BBQ Titans Reveal When They Realized Barbecue Was Special

Revealing the Moment You Realized BBQ Was Special

This week’s guest article is written by Kevin Kelly, founder of the BBQ podcast and website Kevin’s BBQ Joints. Kevin has interviewed hundreds of pitmasters and influencers in the BBQ world. You can check out those interviews in either podcast or YouTube form. In the article below, Kevin shares some insights on when many top names in the barbecue business first realized BBQ was special.

Barbecue is special. Many people in the BBQ world know and understand this. But if you didn’t grow up in a barbecue family — one that has passed down a BBQ joint or various traditions — oftentimes there was a “light bulb moment” when you realized that something different was happening in the barbecue world.

You came to the realization that barbecue wasn’t just about smoked meats or a glorious pit. You came to understand that it was a combination of things mixed together with some incredible kindred spirits that shared the same passion as you did. And as time went by, it became more about the people and less about the food.

I like to put together lists and what I hope can serve as resources for people. As I got deeper into this project of asking “When did you realize barbecue was special?” I began to recognize that it was more necessary than most lists I had worked on. The task became important to me.

For this project, I reached out to people from all walks of life in the barbecue community during a two-month period and received more than 130 responses. Some were short while others wrote at length describing their moment. (Read the entire story and responses here.)

Below is a small collection of examples of thoughtful responses, of which some have been edited down. As you read through them, I think you’ll find yourself mulling over where you first realized barbecue was special. Or if you never had the realization, maybe this will help jog your memory and help you forge a connection with others in the barbecue world.

Aaron Franklin (right) is one of the most influential BBQ personalities of our time. (Photo by Ryan Cooper)

Aaron Franklin – Franklin Barbecue – Austin, Texas 
“A handful of years before we opened the BBQ trailer, I would travel to Lockhart and Luling and Taylor with my buddy Big Jeff. He introduced me to that traditional Central Texas barbecue scene. I loved the aesthetic of everything. Smitty’s fire on the floor. The smokey room where you ordered your meat at Luling City Market. Hot Guts. The photos from Wyatt McSpadden — like the one of Louie Mueller’s Barbecue — a bottle of toothpicks sitting on a table. I always had a fondness for BBQ, ever since I was a youngster at my parents’ small BBQ joint in [Bryan-College Station].”

Ashley Arellano (left) is co-owner of the popular Texas BBQ joint Pitforks and Smokerings BBQ. (Photo via Pitforks and Smokerings BBQ / Facebook)

Ashley Arellano – Pitforks and Smokerings BBQ – Slaton, Texas 
“It wasn’t one person or one place. We went to Brett's Backyard Bar-B-Que for his 3-year anniversary. We didn’t cook, so we got to go around and taste the food. Everything was so out of the box and so inspiring. It made me want to experiment with different ingredients and foods. Two people that have really helped me, and made an impact on me, are Kristen Rossler and Kimmy Bingham. The amount of help they have offered me and their support is unreal.”

Jim Auchmutey is an acclaimed writer and barbecue book author. (Photo by Reid Laurens)

Jim Auchmutey – Author of Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America
“My earliest food memory that doesn’t involve flinging Gerber mush at a wall concerns barbecue. When I was about five, my mother would pack her four children into the family’s green ’53 Chevy and go to Lefty’s, a barbecue drive-in on Candler Road at the Atlanta city limits. We’d order curb service and wait on our pork sandwiches for what seemed like forever, getting hungrier and hungrier as we smelled the hickory smoke drifting out of the chimney. It was the first time I was aware of my mouth watering and my stomach growling.”

Jill Grobowsky Bergus is the owner of well-known BBQ destination Lockhart Smokehouse in Texas.

Jill Grobowsky Bergus – Lockhart Smokehouse – Dallas/Plano/Arlington
“I remember blinking back the sunlight when I walked into the restaurant and my eyes adjusting to the smoke-cured hallway. Meat smells filled the air and as we approached the meat counter and a huge, blazing fire. These are my earliest memories of Kreuz Market in Lockhart along with the steak knives chained to the long tables that line the walls.”

Ardie Davis, a BBQ Hall of Famer, holds an important place in BBQ history. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)

Ardie Davis – Author and founder of the American Royal BBQ Sauce, Rub, and Baste Contest
“Since barbecue is integral to the Oklahoma culture I grew up in, it was something I took for granted as a special, essential part of life. Years later, after moving from New York City to Kansas City, I realized “something unique was going on here” with barbecue after reading Calvin Trillin’s praise of Arthur Bryant’s in his book, American Fried, enjoying free brisket “burned edges” with a beef sandwich, fries, and a frosty mug of beer at Bryant’s with friends visiting from New York, and later meeting Mr. Bryant. Meeting Bryant was a memorable experience, which then followed by starting a national barbecue sauce contest in our backyard patio, becoming a charter member of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, and meeting so many good people who share a passion for barbecue excellence.”

Ken Goodman has shot photographs for many of the top BBQ books published in the past 10 years. (Photo via Kevin’s BBQ Joints / YouTube)

Ken Goodman – Ken Goodman Photography
“It was 1993, and I visited my friend Andy Husbands in Cambridge, Mass. He was the chef at a BBQ restaurant owned by Chris Schlesinger called East Coast Grill and he was hoping I’d become his sous chef. That night Andy served me a three-meat platter of brisket, ribs, and pulled pork with cornbread, coleslaw, and watermelon. This towering, mouthwatering gesture was my introduction to authentic BBQ, and needless to say, I took the job. Never has a plate of food (before then or since) had such a profound impact on my life’s trajectory."

Michael Keskin (right) shared a story about a trip he took as a child where he tried BBQ from a street pop-up. (Photo via Bark City BBQ / Instagram)

Michael Keskin – Bark City BBQ – Portland, Oregon
“My dad took me to a BBQ spot in downtown Washington D.C. when I was a kid. It was an amazing experience! The BBQ smoker was on the street, and it was delicious. My dad ordered for me. It was white bread, with smothered wet ribs and another slice of bread on top. I will always remember sopping up the sauce on the bread and eating the delicious ribs! My menu has my version of it called “DC Streets.” I have no idea the name of this BBQ spot.”

Kelly Yandell (right) has been a notable writer and photographer in the BBQ scene for years. (Photo by Daniel Garcia)

Kelly Yandell – Kelly Yandell Photography / Bandana Cafe
“The most important BBQ moment … was opening the door at Callaway’s BBQ in downtown Wichita Falls when I was young. I’d open the door and get hit with a blast of the best scents in the world right there on the street. As I walked down the line on the left side of the narrow lunchroom, my mouth would start watering and Mr. Callaway would be at the block taking orders and chopping meat for sandwiches. That sound, the chopping of brisket, is still one of my favorite sounds in the world. And he’d greet us by our names, my brother and myself like we mattered, though we were just kids. And that mattered to me. I remember my order. I loved the two-meat plate with turkey and sausage, mustard potato salad, and barbecue beans. Always Buttered Texas Toast. I’d give the world for one more meal there with my family. Those smells and sounds and that narrow downtown lunch staple … are probably the memories that crystallized my love of Texas Barbecue and my confidence, which lasts to this day, that BBQ people are the nicest and hardest working people in Texas.”

Robin Wong (left), co-owner of Blood Bros. BBQ in the Houston area, spoke about realizing the BBQ was special. (Photo by Wai Chan)

Robin Wong – Blood Bros. BBQ – Bellaire, Texas
“I don’t think you can say that there was a specific bite or person that made me realize something special was going on in the barbecue world. I believe it was the whole movement that really opened my eyes. We would meet people that would drive hours just to come to try our food. Then at Houston BBQ Fest, seeing the crowds and people coming from all over the U.S. It was special. I remember trying Wayne Mueller’s brisket at Houston BBQ Fest one year and thinking, “Man, we got a ways to go.” It was perfect. Also, I’ve had the chance to spend a good amount of time with Rodney Scott. His whole hog at the second Southern Smoke blew my mind. Rodney winning a James Beard Award was a game-changer for me. It made me think that BBQ finally got respect in the culinary world.”

Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn shared some thoughts about his first big BBQ trip. (Photo by Ryan Cooper)

Daniel Vaughn – Texas Monthly BBQ Editor
“It was Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor. I went on a Central Texas road trip with a friend. We started on a Friday night with a couple of decent places and then we started Saturday morning. Our first stop was Louie Mueller and we were sitting on opposite sides of the table sharing a tray of barbecue, and I didn’t even really know back then that they were famous for the beef rib, so I don’t even think we got one. I think we got a pork rib, a link of sausage, and a slice of brisket because we had six places that we were going to go to that day and several the next day as well. We just took a bite of that and [we] were like ‘Oh wow, this is what everybody’s been talking about.’ This is now a different kind of food. We were using Texas Monthly as our guide, I wasn’t working for them at all, and I realized this is why they are putting these places on the list. They really were that much different and that much better than anything at the time we had in Dallas. That road trip was in 2006 and yeah, it was really that morning that Louie Mueller. Afterward, we kept getting hit after hit after hit. There was Kreuz Market, Smitty’s, and Black’s”.

–

I hope this collection inspires you and helps you figure out your own BBQ memory or moment. Thank you to all those who made this “special” list possible.

Kevin Kelly
Founder, Kevin’s BBQ Joints

Thanks to our sponsor DennyMike's! Use the code BBQTOURIST10 to save 10% off your order on these great seasonings. Learn more about DennyMike's.

Sean Leschber’s team Williamson County Go Texan was awarded Grand Champion of the 2022 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest. (Photo via Facebook)—

HOT OFF THE PRESS

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2022 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, one of barbecue’s biggest competitions, took place over the past weekend. The Grand Champion award went to Williamson County Go Texan, a 10-member team out of Taylor, Texas led by pitmaster Sean Leschber. The small-town team was awarded the top spot out of a field of more than 250 teams. Leschber called the experience “a memory that will last forever.” Teams competed in chicken, ribs, brisket, dessert, and an Open Contest that allowed cooks to show off their cooking skills beyond smoking meat. READ MORE.

A number of pitmasters from the barbecue community were honored as semifinalists for the prestigious 2022 James Beard Awards last week. Horn Barbecue in Oakland was nominated for Best New Restaurant. Quy Hoang of Blood Bros. BBQ in Houston; Damien Brockway of Distant Relatives in Austin; Esaul Ramos of 2M Smokehouse in San Antonio; and Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland of Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin were semifinalists in the Best Chef category in the Texas region. Matt Hill of Ruthie’s All-Day in the D.C. area was nominated for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 13, 2022, in Chicago. READ MORE.

The first-ever Carolina BBQ Festival will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 22nd, with some of the biggest names in Carolina barbecue. The event is the creation of Lewis Donald of Sweet Lew’s BBQ in Charlotte and will celebrate three regional styles of Carolina barbecue. The one-day event will include legendary barbecue from Bryan Furman, Buxton Hall’s Elliott Moss, Jon G’s Garren Kirkman, Lexington Barbecue’s Nathan Monk, Southern Smoke BBQ’s Matthew Register, Tay Nelson of Bobby’s Barbecue, and more. Tickets are $75 for general admission and $150 for VIP admission, with proceeds going to Proceeds Piedmont Culinary Guild, World Central Kitchen, and Operation Barbecue Relief. READ MORE.

Popular Staten Island, New York BBQ joint Juicy Lucy BBQ announced a unique partnership this week, where it will open a new BBQ-and-pizza joint with famed pizzeria Di Fara Pizza. “Di Fara’s got the best pizza in the country, maybe even the world, and [we’re] a two-time Brisket King champion. I mean, what more would you want?” Juicy Lucy BBQ owner Richie Holmes said. “Other than Billy Durney locally, I don’t think anybody can do brisket better than we can. I don’t mean to sound like a big-headed guy. And Di Fara stands alone. I can’t wait to do combinations with them.” READ MORE.
 

ADDITIONAL READS

Houston Chronicle’s Greg Morago wrote about why Houston Rodeo’s BBQ competition has more in common with ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ than it does with backyard smoking.

Despite COVID, rising meat prices, and a nearby explosion, Virgie’s BBQ is getting back to normal.

After being shut down for months due to a fire, Heim Barbecue in Dallas has finally reopened.

Popular Charleston, S.C. restaurant Lewis Barbecue will open a Greenville location this summer.

Mighty Quinn’s BBQ opened its first Queens NYC location in Forest Hills last Friday.

The folks from Backyard Pitmasters are taking their BrisketU Texas Barbecue Classes on the road to Nashville.

Tickets to the 2022 Pinehurst Barbecue Festival are now available.

Smiley’s BBQ in Lexington, North Carolina closed its doors for good last weekend due to a Department of Transportation plan to widen Winston Road.

AZ Barbeque Company is putting Arizona on the BBQ map.

Sofia Levin writes about how Houston’s Barbecue is arguably the most authentic American barbecue in Australia.

Southside Market’s Taste of Texas BBQ is now shipping nationwide. Place your order now.

—On the latest episode of Hot Ones on YouTube, Dave Grohl talks about his love for barbecue while eating spicy wings.—

WATCH

Dave Grohl Makes a New Friend While Eating Spicy Wings — Hot Ones

Dave Grohl is a 16-time Grammy Award-winning artist who has been inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame on two different occasions. He’s also a fanatical barbecue enthusiast and expert pitmaster. On this episode of Hot Ones, Grohl shares his love of barbecue and discusses the key to a good rub for smoked meat – “simplicity.” He also talks about the similarities between pitmasters and drummers, discusses two very different types of barbecue chefs, and shares which of the hot sauces he would eat with brisket.  WATCH HERE.
 

LISTEN

Amy Mills talks BBQ Business and the Legacy of Mr. Mike — The BBQ Beat Podcast

In this episode of The BBQ Beat Podcast, host Kevin Sandridge talks with Amy Mills of 17th Street BBQ. They discuss the history of one of the most iconic BBQ brands (and families) in the world. Amy shares what lies ahead for both the restaurant and their BBQ hospitality consulting business, OnCue Consulting. LISTEN HERE.

READ

Weber's Smoke: A Guide to Smoke Cooking for Everyone and Any Grill — Jamie Purviance

If you can grill, you can smoke! Now you can add smoke flavor to almost any food on any grill. Weber's Smoke shows you how and inspires you with recipes that range from the classic (Best-on-the-Block Baby Back Ribs) to the ambitious (Smoked Duck and Cherry Sausages). And best of all, many of the recipes let you achieve mouthwatering smoke flavor in a matter of minutes not hours. ORDER HERE.

—Malcom Reed shares a taste of New Orleans with this recipe for Mardi Gras Shrimp cooked on a pellet grill.—

Mardi Gras Shrimp

By How to BBQ Right

With Mardi Gras happening this week, it’s the perfect time to showcase this Mardi Gras Shrimp recipe from Malcom Reed of How to BBQ Right. For this recipe, Malcom uses a pellet grill in order to cook a heavy, tangy seafood sauce that pairs well with shrimp. This one is unique in that you use the smoke from the pellet grill to give a smokier flavor to the sauce and the shrimp. Oh, and it even uses a little BBQ sauce and rub in the recipe too! After it’s cooked, you serve it with fresh French bread that can soak up the sauce and flavors.

Learn more about Southside Market Barbeque.

—A lot of big barbecue events are planned for 2022. Let's go!—

March 12, 2022: Tex Mex BBQ Festival — San Antonio, Texas
This fun event, masterminded by Miguel Vidal of Valentina’s Tex-Mex in Austin, will be full of food, education, and entertainment. The food will be executed by some of the most talented pitmasters, chefs, and cooks coming in from all over the nation, including Panther City BBQ, 2M Smokehouse, Burnt Bean BBQ, and Sugarfire Smokehouse. Mark your calendar for an amazing experience. MORE INFO HERE.

March 25-26, 2022: American Royal Backyard BBQ & Steak Contest — Kansas City, Missouri
The relatively new National Steak Championships from KCBS will have one of its biggest events thus far during the 2nd American Royal Backyard BBQ & Steak contest. It will be hosted at the American Royal Complex in the West Bottoms. Registration for the event closes March 16th. MORE INFO HERE.

March 26-27, 2022: Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival (Melbourne edition) — Melbourne, Australia
Meatstock will feature a stacked line-up of barbecue enthusiasts and bands. The two-day event brings American pitmasters Down Under; sees BBQ teams go head-to-head over the coals to be crowned the city’s best barbequers; and features live music, food trucks, and pop-up bars. Additionally, American BBQ joints such as Louie Muller BBQ and Blue Oak BBQ are scheduled to be there as well. MORE INFO HERE.

April 3, 2022: Houston Barbecue Festival — Houston, Texas
Houston's largest barbecue festival will return after a two-year hiatus to the Humble Civic Center Arena Complex. It will feature many of the best barbecue joints in Houston and the surrounding area, including 1701 Barbecue, Blood Bros BBQ, Brett's BBQ Shop, Burns Original BBQ, CorkScrew BBQ, Daddy Duncan's BBQ, Dozier's BBQ, Burro & Bull, Feges BBQ, Gatlin's BBQ, Harlem Road Texas BBQ, J-Bar-M Barbecue, JQ's Tex Mex BBQ, Khoi Barbecue, Killen's Barbecue, Pinkerton's Barbecue,Roegels Barbecue Co, Tejas Chocolate & BBQ, and Truth BBQ. MORE INFO HERE.

April 20, 2022: Brisket King NYC — Brooklyn, New York
If you love brisket (and if you're reading this you probably do), you won’t want to miss Brisket King NYC 2021 in Brooklyn. The event will be held at the huge outdoor space at Pig Beach NYC in Brooklyn. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their takes on brisket and pastrami. MORE INFO HERE.

May 6-8, 2022: Kansas City BBQ Festival — Kansas City, Missouri
The second year of the “KCQ,” a non-competition barbecue event that celebrates barbecue from Kansas City and many other barbecue towns. It will take place in the parking lot of Arrowhead Stadium and feature barbecue from KC-based mainstays and out-of-towners. Last year’s event featured ‘cue from Joe’s Kansas City, Jones Bar-B-Q, Plowboys BBQ, 2M Smokehouse, Black’s BBQ, Central City BBQ, and Sugarfire Smokehouse, so expect great joints to be involved in 2022. MORE INFO HERE.

May 11-14, 2022: Memphis in May — Memphis, Tennessee
The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition held in Memphis, TN. Teams representing the best of barbecue that have been honing their craft for years compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $140,000 in prize money. The Contest features championship pork categories of Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as the ancillary competitions of Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.” The 2022 competition will be held in the Memphis Fairgrounds due to construction at its normal home at Tom Lee Park. MORE INFO HERE.

May 22, 2022: Carolina BBQ Festival — Charlotte, North Carolina
The first-ever Carolina BBQ Festival will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, with some of the biggest names in Carolina barbecue. The event is the creation of Lewis Donald of Sweet Lew’s BBQ in Charlotte and will celebrate three regional styles of Carolina barbecue. The one-day event will include legendary barbecue from Bryan Furman, Buxton Hall’s Elliott Moss, Jon G’s Garren Kirkman, Lexington Barbecue’s Nathan Monk, Southern Smoke BBQ’s Matthew Register, Tay Nelson of Bobby’s Barbecue, and more.. MORE INFO HERE.

June 10-11, 2022: Made for KC BBQ Championship — Kansas City, Missouri
Pitmasters in the Kansas City area are invited to compete in the first annual “Made for KC BBQ Championship,” with a chance to win a combined prize purse totaling $46,000. The Grand Champion will be showcased in a competition BBQ-themed restaurant in the new terminal at the Kansas City International Airport. The Outstanding Hospitality Management Group is partnering with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) and Old World Spices & Seasonings to hold the event on June 10-11, 2022 at Worth Harley-Davidson. MORE INFO HERE.

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