Best BBQ Show

You’re listening to Best BBQ and I’m your host, Yoni Levin. If you’ve been on our instagram this week you know it is Texas Monthly BBQ weekend. What does that mean? It means I just spent the last 3 days eating and hanging out with pitmasters from all over the world. What else does that mean? Well, if you saw our wild weekend on our social channels you’ve seen where we’ve been hanging out. You’ve seen who we’ve talked to and today we’ve got a great episode of pitmasters and enthusiasts from California to New York who love Texas BBQ. It takes endurance to be part of something as hectic as TM BBQ weekend. It’s not easy eating all that meat and driving to so many destinations that we went to over the last 4 days. I see it as a test, the test of a true meatman. The test of a true bbq enthusiast and the kind of man or woman who can handle being surrounded by meat and smoke. While being surrounded by smoke is nice, adding some smokey pit masters is an added bonus. I showed up to Snow’s this last Saturday expecting to see a few familiar faces and what was actually there amazed me. A crew of people that truly love BBQ and cook it often and well. We had a slew of cooks, owners and talking heads, so many in fact, that if I had had 10 mics it wouldn’t have been enough. In this episode we talk to Joey Victorian the king of tri-tip, Abe Delgado the cheerleader of all things bbq and a regular at Moo’s Craft BBQ who was also there so pay attention, the mics move around fast. After Andrew and Michelle Munoz of moos I had a Chat with Robert Jacob Lerma photographer extraordinaire, and Mallory Robbins of Evie Mae’s.  We talk about the struggles of cooking Central Texas BBQ in the pan handle and an email list that you’ll all want to get on for Evie Mae’s prime rib dinners. Mallory passes it to Arnis, does it sound like I’m doing a football play by play? Sorry. Arnis and Andrew have a chat before we get a quick word with Matt from Mill Scale. John Brotherton and Joey Victorian face off for a little smack talk and Clay pokes in to make jokes.   Before the episode ends we get some wise words of wisdom from Russell Roegels who has been dubbed the Commissioner of BBQ. I hope you enjoy this episode and all the great people that joined us to talk bbq. I’ve got to go wash my mics, they’re covered in grease. Enjoy!   Thank you again for listening and as always 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 anything that's fit to see, meat, family, fun. Don't forget to use #meatman and keep spreading the love in the BBQ world!

Do you like great BBQ? I do. I set out over a year ago now to create a show about barbecue. About tasting it, about the people who cook it and all the amazing places that serve delicious, wood fired, low and slow Texas BBQ.

John Brotherton is someone you don't see frowning very often. He's always up for BBQ and he's happy to meet up and talk about the business. I've eaten more meals in more different barbecue joints with John Brotherton than anyone else. He also won the Austin vs Houston Throwdown last year with Evan Leroy (they tied). He's a true meatman and makes one of my favorite things in BBQ, he makes great sandwiches. Some places you sit down and they give you a platter, some places might put your food on a plate of some kind, these guys serve bomb sandwiches in the classic boats with checkered paper (I love classic). The pastrami sandwich I ate right before this interview had huge pieces of juicy pastrami on some amazing marbled bread. Check our instagram for visuals to go along with what you're reading. During this round table I was joined by three of John's pit masters, Alanmykal Jackson, Dominic Colbert and Andrew Stapp. They're young guys in the game but that is only in age. These three gentleman have experience at multiple restaurants even before they met John. You can tell from this round table that they enjoy their work and the culture of Brotherton's. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and follow us on our social media @bestbarbecue and make sure to use our favorite tags #meatman, #chickenisavegetable and of course #dontsqueezeyourmeat. We need to get the word out on the last one, I still see perfectly good meat being squeezed dry all over the internet and it has to stop! While you're at it go hit up John Broherton (@briskit_wispuhrer), Alanmykal Jackson (@pitmaster_jackson5) and Dominic Colbert (@pit_ninja). Tag them with a #meatman and tell them you enjoyed the show! Until next week, go eat some meat and invite your friends along to join you!  

If you've ever met Joey Machado, you've probably met him at a cooking competition or event. He probably had at least 3 people with him including his talented son Ty, who has won many competitions himself. Joey and I sit down at SLAB which is an acronym for Slow Low and Bangin'. At the helm of SLAB is Mark Avalos, a man whose love of graffiti and hip-hop is written all over the walls. They even have cookies for their banana pudding shaped like hip-hop legends Biggie and Eazy-E. If you're in the area and want to meet Joey and many other famous cooks, come down to the Hill Country Cook Off Associations State Championship BBQ Cookoff Contest on October 12th 2018. If you are the first to find me there and mention this episode, I have a free prize for you that includes a $25 giftcard to SLAB BBQ! Every week you'll hear a new conversation with one of the many interesting people in the world of BBQ. Joey Machado is known for being generous with his B&B Charcoal and all kinds of knowledge. His calendar is packed with Barbecue competitions, cook offs and work with relief organizations. He is everywhere that is good BBQ and often your favorite pit master is using his charcoal and other products. You can find Joey using #bbqcharcoal and as always tag us in all your social media with @bestbarbecue and use #meatman and #meatwoman wherever you see someone who loves meat!    

I want to be honest with you. I've been cooking BBQ for a long time, but I never felt fully connected to the BBQ community til the last year. What was the change? The people. I decided to start a show. I decided that all these amazing people I was meeting had great stories. I was interested in the stories and I also knew a few of you would want to hear what's going on. Isn't that why you're here? To learn about the scene, see who's cooking what and learn all their secrets? What if I told you they're all right here. They want to tell you everything. A few weeks ago I went on a road trip. 32 or so hours with Brendan Lamb to a well known BBQ joint, The Shed. At the helm of The Shed is Brad Orrison, a mad scientist in his own way, he might just be one of the happiest men on earth. Brad invited Brendan down to share some equipment with him. As soon as Brendan got the invite, he called me to come along. I introduced the two of them and boy do I love an excuse to disappear for a day to help some friends. That's what this story is all about, friends. I'm sure all you #meatwomen and #meatmen are out there making friends with your amazing BBQ. You're the friend everyone counts on. The one that knows hard work because you have lived it. The one who will take over the fire or the grill when you know someone isn't treating it right. You're a hero, a force of good in the world of over the fire cooking. Brendan and Brad are just two of the many heroes I've met in the past year. Enjoy this story and our ramblings as we drive home from Mississippi with a trailer full of gear, bellies full of barbeque and about 5 hours sleep. Who knows, maybe you'll be on your own wild ride in no time. Brad (@bradorrison) The Shed (@theshedbbq) Brendan (@brendan_lamb) Smiley's (@smileysbbq) and of course @bestbarbecue! Tag us in anything that's fit to see, meat, family, fun. Don't forget to use #meatman and keep spreading the love in the BBQ world!

When you walk up to Loro you don't expect to run into a bouncer...not truly a bouncer, but there is someone working the door. One thing you wouldn't expect at Loro is, it's counter service. The door person keeps the line from backing up and helps new arrivals navigate the menu. On busy days, they even open an outdoor bar so you can have a drink while you wait. Bram Tripp and the team at Loro have thought a lot about flavor and taste. For example, their Bavette is a cold smoked, beef fat con fit steak that is finished on a giant wood fired grill in their kitchen. They have karaage, Oak smoked salmon and even a brisket burger topped with a papaya salad. Even the bar menu is thought out so your drinks are fresh and quick. Even after trying half the menu I'll be back to voer the rest. If you had told me a year ago that I'd be sitting down with a highly skilled chef, who cooked bbq in Houston and then moved to an asian smokehouse in Austin, I might not have believed you. The truth is, the term "bbq" is starting to cover a wider range of food and I'm loving every minute of it. I already make Ramen, Pho, curry and other dishes with my BBQ leftovers. What Loro has done is inspire me to take it even further. I hope you enjoy this wide ranging conversation with an amazing chef and pitmaster, Bram Tripp. You can see the menu and hours at loroaustin.com. As always, tag us in your posts and in the comments @bestbarbecue and pick up your #meatman or #meatwoman shirts at www.bestbbqshow.com!

This week I wanted to take the time to talk to you, the listeners. I love the people, the food, and the hard work of BBQ. The barbecue world is full of great people. I've spent the last year talking, tasting and cooking Texas barbeque with some of the greatest pit masters on earth. It's crazy the opportunity y'all the listeners have given me. I'm thankful for every day I get to host this show and it's all because of you. #Meatman shirts are available on bestbbqshow.com. As always tag us in your favorite bbq posts, videos, cooking tips or anything else that inspires you to be a part of the #bbqfamily. Enjoy your week and we'll see you next money with the Best BBQ Show just for you.

Wayne Mueller didn't expect to end up at his father's restaurant. Wayne ended up working with his father, Bobby Mueller, before he died and Wayne took over. Since then Wayne has traveled the world spreading the gospel of BBQ. He hangs out with some of the coolest pit masters on earth. Billy Durney, Sam Jones and many more. Luckily he loves our show and is happy to spend time talking about his experiences and the world of barbecue. In this episode we talk all about the BBQ world, sports, life, and even what cooking barbecue meant 60+ years ago when his father started cooking. Back then it was more about preserving the meat than being the hot new thing. Now Texas BBQ is taking over the world and we're covering it from all different angles. Pick up your #meatman or #meatwoman shirts at www.bestbbqshow.com! Show your true colors and support our show! Follow us on all your favorite social media! @bestbarbecue  

You may not read it in the headlines, but Shane Stiles has created what could be the most talented and hard working team in Austin BBQ. The Switch, a new Dripping Springs location for the Stiles Switch brand, recently opened and with it came some shifts in the Barbecue world. Between the two locations there are pit masters that used to call many pits their homes including Kreuz, Freedmen's, Louie Mueller, La BBQ, Smokey Denmark and Franklin. This company and army of #meatmen are cooking the best BBQ around and have spread the barbecue gospel by adding an amazing barbecue restaurant just 14 miles west of Austin. When you walk in to The Switch you don't see the normal BBQ joint look. No old signs or smoke marks on the walls. This is new BBQ, this is table service, clean walls, and a bar that is so inviting you may never leave. I know I spent 2 hours at it as soon as I finished this interview. Jess Pryles was recently quoted in Forbes saying, "Open for lunch and dinner, Stiles is another workhorse of a barbecue joint... and their corn casserole may just be my all-time-favorite BBQ side dish." You'll hear more about that casserole in the interview. Follow Stiles Switch, and The Switch on social media as well as all their amazing pitmasters: Stiles Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/stilesswitchbbq/) The Switch Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/theswitchdripping/) Catherine Stiles (http://www.barbecuewife.com) Marco (https://www.instagram.com/marcooglesby/) Bill (https://www.instagram.com/saustin151/) Christopher (https://www.instagram.com/symack731/) Braun (https://www.instagram.com/braun_hughes/)   As always, follow us on social media and tag @bestbarbecue in your #meatman photos!!!! Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bestbarbecue/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bestbarbecueshow/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/BestBarbecue) YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99iAPEAsTs7vPzov8mygPA) Tag #meatman and don't be stranger!! Thanks, Yoni

Ray Ramirez started by cooking a form of BBQ that he was seeing in the middle of America but when he went to Austin for the first time, that all changed. He tasted the slow cooked, wood fired, buttery perfection that is Texas barbecue and he never looked back. Now he sells more Texas BBQ than anyone else in LA. I first met Ray at the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest where he was chewing on a bone from a tomahawk steak. He's a true #meatman and even competed with us for that hashtag all over social media. He now owns the idea of the meatman burrito, which is just a bigger version of the regular burrito that used to be on his menu. He's a hustler, a family man, and an all around great part of the worldwide BBQ family. In this episode we talk about how he decided to add the word "Texas" to his name and what it was like serving the BBQ Snob. One of the reasons Daniel Vaughn was there, was because Ray's #meatman burrito has been taking social media by storm. If you follow any food accounts, you've probably seen the cross section of brisket, sausage, macaroni and cheese and more that makes up this 2 pound burrito. In Los Angeles there are a few choices to get Texas BBQ. A lot of them are pop-ups and underground, but Ray's is located conveniently in Huntington Park. You can just walk in and order as much meat as you can eat. Plus maybe a little extra to take home. He slow cooks his meat just like many of the restaurants here in Texas. He's even getting an offset pit straight from a builder in Austin, which he'll be pulling with his Tesla... Follow Ray's BBQ and tag any of the pictures you love with #meatman! Website (http://www.iwantbrisket.com/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/raystexasbbq/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/raystexasbbq/) As always, follow us on social media and tag @bestbarbecue in your #meatman photos!!!! Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bestbarbecue/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bestbarbecueshow/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/BestBarbecue) YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99iAPEAsTs7vPzov8mygPA) Tag #meatman and don't be stranger!! Thanks, Yoni

While Adam, Brian, and Matt were away from their restaurant in Toronto, Ontario, they left an interesting sign on the door. It said, "ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. Key management staff are away on holiday. You may encounter: -Extra Long Lineups -Carefree Attitudes -Horrible Music Choices -Stressed out Asst. Manager Now if that's not leaving the place in style, I don't know what is. As far as style, these guys have thousands who have come for their BBQ and thousands more, including me, who have this as a key stop on their list. Why is Adamson BBQ such an important part of the BBQ world? Because, as Wayne Mueller spreads the gospel in his way, Adam and the rest of the crew cook in possibly the coldest place to get Texas BBQ, Canada. What started as a food truck in 2013 is now a destination for people all over the world. Just a quick scroll of Adamson's social media can tell you that. They've got thousands of posts and tens of thousands of delighted followers. Their platters look like they were made in Texas and their desserts look that way too. They don't care about fine dining or table service. What the Adamson guys are spreading is the true Texas style. Many of their first customers had to learn to share a large platter on peach paper. The butcher paper spread doesn't come naturally to those outside of Texas, let alone Canadians. None of these obstacles hindered Adam and his team. They continue to serve moist brisket, turkey, ribs, amazing sides and even beef ribs. Their BBQ looks world class and I can't wait to sink my teeth into it. For now, I have to be satisfied just having a conversation with them. These guys were too nice. They were so thankful to be in Texas and spent 6 days packing in all the BBQ they could eat. As true #meatmen I first ran into them at Snow's and we made friends over huge platters of BBQ. I am grateful for them taking the time to talk to the show RIGHT before they had to leave for the airport. Thank you to the entire Adamson team and we can't wait to take the show to Canada and have some of the Best BBQ in Canada, Texas style. You can find Adamson BBQ on: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/adamsonbarbecue/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/adamsonbarbecue/) YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/AdamsonBarbecue) Twitter (https://twitter.com/adamsonbarbecue) Website (https://adamsonbarbecue.com/) As always, follow us on social media and tag @bestbarbecue in your #meatman photos!!!! Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bestbarbecue/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bestbarbecueshow/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/BestBarbecue) YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99iAPEAsTs7vPzov8mygPA) Tag #meatman and don't be stranger!! Thanks, Yoni  

In Austin, BBQ can come in many ways. It can be classic, modern, tex mex but it's rarely available past dinner time. At Rollin Smoke BBQ in East Austin, Kyle Stallings takes his time to create great meat all day and all night. Most pit masters are used to being up early. Some cook from sundown to sun up. At Rollin Smoke their service ends right before sunrise. I had a great time talking to Kyle about current affairs, sauces and dealing with the drunk crowd at 2am. His passion for BBQ started years ago when he had his trailer on the west side of Austin. He and other vendors were forced to move from that spot where a 32 story building now resides. The move didn't stop him from cooking though. Since setting up across from Austin music venue Hotel Vegas, he's had a great time playing with his menu. Cooking fun ingredients like beef cheek and doing huge juicy beef ribs on the weekend, Kyle always keeps it interesting. His smoker is also unique. Made mostly out of necessity for the trailer, his pit is one long step from the register. His trailer is covered in graffiti art of pigs having a good time and delicious food. We had brisket, sausage, some smoked mac and cheese and even some perfect cubes of pork belly. He uses mostly post oak with a little pecan thrown in once in a while. Kyle is a true barbecue artist and I look forward to my next visit. You can find Rollin Smoke BBQ at 1501 E 6th St Austin, Texas 78702. You can also follow Kyle and his delicious food pics on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pg/RollinSmokeATX)and instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dawarden/)! As always, tag us in your meat photos (@bestbarbecue) and tag yourself and your friends with #meatman! Follow us on Social Media: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bestbarbecueshow) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bestbarbecue/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/bestbarbecue)  

Brett Boren started out cooking at home and it quickly turned into a passion for competition. He cooks just like a Texas #meatman should! Brisket, ribs, even a chicken or two. What we don't know is where his next move will be. We know that he's going to have a permanent spot somewhere outside of Austin. What does this mean for the BBQ scene? Could we have a new dot connecting one of the many barbecue trails around Texas? I ask Brett as many questions as he's willing to answer as well as trying to get Mike to team up on him with me. You heard Mike Wyont last week and he happened to be at Snow's this week visiting for his first time. He loves good BBQ and he got his fill this last Saturday! He spent most of the morning exploring the pits and talking to pit master Clay Cowgill. He also spent a good amount of time waiting to get his picture with Tootsie and the rest of the crew. No matter how long you wait for your food, there's always a line to talk to Tootsie! Clay Cowgill jumps on the mic a few times to tell us what it's like cooking out in Lexington, TX. He even shares a little unmarked jar of "country punch" with us. I have to say, it tastes good and can probably help me strip some paint off my house. Clay cooks every Saturday at Snow's and has recently started donning an "I

You may remember Mike Wyont from a few weeks ago when we went to Louie's in Austin and got an update on his trailer and what's next for them. Michael has supported Luis Vasquez of Louie's BBQ through some tough times, but that doesn't mean it's rainbows and unicorns for Mr. Wyont. He's spent years going from a trailer in San Marcos to a trailer in Whitney and now happily in a remodeled bar on route 22 just down the street from downtown Whitney and the lake. Mike has a long history in BBQ working in Lockhart at Black's and starting his own business from scratch. He saw an overnight change in business when he landed in the Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joints. People came from all over Texas, and the world, to get a stamp and try some of his BBQ. I never got into the passport thing, I think mine is somewhere. Truly I just want to try all this great BBQ and meet the people making it. Mike Wyont has a great spot in Whitney. There's tons of seating and parking in this remote locale. His staff works quickly and clearly enjoy the BBQ industry. They generously portion out his meat and sides like pros. Speaking of sides, Mike's training in classic French culinary techniques clearly shows through in the quality and consistency of his sides. From the perfectly chopped slaw and nicely seasoned corn to his tart and spicy homemade pickles. I wouldn't be surprised if they're selling these pickles by the jar (or the case) in the near future. Here at Best BBQ we are constantly searching for great people cooking amazing food at the highest level. Flores BBQ does not disappoint. Mike Wyont is a perfectionist and it shows from the grace and care he takes with his BBQ. I'll be stopping by the next chance I get and I'll make sure it's one of the days he's making that beef rib. If there's one thing that I could eat as much as brisket, it's a beef rib. You can follow Flores BBQ on instagram @flores_barbecue or follow the man himself @pitman_mike. Tune in on your favorite podcast app or watch this episode on YouTube! (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99iAPEAsTs7vPzov8mygPA) Follow us on instagram or twitter @bestbarbecue Tag us in all your favorite posts and use #meatman!

Enjoy this episode where I get to sit down with my friend Brad Orrison who gave me about 4 hours notice he'd be in Ft. Worth, TX for a fantasy football event. He spent the night feeding hundreds of pork sliders to famous football players and their fans alike. He even delivered a special platter to the VIP room as a special request from Michael Irving! We had a chance to sit down with him and Brendan Lamb before he had to take off back to Memphis. We set up in a secluded corner of the hotel lobby and ended up getting shut down! You'll catch that at the end, but enjoy the episode! I had a great time recording it! Brad Orrison began his BBQ and Blues journey in 2001. This wild ride has taken him on quite a successful trip. It all began with dumpster diving, using G-Maw’s Lowes credit card, learning to slow smoke meat and put a menu together. When they opened the doors folks simply loved it. Once there was a guy that spent most of his out-of-class time at Ole Miss scouting out, jumping in, and rummaging through dumpsters and street side garbage piles.  The highlight of his week was the “night before trash day.”  After graduation, he wanted to move back to the Coast.  One sobering morning he surveyed all he had collected over the years.  It was everywhere, it was insane: warped used two by fours, old tin roofing, bent nails, ugly windows, mountains of pure, unadulterated junk! Not knowing what to do with it and not willing to part with a single plastic bucket or warped record, he built a trailer out of the larger parts and loaded the rest on top of this homemade junk hauler and moved back to Ocean Springs. One evening while dumpster diving on the Coast, the guy, Brad Orrison, knee deep in hardwood flooring had an epiphany: “I’m gonna’ build myself a take out barbeque joint with all this junk!” Brad (24) and his sister Brooke (19) hammered and nailed.  They practiced cooking, smoking, and timing meat to perfection.  A few weeks after opening, Brother Brett (22) just graduating from Full Sail University in Recording Arts and being the sound engineer for the House of Blues in New Orleans, breezed in with all his knowledge and contacts to set up one of the finest Blues venues in the South.  Now, The Shed had all the elements it needed to become a true BBQ & Blues Joint. I met Brad last year at the NBBQA conference in Fort Worth, TX and we were immediately friends. Over those three days we cooked, drank Texas beer, and even did karaoke together. Since then we took a trip up to Memphis for the World Barbecue Cooking Championships at Memphis in May where they won World Grand Champions after winning in 4 of the 8 categories. After winning it all Brooke told us that we are officially part of the shed family. This means that we'll be covering them as often as we can to get the story of this great restaurant and world champion cooking team. Brendan Lamb has cooked Texas style barbecue at a few places and now he's creating his own restaurant in Ft. Worth, TX. Smiley's BBQ is still looking for locations but that hasn't stopped Brendan from cooking at pop ups and special events. Brendan is a true Texan in so many ways it's hard to count. One of the most obvious ones was that when we met up with him at the hotel his pick up had a nice stack of post oak right next to the stains from hog hunting! Follow us and all our guests on social media! @bestbarbecue (on all platforms) @brendan_lamb @bradorrison & @theshedbbq http://theshedbbq.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheShedBBQ