Sam Jones is one heck of a storyteller and that skill is no more apparent than in part two of our interview with him and Michael Letchworth. This episode details some of the challenges Sam and Michael faced during the construction phase of their restaurant and what they did to navigate the problems that come along with opening a restaurant. In this wide ranging interview we discuss everything from Sam and Michael's strong friendship to their very different musical tastes, the origins of the famo...
Sep 11, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 71
Having grown up in a family whose history in barbecue could be traced back to the 1800's, whole hog cooking was something that had always been a part of Sam Jones' world. Despite being reluctant to make barbecue a career as young man, Sam returned to the business full time when his grandfather Pete Jones, founder of Skylight Inn, became ill. Sam navigated Skylight Inn through tough times after Pete's death and helped make the business thrive and prosper. Sam has a strong business mind and wanted...
Sep 10, 2018•41 min•Ep. 70
Dylan Taylor has built up quite the resume at a very young age. After working at highly acclaimed BBQ spots such as Terry Black's, La Barbecue, Truth Barbeque, and 2M Smokehouse (among others), Dylan decided the time was right to start working toward opening his own place. While he scouts out possible locations, Dylan has launched Taylor Barbecue Catering, available for medium to large barbecue catering requests. In addition to the catering options, Dylan also offers restaurant consulting servic...
Sep 04, 2018•37 min•Ep. 69
As we continue to highlight the history of Texas BBQ, we spend time in this episode discussing some of what we consider the classic Texas BBQ joints. While craft barbecue is all the rage and is a great experience, its popularity has often made some of the long tenured places become less discussed. In order to be considered for what we're calling a classic joint, the business has to be at least 50 years old. We of course highlight the famous historic places such as Louie Mueller, Smitty's, and Ci...
Aug 28, 2018•38 min•Ep. 68
Hays County Barbeque The BBQ flame was ignited in Michael Hernandez after a memorable trip to Lockhart. Shortly thereafter, armed with a steadfast belief in their dream, Michael and Asenette Hernandez pushed all of their chips to the middle of the table and went headfirst into the barbecue business. In eleven years they've gone from owning a small place purchased from a former owner, then to their own small space, and have now opened a huge BBQ complex in San Marcos dedicated to providing a grea...
Aug 21, 2018•46 min•Ep. 67
The Tejas crew keep pushing the envelope on what great BBQ is and can be, and their latest projects are a showcase of their creativity. In the last couple months Scott, Greg, and the team have begun making their own sausage. While classic varieties such as an all beef Czech style and kielbasa are part of the rotation, Tejas has been also been hard at work with creative sausages such as linked versions of their Brisket and Blues and House prime sandwiches. In keeping with the spirit of the Tejas ...
Aug 13, 2018•30 min•Ep. 66
Tejas Chocolate and Barbecue began as a curiosity on how to make bean to bar chocolate and has evolved into one of the best and most creative restaurant experiences in Texas. After a successful launch of their housemade chocolate business, the first of its kind in the state, owners Michelle Holland, Scott Moore Jr., and Greg Moore began setting their sites on the next phase of their operations, barbecue. With Michelle and Scott's creativity along with Greg's chef background, Tejas launched their...
Aug 07, 2018•48 min•Ep. 65
While it has become commonplace in today's Texas BBQ explosion to see carefully sourced proteins, inventive sides, scratch made desserts, craft bread, and housemade pickles, this was not always the case in barbecue. Smoked meats have been available for quite some time in the Lone Star State, but all of the accompaniments were often an afterthought or not even served at all. Tom Micklethwait is one of the true pioneers of the modern barbecue movement that has helped the industry evolve into a tru...
Jul 23, 2018•58 min•Ep. 64
Texas BBQ History - Bobby Mueller As part of our continuing series on the history of Texas barbecue, we bring you a very special episode about the history of Louie Mueller Barbecue and the legacy of the late Bobby Mueller. Bobby's sons Wayne and John Mueller sat down separately with us to discuss growing up in the BBQ business with their grandfather, Louie Mueller, and dad Bobby. You'll hear in this episode about the legendary work ethic of Bobby Mueller, the growth of the business, and the famo...
Jul 16, 2018•42 min•Ep. 63
In a news roundup for the month of July, we discuss some pitmaster changes, new BBQ restaurant announcements, BBQ closings, and more. Jason Tedford, longtime assistant pitmaster at Louie Mueller Barbecue, has left the restaurant and is now working in the kitchen at Saint Arnold Brewery in Houston. John Brotherton has announced he is opening Liberty Barbecue in Round Rock alongside Tre Dotson of Tortuga flats. Brendan Lamb, who recently left La Barbecue, is starting Smiley's Barbecue in Fort Wort...
Jul 16, 2018•18 min•Ep. 62
The aura, history, and feeling one gets walking into the hallowed dining room at Louie Mueller Barbecue is unparalleled. The smoke lined walls, the brick pits, and many of the roots of modern day Central Texas style smoked meats can be traced back to the historic former gymnasium in Taylor that has been home to the Mueller family's restaurant operations since 1959. While the Mueller family is acutely aware and protective of their family legacy, they've always understood the importance of growing...
Jul 10, 2018•24 min•Ep. 61
Evan LeRoy's BBQ journey began in the backyard with his dad, took him all the way to New York to cook Texas barbecue, then back to Austin where he made Freedmen's bar one of the premier BBQ destinations in Texas. After a few years at Freedmen's, Evan was ready to strike out on his own. Along with business partners Nathan and Sawyer Lewis, plans were made to open a brewery and restaurant serving Evan's creative menu alongside Lewis' craft beers. While the brewery remains in development, Evan and ...
Jul 03, 2018•49 min•Ep. 60
Reveille Barbecue Co. is a newcomer to the barbecue scene in Texas. Currently operating out of a trailer in Magnolia (a suburb north of Houston), Reveille was started by co-owners/pitmasters James McFarland and Michael Michna. James began chasing his BBQ dreams a few years ago and quickly built a resumé working at The Pit Room and Tejas Chocolate and Barbecue. Michael had a passion for cooking barbecue dating back to his days in the armed services and continuing into his career as a firefighter...
Jun 26, 2018•48 min•Ep. 59
This 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 stories and...
Jun 19, 2018•34 min•Ep. 58
Growing 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 began e...
Jun 12, 2018•51 min•Ep. 57
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 ...
May 29, 2018•31 min•Ep. 56
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 th...
May 29, 2018•29 min•Ep. 55
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 shoo...
May 28, 2018•28 min•Ep. 54
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...
May 22, 2018•37 min•Ep. 53
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...
May 15, 2018•33 min•Ep. 52
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 pa...
May 08, 2018•50 min•Ep. 51
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...
May 01, 2018•27 min•Ep. 50
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...
Apr 25, 2018•38 min•Ep. 49
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 a...
Apr 24, 2018•42 min•Ep. 48
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 incred...
Apr 17, 2018•42 min•Ep. 47
Tales 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 feedback on their...
Apr 10, 2018•41 min•Ep. 46
For 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, Louie Muell...
Apr 02, 2018•37 min•Ep. 45
Shawn 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 make it. ...
Mar 27, 2018•57 min•Ep. 44
Over 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 joints f...
Mar 20, 2018•49 min•Ep. 43
We 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 at ht...
Mar 13, 2018•35 min•Ep. 42
