Southern Pride of Texas
BBQ Tips & Techniques
193 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
Bark That Holds Up on a 200-Brisket Weekend: What Actually Works at Volume
Commercial bark development isn't about Instagram close-ups. Here's what actually works when you're running double sh...
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Wood Selection for Commercial Smoke Profiles: What Actually Moves the Needle on Flavor
Matching wood species to protein isn't guesswork. Here's how commercial operators dial in smoke profiles that keep cu...
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Altitude Will Humble You: What Mountain Operators Need to Know About Smoke and Thin Air
How elevation changes smoking temps, cook times, and moisture loss — practical adjustments from 30 years of working w...
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What KFC, Taco Bell, and Panera Are Telling Us About Where Smoked Protein Is Headed
National chains are chasing smoke flavor hard right now. Here's what commercial operators can learn from their latest...
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What the Backyard Crowd Gets Wrong About Restaurant Social Media (And What Actually Fills Seats)
Social media strategy for commercial operators isn't about viral moments — it's about consistent local visibility tha...
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What I Actually Saw at the National Restaurant Show That Matters for Commercial BBQ
Five trends from the NRA Show that will hit your smoker operation—and which ones are worth your equipment budget.
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That Pink Ring Isn't Magic — It's Chemistry You Can Control
What actually creates a smoke ring, why customers judge your BBQ by it, and how to produce it consistently on a comme...
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Nine Drinks From the National Restaurant Show That Actually Made Me Stop Walking
Ray's picks from the NRA Show floor — beverages that paired well with smoked meats and ones that didn't live up to th...
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The Yield Math Nobody Taught You: Commercial Brisket Trimming and Injection That Actually Pencils Out
Hard numbers on brisket yield, trimming approaches, and injection strategies for commercial operations running real v...
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What I Actually Saw at the National Restaurant Show (And What It Means for Your Smoker Operation)
Five trends from the 2024 National Restaurant Show that commercial BBQ operators need to understand—and how they affe...
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Why I Stopped Arguing About Low and Slow vs Hot and Fast Years Ago
The real science behind BBQ temperature methods and why commercial operators need to understand both to run profitabl...
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What I Actually Saw at the Restaurant Show: Back-of-House Is Getting Smaller, Not Simpler
Ray's observations from the 2024 Restaurant Show floor on how operators are rethinking kitchen layouts, equipment fle...
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