May 13, 2019
The barbecue world has long been seen as a largely male dominated industry, with womens’ contributions to the profession often being overlooked. But the truth about many BBQ operations is that they would not be what they are without the hard work and passion of a growing number of women in BBQ.
There are female pitmasters, BBQ restaurant owner/ operators, managers, sausage makers, cooks, meat cutters, and a myriad of other jobs in the barbecue world.
In this episode we’re joined by three of the great women in barbecue: Misty Roegels, Owner/Operator at Roegels Barbecue Co., Mallory Robbins, Owner/Operator at Evie Mae’s Pit Barbeque, and Aubrie Hood, General Manager at Evie Mae’s. Please tune in as they discuss a wide range of topics from the difficulties of being a woman in what is perceived as a male dominated industry, raising a family while operating a restaurant, and more.
May 6, 2019
We were privileged to sit down with some great people in the BBQ world during the Red Dirt BBQ and Music Festival. The Red Dirt Festival takes place every May in Tyler, Texas and is widely considered the can't-miss BBQ event in Texas. Some of the state's best BBQ joints serve up tasty bites and in the evening Tyler's downtown square turns into an even bigger party as prominent Red Dirt music acts take the stage for thousands of fans.
Tickets for Red Dirt sell out within hours, be ready for 2020 and make sure to keep up with info at:
This year we were joined by Jordan Jackson and Bryan Bingham of Bodacious Bar-B-Q, Dylan Taylor of Goldee's BBQ, and Cody Sperry of HooDoo Brown Barbeque in Ridgefield, Connecticut for a raucous and wide ranging roundtable. Topics for this episode include everyone's BBQ "a ha" moment, everyone's "Death Row last meal," and so much more.
April 29, 2019
We've been traveling across Texas for years seeking out the best and most unique barbecue stops around the state. Through lots of research and plenty of trial and error we've had a lot of successful BBQ runs where we've been able to try a wide array of places in a single day or weekend. As Texas BBQ has become increasingly popular, we've had so many folks reach out to us asking for tips about which places to go and which routes to take. To help out our fellow smoked meat travelers, we're putting together some episodes to help plan out the best route options suitable for everyone's interests.
Part one of this series focuses on a few different groups: The Casual BBQ Fan, The Prospective Restaurateur, and The BBQ History Buff. Each type of BBQ traveler will want to plan their trip differently to suit their interests, so we've put together some thoughts and tips suited for each of these categories. Whether you're only looking to hit up a few spots over the course of a weekend, if you're looking to see different business models in hopes of starting your own barbecue operation, or if you want to focus your trip on the classic old school joints in Texas, we've laid out all of those options for you here.
Stay tuned for future episodes in this series in which we'll tackle more aggressive marathon trips for the BBQ superfan, including how to eat at the entire Texas Monthly Top Ten List in only a few days.
April 22, 2019
When Ronnie Webber was ready to retire from the Houston Police Department, he and his wife Nancy had their sites set on opening a barbecue restaurant. With no restaurant operation experience but a passion for cooking, the Webbers invested their savings into opening Tin Roof BBQ in June 2001. The then small restaurant was a success in its original location, but as they were ready to grow the business they knew a change was needed for an expansion of their operation.
The Webber family moved their location and expanded it in Atascocita, a suburb north of Houston. Tin Roof BBQ immediately immersed themselves in the community, and the neighborhood embraced them as well. Tin Roof remains dedicated to giving back to their community and those in need, generously contributing their time towards raising awareness and funding for different worthy causes.
Ronnie and Nancy's son Brek grew up in the restaurant, went to school, and returned to help operate and continue to grow the family business. As the restaurant is about to turn eighteen years old, Ronnie, Brek, and crew continue to evolve and improve their expansive menu. Brek recently lead the charge in switching to making all of their sausages in house and now showcases a roster of different sausage specials. Making hundreds of pounds of sausage each week is no easy task, but it's a commitment to constant improvement that keeps Tin Roof BBQ one of the go-to restaurants for their community.
Catch Tin Roof online
Location:
18918 Town Center Blvd.
Humble, TX 77346
Hours:
Tue – Thu: 11am – 9pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 10pm
Sun: 11am – 3pm
April 15, 2019
There’s quite a bit going on in the BBQ world these days with openings and closings and special events happening seemingly every week. We take some time in this episode to talk about what we’ve been up to in BBQ lately, what’s coming up this spring, and answer some listener questions.
We have a lot planned for the spring and summer, but if there’s anything you think we need to add to our calendar, let us know! We’re also always taking listener questions, so DM us on social media or email us anytime.
Twitter: @bbqpodcast
Instagram: @talesfromthepits
Email: talesfromthepits@gmail.com
April 8, 2019
Anthony DiBernardo had a long and distinguished culinary career that spanned cooking on submarines during his military service to working in fine dining in Charleston. Anthony eventually got to a point in his career where he wanted to make more approachable, affordable food. In 2013, he opened his first Swig & Swine BBQ location.
At Swig & Swine BBQ, Anthony and his team cook traditional South Carolina items alongside influences from other BBQ regions like burnt ends and Texas style brisket. Swig & Swine cooks with all wood and gives as much thought and care to their sides and sauces as they do to the meats they smoke.
In addition to having multiple Swig & Swine locations across the Charleston area, Anthony is very involved in charity endeavors as well as Charleston Wine + Food. Add Swig & Swine BBQ to your list of Charleston BBQ stops!
Online
HOURS
11am-10pm 7 days a week
Locations
West Ashley Location
1217 Savannah Highway
Charleston, SC 29407
Summerville Location Returning soon
1990 Old Trolley Road
Summerville, SC 29485
Mt. Pleasant Location
2379 Hwy 41
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466
Downtown Charleston Location
49 South Market St.
Charleston, SC 29401
April 1, 2019
Justin and Jonathan Fox grew up all over Texas and brought their love of Texas barbecue with them when they settled in Atlanta, Georgia. They began tinkering with cooking the familiar flavors of central Texas in their backyard near the turn of the century and soon began to contemplate how to take it to the masses. The Fox brothers began throwing large backyard parties and eventually started providing catering services in addition to serving at their friends and eventual business partners bar.
When an opportunity arose to open their own place in 2007, they jumped on it and were well on their way. Fox Bros Bar B Q opened on Dekalb Avenue and began bringing their brand of barbecue to Atlanta full time. With an extensive menu of Texas BBQ staples alongside creative items like their chicken fried pork ribs, Fox Bros Bar B Q has been a staple in the Atlanta dining scene for over a decade. There are now Fox Bros outlets inside of BMW Stadium as well as outside the Atlanta Braves ballpark, and the future continues to look bright for Justin and Jonathan.
In addition to being successful restaurateurs, the Fox brothers are also extremely active in giving back whenever they can. Their joint venture with Home Team BBQ, Foxeria Del Sol, helps to raise money for Hogs for the Cause, a charity that provides financial assistance for families that are battling pediatric brain cancer. They've raised over $400,000 in the past five years for this cause. Good folks championing great causes and making memorable barbecue, Fox Bros Bar B Q is a business we should all be happy to support.
Original location:
1238 Dekalb Ave
Atlanta Ga 30307
Hours: Sun- Thurs 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
Que-osk, fast service walk up:
120 Ottley Drive
Atlanta, GA 30324 .
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-10am and 11am-2pm
Mercedes Benz Stadium
SunTrust Park
March 25, 2019
John Lewis is one of the pioneers of the modern methods that have become so widely used in Texas BBQ over the last decade. From his innovations in pit design to seasoning and trimming methods and careful sourcing of meat, if you’ve enjoyed “new school barbecue” recently, there’s a high possibility it was prepared using methods Lewis popularized.
With a long successful career in Texas under his belt, John saw an opportunity to spread his brand of barbecue in Charleston, South Carolina, and began assembling a team to open his own restaurant. Phillip Powers, who you’ll also hear in this interview, had a strong culinary background and moved back home to South Carolina to be part of the opening crew at Lewis Barbecue and is the Chef de Cuisine at the restaurant.
Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner serving Lewis’ exemplary Texas barbecue along with menu specials, Lewis Barbecue is one of the must stop restaurants in Charleston today.
Visit Lewis Barbecue in Charleston, South Carolina
464 NORTH NASSAU ST.
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 29403
SUN + MON 11AM UNTIL 9PM
TUES-SAT 11AM UNTIL 10PM
HAPPY HOUR: MON - FRI 4PM UNTIL 6PM
https://lewisbarbecue.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LewisBBQ/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lewisbarbecue/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnlewisbbq
March 18, 2019
Rodney Scott grew up cooking whole hogs at his family’s general store in the small town of Hemingway, South Carolina. The tradition of hogs cooked under the direct heat of coals burned down from wood splits was the way Rodney learned to cook and still utilizes today.
As food media began to take notice of the whole hog traditions being carried on by Rodney, Hemingway would see an increase in tourists coming to try he and his family’s barbecue. Over the course of time Rodney would meet and become friends with Nick Pihakis, who encouraged Rodney to come to Charleston to open his own place. Rodney Scott’s BBQ opened in 2016 to huge success and acclaim. The city of Charleston embraced his barbecue traditions and in 2018 he became only the second pitmaster to win an acclaimed James Beard chef award.
Rodney and the Pihakis Restaurant Group continue to grow the Rodney Scott’s BBQ brand and spread more whole hog greatness across the country, the latest installment being the opening in early 2019 of a new location in Birmingham, Alabama.
https://rodneyscottsbbq.com/
Twitter:
Instagram: rodneyscottsbbq
Charleston:
1011 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
Hours: 11am-9pm 7 days a week
Birmingham:
3719 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35222
Hours: 11am-9pm Sunday - Thursday
11am-10pm Friday - Saturday
B's Cracklin benefit dinner at Truth BBQ:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/truth-bbq-beyond-the-pit-dinner-a-benefit-for-bs-cracklin-bbq-tickets-58801987327
March 12, 2019
There are so many amazing events that take place during the five day Charleston Wine + Food (CHSWFF) festival and we were fortunate to be granted media access to many of them. From whiskey-centric experiences to barbecue excursions, we did our best to take in all of the sights and sounds of this incredible culinary opportunity.
This episode will give you a rundown of all of the events we covered as well as some food and drink highlights from each. We were fortunate to get to spend time with some amazing barbecue talents such as Rodney Scott, Sam Jones, Jonathan and Justin Fox, John Lewis, Anthony DiBernardo, and many more.
We've got some exciting interviews that we'll be posting in the coming weeks from these events, so stay tuned for those. A special thanks to Alyssa Maute Smith and the entire Charleston Wine + Food team for putting together such an outstanding collection of unbelievable events and excursions. Be sure to follow CHSWFF on social media to get tickets for next year's events when they are announced!
Charleston Wine + Food:
Website: www.charlestonwineandfood.com
Twitter: @ChsWineandFood
Instagram: @chswineandfood
