Tales from the pits, a Texas BBQ podcast featuring trendsetters, leaders, and icons from the barbecue industry
208 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 156 ratingsA Texas BBQ podcast highlighting the food, personalities, and traditions of the Lone Star State's smoked meats.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
TFP BBQ Ep. 58 - Breaking BBQ News and upcoming openings
June 19, 2018 02:38 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBThis week we recap the biggest news and happenings around the world of barbecue, including a big pitmaster departures at Franklin Barbecue and La Barbecue. We also talk about the latest word on upcoming BBQ joints opening in the near future such as The Switch, Blood Bros., Micklethwait, and more. A quick word on our recent Doubleback BBQ pop up as well as a final thank you to everyone who helped make the Santa Fe High School benefit the success it was. Tune in every week to hear more ...
TFP BBQ Ep. 57 Flores Barbecue Interview
June 12, 2018 00:02 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBGrowing up close to Lockhart (the barbecue capitol of Texas) ignited the passion for smoking meat at an early age for Michael Wyont. Soon after attending culinary school, Michael decided to enter the barbecue world, working at Black's BBQ before deciding to strike out on his own. The Wyonts originally opened the Flores Barbecue trailer - named after Michael's maternal side of the family - in Michael's hometown of San Marcos. There were some logistical issues in San Marcos, and the Wyonts ...
TFP BBQ Ep. 56 Helberg Barbecue Interview Part 2
May 29, 2018 00:00 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBAfter 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 of...
TFP BBQ Ep. 55 Helberg Barbecue Interview Pt 1
May 29, 2018 00:00 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBPhillip 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 ...
TFP BBQ Ep. 54 - One year show anniversary and an important fundraiser for Santa Fe
May 28, 2018 17:04 - 28 minutes - 26 MBWe'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 scho...
TFP BBQ Ep. 53 - Corkscrew BBQ Interview part 2
May 22, 2018 00:57 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MBListen 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 corkscre...
TFP BBQ Ep. 52 - Corkscrew BBQ Interview Pt 1
May 15, 2018 00:00 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBCorkscrew 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 a...
TFP BBQ Ep. 51 - Franklin Fans round table
May 08, 2018 00:00 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MBWe 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 diffe...
TFP BBQ History Ep. 50 - BBQ History project introduction
May 01, 2018 00:00 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBThe 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...
TFP BBQ Ep. 49 - Feges BBQ Pt 3
April 25, 2018 11:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBThe 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 busine...
TFP BBQ Ep. 48 - Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ part 2
April 24, 2018 01:13 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBJoin 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 be...
TFP BBQ Ep. 47 - Feges BBQ Pt 1
April 17, 2018 02:41 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MBWe 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...
TFP BBQ Ep. 46 - What's Going On - Loro, Feges, Banger's and more
April 10, 2018 00:00 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBTales From the Pits has been traveling and eating barbecue. We've been out on the BBQ trail quite a bit over the last couple of months, and the foreseeable future looks just as busy. In this episode we reflect on new restaurant openings including our extended thoughts on Loro, the new Asian smokehouse restaurant from acclaimed chef Tyson Cole and Aaron Franklin of the world famous Franklin Barbecue. We've also been to the newly opened Feges BBQ in Houston and provide some early feedbac...
TFP BBQ Ep. 45 - Red Dirt BBQ Fest - Chase Colston
April 02, 2018 12:20 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBFor years Chase Colston dreamt about bringing a festival to downtown Tyler, Texas. His persistence paid off when after years of trying, Chase was able to convince his employers at Townsquare Media to help him launch the Red Dirt BBQ and Music Festival. Held every spring since 2014, the festival has grown every year into one of the best in Texas. The 2018 barbecue line up is incredible with joints like Black’s Barbecue, Bodacious Bar-B-Q, Evie Mae’s Pits Barbeque, LeRoy and Lewis BBQ, Lou...
TFP BBQ Ep. 44 - Pioneer BBQ - Shawn and Amy Collins
March 27, 2018 00:10 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MBShawn and Amy Collins, from St. Louis and Houston respectively, met while working at a busy restaurant in Manhattan. While planning to marry Shawn was looking for barbecue wood on Craigslist when he saw a restaurant for sale. Before they knew it they were picking up and leaving the big city for the tiny town of Nixon, Texas where they would be the new owners of Pioneer BBQ. Shawn and Amy would slowly tweak the menu, refining it to fit the food they wanted to make the way they wanted to ma...
TFP BBQ Ep. 43 - Moberg Smokers - Sunny Moberg
March 20, 2018 00:07 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBOver the last year the name Moberg has burst onto the barbecue scene, but what many don't know is that the man behind the incredibly popular smokers is no newcomer to the world of pit building. Sunny Moberg has been welding since he was a teenager, and his roots in Texas barbecue stretch back to his grandfather, the founder of Smokey Denmark sausage company. Sunny's pits, made mostly from decommissioned propane tanks, have received much acclaim from barbecue enthusiasts to acclaimed BBQ j...
TFP BBQ Ep. 42 - Barbecue Road Trip Chat with Chris Wood of Primacy Meat Co
March 13, 2018 01:04 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBWe love eating barbecue, and eating with new friends is even more fun. After online banter with Chris Wood of Primacy Meat Co. we were able to meet up with him at Truth Barbecue and the next day at Valentina's Tex Mex Barbecue to share stories of the road. Chris was in the middle of an epic Texas barbecue road trip when we sat down next to the freeway and chatted. Listen in as he tells us about his travels. Keep an eye on him as he launches his business in Virginia, follow him on instagram...
TFP BBQ Ep. 41 - John Mueller Black Box Barbecue
March 06, 2018 02:54 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBJohn Mueller is one of the most controversial men in the barbecue world and he's carved his niche in the industry doing things in own way. With a hot and fast method of cooking, house made sausage, tasty pork ribs, brisket stew, plus brisket and beef ribs rubbed with a heavy dose of pepper a good visit is rewarded with a unique and flavorful experience. Don't forget the cheesy squash loaded with ladles of cheese, a rich end to a memorable meal. John sat down with us for a fun and informati...
TFP BBQ Ep. 40 - Roegels Barbecue Co Part 2
February 27, 2018 02:13 - 48 minutes - 47.8 MBRoegels Barbecue Co. (pronounced ray-gulls) received a positive review from the Houston Chronicle's Alison Cook in April 2015 which increased their customer base overnight but the Roegels crew didn't take their foot off the gas pedal. A continual evolution of their menu and launching weekly specialty meats such as smoked pastrami helped them earn a spot on the 2017 Texas Monthly Top 50 list and cemented Russell's place in the Texas barbecue scene. Subscribe and listen every week to our jou...
TFP BBQ Ep. 39 - Roegels Barbecue Co Part 1
February 20, 2018 13:38 - 34 minutes - 25.9 MBRussell Roegels has been cooking barbecue longer than some of our listeners have been alive. Russell worked with Bodacious in East Texas and decided to move down to Houston with little to his name after a decision made while fishing to head up a Bakers Ribs location. Russel and family put in long hours 7 days a week, eventually tweaking their product after experiencing other barbecue at the Houston Barbecue Festival and doing a Texas barbecue road trip. Without media fanfare he launched Ro...
TFP BBQ Ep. 38 - Esaul Ramos 2M Smokehouse
February 14, 2018 04:07 - 46 minutes - 34 MBFamily backyard barbecue memories floated through Esaul's mind while working as a bus driver, calling him into the world of barbecue. He made the jump from bus driver head first into his first gig working at La Barbecue. After learning the art from John Lewis the dreams of his own business pulled him back to San Antonio where he launched 2M Smokehouse with Joe Melig. Chicharoni macaroni, serrano and Oaxaca cheese sausage, pickled nopales, barbacoa, and speciality cakes are just some of the ...
TFP BBQ Ep. 37 - Pork Rib 101, Barbecue tips
January 31, 2018 03:38 - 36 minutes - 29 MBThe one where we talk about ribs: Upon request, we've dedicated this episode to cooking pork ribs. Andrew has placed in IBCA sanctioned BBQ cookoffs with his ribs and over the years he's developed the Doubleback BBQ rib rub that has served well in retail too. From purchase to trimming to cooking, we describe what has worked well for us, listen in and let us know any tips or tricks you use! Check out videos on our instagram page @talesfromthepits and follow us on twitter @bbqpodcast
TFP BBQ Ep. 36 - Jim Buchanan - Buck's Barbeque Co
January 24, 2018 03:27 - 27 minutes - 20 MBFrom family barbecues to nearly opening a brick and mortar before the building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey, Jim Buchanan has persistently pursued his barbecue dream. Jim developed his taste for Texas barbecue living in Katy Texas beginning with backyard cookouts. The competition circuit was his next endeavor where he did well and met up with Wes Jurena, leading to his work at Pappa Charlies. Jim stepped out on his own and was set to open his own place before the hurricane sidelined him...
TFP BBQ Ep. 35 - Barbecue Camp
January 16, 2018 05:00 - 28 minutes - 24.1 MBFoodways Texas and the meat science department at Tezas A&M host multiple barbecue education events each year. Two of these are held in partnership with Foodways Texas; Barbecue Summer Camp and Camp Brisket. Creative Sausage Making and Beef 101 are options available directly through A&M. Recorded at The Hop Stop which is celebrating its 2 year anniversary on January 27th, Andrew and Bryan discuss our experience at Barbecue Summer Camp and Camp Brisket as well as provide some information on ...
TFP BBQ Ep. 34 - Steve Garner SouthernQ BBQ and catering
January 11, 2018 05:27 - 33 minutes - 23.3 MBStarting with family barbecue outings in east texas the passion of barbecue kept calling at Steve and Sharice Garner until they were able to put their unique touch on the barbecue world. Listen in as Steve Garner talks about his path to launching a brick and mortar after driving trucks and running a food trailer. Steve talks about his path to launching his restaurant, boudin, firecracker crackers, and visiting the bookity bookity boudain man. Steve also tells us some big news about the fut...
TFP BBQ Ep. 33 - Evie Mae's Pit Room Tour
December 28, 2017 07:40 - 13 minutes - 9.7 MBThank you for listening in 2017! First up on this episode, we announce the winner of the $50 gift card from Truth Barbecue Listen in as customer-turned-pitmaster Nathan Pier takes us on a pit tour at Evie Mae's. Arnis Robbins custom builds his own unique reverse flow pits that are like no others in the business. The first two pits, named Shadrach and Meshach started from 750 gallon propane tanks but the tops are boxed out to provide up to three racks of cooking surface. Their third pit is...
TFP BBQ Ep. 32 - Reid Guess Interview - Guess Family Barbecue
December 19, 2017 04:46 - 58 minutes - 42.8 MBReid guess has worked hard to get to where he's at today including cleaning vent hoods, graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, working in the fine dining world, and launching his own trailer. It's been a family endeavor; he's built his own pits with the help of his father, including the 19 foot long behemoth he wrangles into cooking some great smoked meats, and his nephew Aaron grinds out some great and unique sausage. Sides are produced only with wood fueled heat - and don't skip the grits! List...
TFP BBQ Ep. 31 - HOUBBQ Throwdown, Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue Gift Card giveaway, and more
December 12, 2017 04:44 - 32 minutes - 25.5 MBHear as we annnounce our latest prize giveaway, a $50 gift card to Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue We do a recap of the HOUBBQ Austin vs Houston BBQ Throwdown Andrew manned the pits for a Doubleback BBQ catering gig Both Andrew and Bryan make separate trips to Truth Barbecue Bryan made a run to Austin that included brisket stew from John Mueller Black Box Barbecue and a visit to a backyard popup held by Brett's BBQ We wound up the week with a stop at Southern Q BBQ in Houston
TFP BBQ Ep. 30 - 5 stop Houston barbecue run - Mispronounced BBQ names
December 05, 2017 04:27 - 37 minutes - 28 MBListen in as we recap a 5 stop barbecue run where we hit up Pinkerton's Barbecue, Victorian's Barbecue, Feges BBQ, Buck's Barbeque Co., and wound up at Tin Roof Barbecue for their grand re-opening after a recent fire. We met up with John Brotherton and Marvin Briley of Brotherton Black Iron Barbecue and Russell and Misty Reogels of Roegel's Barbecue Co at three of the stops and ran across a number of BBQ trail friends. We tell you where you can find some tasty cheesey squash in Houston Wha...
TFP BBQ Ep. 29 - Dylan Taylor Interview
November 28, 2017 05:26 - 58 minutes - 45.9 MBChance encounters at Franklin Barbecue and la Barbecue set the stage for Dylan Taylor's shift from pursuing a music degree to jumping headfirst into the barbecue world at Terry Black's Barbecue as a meat cutter. Dylan later worked for la Barbecue and helped train staff at Lewis Barbecue in Charleston before landing his current gig at Truth Barbecue. In between all that Dylan and friends have gone on epic barbecue-centric road trips and he describes his experiences sampling the different sty...
TFP BBQ Ep. 28 - Truth Barbecue Pt 2 Interview with Leonard Botello
November 22, 2017 03:10 - 30 minutes - 22.7 MBWe continue our talk with Leonard Botello talking about the new Houston location of Truth Barbecue, Buckethead, A tip on how to skip the line and get cake, trying to sneak into Houston, our city vs city rivalry with Jimmy Ho, and BBQ desserts
TFP BBQ Ep. 27 - Truth Barbecue Interview with Leonard Botello
November 14, 2017 07:52 - 34 minutes - 26.2 MBListen in as we discuss the early days of Truth Barbecue, what is "Central Texas BBQ", status of the Brenham location, and some news on the new Houston location in part one of our two part interview with Leonard Botello IV
TFP BBQ Ep. 26 - Where we want to eat next, Top 50 Talk, and what's happening in Houston Barbecue
October 26, 2017 03:21 - 37 minutes - 28.8 MBAndrew and I discuss where are we looking forward to eating at next, who should have been on the Top 50 list, what's happening in Houston barbecue, and what are we cooking up for our next popup event at The Hop Stop on this episode of Tales From the Pits
TFP BBQ Ep. 25 - Part 2 John Brotherton Black Iron Barbecue Interview
October 17, 2017 04:58 - 46 minutes - 36.1 MBListen in as John Brotherton makes the leap back into full time barbecue with Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue. This episode includes Barbecue Camp, Bewley pits, brisket Banh Mi, and much more
TFP BBQ Ep. 24 - John Brotherton Black Iron Barbecue Interview Pt 1
October 10, 2017 03:11 - 38 minutes - 29.6 MBStarting with his trailer, Hall of Flame Barbecue, John Brotherton has had his finger on the pulse of the barbecue world. Listen in to part one of our interview as John describes his early barbecue adventures that included a visit from Daniel Vaughn, a return to an office job, and stops at all 50 barbecue joints from the 2013 Texas Monthly list before his eventual return back to a full time barbecue business.
TFP BBQ Ep. 23 - The Woodlands BBQ Fest interview
October 03, 2017 03:41 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBThe fall BBQ event season is in full swing! Listen in as Stuart Lapp discusses The Woodlands BBQ Festival and beneficiary Pulmonary Hypertension Association More information on the festival at: https://www.thewoodlandsbbq.com/
TFP BBQ Ep. 22 Bodacious Bar-B-Q Pit Tour
September 27, 2017 02:03 - 18 minutes - 10.2 MBHead back into the pit room at Bodacious Bar-B-Q in our first audio pit tour. Jordan Jackson and Scott Turner walk us through their four very unique pits
TFP BBQ Ep. 21 - We finished the Texas Monthly Top 50!
September 12, 2017 04:13We finally finished getting our barbecue passports filled up and collected our prizes. Listen in as Andrew and I discuss some of our least favorite road trips, surprises, and more memorable pleasant experiences from our Top 50 journey
TFP BBQ Ep. 20 - Listener Questions
September 07, 2017 03:17 - 53 minutes - 37.3 MBThis week we answer questions submitted by our listerners - Topics include Sausage, Wood, Baby Back Ribs, Pop Ups, The Expansion of Central Texas Style Barbecue, and more
TFP Ep. 19 Part two Evie Mae's BBQ - Arnis Robbins Interview
September 02, 2017 04:11 - 54 minutes - 38.7 MBThe conclusion of our interview with Arnis Robbins of Evie Mae's barbecue. Listen in as Arnis talks about learning of their top ten Texas Monthly ranking and discusses the business growth from a small trailer with a single pit to a brick and mortar with twenty employees.
TFP Ep. 18 Evie Mae's Pit Barbecue - Arnis Robbins Interview part 1
August 22, 2017 00:50 - 49 minutes - 36.3 MBFrom New Mexico to Arizona to Texas, and always using hand built reverse flow pits, listen t part one of a two part interview with Arnis Robbins and learn the history behind Evie Mae's BBQ
TFP Ep. 17 West Texas road trip Recap
August 15, 2017 03:29 - 47 minutes - 36.9 MBRide along as we recap 3 days of BBQ, including hitting up two of the Texas Monthly 2017 Top Ten joints; Cattleack and Evie Mae's. We're down to the final stretch in our quest to eat at all 50 joints in 90 days. Coming soon will be a two part interview with Arnis and Mallory Robbins of Evie Mae's, see ya on the BBQ trail!
TFP BBQ Ep. 16 Bodacious Bar-B-Q Interview Pt2
August 10, 2017 01:03 - 51 minutes - 25.6 MBJordan introduces Bryan Bingham, the newest pit hand at Bodacious Bar-B-Que and how he lured him away from Starbucks, Bryan talks about his first week of working there, Scott Turner announces his future endeavor, and the team describes the moment they found out they were ranked 4th in the 2017 Texas Monthly Top 50
TFP BBQ Ep. 15 Bodacious Bar-B-Q - Interview with Jordan Jackson and Scott Turner
August 08, 2017 01:13 - 49 minutes - 25 MBPart one of our interview with Jordan Jackson and Scott Turner of Bodacious Bar-B-Q. Just a few topics we cover: Le Cordon Bleu, K Mart, Pat Green, girlfriend wooing, briskets migrating upstream, and writing "Happy Birthday" over and over
TFP Ep. 14 South Texas BBQ run
August 04, 2017 04:34 - 39 minutes - 21 MBWe made a run to the border and back, hitting four of the top 50 joints. In this episode we recap our south Texas BBQ run, have a short interview with Mando Vera of Vera's Backyard Bar-B-Que, and preview an upcoming 2,000 mile west Texas run.
TFP EP. 13 Grant Pinkerton - Pinkerton's Barbecue
July 27, 2017 21:17 - 35 minutes - 18.8 MBWe sit down with Grant Pinkerton and discuss his first brisket cooks, popups, alligators, his restaurant, and even toss out a few sports questions
TFP Ep. 12 Decoding BBQ Menus
July 20, 2017 21:18 - 34 minutes - 7.91 MBBeef ribs don't come on the meat plate, varied pricing for brisket, and other ramblings about what's on the menu at Texas barbecue joints these days.
TFP Ep. 11 seven stop Dallas area road trip recap 7-8-2017
July 13, 2017 01:47 - 32 minutes - 7.35 MBAndrew and I recap a busy day after hitting Flores, BBQ on the Brazos, Heim, Lockhart Smokehouse, Pecan Lodge, Top 5 BBQ, And Harris BBQ on our quest to hit all 50 of the Texas Monthly 2017 top 50 BBQ
TFP Ep. 10 Stephen Joseph - Riverport BBQ
July 07, 2017 19:49 - 41 minutes - 21.9 MBTravel with us to northeast Texas where we talk with owner and pitmaster Stephen Joseph about riverboats, gambling, prostitution, ghosts, Bigfoot, and yes, even BBQ.
TFP Ep.8 Franklin BBQ Line 6-25-2017
June 28, 2017 02:06 - 34 minutes - 19 MBAndrew and I make the annual trip out to Franklin BBQ. We interview the first folks who arrived, some of the last people to show up, and talk about our experience.