These Smoked Coffee Beans Have Plenty of Flavor, Just Not the Barbecue Kind
I taste-tested smoked coffee recently produced by Austin-based Roasty Buds, but the flavor and aroma weren't quite what I expected.
Daniel Vaughn is the author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey Through Texas Barbecue, the coauthor of Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue, and the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly. He has traveled the world sampling smoked meats at over 1,800 barbecue joints, most of which are in Texas.
I taste-tested smoked coffee recently produced by Austin-based Roasty Buds, but the flavor and aroma weren't quite what I expected.
Justin Pearson, whose grandfather once owned Chisholm Trail BBQ, serves similar yet improved sausages with no strings attached at San Marcos BBQ.
An early look at Uptown Sports Club shows gumbo stocked with Franklin Barbecue sausage, a raw bar, and four different po’ boys.
Joe Rodriguez and Melissa Garza have made Sisterdale's Black Board Bar-B-Q better than ever while still honoring what locals loved about it.
This Houston-area barbecue joint helmed by three family members serves brisket fried rice and nui xào bò from a gas station.
Garrett Rabel serves a “perfect” sausage sandwich in New Berlin, where eating and serving links is a big part of the local culture.
These Texas brands keep us looking comfortably stylish, whether we’re pitmasters or just guys reaching for another helping of ribs.
Montgomery’s Bar-A-BBQ incorporates fresh ingredients into old family recipes for items like cheesy potatoes and hot cornbread.
Hurtado Barbecue, an Arlington favorite, is now open at Globe Life Field, serving giant beef ribs and birria tacos just in time for opening day.
The business has been a grind for Jordan Rosemeyer of Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q in Spring, but his small trailer still puts out great brisket, sausage, and ribs.
Dallas-based Low and Slow specializes in corn, potato, and tortilla chips that are smoked before they're bagged, providing an unmistakable flavor and aroma.
Hill City Chop House might need to depend on people coming from outside of Tolar to keep it afloat, but the smashburger and smoked dump cake are well worth a trip.
To make these frozen grocery-store products more edible, I zhuzhed them up with sauce, slaw, and buttered buns, to mixed results.
While Burnet has had great smoked meat, none of the eateries stood the test of time. Here's hoping Warehouse BBQ and Meetery will be around a good long while.
What I once claimed was the best barbecue chain in Texas has recently yielded some disappointing results as locations expand.
JNL BBQ has leveled up with a new indoor location that features a stage for live music and more creative menu items.
Ranching has its own language, and specialty beef is no exception. Learn the difference between Kobe and Wagyu, and the grades, with this handy guide.
It's nowhere near as stringent as the Japanese system, leading some companies to come up with their own grading. R-C Ranch wants to see that change.
When wings get too expensive at the grocery store, use a cheaper cut of chicken to get an even more flavorful effect for your next party.
Two legendary Houston restaurants are up for the Texas Treasures Business Award this year, and they credit perseverance with getting them this far.
Trade wars with Japan, $250 vials of semen, and livestock-filled airplanes all contributed to the still-growing industry of Wagyu beef today.
Along with stellar smoked chicken and sausage, Denison’s Heritage Butchery & Barbecue offers raw meat from within 250 miles of its Texoma region.
The third episode of the Peacock series starring Natasha Lyonne heavily features Texas barbecue, and gets a surprising amount of detail right.
Long lines, packed parking, and sold-out meat are regular features of Kat’s Barbecue in Santa Fe, thanks to lauding loyal customers.
Two pitmaster friends seem to think so. What started as a theory between them has spread into wider barbecue-nerd circles.
Houston’s El Topo has won awards for its brisket suadero taco, which features nixtamalized blue-corn tortillas and a house-special salsa.
Ramen Tatsu-Ya’s latest addition offers house-made noodles to dip into chili-inspired broth, whose leftovers are meant to be eaten as Frito pie.
Mum Foods’ Geoffrey Ellis grew up in Austin and spent time in Queens, and both places inform his menu, which features beef sausage and matzo ball soup.
Not that long ago, it was regarded by many barbecue aficionados as inferior to shoulder clod. Then things started heating up.
After successfully serving smoked pork belly pizza at the State Fair, Stephan Nedwetzky planted Pit Commander Barbecue in North Texas.
Peeler Farms in Floresville hones its niche in the rapidly expanding Wagyu market—and doesn’t compromise service in the process.
The Wagon Wheel has been around since 1994, but it recently gave itself a makeover with a new location and a menu that prioritizes freshness.
From traditional smoked brisket to less-traditional Lebanese pork ribs, these twenty dishes blew barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn away.
From the underground to the top of best-of lists, these Los Angeles–area joints have endured a barrage of red tape to serve excellent Texas-style ’cue.
Show off your obsession for smoked meat and its accoutrements during the holiday season with cute, curated decor.
Though navigating overwhelming grief, the Ramirez family of California learned to smoke meat and continue to run Ray’s Texas BBQ.
At Gatlin’s Fins & Feathers, executive chef Michelle Wallace gets creative with smoked jerk chicken and a Viet-Cajun fried catfish sandwich.
Some of the most popular new barbecue joints only offer sweet-glazed ribs, which has left us nostalgic for the good ol’ days of salt-and-pepper pork.
The Netflix series honors the fusion food by featuring two joints in Dallas and San Antonio. We add two more that could’ve made the cut.
Austin’s KG BBQ serves za’atar-dusted pork ribs, brisket shawarma, and pistachio rice pudding in a wholly unique dining experience.
From a chimichurri to a halal rub, these smoked meat add-ons will seriously liven up everything from steak to sausage to eggs.
Of course, Sullivan Old Town BBQ’s twist on a Cuban sandwich, rich pecan pie, and flavorful brisket also encourage multiple visits.
After a battlefield attack left him mentally scarred, Steven Rossler found strength in telling his story and working the Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue pit with his family.
In the face of adversity, Michael Johnson Jr. continued to build Cen-Tex Smokers, a company that now has a year-long waiting list for its pits.
Butcher paper–wrapped briskets came into fashion about a decade ago, but more pitmasters and home cooks are opting for the full metal brisket jacket.
The Southern Foodways Symposium, held last weekend in Mississippi, made barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn reflect on the industry and his career.
Our barbecue editor was impressed not only with the quality of the city’s Texas-style ’cue but with the overall love and respect for the cuisine.
While Douglas definitely isn’t a “joint,” it still has all the hallmarks of Texas ’cue, including brisket, ribs, mac and cheese, and banana pudding.
Thanks to a bad outbreak of avian flu this year, turkey suppliers are raising prices and delivering fewer birds to restaurants before the holidays.
The Jarrell joint was helmed by the late pitmaster and is now led by his friend, who still serves some of the same menu items, like cheesy squash.