Season 7, Episode 2 of This Week in Barbecue is packed with sizzling updates, inspiring stories, and listener-favorite segments! 

We’re rolling through 2025’s hottest BBQ festival lineup, including the Roll the Dice SCA Cookoff in Vegas, Lonestar Smokeout, Memphis in May, Smokeslam BBQ Festival, and the Windy City Smokeout.  Plus, we celebrate 100 years of Big Bob Gibson BBQ, and dive into Phatboyz Smoking’s jaw-dropping 5,000-gallon smoker—yes, you read that right!

Our community is stepping up: Logan of Zeff BBQ and his team are feeding LA’s firefighters, and Nate of Rollinsmoke8020 is mentoring the next generation of BBQ talent with 100 Black Men Triangle East. 

In food and tech news, Chick-fil-A’s lemonade-making robots are squeezing 40% more juice than humans, and Next Level Chef on FOX premieres Feb. 13—featuring podcast alum Biff, aka Jimmy, of Hangar Bay Spice! Make sure to tune in.

James dives into guilt-free smoking, discussing healthy BBQ, rubs and sauces, wood vs. charcoal, and even rethinking veggies as mains.  Rasheed and James wrap up the show with listener-submitted questions, sharing their wisdom on all things BBQ.

Tune in for a jam-packed episode celebrating the heart of BBQ and the community that makes it all possible!

We’re kicking off 2025 with an episode packed full of flavor, wisdom, and a few surprises! Bryan Hull joins us to share his journey in barbecue and business, dropping gems about what it really takes to succeed in the BBQ world. Alongside Rasheed and James, the trio dives deep into the challenges of growing a barbecue business, finding quality help, and why having a "short-term memory" might just be the best advice you’ll ever hear.

We also tackle the big question: Do BBQ "lists" really matter? Plus, get the scoop on two must-attend BBQ festivals—Smoke and Sunshine Festival in West Palm Beach and the brand-new Lone Star Smokeout in Texas this May. And, of course, we couldn’t skip the hilarious recounting of Rasheed and James’ separate but equally terrible BBQ experiences.

Tune in for BBQ stories, festival highlights, and practical insights to kick off your year with the smoky inspiration you need!

BBQ, culinary legends, and tech taking over the food world—this week is packed! Food & Wine’s 35 Best Cookbooks list features 'Turkey and the Wolf' alongside classics like 'Salt Fat Acid Heat' and 'The French Laundry.' Early bird tickets for MeatophiaUK are sold out, and Hanger Bay Spice Co., veteran-owned and operated, just launched two bold new rubs! Dreams to Smoke Rings BBQ event in Chicago this weekend promises top talent like Dominique Leach, Lil Gringa, and Pitmaster Papi.

Meanwhile, Chef Edward Lee is donating all profits from 610 Magnolia to support local restaurants hit by Hurricane Helene. AC BBQ rubs earned a spot on Oprah's Favorite Things, and Smoke & Sunshine BBQ festival is set for January 2025 with legends from across the country.

Plus, the Michelin guide recognized American BBQ like never before, awarding stars, Bib Gourmands, and recommendations to incredible joints in Texas. And yes, Bojangles' AI drive-thru is proof that tech is changing the game fast!

In this episode of "This Week in Barbecue," we bring you the latest festival recaps and BBQ news. We start with Grill and Chill Fest 2024, a joyful event that included a special donation in honor of Darren W. Carter’s work with foster youth and an unexpected gift for Evan Pearl—Rasheed’s smoker! Auntie Delilah impressed everyone with a new mac and cheese creation, and live demos from Gerald and Chuck kept the crowd entertained. The night wrapped up with a Waffle House visit, officially a post-event tradition.

Next, we cover the Openfire Meat Up 2024 in Hondo, TX, hosted by Al Frugoni. With appearances from BBQ legends like Tuffy Stone and Robert Sierra, the event saw North and South California BBQ teams showing up and showing out. Top 3 honors went to Argentina’s team, with People’s Choice awarded to Team TFTI. We were also thrilled to meet young talent Rae Barker, 2023 MasterChef Junior Champion.

Looking forward, we preview Holy Smokes, coming November 9th, and share news including high-quality cheese options on the way, and Wild Heaven Beer teaming up with Fox Bros for a new Toco Hill location. MM BBQ Company is collaborating with Kunchi for a backyard BBQ academy in Tool, TX, on November 2, and Ziegler BBQ Co. celebrates receiving their business license with Springfield, MO pop-up events soon. Lanes BBQ has signed a lease to open a restaurant in Bethlehem in 2025, while Austin's historic House Park BBQ reopens after a fire four years ago. And finally, mark your calendars for Texas Monthly BBQ Fest on November 2-3 in Lockhart, TX, and the new season of Smoke Sessions!

In this episode of "This Week in Barbecue," we bring you the latest updates from the BBQ world. King Meat Barbecue Supply is officially breaking ground with an expected soft opening in November. Bryan Furman is back at Harvard for the 4th year to teach "The Thermodynamics of BBQ" as part of the Science and Cooking lecture series—mark your calendars for October 21. We also discuss Channing Crowder's fun take on what your grill says about you and announce that "Wrangling Fire" by Cookingwidkunchi is now available on Amazon.

Missed Pitmaster Papi at the Alligator Festival? No worries—you can catch him at the Grill and Chill Fest in Corsicana, TX, on October 11-12. Tay Nelson of Bobby's BBQ has received certification to bottle and sell his own sauces, so expect some amazing flavors coming soon. Aunty is opening a new Delilah's location in a 116-year-old historic storefront on Mitchell St—this will be the first free-standing Delilah's location.

We celebrate Evan's success as a first-time headlining chef at the Food and Wine Ilani, and cover Rodney Scott's new line of coal for all your whole hog and barbecue needs. Plus, we discuss brand deals gone wrong, answer listener questions in our Que and A segment, and check out BBQpluscleaners—a family-owned professional BBQ cleaning and maintenance business—in Sheed's Interesting Finds.

Tune in for all the latest BBQ news and insights!

In this episode of "This Week in Barbecue," we bid a heartfelt farewell to the legendary James Earl Jones and dive into the latest buzz in the food and BBQ world. Chipotle has announced the introduction of robots to make burrito bowls more efficiently—will this change the game, and will guac still be extra? We explore the pros and cons of splitting a whole cow and celebrate AC Barbecue's standout appearance at Jackson State University.

Get ready for Grill Fest Sale and BBQ Competition on September 21, hosted by BBQ Central’s Greg Rempe, and join us in congratulating Matt Horn on the birth of his son. We also cover the BBQJackpot becoming a state championship competition, officially qualifying for "The Jack," as announced by Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill. In product news, everyone's buzzing about the Stanley craze, and Yeti is jumping in with new NFL-inspired drinkware and cast iron releases.

We discuss the unique concept of De BBQ Donut in the Netherlands, offering a BBQ experience on water, and Heritage BBQ's exciting barn-style expansion to add more seating and smokers. Plus, the BBQ Snob clears up the confusion about "the list." Lastly, we highlight amaysing_wood, a veteran-owned company based in Hartly, Delaware, and share some personal stories about wood collecting with Andrew Mays.

Tune in for all this and more on the latest episode of "This Week in Barbecue"!

In this episode of "This Week in Barbecue," we recap the Family Reunion event in Middleburg, VA, from sunrise cooks to DJ DNice, and the Ilani BBQ Fest, where Rasheed smoked pork butts for curry pulled pork egg-rolls and witnessed Evan sweep the competition. We also share Rasheed's dining experience at the acclaimed Kann Restaurant in Portland and his excitement over buying his first pair of Jordans. In food news, we cover the Boar’s Head meat recall due to unsafe factory conditions, the concern over added color in store-bought meats, and the reclassification of Mexican cows as American. Upcoming events like Grill and Chill Fest, Holysmoke, and Smokeslam BBQ Festival are highlighted, along with Rasheed’s one-night BBQ takeover in Atlanta. Finally, in BBQ community news, we celebrate Cookingwidkunchi’s new book "Wrangling Fire," the progress of King Meats & BBQ Supply Shop, and the top 10 United States of Texas BBQ rankings.

In this special episode of "This Week in Barbecue," Rasheed dives into the mailbag to answer your burning questions! From mouth-watering recipes and smoking techniques to savvy business advice for aspiring pitmasters, Rasheed covers it all. Whether you’re curious about perfecting your brisket, starting your own BBQ joint, or just looking for some insider tips, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Tune in to hear Rasheed share his expertise and help you take your BBQ game to the next level.

Get ready for another mouth-watering episode of "This Week in Barbecue" with a fresh new look! Join us as we meet Darren and Teresa Carter from "Made in America," and hear about Gerald "Pitmaster Papi's" new rub, "The Doc." We discuss the Supreme Court's boneless chicken wings ruling, Owens and Hull’s AJC write-up, and The Gundo Comedy Festival announcement. Plus, Delilah's Everyday Soul is hiring, Beatdown BBQ’s live class in LA on August 4, and the Black Lion Bash on September 27. We also recap Smoking Out the Hub with special guests and performances. Lastly, Eduardo from Rancho Cucamonga's new Kings Meat & BBQ Supply Company. Tune in for these stories and more!

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Welcome to another sizzling episode of "This Week in Barbecue!" Get ready as we break down the latest BBQ news and events you can't miss. We kick off with the exciting new lineup of BBQ Brawl Grillmaster contestants, featuring familiar faces like Bruce Kalman, Noah Sims, and Logan from Showdown. Tune in for the new season airing on July 8th at 9 PM.Next, we highlight the All-Star BBQ Series in Long Beach on June 22, where celebrity judges Logan Sandoval and Eduardo Gonzalez will crown a winner who will compete at the World Food Championships. Discover the latest in culinary innovation with Nymble, the private robot chef making waves in the kitchen.HolySmokes pre-sale tickets go live on July 10th—don’t miss your chance for a VIP experience. Buc-ee’s opening the world's largest convenience store. WhiskeyBent BBQ’s Chad Ward is hitting the road for a 17-day BBQ tour, bringing delicious smoke to various locations, including TN and Alberta.Celebrate the 4th of July with KG BBQ x Rancho Moonrise at their Honky Tonk BBQ event, featuring live music, a pool party, and two-stepping. We also discuss Walmart’s recent controversy over false pricing and chat with some of the incredible contestants from Season 3 of BBQ Showdown (no spoilers!).Finally, we answer your burning BBQ questions in our Que and A section. Tune in for an episode packed with flavor, fun, and the latest in BBQ culture!