Houston Barbecue Events

Ronald James “Jim” Buchanan

August 11, 2026

Ronald James “Jim” Buchanan, 58, passed away peacefully on July 9, 2026, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, surrounded by family. Jim was born on March 6, 1968, in Jackson, Mississippi, and raised in Katy, TX, by his parents, Karen and Thomas (“Buck”) Buchanan. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army. He served honorably in both the U.S. Army Rangers and the Texas Army National Guard, rising to the rank of Sergeant and serving as an Infantryman and Military Police Soldier. The resilience and community he developed during his military service remained a defining part of who he was throughout his life.

Weaver’s BBQ offers destination-worthy barbecue in deep Southeast Texas

March 14, 2026

If you spent any time on the West Coast in the early 2010s, you may have crossed paths with Jesse Weaver. He may have been the guy on the street corner in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco busking (singing) for a donation, or hanging out with a troop of aspiring comedians selling jokes to passersby for a quarter (they were called the “Quarter Joke Crew” if that rings a bell). This is the story of how a Spring native went from traveling around the West Coast to making some of the best barbecue in Southeast Texas from a trailer in the parking lot of a gas station in the small town of Kenefick.

Ann Criswell. Photo courtesy Houston Chronicle.

How Ann Criswell helped launch rodeo cook-off

February 26, 2026

For many Houstonians, the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (aka cook-off) has been part of our early spring calendars for as long as we can remember.
The rodeo and livestock show debuted in 1932, but the first cook-off occurred in 1974. The beginnings were humble; only 17 teams participated. Fortunately, the judging team provided some much-needed star-power for the inaugural event. In addition to the obligatory local celebrities, a real-deal Hollywood star, Ben Johnson, was a judge. A veteran of many classic Western movies, Johnson had recently won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his part in the film “The Last Picture Show.” Ann Criswell, the Houston Chronicle’s food editor from 1966 to 2000, also evaluated the smoked meat offerings.