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

TFP BBQ Ep. 89 - Direct Heat Resurgence

Direct heat is one of the oldest forms of cooking known to man. While the offset style of BBQ cooking has taken the world by storm, we have recently seen a resurgence in the old ways of direct heat coal cooking. 

Top BBQ cooks like Evan LeRoy and his crew, John Brotherton, Brett Boren and others have begun utilizing direct heat pits to cook different proteins, while places like Cooper's BBQ and Snow's have been utilizing this method for years. Even high end restaurants have begun preparing different items utilizing direct heat and live fire preparations.

In this episode we discuss our recent direct heat-heavy BBQ tour and are joined briefly by Evan LeRoy and Brad Robinson to talk about their direct heat cooking. 

TFP BBQ Ep. 88 - Our Year in BBQ 2018

2018 was an incredible year for BBQ, and we were fortunate to be able to attend some great events and had many memorable experiences in the world of smoked meat. 

We traveled far and wide to help share some amazing barbecue stories in 2018. We ate BBQ in over 60 cities across a dozen states in 2018, and we have big plans for more great BBQ 
travel in the new year. 

A huge thanks goes out to the wonderful people in the barbecue world who were generous with their time in coming on our show and to all of those that took the time to listen to 
our 2018 episodes. 

TFP Ep. 87 - BBQ Friends and 2019 Predictions

We begin winding down 2018 with a fun talk with some of our friends in BBQ. Patrick Hernandez, Kristin Collins, and Joseph Quellar from JQ's TexMex BBQ join us to talk about some of their favorite barbecue experiences in 2018.

After posing a list of question to our friends, we also take the time to look back at some of the more memorable moments of the year in BBQ for us and offer some predictions for what's to come in 2019.

Have any plans for BBQ in 2019? Reach out to us on Twitter @BBQPodcast or Instagram TalesFromthePits and let us know! If you are a business and have an event scheduled, tell us the info so we can share it and/or come visit

We don't have sponsors and are self funded, but want to do us a solid? You can send us a case of beer or give our podcast a review on whatever app you are listening to us on, we'd appreciate it! 

 

TFP BBQ Ep. 86 - Opie's Barbecue

Todd and Kristin Ashmore started Opie's BBQ in 1999, a simpler time in the Texas barbecue world. The Ashmores had careers outside of the BBQ world, but decide to throw their hat in the ring after years of traveling around and eating at other places. They opened in Spicewood, Texas, a town 35 miles west of Austin. Opie's uses mesquite wood and takes some style hints from west Texas barbecue joints while bringing central Texas style cooking in as well as adding their own touches to provide an experience like no other.

 

Opie's started with a very humble roadside stand and over the years has expanded both in location size and menu options, and was one of the pioneers of the "full meal experience" we have come to love so much in Texas barbecue. With unique, high quality sides and desserts to complement their mesquite smoked meats, Opie's has long been a destination for BBQ lovers. Don't forget to budget for one or more of their great rock and roll themed shirts, too!

 

A family operation from day one, Todd and Kristin's daughter Courtney and her husband Seth also work in the restaurant as kitchen manager and pitmaster, respectively. With nearly 20 years under their built, Opie's is showing no signs of slowing down as they continue to provide a great experience for their customers seven days a week.

 

And don't forget, the butterbeans are dine-in only!

TFP BBQ Ep. 85 - Houston Vs Austin BBQ Throwdown 2018

The second annual Houston vs Austin BBQ Throwdown presented by HOUBBQ was full of creativity and tough competition. A dozen competitors from both cities as well as two wild card entries battled it out for this year's BBQ bragging rights. The People's Choice Champion for this year was Beaver's in Houston, and the Judge's Choice Champion was wild card entry Bodacious Bar-B-Q (original location on Mobberly Avenue in Longview, Texas).

 

In our episode recapping the event we discuss the different dishes as well as speak to Jordan Jackson and Bryan Bingham from Bodacious about their winning dish. If you haven't signed up for the HOUBBQ newsletter, go to www.HOUBBQ.com  today and get signed up to get the latest news on all of their upcoming events, the next event being the Houston Barbecue Festival taking place April 14, 2019 at the Humble Civic Center in Humble, Texas.

 

The event was held at Friends & Allies brewery in Austin Texas, Participating Austin-area barbecue joints included: Banger's Sausage House, LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue , Micklethwait Craft Meats, Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew, and Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue

Houston barbecue joints participating were : Beaver’s, Daddy Duncan's BBQ, El Burro & the Bull, Harlem Road Texas BBQ, and Victorian's Barbecue.

Bodacious Bar-B-Q from Longview and Brett's Backyard Bar-B-Que from Rockdale participated as wildcard entries. 

 

TFP BBQ Ep. 84 - Cook off chat and whole hog at Reveille

As we continue to explore all aspects of the BBQ world, we once again took a crack at competition barbecue. We competed in a small, non-sanctioned cook-off recently and in this episode discussed our results and our thoughts on cook-offs. 

We also recorded live from the overnight hog cook at Reveille Barbecue Co. as they and Wade Elkins cooked a red wattle hog over live coals. We were joined by Austin Moore with Tejas Chocolate and Barbecue and talked about his role at the restaurant. Nick Rama from Nick's Local Eats also came out for the festivities and joined us to talk about his BBQ exploration.

TFP BBQ Ep. 83 - Brett's Backyard Barbeque

Brett Mckenzie Boren was bitten by the BBQ bug at an early, starting with the competition barbecue world. After years of competing in cookoffs and winning multiple awards, Brett began to contemplate a retail business. After building up his profile with a series of successful pop-ups and many large catering jobs, long-term plans for a permanent spot began to take shape.

 

After searching for the right spot for a while, Brett found a location in the small town of Rockdale, Texas that would allow him to put down roots. Brett began the build out of his spot and opened with a bang at the end of October, 2018 serving BBQ staples and specials cooked well on his custom made Moberg pits.

 

Brett's Backyard Bar-B-Que has been a welcome addition to the town of Rockdale and the Texas barbecue landscape as a whole, and the future is bright for Brett. Get out to his place and also check out Brett's food at the upcoming Houston vs Austin BBQ Throwdown taking place December 9th at Friends and Allies Brewing in Austin, Texas.

Catch BBQ Brett and Brett's Backyard Barbeque at:

449 W. Cameron Ave.

Rockdale, Texas

 

(512) 688-7889

 

Hours: 

Thurs - Sat 10:30am - 7 (or sell out)

Sun - 10:30am - 3 (or sell out)

https://www.facebook.com/Brettsbackyardbarbque/

https://twitter.com/bbqbrett

https://www.instagram.com/brettsbackyardbbq/

 

TFP BBQ History Ep. 82 - Roland Lindsey

We've had the privilege to talk to many great people in the BBQ world, but the opportunity to talk to true BBQ trailblazers is rare. Roland Lindsey is one of those pioneers of Texas barbecue. A few months prior to his passing we were fortunate to be able to spend an afternoon with Roland at his original Bodacious Bar-B-Q location in Longview, opened in 1968.

In this episode you'll hear about Roland's early days cooking at his dad's cafe in Duncanville, Texas as well as his cooking methods and the origins of the Bodacious Bar-B-Q restaurants. We also spoke with Roland about his relationship with Bewley pits and his understanding of pit technology which, like many things in Roland's career, was far ahead of its time. 

Roland was a true pioneer of so much and his influence in east and northeast Texas barbecue is undeniable. More important than his BBQ legacy is the impact Roland had on his friends, family, and community. His kindness and spirit was unmatched and his memory lives on in the countless lives he touched.

 

TFP BBQ Ep. 81 - Holiday BBQ chat

In the midst of another BBQ road trip we recorded an episode to help our fellow BBQ 
friends with a bit of a Texas BBQ holiday guide. 

In the episode we go over some great options to take out of town friends and family for 
the holidays, including different options based on your crowd. We've got some BBQ 
travel and cooking plans we also discuss. And be on the lookout for some Black Friday 
giveaways from us!

We'll be putting together another listener questions episode in the near future, so get 
those questions in either via DM or email!

Twitter: @bbqpodcast
Instagram: @talesfromthepits
Email: talesfromthepits@gmail.com

TFP BBQ Ep. 80 - Eric Sandler

For Andrew's 100th recorded visit to Roegels we join Eric Sandler in a discussion of Houston Barbecue.

CultureMap Houston Food Editor Eric Sandler has been plugged into the Houston dining scene for years, and his enthusiasm for barbecue rivals that of many of the BBQ hounds that travel Texas in search of great smoked meat. Being a born and raised Houstonian, Eric has had a firsthand glimpse at the changes in both Houston and across Texas over the years.

In our chat with Eric we talk about how he broke into the food writing scene, his childhood barbecue memories, and where he sees the Houston barbecue scene going over the next few years. Eric was kind enough to humor us with his patented lightning round questions that he asks his guests on his own podcast, "What's Eric Eating?" Give it a listen for Houston food news, including barbecue guests!

 

To stay in the know on breaking Houston restaurant (and BBQ) news, make sure you're following Eric's work on CultureMap and his social media profiles

Eric's articles on CultureMap: http://houston.culturemap.com/author/eric-sandler/articles/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/esandler

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericsandler/

"What's Eric Eating?" Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-eric-eating/id1231236807?mt=2