BBQ Joint Reviews
July 1, 2021
Huntsville’s Famous Church Barbecue Joint Is Resurrected
The fires are still burning at the restaurant, newly named Holy Smoke BBQ, next to New Zion Missionary Baptist Church.
Black BBQ
BBQ Joint Reviews
April 5, 2021
East Austin’s Most Exciting New Joint Serves “Modern African American” Barbecue
Former fine-dining chef Damien Brockway shows off his barbecue chops and nods to his ancestors with West African spices and unexpected cuts of meat.
BBQ
June 19, 2020
Greg Gatlin on Juneteenth, Black Lives Matter, and Being a Black Pitmaster in Texas
“I always just hope that it’s a well-rounded story that we’re telling," the Houston chef says.
BBQ
June 8, 2020
Backyard ’Cue Course: How to Dominate Your Home Smoker
Four of the state’s best pitmasters share their tips.
BBQ
March 31, 2020
Barbecue Strategy: Smokey John’s Has Overcome Adversity Before
The brothers behind the longtime Dallas joint are doing everything from Facebook Live chats to free delivery service to help cope during the pandemic.
BBQ
February 12, 2020
Where to Find Great Surf and Turf, Barbecue Style
Fried catfish served with smoked meat is a magical combination—and harder to order than it should be.
BBQ
January 13, 2020
A Barbecue Missionary From Midland Serves Real BBQ in Shreveport
Harvey Clay has spent much of his adult life introducing the brisket, ribs, and sausage of his youth into smoked-meat deserts.
BBQ
October 15, 2019
Don’t Miss the Smoked Chicken Wings at Gatlin’s BBQ in Houston
Greg Gatlin’s joint is serving better wings than any of the big chains.
BBQ Joint Reviews
October 8, 2019
The Transformation of Smokey Joe’s Bar-B-Que Is Stunning
After reluctantly leaving past methods behind, the joint now serves some of the best brisket in Dallas.
BBQ
September 30, 2019
The Spareribs at San Angelo’s RJ Bar-B-Que Hit the Sweet Spot
At the joint they’ve run since 2001, Charles and JoAnn Thomas offer a great deal for good food.
BBQ
September 26, 2019
At Smitty’s BBQ in Brownwood, the Smoked Sausage Is a Loving Memorial
The legacy of Smith McArthur Jr., the man who built the joint from the ground up, is carried on by his children.
BBQ Joint Reviews
September 13, 2019
Smoke-A-Holics BBQ Is Helping to Revitalize Southeast Fort Worth
Derrick and Kesha Walker have brought phenomenal brisket, rip tips, and sweet potato pie to their old neighborhood.
BBQ
August 9, 2019
Top 5 BBQ’s Kendon Greene Stages a Comeback With KG’s Pitmaster BBQ
After the untimely demise of his DeSoto joint, he’s serving great barbecue again from a new trailer.
BBQ
June 21, 2019
The Great Northern BBQ Road Trip
An intrepid Texas barbecue editor seeks out smoked meats on a long drive from Minnesota to Ontario.
BBQ
May 30, 2019
The Stuffed Smoked Chicken at Jube’s Smokehouse Is Worth Ordering Ahead
Patrick Joubert’s Fort Worth joint marries the Louisiana flavors of his childhood with the barbecue of his deep Texas roots.
BBQ
April 18, 2019
Southern Q BBQ Brings Its Spicy Boudin to a Second Location
Steve and Sherice Garner’s Houston joint pays homage to the authentic, Louisiana-style sausage of their youth.
BBQ Joint Reviews
April 1, 2019
Charlie’s Bar-B-Que Offers More Than Just Delicious Links to the Past
The barbecue history of Southeast Texas has been entwined with links for as long as it’s had a dining culture. Legendary joints like Patillo’s Bar-B-Q have been making all-beef sausages stuffed in beef casings for over a century, and a dozen or so link shops carry on
BBQ Joint Reviews
February 22, 2019
Drive Through Uncle Henry’s Tamales for Beef Links and Cracklins
Hal Guillory serves Southeast Texas specialties at this Beaumont institution.
BBQ Joint Reviews
February 12, 2019
Celebrate the Rebirth of Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que With a Plate of Ribs
The family-run Dallas institution is finally back in business after 2017's devastating fire.
BBQ
December 30, 2018
From Triumph to Tragedy: Looking Back on the Elks Arch in Downtown Dallas
Built for the 1908 Elks National Convention, the structure played a role in the lynching of Allen Brooks, which the city will finally recognize with a memorial.
BBQ Joint Reviews
September 25, 2018
At Lady & the Pit, Look Beyond the Barbecue for a Mouthwatering Meal
Find excellent chicken-fried steak, buttery cornbread, and a unique pineapple cream pie in Fort Worth.
BBQ Joint Reviews
September 17, 2018
See If You Can Finish the Huge, Brisket-Stuffed Baked Potato at Franks Holy Smoke BBQ
Abraham Franks finds his true calling as a pitmaster in Ovilla after a stressful career in Vegas.
Fire & Smoke
September 14, 2018
Fire & Smoke: Johnny Walker Shares Lessons From Momma Jean
Podcast: At Momma Jean’s BBQ in Lampasas, owner and pitmaster Johnny Walker carries on his family’s barbecue legacy.
BBQ Joint Reviews
August 30, 2018
Off the Bone BBQ Still Serves Some of the Most Tender Ribs Around
Stop in at the Forest Hill barbecue joint for smoky ribs and brisket-stuffed baked potatoes.
BBQ
August 22, 2018
‘Barbecue Nation’ Showcases American Lore at the Atlanta History Center
The exhibition, featuring memorabilia from barbecue joints across the country, offers an educational experience as well as a nostalgic one.
BBQ
July 27, 2018
What Should We Call the Barbecue Greats?
Dear Daniel: Are all barbecue cooks pitmasters?
Fire & Smoke
July 23, 2018
Rediscovering an Overlooked Barbecue Pioneer
In the second episode of our Fire & Smoke podcast, we explore the lasting impact of Etta Randall, a black pitmaster who served four generations of Panhandle residents.
BBQ
June 19, 2018
How African American Visitors Found Texas BBQ During the Jim Crow Era
The “Green Books” guides helped black tourists avoid humiliation—and worse.
BBQ
June 9, 2018
How to Order Gristles, Links, and a Bag of Breaks
Here’s a primer to the language of African American barbecue joints in Texas.
BBQ Joint Reviews
June 6, 2018
Hardeman’s BBQ Is a Dallas Institution for a Reason
Says longtime pitmaster George 'Slim' Miller: 'If that meat don’t feel you, and you don’t feel that meat, ain’t nobody gonna enjoy it.'
BBQ Joint Reviews
June 1, 2018
Houston’s Burns Original BBQ is a Family—and Neighborhood—Tradition
The descendants of the late Roy Burns do the institution proud with stuffed potatoes, rib sandwiches, and other favorites.
BBQ Joint Reviews
May 31, 2018
Old-School Houston Barbecue Thrives at Ray’s BBQ Shack
With its new, larger location, this Third Ward joint’s fried seafood is just as good as its smoked meats.
BBQ Joint Reviews
April 5, 2018
Momma Jean’s BBQ in Lampasas
Owner and pitmaster Johnny Walker’s no-frills menu includes tender, smoky ribs and a sauce with ”some stuff going on.”
BBQ
March 21, 2018
Barbecue Takes Off at Bush Airport
With its meat cooked on-site and an eye-catching exhaust system, Houston's new Q is a first-class joint.
BBQ
March 9, 2018
Hog Head Cheese at Patillo’s Bar-B-Q
Ready for this jelly: Pig ears provide most of the gelatin in the Beaumont restaurant's version, which is heavy on the meat.
BBQ Recipes
February 14, 2018
My Quest to Conjure Up Devil Sauce
Using history as a guide—especially Frank X. Tolbert's priceless Texas reporting—I set out to create the ideal BBQ complement.
BBQ
January 31, 2018
Fried Ribs at Bar-B-Q Express
Don't be fooled by appearances at this longtime Marshall joint. Herbert White's secret recipe makes Wednesdays extra special.
BBQ Joint Reviews
January 18, 2018
Nelson’s BBQ
With a sandwich like the Nasty Nate and impressive barbecue, this one-man show in San Antonio has earned a loyal following.
BBQ Joint Reviews
October 19, 2017
Berry Best BBQ
A barbecue joint born out of a beloved bean recipe.
BBQ
October 18, 2017
How Pioneering Pitmaster Etta Randall Conquered a Lawless Boomtown With Barbecue
In 1926 Etta Randall, a young black woman from deep East Texas, set off for a lawless boomtown in the Panhandle, where she found unexpected success not in the oil fields but in an old concrete pit.
BBQ
October 14, 2017
Turkey Leg Season at Smokey John’s
Healing from a fire at the fair.
BBQ
June 19, 2017
Rodney Scott Ain’t Scared
A whole hog legend smokes outside of his comfort zone.
BBQ
May 16, 2017
Smoked Bologna at Gatlin’s BBQ
A spicy addition to the sausage-making tradition.
BBQ
February 21, 2017
Wood Cooking in West Texas
From the view on either side of the highway, Notrees—the town between Kermit and Odessa—seems to have been born of the simplest observation. Not much out here grows any higher than cotton. Heading further north, they don’t even have the luxury of scrubby mesquite. So if you’re going to cook barbecue
BBQ
February 13, 2017
Interview: Christine Jones of Christine’s Blues ‘N BBQ
Owner/Pitmaster: Christine’s Blues ‘N BBQ; Opened 2000Age: 53Smoker: Indirect Heat Wood-Fired PitWood: Mesquite and PecanRecords line the wall above the bar at Christine’s Blues ‘N BBQ. As soap operas played silently on the television, I asked her where all the good music was. With a smile, as if she thought nobody would
BBQ
December 12, 2016
Christopher B “Stubbs” Stubblefield: A Cook
Lubbock guitarist, Jesse “Guitar” Taylor, was hitchhiking in Lubbock when a Cadillac pulled up. A stranger offered him a ride and Taylor hopped in. They drove for a bit and stopped in front of Stubb’s Bar-B-Que in East Lubbock. “I’ve walked by this place so many times and never been
BBQ Joint Reviews
November 4, 2016
Rap’s BBQ
After a 6 year hiatus, Rap's is back in business.
BBQ
September 19, 2016
Interview: Earnest Griffith Sr. of Back Country Bar-B-Q
Pitmaster: Back Country Bar-B-Que; Opened 1975Age: 62Smoker: Wood-Fired Rotisserie SmokerWood: HickoryEarnest Griffith Sr. has been cooking barbecue in Dallas for 42 years. He started in downtown Dallas in 1970, when the area was teeming with workers in need of lunch. This was before the days of the downtown tunnels, which
BBQ
August 30, 2016
“Barbecue” is for Squares
I have a Twitter follower who, for a while, enjoyed pointing out when a barbecue joint spelled their name “incorrectly.” Presumably, “Barbecue” and “BBQ” were acceptable, but not “Barbeque,” “Bar-B-Q,” or its slight variation “Bar-B-Que.” He’s not alone. The AP Stylebook, generally used by journalists, doesn’t like those alternate spellings either,
BBQ
August 8, 2016
A Eulogy for the Barbecue Joint
Barbecue joints aren’t simply born. It takes time to develop into one. A barbecue joint is a worn-in stool at a counter smoothed over by time. It’s a soot-stained ceiling, a broken-in barbecue pit, a menu with prices scratched out, and a bigger smile when you use cash. A barbecue joint evokes