The Story Behind Nebraska's Emerging BBQ Scene

Plus, results from The Jack, a sweet and spicy Jalapeño-glazed chicken recipe, upcoming events, and much more.

When I first moved to Omaha, Nebraska 15 years ago, the barbecue scene in the Cornhusker State left something to be desired. This always surprised me given the fact that my hometown of Kansas City, one of America’s best-known spots for barbecue, is located just three hours south of Omaha on I-29. While Omaha’s culinary scene is much better than many Midwestern cities of similar size, it has always been better known for steak than for barbecue.

However, in recent years, things have really started looking up for barbecue fans. Really good and dare I say even truly great barbecue restaurants have started opening up in Omaha and Lincoln. The barbecue scene in Nebraska has grown substantially since 2019, when Omaha food blogger and podcaster Dan Hoppen wrote an article in The Smoke Sheet on where to find surprisingly good barbecue in Nebraska. Let’s dig into the stories behind some of the best places for Nebraska BBQ.

Porky Butts BBQ is one of the most popular restaurants in Omaha. (Photo by Wai Chan)

Growing up in South Texas with a father who cooked barbecue and built pits, pitmaster Blane Hunter grew up with a passion for cooking and went on to attend culinary school and pursue a career in the food industry. After finding success at the highest levels in the world of competition barbecue, winning dozens of awards and championships (including winning KCBS Team of the Year in 2016 and becoming Grand Champion at the American Royal Open Competition in 2017), Hunter followed his dream of owning a restaurant and opened Porky Butts BBQ in 2019. The restaurant has grown to become one of the city’s most popular and successful restaurants. Hunter has also built a successful catering operation and continues to be involved in the competition circuit.