

– There are so many things wrong with this profile of LL’s BBQ, which opened in Killeen last month. Brian Lahmann couldn’t secure a business loan, so he got his old Army buddy to cash out his 401K early and use it to fund the diciest of investements – a restaurant. (We really do wish them the best). Not too worry, Lahman’s goal: “I want to be the McDonald’s of barbecue on every street corner.” He further stresses that there’s no need to reach for greatness. “I don’t have to be number one to make money.” 

– A satirical guide to BBQ decor for all those European BBQ joints on how to get just the right look. 

– Ike’s Meat Sweats (the youngest barbecue critic on Youtube) visits Cooper’s BBQ in Llano in his Franklin Barbecue shirt:

 

– A bit of truly sad news, a big rig full of 76,000 lbs of beef ribs burned along a highway in southern California. A firefighter noted that there was “a wonderful BBQ beef rib odor.” 

– More fear mongering over the cancer risks of eating grilled meat. 

– Kangaroo BBQ? 

– Horse meat in the beef boxes! 

– “Where America comes to eat.”

 

– Here are a few shots of the interior at the soon-to-open Lockhart Smokehouse in Plano.

– The Buffalo News posted a slideshow showing the finish-out process of the new Dinosaur BBQ that wil open there soon.

– A new joint in Houston, Brooks Family BBQ, opens near the University of Houston campus.

– They’re serving hamburgers in smoked filled plastic bags in London:

 

– Pecan Lodge hopes to open in their new home at 2702 Main St. in Deep Ellum by the end of Spring.

– Curly’s Carolina, TX BBQ in Round Rock is nearly complete with their expansion.

– After seventeen years, Up-N-Smoke BBQ in Keller will close for good at the end of January.

– A unique beef rib presentation:

 

– The Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival is coming in April. Participants include many local chefs and Riscky’s BBQ. 

– D Magazine’s food blog isn’t too crazy about Cattleack BBQ’s name. 

– Hays County Bar-B-Que in San Marcos is in a new building, and their grand opening party is on Saturday. 

– The cold snap in Austin last Friday made for some of the shorest lines in recent memory at Franklin Barbecue:

 

– It was cold in College Station too:

 

– Los Angeles’s Neil Strawder is looking for your backing in a new brick and mortar location for his popular Big Mista’s BBQ.

– There’s another Kickstarter project in the works for a combination grill and smoker called the Groker.

– Texas BBQ building blocks:

 

– John Avila of Morgan’s BBQ in New York gives an interview about why New Yorkers love Texas style barbecue and the challenges of smoking meat up north.

– Cory Tounget is a six-month old suffering from transverse myelitis. Some folks in San Angelo will hold a smoked brisket fundraiser for him on Saturday.

– Homage or blatant rip-off? To be fair, Texas Joe’s fessed up about their menu inspiration. See Valentina’s menu for comparison:

 

– Ed Smith, the mayor of Marshall, Texas, is a vegan who wants the rest of the city to join him. Neely’s Sandwich shop has been serving “Brown Pig” pork sandwiches in Marshall since 1927, so I called co-owner Bill Barton for his reaction. Coming from a guy who makes a living on smoked meat, I can’t say that I expected such a positive attitude. Barton said he supports the mayor. “Ed’s diet has done great things for his health” and added “we all are trying to cut back on eating meat.” He too advocates a life of healthy eating, and noted that some flexitarians choose Neely’s for a monthly or even weekly cheat meal. Such is the allure of the Brown Pig sandwich. They even have a Brown Pig salad on the menu for those who want to ease into their cheating.