In the current issue of the American Conservative, John Shelton Reed discusses the changing barbecue landscape—categorizing joints into folk barbecue, haute barbecue, and mass barbecue, the last of which he likens to an invasive species.

The founder of Smokey John’s BBQ in Dallas passed away:
https://twitter.com/tomfoxphoto/status/1165684800423960578?s=11

A day after the death of John Reaves, his sons Juan and Brent won the Big Tex Choice Award for their Big Red Chicken Bread at the State Fair of Texas.

Nick Rallo wrote that Back Country Bar-B-Q in Dallas doesn’t care about barbecue’s current trendiness. “I don’t know if it’ll last,” owner Scott Collard said.

Tickets are on sale for Smoked Dallas, coming to downtown Dallas on September 21.

If you’ve always wanted an Aaron Franklin smoker, we have an auction for you:
https://twitter.com/eateraustin/status/1166727395405176832?s=11

“Interstellar is destination barbecue worth driving for,” declared Austin Monthly about the Cedar Park barbecue joint.

Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q in Tyler is undergoing a major expansion of its dining area, smokehouse, and parking that will be completed in November.

Robert Sierra of S&S Pit Crew shared some barbecue secrets while cooking in Lubbock for the Red Raider Meats barbecue competition.

Blood Bros. BBQ in Houston earns national recognition:
https://twitter.com/bonappetit/status/1166005133915934722?s=11

Small-town barbecue is back, declared the Houston Chronicle after a visit to Brett’s Backyard Bar-B-Que in Rockdale.

The Houston Press was impressed with H-E-B’s True Texas BBQ, and agreed with us that it’s the best barbecue chain in Texas.

John Mueller’s Black Box Barbecue in Georgetown is closed indefinitely, but promises that a new location will be announced soon.

And 10 of this Top 50 list are from you-know-where:
https://twitter.com/southern_living/status/1164926737995767808?s=11

Vera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que on Southmost Boulevard in Brownsville is the jewel of the “Taco Capital of Texas,” according to Texas Highways magazine.

“In the perverse world of Texas barbecue, it’s good to sell out, and you may lack serious street cred if you don’t.” – San Antonio Express-News

Stillwater Barbeque, a Top 50 BBQ joint in Abilene, is up for sale, but owner Matt Proctor explained that he is not planning to close it.

This major leaguer’s offseason job is at a barbecue joint:
https://twitter.com/azcsports/status/1164376160341565440?s=11

Steven Raichlen was inspired by LeRoy & Lewis BBQ in Austin when coming up with his recipe for brisket chocolate chip cookies.

For your barbecue road trip planning, refer to this map from Governing of what amounts to speed-trap towns. There are plenty of them in Texas.

Thrillist asks what it would take for chain barbecue to be great, and whether that’s possible.

LA’s chicken sausage isn’t just health food:
https://twitter.com/latimesfood/status/1166335806300196864?s=11

Hometown Bar-B-Que has been a major success in Brooklyn, and next month owner Billy Durney will open another location in Miami.

A vegan massage therapist outside of Perth, Australia, took her neighbors to the state Supreme Court because of the strong smell of the barbecue they cooked in their backyard. She lost the case.

Matt Horn is soon to be done with pop-ups. After a long search, he’s found where he’ll make his permanent home in Oakland:
https://twitter.com/sfchronicle/status/1166057438572949505?s=11

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called the new Wood’s Chapel BBQ “a thoughtful, diligently researched expression of what a modern barbecue restaurant in downtown Atlanta should be in 2019.”

Flint, Michigan, is struggling, but its residents are using barbecue and banh mi to help rebuild the city, Vice reports.

Kosher barbecue is expanding in New York, and the pitmasters all seem to be using smokers made in Texas.

These smoked brisket photos were so bad they went viral before the original post was taken down, but now they’ve been put to music:
https://twitter.com/GunsandTacos/status/1165370909101821952