This week, Patrick goes into the world of certified BBQ judging. He is a KCBS certified judge and table captain, so he gives you some insight on how BBQ is judged in competition. There are both objective and subjective aspects to be judged, so Patrick walks you through them with both ribs and brisket. In "The Smoke" listener mailbag we discuss last week's show from the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest and bounce around some ideas about how to display the myriad stickers we have.

Episode Guide:

0:00 - How to judge BBQ the KCBS certified way

27:18 - "The Smoke" mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text/Voicemail: 318-657-0HAM (0426)

IG/FB: @thebbqhound

In this episode, we recap the trip to Lockhart, TX, for the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest. From the best bites, sights and sounds on Saturday in Downtown to the amazing Top 50 joints offering their wares at the city park on Sunday, it was a cornucopia of amazing food and fellowship. We also conduct some "mini interviews" with Holden Fulco of Parish Barbecue, Ernest Cervantes of #1 spot Burnt Bean Co, Ben Maxwell of Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q and Al Wasserberger of Behind the Food. In "The Smoke" we bring you listener and viewer responses and also pose the question "What do we do with all these stickers??"

Episode Guide:

0:00 - TM BBQ Fest Recap

24:22 - Holden Fulco - Parish Barbecue

28:02 - Ernest Cervantes - Burnt Bean Co. Barbecue

29:57 - Ben Maxwell - Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q

32:11 - Al Wasserberger - Behind the Food

34:11 - "The Smoke" Mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text/Voicemail: 318-657-0HAM (0426)

IG/FB: @thebbqhound

In this week's episode of The BBQ Hound, Patrick goes into his somewhat impromptu trip to Houston to catch a Northwestern State football game and also cross off five of the Texas Monthly Top 50 spots. A journey that gets both Corkscrew and Rosemeyer in Spring, Truth in Houston and both Bar-A and Jennings in Montgomery. Patrick will lay out the best bites at each spot and why an encounter at one of those joints gave him some much needed encouragement.

Episode Guide:

0:00 - Recap of Houston Trip

33:50 - "The Smoke" Mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text/Voicemail: 318-657-0HAM (0426)

IG/FB: @thebbqhound

Andrew Caskey, pit master of Bad Wolf BBQ in Ruston, LA, joins the show. We discuss his move from the oil and gas industry into BBQ, first as a hobby and then a business. The challenges of trying to figure out how to make the business work out of a food truck while expanding the pits and kitchen space to keep up with soaring demand. We also get into educating a small town in Louisiana on what Texas craft BBQ is and the hours and price points associated with it

Episode Guide:

7:20 - Andrew Caskey Interview

56:29 - "The Smoke" Mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text/Voicemail: 318-657-0426

IG/FB: @thebbqhound

Brendyn Todd, owner/pitmaster of Brendyn's BBQ in Nacogdoches, TX, joins the show. We discuss how he named the restaurant, almost becoming an owner of a Chick-Fil-A but then pivoting to BBQ, how a trip to Franklin BBQ changed his life, and how family runs through everything he does. Plus "The Smoke" viewer/listener mailbag

Episode Guide:

5:25 - Brendyn Todd Interview

52:31 - "The Smoke" mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text/Voicemail: 318-657-0426

IG/X/FB: @thebbqhound

In this week's episode, we recount Patrick and his dad (and nephew) taking a trip to South Texas. For everyone else it was a chance for an incredible dove hunt, but for Patrick it was an opportunity to hit three of the Texas Monthly Top 50 spots, including two in the Rio Grande Valley. Hear about the amazing food at Teddy's and GW's in the Valley and Butter's in Sinton. Also, a pretty incredible random run-in with the guys from Burnt Bean Co., the No. 1 spot on the list. Plus we get into "The Smoke", our viewer/listener mailbag

Episode Guide:

00:12 - South Texas BBQ and Dove Hunting

22:20 - "The Smoke" mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text/Voicemail: 318-657-0426

IG/X/FB: @thebbqhound

Tyler Harp of Harp Barbecue in Kansas City is this week's guest. We discuss his upbringing in KC, his love of the Chiefs and Royals, being a clubby in the visitor's clubhouse at Royals' games and how tailgating led to his love of barbecue. He ultimately decided to bring Texas craft barbecue to his hometown and we discuss how that has worked out in such an old-school barbecue mecca like Kansas City

Episode Guide:

4:20 - Tyler Harp Interview

52:52 - "The Smoke" listener mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text/Voicemail: 318-657-0426

IG/X/FB: @thebbqhound

This week's episode features Blake Stoker of Blake's at Southern Milling in Martin, TN. We talk about Blake finding his way into barbecue while in college at Mississippi State, returning to his western Tennessee roots with a small food truck and then buying a century-old grain mill to open up a palace for barbecue and what might come next

Episode Guide:

2:27 - Blake Stoker Interview

1:03:52 - "The Smoke" listener mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text/Voicemail: 318-657-0426

IG/X/FB: @thebbqhound

YouTube: @thebbqhound

Bill Dumas, the Sausage Sensei, joins the show to discuss his long journey through BBQ. He is now one of the pitmasters at Schulze's Pit Room in Seguin, TX, but is most known for his outrageous sausage creations and teaching sausage making around the world. We go in depth on his background, his BBQ influences and the folks he is currently influencing. Plus we get into some of the craziest sausage ideas he has had

Episode Guide:

2:55 - Bill Dumas Interview

54:00 - "The Smoke" listener reactions

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text: 318-657-0426

IG/X/FB: @thebbqhound

YouTube: @thebbqhound

Brett Kawada, an accounting professor from California, joins the show to discuss being the first person to complete the Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ list. We get into his background and why he chose to take on this herculean task of gastronomy.

In this week's edition of "The Smoke" we answer a question about beans and tackle some trolls on Reddit.

Episode Guide:

2:00 - Brett Kawada Interview

42:30 - "The Smoke" mailbag

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Text: 318-657-0426

IG/X/FB: @thebbqhound

YouTube: @thebbqhound