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

After deciding to move to Texas, Phillip and Yvette Helberg began looking for a large spread of land where they could live and farm the land. They found a perfect spot outside of Waco to put down roots, and began to make plans for the next phase of Helberg Barbecue.

They source responsibly raised meats and plan to use as much product grown on their land as possible for their menu. With unique items like Filipino seasoned pork and homemade Zwieback rolls stuffed with smoked meats, Helberg offers something different from the average menu.

After purchasing an old trailer and renovating it, they found a spot to set up shop and serve their barbecue. Open Thursday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch at Pinewood Coffee Bar, Helberg Barbecue is a new addition to the growing Waco barbecue scene.

Catch Helberg Barbecue at:
https://www.helbergbarbecue.com/
https://twitter.com/HelbergRanch
Intagram: HelbergBarbecue

2223 Austin Ave, Waco, TX

Open Thurs-Sat 7-10:30 for breakfast

11-sold out for lunch

 

Phillip and Yvette Helberg met on a cruise ship where he was an employee and she was a guest. The love affair started soon after and Phillip, a native Texan who moved to California to be with Yvette, became interested in cooking. His attention turned quickly to smoked meat following a trip to Texas where he and Yvette had some of John Mueller's barbecue.

 

They purchased a small retail pit and began experimenting. After a lot of backyard cooks for friends and family, Phillip and Yvette began to think this could become a profession. They started an event planning company which included catering, but soon found the catering portion of their business becoming increasingly popular.

 

All this time as the business was growing, Phillip missed his home state of Texas. Together they decided to take the plunge and make the move from California to Texas and launched Helberg Barbecue in Waco in the spring of 2018.

 

Catch Helberg Barbecue at:

https://www.helbergbarbecue.com/

https://twitter.com/HelbergRanch

Intagram: HelbergBarbecue

 

2223 Austin Ave, Waco, TX

 

Open Thurs-Sat 7-10:30 for breakfast

 

11-sold out for lunch.

We've reached the one year mark of the show, and could not be more excited for how the first year has gone and for all of the things lined up for year two. We reflect back on some of the highlights of the last year in this episode and talk about all of the great people in and around the BBQ world that we've been fortunate to meet through the show.

 

The most important part of the episode, however, is a bit of news surrounding a tragic event in the state of Texas. Following the horrific school shooting at Santa Fe High School, we were asked by Doug Shultz, a friend of ours and fellow barbecue fan, to help organize what we at first thought would be a small barbecue fundraiser to help the victims' families.

 

The event, much to our shock, has turned into a massive benefit complete with some of our great friends in the barbecue world and in the Houston area helping us cook and serve the food as well as donating some wonderful prizes that will be raffled and auctioned off to raise money for the Santa Fe Strong Memorial Fund.

 

Advantage BMW/Mini has generously offered to host and facilitate much of the event. We have been fortunate to have been offered assistance from Roegels Barbecue Co, Pappa Charlies Barbeque, Buck's Barbeque Co., Brett's BBQ, and Bourbon Legends BBQ. Incredible meat donations have been provided by Ruffino Meats and Doreck's Meat Market. Every dollar from the food, raffle, and auctions will be donated to the Santa Fe Strong Memorial Fund.

 

Event Details:

 

• Santa Fe Strong BBQ Fundraiser
• Where: Advantage BMW, 400 Gulf Fwy S., League City, TX
• When: Saturday, June 2nd, noon-4 PM
• Food: Two meat with two sides plates available with $10 donation

 

Raffle prizes include autographed Houston Texans memorabilia, chartered fishing trips, BBQ gift cards from Opie's BBQ, Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue, John Mueller Black Box BBQ, Buck's Barbeque Co., Grizzly coolers, Hopper Moonwalks, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Astros tickets, and much more.

 

We hope all can attend and help us raise a lot of money for this fund. If you are unable to attend but would like to donate, please go to texasfirstbank.com and donate directly.

Listen in to part two as Will and Nichole Buckman buy their first Oyler and discuss their move to their new location in Old Town Spring, Tx.
We also talk about their consistency, selection of meat sources, and their obsession with order accuracy.

Be sure to check out Corkscrew BBQ, one of the Texas Monthly Top 10 BBQ Joints, and order the cobbler!

www.Corkscrewbbq.com

26608 Keith Street, 77373

Spring, Texas

Open Tuesday-Saturday 11am- Sold Out

Twitter @corkscrewbbq

Instagram corkscrewbbq

 

 

Corkscrew BBQ Interview Part 1

Will and Nichole Buckman had just started a family when they decided to transition
from running a small barbecue catering business out of their home to a full fledged
business. It was a big leap of faith with two young babies at home, but the risk paid
off. Corkscrew BBQ began operating their food trailer in 2011 in Spring, Texas (just
outside of Houston) and soon began receiving acclaim.

Though both had worked in barbecue restaurants as teenagers, Will and Nichole did not do
much market research before they began cooking and selling their barbecue, which helped
give Corkscrew its unique flavors and style that set it apart from other restaurants.
Alison Cook from the Houston Chronicle took notice of Corkscrew BBQ early on and wrote a
positive review which brought them an immediate rush of new customers.

Over the next several years the Buckmans continued to perfect their craft and in 2013
made the Texas Monthly's coveted Top 50 BBQ List. The accolades continued to roll in and
Corkscrew developed a loyal and large fan base, leading to stout lines and daily
sell-outs of their product. In the summer of 2015 a building became available in the Old
Town Spring area and the Buckmans were ready. Within a few short months they renovated
the building and opened Corkscrew BBQ as a brick and mortar in October 2015.

Having transitioned to an Oyler pit during the trailer days, Corkscrew added another
Oyler to increase capacity for the restaurant. Cooking on two Oyler pits gives Will
Buckman the opportunity to put out a stellar, consistent product while still getting a
little more sleep than an offset would allow.

In the spring of 2017 Corkscrew BBQ once again made the Texas Monthly Top 50 list, this
time being placed in the top tier of barbecue in the state as the no. 7 rated joint.
Business continues to boom these days for these two hard working, family oriented
business owners. Both Will and Nichole remain dedicated to running Corkscrew full time -
the restaurant has never been open without one of them there - while also making time for
their family.

With the Buckman's commitment to serving only high quality, premium meats and
ingredients, Corkscrew BBQ stands out with top notch prime all natural brisket, Duroc
ribs, homemade cobbler and sides, and non-traditional barbecue items like tacos with
homemade green chile ranch. Corkscrew BBQ is a shining example of how great barbecue can
be when quality and customer service are held to the highest standard.

 

www.Corkscrewbbq.com

26608 Keith Street, 77373

Spring, Texas

Open Tuesday-Saturday 11am- Sold Out

Twitter @corkscrewbbq

Instagram corkscrewbbq

 

We love meeting up with fellow barbecue fans to eat and talk 'cue, and there's no better place for that than the tailgate atmosphere that is the Franklin Barbecue line. When we decided to make our yearly pilgrimage to Franklin, we asked if any friends and listeners to the show would like to join us.

 

A crew of nine of us arrived early on a Friday morning to wait our turn for some of the famed smoked meats from Franklin Barbecue. From Houston to San Antonio to Austin, we convened from different parts of the state to talk barbecue and decided to turn on the microphones!

 

Some of the topics we discuss include our first eye opening barbecue experiences, which one barbecue joint each of us would want to bring on a deserted island, and what joints we're looking forward to going to next. This episode includes tons of shoutouts including Feges BBQ, Zavala's Barbecue, LeRoy and Lewis, Louie Mueller BBQ, and many more.

 

Joined by our friends Justin Catrett, Taylor and Terry Osborn, Cory Gregg, Spencer Hoffman and others, we had a blast talking barbecue and then of course eating copious amounts of meat once we got to the ordering counter. Many of our group of course couldn't stop there and ended up at various places such as Terry Black's, LeRoy and Lewis, and Truth Barbeque.

 

From a semi serious discussion of great barbecue to building a life raft out of Truth cakes, listen in and join us out on the trail sometime!

 

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review us on your preferred listening app. Tell a friend and help us grow!

Twitter: @bbqpodcast

Instagram: TalesFromthePits

The history of barbecue in the state of Texas cannot be confined to one story, one influence, or even one method of cooking. In a state this size with so much history, barbecue styles vary based on different influences throughout the regions of the state.

Low and slow or hot and fast? Pork or beef? sauced or dry? Oak or mesquite? We wanted to explore where the primary origins of Texas Barbecue came from and how Texas has not one, but multiple signature styles of barbecue

We are documenting Texas' barbecue history in a series of episodes where we will discuss our research and interview people from different regions to help provide a unique insight into what made Texas barbecue what it was and what it is today.

We will concentrate our efforts into four primary styles with unique traditions. Here's a quick overview:

• East Texas draws much of its barbecue roots from slavery in the 19th century which resulted in a heavy southern barbecue influence. Pork is prevalent in this region and saucing of meat is a common occurrence.
• South Texas to this day maintains a rich barbecue tradition of barbacoa due to its proximity to Mexico and large Mexican American population.
• Central Texas barbecue draws from its Czech and German immigration with sausages made from meat trimmings and simply seasoned meats. Meat Markets sold barbecue from the counter and patrons grabbed items like pickles and bread off the store shelves, leaving unused condiments to be shared.
• West Texas barbecue origins go back to cattle trails and live fire cooking. Mesquite is the prominent wood type and logs are burned to coals with meats cooked over direct heat to give a distinct grilled flavor.

Listen in to this episode as we get prepared to dive headfirst into this project!

Note that we will continue our more standard episodes in between as the interviews and locations will take some time to cover. These will be marked with BBQ History in the title.

Please remember to subscribe to us in your favorite podcast app!
Catch us on twitter @BBQPodcast and on instagram at TalesFromthePits

The conclusion of our interview with Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ

Leaving Killen's BBQ and joining the staff at Southern Goods afforded Patrick Feges the chance to continue composing smoked meat dishes in non-traditional ways, and also made it possible for Patrick to cook whole hogs more often. Whole hog cooking had become a passion for Patrick, and his reputation as a talented hog cooker was growing in Houston.

While Patrick was furthering his career in preparation for owning his own business, so was his wife and eventual business partner, Erin Feges. Erin's resume included stints at fine dining restaurants in New York as well as running the kitchens at Plonk Wine Bistro and Main Kitchen at the Marriott in Houston. Erin's experience developing menus for Blacksmith Coffee and Anvil Bar along with a position at Camerata Wine Bar made her one of Houston's most well-rounded and versatile chefs.

 

After years of searching for the right spot and right opportunity to utilize their diverse skill sets, Erin and Patrick were given an opportunity to open a Feges BBQ outpost in the food court at Greenway Plaza. With an expansive and creative menu of smoked meats and sides, Feges BBQ has been an immediate hit amongst its early diners. While plans are still in place for a more traditional restaurant brick-and-mortar, the Greenway Plaza set-up provides these two talented chefs with the opportunity to build an audience and make their mark on the barbecue scene.

 

Be sure to follow Tales From the Pits on Twitter @BBQPodcast and Instagram @ Talesfromthepits

 

 

Feges BBQ

WWW.fegesbbq.com

Twitter: fegesbbq

 

Location:

3 Greenway Plaza Ste C210
Concourse Level – The Hub
Houston, TX 77046

Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm

If you've never been to 3 Greenway plaza, here is a video on how to park: https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/984784762861744128

Join us for part two of our interview with Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ. 

 

After receiving his medical discharge from the Army and completing culinary school, Patrick Feges embarked on his cooking career. Following a brief stint manning a Mongolian grill, Patrick got an opportunity at one of Houston's longest established great restaurants, Brennan's. Working in a high volume fine dining restaurant was a vital step in Patrick's career, and when Underbelly opened Patrick saw another chance to become an even more versatile chef.

 

While at Underbelly, Patrick continued to hone his barbecue craft and began doing pop-ups at bars under the Feges BBQ name. The creative freedom given to the staff at Underbelly allowed Patrick to begin using non-traditional ingredients to start developing his own brand of barbecue. After a successful stint at Underbelly, Patrick was offered a position at acclaimed chef Ronnie Killen's new barbecue venture, Killen's BBQ.

 

Killen's BBQ was a high volume, high quality barbecue restaurant from the beginning and helped Patrick learn how to pace a line and process orders rapidly while cooking in large quantities daily. With one year running the block and managing the kitchen at Killen's BBQ under his belt, it was time for Patrick to take the next step in his career. An opportunity as a sous chef came about when fellow Underbelly alum Lyle Bento opened Southern Goods in The Heights. Patrick was given the chance to continue working towards opening his own barbecue restaurant while adding smoked elements to the Southern Goods menu.

 

 

We have told a lot of stories about people in the barbecue world and the different paths that have taken them to a career in smoked meats. While we have respected all of these stories, we are honored and very humbled to have Patrick Feges tell his story on our show.

 

After joining the Army after high school, Patrick was deployed to South Korea and later to Iraq right in the thick of the war in 2004. It was in Iraq that Patrick was struck by a mortar and gravely injured. Through a series of incredible circumstances Patrick survived his injuries. With his combat days over, Patrick continued to serve while awaiting medical discharge. During this time he was given a Brinkman pit from a fellow serviceman, which started him on his path to barbecue which included some incredible detours at some of the best restaurants in Houston such as Brennan's, Underbelly, Killen's Barbecue, and Southern Goods.

 

Tune in to this episode to hear Patrick's incredible story of survival and be sure to subscribe to the show as we will post additional episodes with Patrick that delve into his extensive career in the culinary world and the opening of Erin and Patrick Feges' first barbecue restaurant, Feges BBQ. Erin's incredible resume as a chef working for some of the top chefs in the country as well as running the kitchens for Plonk Bistro, Marriott's Main Kitchen and developing menus for the Clumsy Butcher Group paired with Patrick's smoked meat prowess and culinary background make Feges BBQ one of the most unique and creative barbecue menus around.

 

Feges BBQ

WWW.fegesbbq.com

Twitter: fegesbbq

 

Location:

3 Greenway Plaza Ste C210
Concourse Level – The Hub
Houston, TX 77046

Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm

If you've never been to 3 Greenway plaza, here is a video on how to park: https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/984784762861744128