Tales from the pits, a Texas BBQ podcast featuring trendsetters, leaders, and icons from the barbecue industry

Congratulations to Burnt Bean Co. on being selected as the number 1 BBQ joint in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine! We sat down with Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland to talk about their quest for this title and the sacrifices they made to reach the top. This episode is sponsored by BBQ Distro. BBQ Distro is the home to the best sauces, seasonings, and rubs in all of Texas. No need to wait in line to get a taste of Goldees or Snows. You can make it at home thanks to BBQ Distro. Go to http://bbqdistro.com and use promo code tales10 at checkout for a 10% discount on your order!

This episode is sponsored by BBQ Distro. BBQ Distro is the home to the best sauces, seasonings, and rubs in all of Texas. No need to wait in line to get a taste of Goldees or Snows. You can make it at home thanks to BBQ Distro. Go to http://bbqdistro.com and use promo code tales10 at checkout for a 10% discount on your order! And keep watching our social channels for the epic Top 50 List livestream brought to you by BBQ Distro. We’ll be joined by great guests on May 27th when the big list goes live and the winner of the top ten prediction sweepstakes will be announced live on air! We asked you to predict the top ten and in this episode we give you our predictions on who will be number 1, who will make the top ten and who will achieve top 50 status!

This episode is sponsored by BBQ Distro. Go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 and predict who you think will be named the top ten BBQ joints on the upcoming BIG BARBECUE LIST being published by a well known lone star state focused magazine that’s being released in May! Submissions are accepted April 14 - May 14, 2025. Submit your prediction for a chance to win $2,500 in cash in the BBQ Distro sweepstakes! Must be at least 18 years of age and a Texas resident to enter, go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 for full rules and eligibility requirements. Also, for a limited time go to http://bbqdistro.com and use promo code tales10 for a 10% discount on your order of rubs, sauces, apparel and more from BBQ Distro! After many miles and meals, we’ve finally narrowed it down. Tune in to find out our most current ranking of the Top 15 BBQ Spots in Texas!

This episode is sponsored by BBQ Distro. Go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 and predict who you think will be named the top ten BBQ joints on the upcoming BIG BARBECUE LIST being published by a well known lone star state focused magazine that’s being released in May! Submissions are accepted April 14 - May 14, 2025. Submit your prediction for a chance to win $2,500 in cash in the BBQ Distro sweepstakes! Must be at least 18 years of age to enter, go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 for full rules and eligibility requirements. Also, for a limited time use promo code tales10 at checkout for a 10% discount on your order of rubs, sauces, apparel and more from BBQ Distro! We were privileged to speak with some of the best in barbecue about what the Texas Monthly Top 50 list has meant to them and their business as well as advice for aspiring business owners.

This episode is sponsored by BBQ Distro. Go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 and predict who you think will be named the top ten BBQ joints on the upcoming BIG BARBECUE LIST being published by a well known lone star state focused magazine that’s being released in May! Submissions are accepted April 14 - May 14, 2025. Submit your prediction for a chance to win $2,500 in cash in the BBQ Distro sweepstakes! Must be at least 18 years of age and a Texas resident to enter, go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 for full rules and eligibility requirements. Also, for a limited time enter "tales10" at checkout for a 10% discount on your order of rubs, sauces, apparel and more from BBQ Distro! Travis Crawford grew up with a healthy affinity for direct heat barbecue cooked by his dad. As an adult he began working all over Austin at some of the top barbecue spots and for the last few years has been leading the barbecue program at Mum Foods Smokehouse and Delicatessen to much acclaim. Tune in to hear about Travis’ career to date and goals for the future. http://mumfoodsatx.com Restaurant instagram: mumfoodsatx Travis’ Instagram: barbecuedude

This episode is sponsored by BBQ Distro. Go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 and predict who you think will be named the top ten BBQ joints on the upcoming BIG BARBECUE LIST being published by a well known lone star state focused magazine that’s being released in May! Submissions are accepted April 14 - May 14, 2025. Submit your prediction for a chance to win $2,500 in cash in the BBQ Distro sweepstakes! Must be at least 18 years of age and a Texas resident to enter, go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 for full rules and eligibility requirements. Also, for a limited time enter "tales10" at checkout for a 10% discount on your order of rubs, sauces, apparel and more from BBQ Distro! As Texas barbecue continues to evolve, one of the things we’ve seen increase in recent years is the infusion of different cultures into barbecue. The allure of Texas barbecue has drawn people from all walks of life into the industry and they’ve incorporated their cooking styles and upbringing to their menus. When done thoughtfully it helps broaden the spectrum of what barbecue can be and is another exciting development in a rapidly evolving cuisine.

This episode is sponsored by BBQ Distro. Go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 and predict who you think will be named the top ten BBQ joints on the upcoming BIG BARBECUE LIST being published by a well known lone star state focused magazine that’s being released in May! Submissions are accepted April 14 - May 14, 2025. Submit your prediction for a chance to win $2,500 in cash in the BBQ Distro sweepstakes! Must be at least 18 years of age and a Texas resident to enter, go to http://bbqdistro.com/top10 for full rules and eligibility requirements. Also, for a limited time go to http://bbqdistro.com/tales10 for a 10% discount on your order of rubs, sauces, apparel and more from BBQ Distro! Leonard Botello came from humble beginnings cooking barbecue in a small town to a decade later being one of the most respected pitmasters in barbecue with three restaurants serving massive volumes of great barbecue. But all of that hasn’t come without a price. Join us for a special conversation with Leonard reflecting on his career in barbecue, the cost of greatness, and the impossible pursuit of perfection that continues to drive him. http://truthbbq.com

Click for tickets! In the summer of 2010 Jeff Jones, Matthew Wallis, Matthew Johnson and Brandon Gonzales set out to make a documentary titled For the Love of Meat about Texas barbecue. Little did they know what an incredible time capsule it would become to film some of the top pitmasters of that time such as Joe Capello, Roy Perez, John Fullilove, Tootsie Tomanetz and others. Additionally the crew was there shortly after Wayne Mueller had taken the reigns at Louie Mueller and only a few months into Aaron Franklin’s career operating the then Franklin Barbecue trailer. Tune into to this episode to hear more details about the film. For the Love of Meat, originally released in 2015, has not been publicly screened in nine years. But that is changing. On March 1st the filmmakers will be screening the film at the Bullock Museum and tickets are on sale now. This is a must see documentary if you are passionate about Texas barbecue and its history. Follow the ticket link in the show notes for your opportunity to see this incredible footage plus more! There are ticket options for a meet and greet prior to the screening with food provided by Micklethwait Barbecue. There will be a Q&A panel moderated by Daniel Vaughn after the screening featuring the filmmakers, Wayne Mueller, Tom Micklethwait and Kelli Nevarez discussing the film and evolution of barbecue in the years since. Don’t miss out on this special night at the Bullock Museum. Click for tickets!

We reflect on our year of food and travel from 2024 as well as memorable moments from ten years of BBQ road tripping together

The Nevarez family recently celebrated five years of their business, LaVaca BBQ. This family owned restaurants helmed by parents Lupe and Christine and daughter Kelli produces a large menu of high quality options in a region of Texas that was lacking in modern options. With standout items such as their smoked tamales and an impressive roster of desserts, LaVaca BBQ should be on your road trip list. Instagram: mylavacabbq web: www.lavacabbq.com Port Lavaca 532 N Virginia St, Port Lavaca, Texas, 77979Thursday 11am - 2pm Friday 11am - 2pm Saturday 11am - 6:30pm Victoria 2001 N Navarro St, Victoria, 77901, Victoria, TexasThursday 11am - 7pm Friday 11am - 7pm Saturday 11am - 7pm Sunday 10am - 3pm

The spotlight on Texas BBQ has never been brighter, and 2025 will bring the newest edition of the Texas Monthly Top 50 list. Our thoughts on the recent Michelin news, the upcoming new Texas Monthly BBQ list, and more.

One of the many great aspects of the newly minted Michelin starred restaurant LeRoy and Lewis is Evan and Sawyer’s cultivation of a strong team. That is no more apparent than with staff members Cole Parkman and Kasey Durham. Cole and Kasey might work in one of the most innovative BBQ places, but their passion for classic Texas barbecue runs deep. We caught up with them on the eve of the old school BBQ pop up they put together at LeRoy and Lewis last summer to talk all things barbecue old and new. Instagram: leroyandlewis cole_parkman23 kasey.durham

In this episode we do something we’ve never done: interview each other. We chose ten random questions to ask one another with neither of us having any indication as to what the questions would be before recording. This is a fun one that goes off on some tangents and includes a challenge we hope Daniel Vaughn takes us up on!

We’ve been asked what excites us to keep exploring barbecue after all these years. It’s not a simple question to answer because it’s evolved during our over decade long obsessions with barbecue. In this episode we go a bit down the rabbit hole of trying to explain what originally excited us, what interests us today, and how that has changed throughout our journey.

There may be no more majestic setting to cook barbecue than along the Columbia River Gorge in Hood River, Oregon. It is here that Brendon, Drew and Sam put down roots for their business, Grasslands Barbecue. Serving up superb smoked meats and seasonal scratch made sides, this trio is producing some of the best Texas influenced barbecue you’re likely to find not just outside of the Lone Star State, but the quality they’re providing would stand up against some of the best in Texas as well. Check the calendar on Grasslands website for their schedule which includes some exciting events and collaborations in addition to their regular service. Instagram: grasslands_barbecue Website: grasslandsbarbecue.com

Amir Jalali started his barbecue career learning the business and operational aspects at the great Feges BBQ, struck up a friendship which turned into a job at the phenomenal Goldee’s Bar-B-Q, and eventually opened his own place back in his hometown of Port Neches, Texas. With a menu of expertly smoked proteins and scratch made sides and desserts, Redbird BBQ is off to a roaring start as one of the best new barbecue spots to open in the state in recent years. Instagram: redbirdbbq 1104 Port Neches Ave Port Neches, TX Open Fri-Sun 11a-3p

Zain Shafi turned a curiosity into a passion and eventually a business in Sabar BBQ. Zain blends together the Pakistani flavors he grew up with alongside the familiar Texas barbecue staples. With seasonal, flavorful sides and well cooked proteins, Sabar is a great addition to the stellar Fort Worth barbecue scene. Instagram: sabarbbq Open Saturdays 11a-3p (or sold out) 194 Bryan Avenue, Fort Worth

Season 5 of Tales from the Pits is finally underway! More episodes from the best and brightest in the barbecue world are headed your way, and tune in to this episode for details on our new project, Cookfire Tales. A video series focused on the passionate people from all avenues of the food world who play a role in the food that ends up on your plate, with Cookfire Tales we’re going to give you wide ranging behind the scenes views of different types of cuisine and the role fire plays in so many of them. The dedicated farmers, forgers, harvesters, chefs, and artisans carrying on and evolving traditions inspires us and we know will fascinate you too. Join us on the journey: Instagram: cookfiretales Twitter/X: cookfiretales YouTube Channel coming soon!

This episode was brought to you by Zavala’s Barbecue Distribution. Rubs and sauces from some of the best BBQ joints in Texas and beyond now just a click away from being at your doorstep! Sign yourself up for their monthly BBQ subscription box service or better yet sign up your BBQ obsessed loved one as a great gift for the holidays! Check out http://bbqdistro.com/tales for all of your BBQ needs and be sure to follow zavalasbarbecuedistribution on Instagram. 2023 was another great year for BBQ and more. Tune in for a rundown on some of our most memorable meals and experiences, discussion on the current and future BBQ landscape, and our plans for 2024!

This episode was brought to you by Zavala’s Barbecue Distribution. Rubs and sauces from some of the best BBQ joints in Texas and beyond now just a click away from being at your doorstep! Sign yourself up for their monthly BBQ subscription box service or better yet sign up your BBQ obsessed loved one as a great gift for the holidays! Check out http://bbqdistro.com/tales for all of your BBQ needs and be sure to follow zavalasbarbecuedistribution on Instagram. There is a lot we’re thankful for right now in barbecue. From the craft pioneers who began expanding the boundaries of what barbecue could be to the new class who keeps pushing the cuisine forward while being mindful of its roots, it’s an amazing time in barbecue filled with immense talent.