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Deckle & Hide

Announcing the 2025 BBQ Block Party: The New Houston ‘Q

June 23, 2025 No Comments

The Houston Barbecue Festival, Goodstock by Nolan Ryan, and Saint Arnold Brewing Company announce the 2025 BBQ Block Party: The New Houston ‘Q celebrating a new generation of pitmasters that will continue greater Houston’s reign as the best and most creative city for barbecue in the state. Like the old saying goes, Houston is an hour away from Houston. It’s a big place to cover for barbecue fans searching for the latest and greatest smoked meats.

Fortunately, the team at HOUBBQ has put in the research and the miles to discover the next wave of Houston-area barbecue talent and will bring them together on July 20th for barbecue aficionados to taste their wares and meet these rising stars in person.

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Brisket at Brett's BBQ Shop

A brief history of brisket in Houston

April 24, 2025 No Comments

A brief history of brisket in Houston. One of the few certainties of life in Texas is finding brisket on a barbecue menu. This was not always the case. Brisket only became a regular menu item in the 1960s, when Midwest meatpackers made them readily available by shipping them pre-butchered in boxes to restaurants across the country. “Boxed beef” helped brisket to overthrow beef shoulder (clod) as the quintessential Texas barbecue joint menu offering. But brisket as a cut of beef certainly existed before the 1960s. A history of commercially-available brisket in Houston, as documented in the pages of the Houston Chronicle, goes back to early 1900s, and often paralleled

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Sheet cake at Tin Roof BBQ

Why Texas sheet cake is the unsung hero of barbecue desserts

April 9, 2025 No Comments

Why Texas sheet cake is the unsung hero of barbecue desserts. Texas barbecue is, by and large, about tradition. One of its enduring and endearing characteristics is that it delivers comfort in both food and experience. Though many barbecue joints are branching out when it comes to new menu items, we’ll never get our Texas card revoked for ordering brisket, pork ribs, sausage, coleslaw and banana pudding. Still, lingering on the periphery of many menus are items that are either lesser-known or are a regional specialty. For instance, only in recent years have Central Texas joints acknowledged Southeast Texas as a legitimate barbecue region by accepting smoked boudin as a

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Ripper hot dog at Blood Bros. BBQ

Hot dogs are finding a home on Texas barbecue-joint menus

March 18, 2025 No Comments

Hot dogs are finding a home on Texas barbecue-joint menus. Barbecue menus are expanding with new items, including tacos, burgers, fried chicken and enchiladas. More recently, another culinary staple is popping up: hot dogs. Of course, hot dogs are ubiquitous in any city’s restaurant landscape. Houstonians of all ages can recall their first visit to James Coney Island, or JCI Grill as it is now called. A visit to New York City isn’t complete without a trip to a hot dog stand, where the classic boiled hot dog covered in yellow mustard and sauerkraut will set you back about seven bucks when you throw in a can of soda. Heading

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Caesar salad sandwich at CorkScrew BBQ

Why the Caesar salad is a perfect match for Texas barbecue

March 4, 2025 No Comments

Why the Caesar salad is a perfect match for Texas barbecue. Who goes to a barbecue joint to eat a salad? Apparently, quite a few people. Salads continue to make inroads on expanded barbecue joint menus, with one in particular taking a leading role: the Caesar salad. Why does a Caesar make the most sense? It comes down to guest expectations and the flavors associated with smoked meats in Texas. The Caesar salad, like gumbo and cornbread, has reached that elite level of American culinary lore — everyone has an opinion about the best version and recipe. Croutons or toast? Chopped or whole leaves of Romaine lettuce? However, unlike other

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2024 Houston Barbecue Festival

Announcing the 2025 Houston Barbecue Festival

February 25, 2025 No Comments

Get ready, barbecue lovers! On April 6th, the Houston Barbecue Festival is back, celebrating 12 years of smoky, mouthwatering tradition. This annual event showcases the passion, dedication, and craft of Houston’s top pitmasters, drawing fans from near and far for an unforgettable culinary experience. This year’s festival is literally star-studded. Seven participating barbecue joints recently received recognition from the Michelin Guide, including the rare and prestigious one-star award granted to CorkScrew BBQ in Spring. That’s not all – Houston’s barbecue scene continues to shine with numerous additional accolades, from Texas Monthly’s Top 50 list to the Houston Chronicle’s Top 100 rankings.

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