Southern Pride of Texas
BBQ Tips & Techniques
80 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
Wood Selection for Commercial Pitmasters: What Actually Matters and What Doesn't
22 years of service calls taught me which wood pairings work commercially—and which trendy advice falls apart at prod...
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Business Dining Is Keeping Smart Operators Alive Right Now
Corporate catering and business dining are outpacing consumer traffic. Here's how to position your operation to captu...
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Building Bark That Survives the Hold Box: Rubs, Wrap Timing, and the Math That Actually Matters
Commercial bark development requires different timing and techniques than backyard cooking. Here's what works at volu...
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Overnight Cooks on a Commercial Rotisserie: What Actually Works at 2 AM
Practical strategies for managing 12-hour overnight cooks in commercial rotisserie smokers — from fuel planning to re...
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Chili's, Lizzo, and the Ribs You're Competing Against: What This Jingle Means for Commercial BBQ
Chili's new Lizzo partnership puts baby back ribs in the spotlight. Here's what it means for operators running real s...
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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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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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Dry Heat vs. Moist Heat Smoke Environments — And Why the Cut Decides Everything
How moisture levels in your smoke chamber affect brisket, ribs, and poultry differently. Real operational guidance fr...
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Why I Stopped Telling Operators Which Method Is Better
Breaking down the real science behind low-and-slow vs hot-and-fast cooking methods — and why commercial operators nee...
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Wood Selection for Commercial Smoke: What Actually Matters at Scale
Matching wood species to protein isn't about preference—it's about yield, consistency, and customer retention. Here's...
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