Best BBQ Show

A pitroom hang out with Evan Leroy, Phil Moellering, and the Reese boys. Nick and Elliott. We talk food, pit life and all things BBQ.

Enjoy!

New York City. I hear it never sleeps. If you cook BBQ you know that sleep isn’t always an option. Hard work sometimes means losing some sleep. Now if you’re looking for hardworking people, New York is not a bad place to start.

If you are looking for Texas BBQ in NYC you only have a few destinations. In fact, one of the best spots isn’t on the island of Manhattan. It’s in a small neighborhood in a corner of Brooklyn called Red Hook. The restaurant, Hometown BBQ. The owner and creator is named Billy Durney

Billy Durney didn’t start his life wanting to cook BBQ. He worked private security for celebrities and traveled all over the world. During his travels he discovered BBQ. His most memorable stop was eating at Louie Mueller BBQ. From then on he knew he’d quit the road and start cooking barbecue.

Billy is known for his big heart. When he was building out his restaurant the first time in 2012 hurricane Sandy destroyed everything in the building except his smoker. Even after this devastating loss he lit the fire and started cooking for the people of Red Hook who were rebuilding from the storm.

He told me he had 20 minutes and we ended up hanging out for an hour. He’s a great friend of Wayne Mueller who is also a great friend of the show. He’s a big sweetheart who loves his life. He has nothing but amazing things to say to all the people in his restaurant. He even dragged his pit boss Michael Conlon in to talk to us about their experiences at Memphis in May.

Please enjoy this fun conversation with Billy Durney at Hometown BBQ.

Thank you for listening and if you liked the show please leave a 5 star rating on apple podcasts. It helps the show grow and get discovered. If you didn’t like the show you can write me at [email protected]. Tag us in all of your meat posts and if you see people getting a little too friendly with their bbq, remind them #dontsqueezeyourmeat!

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Los Angeles. A city of food, culture, diversity. So many foods are represented here. I traveled most recently to eat at the LA Food Bowl. While I was there I went to a small plaza in China Town to eat hot chicken.

If you haven’t heard of Howlin’ Ray’s, it is a mecca for Nashville style hot chicken. The owner, Johnny Ray Zone didn’t just open a chicken place out of nowhere.  He went to Prince’s, Boltons and many of the other spots in Tennessee to learn. In the same way that Texas Barbecue is traveling the globe, he transplanted Nashville into California. I watch a lot of food trends and I can say that hot chicken is going to grow as fast as BBQ.

I think we live in a time where people are afraid of copying. We live in a time where cultures are defensive and we all need to be more open minded. When someone like Johnny brings a food to a new place it is an homage to the originals. The same way people in LA are creating Texas BBQ at a level you can find in Texas.

Intention and authenticity are important to me and Johnny Ray is someone to watch if you want to see great intentions. He puts his staff above himself in many ways which is dead on with some of my favorite BBQ joints. It’s not just about good food, it’s about the place, the experience, the staff. There’s not many people that love their staff as much as Johnny.

There’s a reason that people wait, just like in BBQ, for hours in a line at Howlin’ Ray’s. It’s been on my list for years to go. When I sat down at the bar my heart was beating. They saw I liked my Hot sando so they asked if I wanted to try X-Hot. Why not, right? If you saw my live stream you know I put that away as well. Once I had proven myself they handed me a Howlin’ wing. Howlin’ is the hottest chicken they make, in fact they give you gloves to eat it.

I tell you this story because I don’t think this interview would have happened unless I had proven myself. I wanted to have the experience and get the respect of the Howlin’ Ray’s line cooks before I ever asked Johnny fo ranything. A lot of work goes into this show and it’s not just writing emails and editing. I’m out here working to be a part of these scenes. To cover the story righteously.

So enjoy this interview with Johnny Ray Zone the master behind Howlin’ Ray’s.

Thank you for listening and if you liked the show please leave a 5 star rating on apple podcasts. It helps the show grow and get discovered. If you didn’t like the show you can write me at [email protected]. Tag us in all of your meat posts and if you see people getting a little too friendly with their bbq, remind them #dontsqueezeyourmeat!

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When I got off the plane that landed at LAX, I had no idea what was in store for me. I'm riding the coattails of Texas Barbecue and I'm holding on tight.

This is the second episode from the LA Times Food Bowl. A huge, month long event celebrating Los Angeles staples and introducing the public to new and different types of cooking. There was a burger night and a noodle fest. I had ice cream that was made right in front of  you with liquid nitrogen. There's a lot happening at these events but I went for a specific night. The All-Star BBQ night.

There were all kinds of big names from Brooklyn to North Carolina, Austin to LA. The brisket and the smoke was real. This isn't some simple BBQ event. All kinds of pits were used. Offset smokers, brick pits, and even a green egg. The best part is on top of hanging out with the greats, I got to meet the extended BBQ fam. #bbqfam. I have even more people to follow up with in future episodes!

In this episode we talk to Daniel and Brenda Castillo. Their dynamic duo puts out incredible barbecue almost every weekend. They cook at some of the nicest breweries on the west coast. They are building their dream from the ground up. One beer and one popup at a time. They also have some of the best fans in BBQ. Their pictures and the pictures they are tagged in are epic. Mostly because of Danny's hats...

I also got to hang with Andrew and Michelle Munoz who had one of the prettiest platters at the event. Hand made fresh blue corn tortillas. Brisket, sausage sauces so much on one platter. Last week I talked to their crew, this week I've got the bosses telling me all about their plans to grow. I'm going to say that Moo's has a good chance of being the busiest BBQ joint in LA as soon as they put together a brick and mortar. They work hard and have been growing their business since the day I met them in line at Snow's.

I hope you enjoy all these interviews. The people on this show are not only class A badasses, they're my friends. They're a special part of this show and we will be watching them closely this year. Enjoy our conversation and as always, go eat some BBQ!

Thank you for listening and if you liked the show please leave a 5 star rating on apple podcasts. It helps the show grow and get discovered. If you didn’t like the show you can write me at [email protected]. Tag us in all of your meat posts and if you see people getting a little too friendly with their bbq, remind them #dontsqueezeyourmeat!

Tag us in all your social media with @bestbarbecue.

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You’re listening to the Best BBQ Show and I am back from a whirlwind trip across the good ol US of A. From LA to NY I’ve been chasing down the story and talking to the people who were there cooking. This week I’m reporting from an epic event in Los Angeles. The LA Food Bowl invited a solid list of Texas barbecuers and they all cooked together in a way that was magical. Pits lined up like hot rods at a car show.

For part 1 of the LA Food Bowl we have a diverse group. These are the people you meet hanging out at an epic BBQ cook. The people who are there lending a hand, organizing the event or making an amazing dessert. From Moo’s I talk to Adam (@adamcomplains) and Dan (@sharkmandan) who were hanging out serving hundreds of platters to anxious patrons.

I talk to Andrea Chang, Deputy Food Editor for the LA Times and an expert in the world of food. I can only imagine all her stories. She’s living my dream life. Whether she’s writing about the evolution of different foods in Los Angeles or talking about her old colleague Jonathan Gold, she knows the story of food.

Every meal ends with dessert and I got to talk to a dessert master, Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections (@valerieconfctns). The woman who, according to LA Magazine, makes the best chocolate in Los Angeles. But didn’t just bring dessert, she cooked it on a big green egg right there alongside Aaron Franklin’s double barrel pits.

Before we start I want to thank you again for listening and if you like what you hear, feel free to check us out on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I create a diverse stream of content that is fun on any platform.

Enjoy.

I just traveled to Los Angeles for the LA times food bowl where Franklin BBQ, Slab, Moo’s, Horn BBQ, Hometown BBQ, Pat Martin and Sam Jones all cooked for an eager west coast crowd. There was brisket, ox tails, tacos, ribs and even whole hog. Stay tuned for coverage from that.

Most recently I sat down with Billy Durney of Hometown BBQ here in Brooklyn, NY and you’ll be hearing from him soon enough. I also have a few wild episodes that I grabbed while I was there including an interview with Johnny Ray Zone of Howlin’ Rays which cooks nashville hot chicken. Although he doesn’t cook bbq, he does create an amazing atmosphere as well as cultivating an energetic crew. I think we can all learn a little from him.

This week I want to share an incredibly fun interview with you. While I was at Red Dirt in Tyler, TX I got to sit down with the newest young guns in BBQ who are opening Goldee’s. This quartet of BBQ knowledge is going to drop some serious meat on the Dallas/Fort Worth area in the next few months, but first they need to get a septic system...well, you’ll hear more about that in the interview.

Enjoy this round table with Dylan, Lane, Johnny, and Jalen of Goldee’s BBQ with special appearances by Clay Cowgill and Mauro “Max” Chiefari chiming in as well.

Thank you for listening and if you liked the show please leave a 5 star rating on apple podcasts. It helps the show grow and get discovered. If you didn’t like the show you can write me at [email protected]. Tag us in all of your meat posts and if you see people getting a little too friendly with their bbq, remind them #dontsqueezeyourmeat!

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This past weekend I went to what I would say is the best BBQ festival I've hung out at yet. The Red Dirt Festival. It's in the town square in Tyler, TX where they set up a stage but the music doesn't start until the barbecue is over. This is different from most because you can actually hear people and hang out when you eat their BBQ. For me, it was a dream! I usually have to filter out background music, equipment, generators, and more. This time we got to talk quietly as everyone managed their cooks.

We started out hanging with the Truth BBQ crew. Patrick Hernandez and Reid who were making sure their amazing briskets were staying warm on the pits of Arnis Robbins from Evie Mae's. Reid is known for having his celebrity friends like Houston's Paul Wall stop by their Heights location at Truth.

The meaty part of this episode is with Jordan and Cody while they cooked a whole hog on a custom pit made by A.N. Bewley manufacturing. Cody and Jordan spoke over 3 weeks about the design and Bewley built it just in time for the event. It's an impressive setup. It has a whole mechanism for flipping the hog, multiple openings and a simple way to make coals mounted on the back.

After this weekend I'm so excited about BBQ and the Texas barbecue scene I can't even sit still about it. I'm going all over the world this year to talk to people who eat, cook and love BBQ. I hope you're loving what I'm doing with the show and don't hesitate to tag me, DM me or reach out about whatever you're into.

Thank you for listening and if you liked the show please leave a 5 star rating on apple podcasts. It helps the show grow and get discovered. If you didn’t like the show you can write me at [email protected]. Tag us in all of your meat posts and if you see people getting a little too friendly with their bbq, remind them #dontsqueezeyourmeat!

Tag us in all your social media with @bestbarbecue.

Our Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/bestbbqshow/

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Watch us on YouTube!

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Blake Stoker likes the simple things in life. Even in college he had dreams of cooking BBQ. He's from a small town between Nashville and Memphis and he wouldn't have it any other way. Blake cooks Texas BBQ. He learned on his own and has been learning an improving along the way. He has an amazing family who will soon be helping him at his new restaurant.

For now Blake cooks out of his trailer that he's had for a few years. He has a good sized menu with tons of meats plus a few things that the locals are into like BBQ bologna. Spoiler alert, that last one is leaving the menu but don't worry, there's still tons to try at this spot.

I talk to Blake all about his aspirations and what he wants to do next with the restaurant he's just starting to plan. I'd keep an eye on this guy. A lot of us are waiting for that spot to open so we can go visit. I know I'll be there opening day.

Enjoy this episode with Blake Stoker.

Thank you for listening and if you liked the show please leave a 5 star rating on apple podcasts. It helps the show grow and get discovered. If you didn’t like the show you can write me at [email protected]. Tag us in all of your meat posts and if you see people getting a little too friendly with their bbq, remind them #dontsqueezeyourmeat!

Tag us in all your social media with @bestbarbecue.

Our Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/bestbbqshow/

and Instagram

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Watch us on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99iAPEAsTs7vPzov8mygPA

Whether you've never had Texas BBQ before or you've eaten at every top spot, Brown's BarBque is a real treat. Owner Daniel Brown does all the cooking, chops the wood, trims the meat and everything else except serving it. He even built the smoker that he cooks on. He's committed to a great product and has a fun location at neighborhood bar in Austin.

He keeps it in the family at Brown's. His daughter serves most days from the trailer. Daniel also cuts all the post oak for the smokers. He gets it fresh from his own land southwest of Austin. Any given day you'll find a family member stopping by Brown's BBQ. Sometimes it's a brother sometimes it's a 3rd cousin. While the city of Austin explodes there's still a few OG's doing their thing.

I truly enjoyed this interview and I hope you do too. I love learning about a cities roots and most of Austin's are all but dug up. We all know multi-generational businesses are a challenge and this one hasn't skipped a step. They're going strong and Daniel is excited to keep serving the amazing BBQ that his dad taught him to cook.

Thank you for listening and if you liked the show please leave a 5 star rating on apple podcasts. It helps the show grow and get discovered. If you didn’t like the show you can write me at [email protected]. Tag us in all of your meat posts and if you see people getting a little too friendly with their bbq, remind them #dontsqueezeyourmeat!

Tag us in all your social media with @bestbarbecue.

Our Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/bestbbqshow/

and Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bestbarbecue/

Watch us on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99iAPEAsTs7vPzov8mygPA

Every year I come to Houston for a unique event, the Houston BBQ festival. From the outside it looks like any other barbecue fest. A bunch of tents, pits, meat and beer. What I can tell you is that it gets better every year. The Houston BBQ scene is growing rapidly. Restaurants are opening, popups are happening, and the meat just keeps getting better.

HOUBBQ also supports the pitmasters. They create an environment that is fun and keeps great food coming every year. The setup is simple. Two rows of tents on the sides, beer and music down the middle. I love it because it creates an alley behind all the tents where I can watch what they're cooking and steal a few minutes with your favorite people.

There's a long list of people on this episode and I hope you enjoy all the conversations we had at HOUBBQ.

Thank you for listening and if you liked the show please leave a 5 star rating on apple podcasts. It helps the show grow and get discovered. If you didn’t like the show you can write me at [email protected]. Tag us in all of your meat posts and if you see people getting a little too friendly with their bbq, remind them #dontsqueezeyourmeat!

Tag us in all your social media with @bestbarbecue.

Our Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/bestbbqshow/

and Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bestbarbecue/

Watch us on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99iAPEAsTs7vPzov8mygPA