Five BBQ photographers you need to know (plus top news & events)
In the barbecue world, photography matters a lot. Without the best barbecue photographers, it’s unlikely that the cuisine would be as popular as it is today. There’s something deeply primal and exciting about the perfect shot of a beef rib, a whole hog, or a crazy good platter. It pushes people to drive long distances to off-the-beaten-path places and to wait in lines for hours at a time.
The best barbecue photographers also capture the incredible people and places that make this culture special. Whether it’s portraits of pitmasters or smoldering pits or hundred-year-old restaurants, these amazing sights capture our imagination and pull us toward these places.
We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to spotlight a five of the top barbecue photographers that we’ve been inspired by and enjoy following. We hope you enjoy their work as much as we do.
Wyatt McSpadden
Wyatt McSpadden is a Texas-based photographer best known for barbecue photo books Texas BBQ and Texas BBQ: Small Town to Downtown. His first book (link below in our Watch, Listen, and Read section) helped capture the appeal of old-school barbecue joints and made them destinations. His newest book showed off what makes urban barbecue joints special in their own right as well. McSpadden also does various editorial, commercial, and advertising work.
Robert Jacob Lerma
The images shot by Robert Jacob Lerma are some of the most dramatic and easily-recognizable photos for fans of barbecue. Lerma grew up in California and first discovered his love for barbecue photography on a trip to Texas in 2005. He was bitten by the bug and relocated to Austin with his family in 2008 and continued traveling and telling stories about the barbecue community through his photos. Despite being one of the most well-known and prolific photographers in the industry, photography is a side project and he maintains a successful career in the healthcare industry as a hospital CEO.
Ken Goodman
Ken Goodman is a unique food photographer in that he actually worked 20 years in the restaurant industry and earned a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University before he shot food. He has photographed more than 30 cookbooks to date, including Cool Smoke (by Tuffy Stone), Praise the Lard (by Mike and Amy Mills), and the new book Smoked (by Ed Randolph).
Mark Dolan
Mark Dolan, also known as the BBQ Pilgrim, is a professor of photojournalism and new media at Southern Illinois University. At age 50, he left his job and sold his home in order to embark on a two-year cross-country adventure to photograph and share the stories of people in the barbecue community. He purchased a retired ambulance and decorated it with his BBQ Pilgrim logo and continues to travel and explore the barbecue world in his free time.
LeAnn Mueller
Last but certainly not least, LeAnn Mueller, owner of the popular La Barbecue in Austin, deserves a huge shoutout for being an all-around amazing photographer, shooting photographs around the country for Texas Monthly, Rolling Stone, and Vibe. Though she was born into the barbecue world, she has forged her own path with her successful photography career.
--
While these five are some of our favorites, they are far from the only photographers we love in the barbecue world. You should also check the work of Jimmy Ho, Allan Detrich, Daren Proctor, Ben Sassani, Anna Petrow, and Mike Lang.
Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know.
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ) and Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
Aaron Franklin, seen here with The Smoke Sheet’s Sean Ludwig, is arguably the most famous pitmaster in America and gives insights on this week’s National Podcast of Texas.
On this week’s National Podcast of Texas from Texas Monthly, celebrated Austin pitmaster Aaron Franklin discusses the first ten years of Franklin Barbecue, the psychology of expectations, and next week’s Hot Luck Fest in Austin.
With Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest kicking off this weekend, here are 10 things to do at the event including “sauce wrestling” and the “Kingsford Tour of Champions,” as selected by the Memphis Commercial Appeal. They also profiled a team that has competed in the contest for over 25 years.
The Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid says that pulled pork is no longer an afterthought at Texas barbecue joints. He says CorkScrew BBQ in the Houston area, for example, offers moist and smoky pork shoulder that’s shredded and combined with a slightly sweet vinegar-and-pepper sauce.
Popular Tennessee-based barbecue chain Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint has opened a beautiful new location in the Charleston area. Pitmaster Pat Martin and his whole hog operation started in Nolensville, Tennessee and now has 10 locations across the South.
Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn says the Rusty Buckle BBQ Company in the Houston area has great pork ribs, including “St. Louis pork ribs with thick-cut bacon.”
Chicago has an exciting new barbecue option with Flat & Point in Logan Square.
Banger’s Sausage House in Austin might be the only barbecue joint in Texas without any beef on the menu at all.
Houston’s Buck’s Barbeque Co. will be relocating to a brick-and-mortar operation in Galveston, according to Scott Sandlin of Houston Food Finder.
Hattie Marie’s Texas Style BBQ and Cajun Kitchen is the best barbecue in Atlanta, according to voters in a recent Atlanta Journal Constitution poll.
Hurtado Barbecue was recently announced to be the latest restaurant in Arlington’s Urban Union District. The location is planned to open this winter.
Brix Barbecue’s mobile “SmokeStream” truck will reopen in Fort Worth’s South Main Village this summer.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution recently profiled the forthcoming book Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America and its author Jim Auchmutey, who talks about his family’s rich history in the world of barbecue.
A new location of the popular New York-based barbecue chain Mighty Quinn’s will open later this year in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens.
If you’re in need of barbecue *and axe throwing*, look no further than “creative arts community” Sawyer Yards in the Houston area, which will soon have both.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Watch: Lewis Donald of Sweet Lew’s BBQ - Order/Fire
In Season 4, Episode 7 of Order/Fire, host Marc Jacksina sits down with Lewis Donald, owner and pitmaster of Sweet Lew’s BBQ in Charlotte, North Carolina. They talk about Donald’s story of growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, moving to California, Hawaii, and Tennessee as well as his background in the restaurant industry. He also discusses the recent opening of the restaurant and how barbecue gives him a sense of community. He also talks about his approach to barbecue, how he is building his brand, and his philosophy behind business. Watch it here.
Listen: Robert Jacob Lerma - I Crush Barbecue Show
In this podcast episode, Abe Delgado sits down with Robert Jacob Lerma, one of the top barbecue photographers in the country. Robert has traveled the world with legendary pitmasters and he has also visited the most obscure joints in small town America (and everything in between). Although he has an extremely busy schedule which requires a great deal of travel, photography (surprisingly!) is not his primary source of employment. Listen to the episode here.
Read: Texas BBQ - by Wyatt McSpadden
Ten years ago, photographer Wyatt McSpadden captured the hallowed barbecue joints of rural Texas in his first book Texas BBQ. Around that same time, barbecue was skyrocketing in popularity, thanks in part to younger urban pitmasters such as Aaron Franklin. The barbecue landscape has greatly changed since then, yet McSpadden’s photographs remain timeless. Traveling tens of thousands of miles, McSpadden crisscrossed the state to visit scores of barbecue purveyors, from fabled sites like Kreuz's in Lockhart to remote spots like the Lazy H Smokehouse in Kirbyville. Order it here.
May 15-18: Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest - Memphis, Tennessee
This huge, four-day competition is held in Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis. Nearly 250 teams travel from around the world to compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $115,000 in prize money. The Contest draws more than 75,000 attendees. More info here.
May 18: The Pints in the Park - Waco, Texas
The Pints in the Park happens along the riverfront at Waco's Brazos Park East and features an afternoon of 10 great Texas pitmasters (including big names like Evie Mae's Pit Barbecue and Bodacious Barbecue), craft breweries, backyard games, and live music from Austin’s Grammy-nominated bluegrass band Wood & Wire. More info here.
May 23: Jim Auchmutey Presents Smokelore, A Short History of Barbecue in America - Atlanta, Georgia
At this event at the Atlanta History Center, Jim Auchmutey follows the delicious and contentious history of barbecue in America from the ox roast that celebrated the groundbreaking for the U.S. Capitol building to the first barbecue launched into space almost 200 years later. The narrative covers the golden age of political barbecues, the evolution of the barbecue restaurant, the development of backyard cooking, and the recent rediscovery of traditional barbecue craft. More info here.
May 23-26: Hot Luck Festival - Austin, Texas
Created by Aaron Franklin, James Moody, and Mike Thelin, Hot Luck occurs every Memorial Day weekend in Austin and at pop-ups around the country. It features food, music, events, and more. The main event of Hot Luck is Al Fuego, a live-action, flame-fueled celebration of open-air cooking styles — from Texas to Thailand. They push the chefs to cook what they might prepare for friends in their own backyards. Aaron Franklin might even build them a specialty cooker. More info here.
May 24-26: 8th Annual BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay - North Bend, Oregon
The Mill’s BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay has grown into one of Oregon’s biggest barbecue events. Finger lickin’ good barbecue, hand-crafted beers, and smokin’ hot tunes are all part of the fun. Whether you’re a grill master or just love to eat great barbecue, this event at The Mill Casino might be for you. More info here.
May 30: Rib King NYC 2019 - Brooklyn, New York
Rib King NYC is the first barbecue event curated by Sean Ludwig of The Smoke Sheet and NYC BBQ. This all-you-can-eat-and-drink event in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and will be a celebration of pork, beef, and lamb ribs with more than 10 pitmasters and chefs from NYC. There will also be unlimited beer, cider, wine, and spirits. Both Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice trophies will be handed out. More info here.
May 30-June 3: Atlanta Food & Wine Festival - Atlanta, Georgia
The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is an entire weekend dedicated to Southern cuisine. From great down-home delicacies to the freshest fusion dishes, the most sought-after wines to hot new bar favorites, this festival aims to please even the most finicky foodie. Over the course of the weekend attendees have the chance to participate in exclusive wine and food tastings featuring more than 250 restaurants, artisans, chefs and producers. More than 90 classes are offered to educate and entertain guests as they explore regional flavors and traditions, including cooking classes. More info here.
June 8-9: Tony Stone BBQ Competition - Amsterdam, Netherlands
The eighth annual Tony Stone BBQ Competition takes place June 8-9 in Amsterdam. The competition was Europe’s first contest sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and a popular event for Americans to attend. The event is free and open to the public and will include a BBQ market, demonstrations, and activities for children. Competitive events include KCBS barbecue competition, Kids Q competitions, Steak Cookoff Association contest, and Tailgating competition. More info here.
June 14-15: The Great Eldorado BBQ, Blues & Brews Festival - Reno, Nevada
Fire up the grills, tap the kegs, and crank up the tunes for Reno’s best summer kick-off party. Join the fun at the Great Eldorado BBQ, Brews and Blues Festival, June 14 and 15. The event is equal parts barbeque block party, microbrew tasting event with more than 50 microbrews from around the world and music festival with two stages featuring nonstop rock and blues. More info here.
June 14-16: Denver BBQ Fest - Denver, Colorado
Get ready to go hog wild this Father’s Day weekend at the second annual Denver BBQ Festival. They will be bringing back may of the best pitmasters to serve the Q that made them famous. Even better, they’ve added a few new faces and expanded the menu way beyond the basics. There will also be live music and activities for the whole family. More info here.
June 16: Birthright BBQ Fest - Dallas, Texas
Dallas Heritage Village and Four Corners Brewing Co. invite you to celebrate Father’s Day at a barbecue event like no other. Smell and taste barbecue cooking over an open pit by pitmasters and chefs such as Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue, Todd David of Cattleack Barbecue, Evan Leroy of Leroy & Lewis, Erin Smith and Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ, Miguel and Modesty Vidal of Valentina’s Tex Mex, and special guest from North Carolina, Elliot Moss of Buxton Hall. Beer, barbecue and live music are all included in the price of admission. More info here.
June 22-23: The Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle - Washington, D.C.
This June, historic Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., will become the epicenter of barbecue perfection. The biggest part of the event is the Cooking Contest, which will feature big names like Myron Mixon, Tuffy Stone, and Moe Cason competing with teams from around the U.S. Also, lots of U.S. barbecue joints from will be there serving food and more than 30 bands will perform live on three stages. More info here.
Smoked Chuck Roast on the Weber Kettle
For this week’s recipe, we chose this recipe for Smoked Chuck Roast by the Cooking with Ry YouTube Channel. Smoked Chuck Roast can be a good alternative to brisket. Ry smokes the five-pound boneless chuck roast using hickory wood. Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, he wraps it in aluminum foil with some apple cider added in for moisture. View the recipe here.
If you’re not already subscribed to The Smoke Sheet, sign up here. Want to be featured in or sponsor this newsletter? Email us now!