Long lines, packed parking, and sold-out meat are regular features of Kat’s Barbecue in Santa Fe, thanks to lauding loyal customers.
Inside his father’s old service station, Isaac Arellano puts in long hours at his restaurant, Pitforks and Smokerings, to keep the flame alive.
Two pitmaster friends seem to think so. What started as a theory between them has spread into wider barbecue-nerd circles.
Houston’s El Topo has won awards for its brisket suadero taco, which features nixtamalized blue-corn tortillas and a house-special salsa.
Ramen Tatsu-Ya’s latest addition offers house-made noodles to dip into chili-inspired broth, whose leftovers are meant to be eaten as Frito pie.
Mum Foods’ Geoffrey Ellis grew up in Austin and spent time in Queens, and both places inform his menu, which features beef sausage and matzo ball soup.
Not that long ago, it was regarded by many barbecue aficionados as inferior to shoulder clod. Then things started heating up.
After successfully serving smoked pork belly pizza at the State Fair, Stephan Nedwetzky planted Pit Commander Barbecue in North Texas.
Peeler Farms in Floresville hones its niche in the rapidly expanding Wagyu market—and doesn’t compromise service in the process.
The Wagon Wheel has been around since 1994, but it recently gave itself a makeover with a new location and a menu that prioritizes freshness.
Available exclusively to TM BBQ Club members.
From traditional smoked brisket to less-traditional Lebanese pork ribs, these twenty dishes blew barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn away.
From the underground to the top of best-of lists, these Los Angeles–area joints have endured a barrage of red tape to serve excellent Texas-style ’cue.
Show off your obsession for smoked meat and its accoutrements during the holiday season with cute, curated decor.
Though navigating overwhelming grief, the Ramirez family of California learned to smoke meat and continue to run Ray’s Texas BBQ.
At Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers, executive chef Michelle Wallace gets creative with smoked jerk chicken and a Viet-Cajun fried catfish sandwich.
Some of the most popular new barbecue joints only offer sweet-glazed ribs, which has left us nostalgic for the good ol’ days of salt-and-pepper pork.
The Netflix series honors the fusion food by featuring two joints in Dallas and San Antonio. We add two more that could’ve made the cut.
Austin’s KG BBQ serves za’atar-dusted pork ribs, brisket shawarma, and pistachio rice pudding in a wholly unique dining experience.
From a chimichurri to a halal rub, these smoked meat add-ons will seriously liven up everything from steak to sausage to eggs.
Of course, Sullivan Old Town BBQ’s twist on a Cuban sandwich, rich pecan pie, and flavorful brisket also encourage multiple visits.
Barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn and taco editor José R. Ralat pay a visit to Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q—a white-and-black trailer at Hop & Sting Brewing—to enjoy some of the most “jaw-dropping” bites in Grapevine. Pitmaster Trey Sánchez III puts a delicious Texas barbecue spin on traditional Mexican dishes, like their
After a battlefield attack left him mentally scarred, Steven Rossler found strength in telling his story and working the Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue pit with his family.
In the face of adversity, Michael Johnson Jr. continued to build Cen-Tex Smokers, a company that now has a year-long waiting list for its pits.
The Texas Monthly Barbecue Passport is available in the print version of the November 2021 issue and online. The Passport program ends December 31st, 2023.
Butcher paper–wrapped briskets came into fashion about a decade ago, but more pitmasters and home cooks are opting for the full metal brisket jacket.
The Southern Foodways Symposium, held last weekend in Mississippi, made barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn reflect on the industry and his career.
Our barbecue editor was impressed not only with the quality of the city’s Texas-style ’cue but with the overall love and respect for the cuisine.
While Douglas definitely isn’t a “joint,” it still has all the hallmarks of Texas ’cue, including brisket, ribs, mac and cheese, and banana pudding.
Thanks to a bad outbreak of avian flu this year, turkey suppliers are raising prices and delivering fewer birds to restaurants before the holidays.
The Jarrell joint was helmed by the late pitmaster and is now led by his friend, who still serves some of the same menu items, like cheesy squash.
But B4 Barbeque & Boba in Mabank is back open now, with more space and more employees, staying true to its mission to put “a twist” on its ’cue.
At some restaurants, paying more for a Wagyu steak may lead to disappointment. Not so with the products from A Bar N Ranch in North Texas.
As a new location of Terry Black’s Barbecue opened its doors in Lockhart this month, a battle raged on—in the form of quippy signs—with Black’s Barbecue.
If you plan to impress your guests with a showstopping smoked meat, Daniel Vaughn suggests you learn to make beef ribs—the Goldee’s way.
Six years ago, we set out to answer that question and got inconclusive results. And while we’ve found new info, the mystery endures.
The ribs and sausage are great, but it was the mint chocolate chip cake at Beault's Backyard BBQ that made our barbecue editor giggle in delight.
The 48th annual event in Brady rekindled both treasured and painful memories for a writer who’s been attending since infancy.
For now, Derek Degenhardt of Decatur’s North Texas Smoke is pursuing his passion by serving brisket, sausage, and a great loaded baked potato salad.
Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor goes all in on Wagyu beef—and the Texans who produce it.
When Jordy Jordan opened the second location of Big D BBQ in the old Midlothian Mirror office, he wanted to pay homage to its controversial leader Penn Jones Jr.
Paul Cruz was battling some personal demons before finding faith and founding Cruz BBQ Company in Maypearl.
From sweet chipotle to dirty rice, the options at this family-run Bellville sausage emporium run the gamut from tame to adventurous.
Using direct-heat methods, Nathan's BBQ shines when it comes to pork ribs and chicken, and it stands out from the local competition too.
Small towns, like Bellville in Austin County, raise funds for various efforts through preparing meat using direct heat and old-school brick pits.
Two food trucks in the Golden Triangle—the Taste of Texas and James & Jon—excel when it comes to serving barbecue in tortillas.
Patricia Sharpe recalls the smoked meats and mileage that went into Texas Monthly’s first-ever Top 50 barbecue list in May 1997.
Three joints in Tulsa and Oklahoma City have embraced brisket, beef sausage, and spareribs—but will bologna-loving Oklahomans follow suit?
The Canadian city has its own barbecue culture, and it centers on beef that's smoked—sometimes without wood—and served in old-school delis.
Southern Smoke and Plateau Brewing are part of a revitalization effort of the downtown area and add more interest to this West Texas town.
