Southern Pride of Texas
BBQ Tips & Techniques
6 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
What Your Smoked Meat Actually Costs (And Why Most Operators Guess Wrong)
Ray breaks down real costing math for commercial BBQ operations, from yield percentages to hidden labor costs most pi...
Read Article →
What That Pink Ring Actually Tells You (And Why It's Worth $2 More Per Plate)
The science behind smoke rings, why customers pay more for visible smoke, and the equipment factors that actually con...
Read Article →
Fast Food Gimmicks Won't Save Your Margins — But Your Smoker Might
While chains chase drones and pickup windows, independent operators can win on what matters: consistent quality and s...
Read Article →
What McDonald's Protein Push Actually Tells Us About Menu Engineering in 2026
McDonald's is marketing protein hard. Here's what commercial operators can learn from their menu math—and what it mea...
Read Article →
What the Top 500 Chain Numbers Tell You About Running Real Smoke
Big chain restaurants are hurting. Here's what independent pitmasters and regional BBQ operators can learn from their...
Read Article →
The Real Math Behind Smoked Meat Pricing That Actually Protects Your Margins
How to price smoked meats for profit using real yield data, labor costs, and pricing psychology that works in today's...
Read Article →