Tales from the pits, a Texas BBQ podcast featuring trendsetters, leaders, and icons from the barbecue industry

2024 Year in review

We reflect on our year of food and travel from 2024 as well as memorable moments 
from ten years of BBQ road tripping together

 

LaVaca BBQ

The Nevarez family recently celebrated five years of their business, LaVaca BBQ. This family owned restaurants helmed by parents Lupe and Christine and daughter Kelli produces a large menu of high quality options in a region of Texas that was lacking in modern options.

With standout items such as their smoked tamales and an impressive roster of desserts, LaVaca BBQ should be on your road trip list.

Instagram: mylavacabbq

web: www.lavacabbq.com

• Port Lavaca   532 N Virginia St, Port Lavaca, Texas, 77979

  Thursday 11am - 2pm

  Friday 11am - 2pm

  Saturday 11am - 6:30pm

   
• Victoria   2001 N Navarro St, Victoria, 77901, Victoria, Texas

  Thursday 11am - 7pm

  Friday 11am - 7pm

  Saturday 11am - 7pm

  Sunday 10am - 3pm

Awards, Reviews, and Lists - Oh My!

The spotlight on Texas BBQ has never been brighter, and 2025 will bring the newest edition of the Texas Monthly Top 50 list.

Our thoughts on the recent Michelin news, the upcoming new Texas Monthly BBQ list, and more.

Cole Parkman, Kasey Durham, and old school barbecue

One of the many great aspects of the newly minted Michelin starred restaurant LeRoy and Lewis is Evan and Sawyer’s cultivation of a strong team. That is no more apparent than with staff members Cole Parkman and Kasey Durham.

Cole and Kasey might work in one of the most innovative BBQ places, but their passion for classic Texas barbecue runs deep. We caught up with them on the eve of the old school BBQ pop up they put together at LeRoy and Lewis last summer to talk all things barbecue old and new.

Instagram:
leroyandlewis
cole_parkman23
kasey.durham

 

10 /question Challenge

In this episode we do something we’ve never done: interview each other. We chose ten random questions to ask one another with neither of us having any indication as to what the questions would be before recording.

This is a fun one that goes off on some tangents and includes a challenge we hope Daniel Vaughn takes us up on!

Does BBQ still excite us? A discussion on our BBQ journey

We’ve been asked what excites us to keep exploring barbecue after all these years. It’s not a simple question to answer because it’s evolved during our over decade long obsessions with barbecue. In this episode we go a bit down the rabbit hole of trying to explain what originally excited us, what interests us today, and how that has changed throughout our journey.

 

Grasslands Barbecue

There may be no more majestic setting to cook barbecue than along the Columbia River Gorge in Hood River, Oregon. It is here that Brendon, Drew and Sam put down roots for their business, Grasslands Barbecue. Serving up superb smoked meats and seasonal scratch made sides, this trio is producing some of the best Texas influenced barbecue you’re likely to find not just outside of the Lone Star State, but the quality they’re providing would stand up against some of the best in Texas as well.

Check the calendar on Grasslands website for their schedule which includes some exciting events and collaborations in addition to their regular service.

Instagram: grasslands_barbecue
Website: grasslandsbarbecue.com

 

Redbird BBQ

Amir Jalali started his barbecue career learning the business and operational aspects at the great Feges BBQ, struck up a friendship which turned into a job at the phenomenal Goldee’s Bar-B-Q, and eventually opened his own place back in his hometown of Port Neches, Texas.

With a menu of expertly smoked proteins and scratch made sides and desserts, Redbird BBQ is off to a roaring start as one of the best new barbecue spots to open in the state in recent years.

Instagram: redbirdbbq
1104 Port Neches Ave
Port Neches, TX
Open Fri-Sun 11a-3p

 

Sabar BBQ

Zain Shafi turned a curiosity into a passion and eventually a business in Sabar BBQ. Zain blends together the Pakistani flavors he grew up with alongside the familiar Texas barbecue staples. With seasonal, flavorful sides and well cooked proteins, Sabar is a great addition to the stellar Fort Worth barbecue scene.

Instagram: sabarbbq
Open Saturdays 11a-3p (or sold out)

194 Bryan Avenue, Fort Worth

 

Season 5 and a special announcement

Season 5 of Tales from the Pits is finally underway! More episodes from the best and brightest in the barbecue world are headed your way, and tune in to this episode for details on our new project, Cookfire Tales.

A video series focused on the passionate people from all avenues of the food world who play a role in the food that ends up on your plate, with Cookfire Tales we’re going to give you wide ranging behind the scenes views of different types of cuisine and the role fire plays in so many of them. The dedicated farmers, forgers, harvesters, chefs, and artisans carrying on and evolving traditions inspires us and we know will fascinate you too.

Join us on the journey:

Instagram: cookfiretales
Twitter/X: cookfiretales
YouTube Channel coming soon!