– Brisket prices are finally trending downward. Our national nightmare might be coming to a close.

– A tribute to Annie Mae Ward who established the barbecue stand at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Huntsville, aka The Church of the Holy Smoke.

– The Texans Vince Wilfork got a new pit from the guys at Pitmaker:

 

– Last Sunday’s Houston BBQ Festival was a success, and Houston Chronicle has some great photos of the event. 

– Craig Hlavaty visited the Houston BBQ Fest and filed this video report. 

– The Smoking Ho reports in detail on all the barbecue served at the Houston BBQ Festival. 

– Whole hog at the Houston BBQ Festival:

 

– A look at pork’s popularity in Texas barbecue from the Texas Standard.

– The Dallas Observer checks out last weekend’s Big D BBQ Battle.

– A barbecue pit was stolen from the Corpus Christi Firefighter’s Association, then later recovered several miles from town.

– A new guide book to BBQ in the Carolinas is coming:

 

– DFW.com visits the new Heim Barbecue in Fort Worth for what they call “remarkable good barbecue.” 

– Texas BBQ Adventures found some great barbecue at Fargo’s BBQ in Bryan. 

– A barbecue traveller came through Texas on an eating adventure and shared some barbecue tasting notes and a few marketing lessons as well. 

– Tim Mikeska is producing a Master Butcher Video Series for YouTube. A preview:

 

– Cowboys & Indians Magazine chooses a few Trailblazers of Western Cuisine, including a couple pitmasters.

– The inaugural Brazos River Ribfest was held at McLane Stadium in Waco over the weekend.

– A plate of Franklin Barbecue is pretty pricey in San Francisco, so says the Houston Chronicle.

– Cook beef ribs like Aaron Franklin:

 

– NPR travels to Throckmorton, Texas to observe the ultrasound process of checking bulls for marbling at the R.A. Brown Ranch. 

– Stanley’s Famous Pit Barbecue in Tyler has a close call with a creosote fire, but the crisis was averted. 

– KVIA in El Paso reports on a breed of Criollo cattle being developed in New Mexico that can go days without water. 

– The folks at GE who brought the Super Smoker to SXSW made a video about the event:

 

– British newspaper The Telegraph highlights some classic American roadtrips including the Texas BBQ Trail. 

– The Charleston Post & Courier examines the tradition of smoked mullet and wonders why it isn’t more popular in the Low Country. 

– I’ve seen a lot of shoddy barbecue lists, but this one for the best barbecue in all of Tennessee reads more like satire. 

– Brisket now has fewer calories, seriously: