BBQ in the News

John Mueller isn't just a man with a famous last name. He was the owner/pitmaster of an award winning BBQ joint in Austin that bore his name until 2006. Now word comes from Man Up Texas BBQ that John his working his way towards an opening later this summer. You may remember a similar announcement back in early 2010, but this one comes with a proposed location and an actual timeline. Here's hoping we'll all be able to taste that brisket that everyone raved about this past weekend at the Foodway Texas event at Boggy Creek Farm. Follow John on Twitter for the latest.

The newest issue of Saveur is dedicated to BBQ, and not the grilling kind. BBQ Nation is an in depth look at regional styles of BBQ with articles by John T. Edge and Robb Walsh. It's a great read.

Edd Mitchell is a famous North Carolina pitmaster who has been featured on the Food Network and in countless publications. After some tax troubles closed his original joint in 2004, he partnered with a developer to open The Pit in Raleigh in 2007. The joint has garnered wide acclaim, but Edd is moving on. He plans to open up his own place next year.

The Food Network series "Best in Smoke" just wrapped up after four episodes with Matt Lang of Fette Sau in Brooklyn beating out Famous Dave and Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson's. If this series gets another season they should consider renaming "Light the Grill" since true smoked meat got very little air time.

If you're a Top Chef fan, you might remember the Voltaggio brothers. They've partnered with Williams Sonoma for the Fire, Smoke & Flavor Tour. A feature of their trip to Lockhart to visit Smitty's is on the W-S website with some links to the Voltaggio brother's recipes which have very little to do with barbecue. The meat recipes require a grill or a crock-pot. I'm sorry, but beef ribs and pork shoulder require indirect heat and smoke, not just sauce, to be called barbecue.

Finally, the Miami New Times (sister paper to the Dallas Observer) provided their opinions about who has the better BBQ between Miami and Texas. While the idea itself is laughable, it became more-so when they actually said that better BBQ could be found in South Beach than in Big D. Dallas's own Cheap Bastard provided a swift and powerful response which started a #miamibbqsucks rampage on Twitter. Let's just say that I have a few BBQ destinations in mind for future travel and Miami hasn't made the list.

- BBQ Snob

Bodacious Bar-B-Q (Mt. Pleasant)

MOUNT PLEASANT: Bodacious Bar-B-Q
100 West Ferguson Road Mount Pleasant, TX 75455
903-572-7860
Open M-F 10:30-8, Sat 11-7
www.mountpleasantbbq.com

Update: This joint is CLOSED and has become a location of Outlaw's BBQ. The menu is nearly identical.

2011: Once again I had some mediocre BBQ at a Bodacious in Sulphur Springs to begin a long road trip. It only took a few minutes after my tweet for someone to suggest the location in Mount Pleasant. I saved it for the trip home, but had second thoughts as I drove through a hail storm along I-30. The clouds seemed to part and the rain stopped as I neared the exit for Mount Pleasant. God seemed to be telling me that Bodacious gold may be in my near future.



To be fair, it was 4:00 in the afternoon when I ordered. Ribs were gone for the day and the brisket tasted like it had been sitting around for a while. The fat was well rendered, and the meat was nicely tender and still moist after the long storage. A good smoky flavor was missing and it could have used more seasoning to fill the void. This would have made a good saucy sandwich, if there sauce was any good. Pulled pork with its bits of black crust made for some smokier meat. The meat was impressively moist with plenty of flavor. Sides were standard fare, with crispy fried okra and well seasoned green beans. While not overwhelmingly stellar BBQ, this location was one of the better that I've tried.

Rating ***

Bar-B-Q Truck

ARKANSAS: Bar-B-Q Truck
1591 W. Sevier St.
Benton, AR 72019
Phone ?
Open ?

I saw a BBQ truck alongside the road, and I was hoping for something great. The proprietor said he was planning to open in the brick building adjacent to his current parking spot.



I took the sandwich to the car and took a few bites. The pork had minimal flavor and the Bull's Eye BBQ sauce and cold bun didn't help much. I was also surprised at the lack of slaw in this part of the country. The meat wasn't good enough to warrant further questioning.

Rating *