Southern Pride of Texas
BBQ Tips & Techniques
71 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
What Your Smoked Brisket Actually Costs You (And What It Should Cost Your Customers)
Real costing breakdown for commercial BBQ operations: raw product, shrink, labor, fuel, and the margins that keep pit...
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Why Your Bark Isn't Where It Should Be (And What to Do About It)
Commercial bark development depends on rub chemistry, wrap timing, and airflow control. Here's what actually works at...
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Subway's $5 Value Menu Is a Canary in the Coal Mine for Commercial BBQ Operators
What Subway's 15-item value menu tells us about the restaurant industry's cost pressures — and why BBQ operators need...
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Running the Overnight: What Actually Matters During a 12-Hour Rotisserie Cook
Practical guidance for managing overnight cooks in commercial rotisserie smokers — from load planning to the 3 AM tem...
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Running an Overnight Cook Without Babysitting It: What Actually Works on a 12-Hour Rotisserie Session
Earl breaks down how to set up and manage a 12-hour overnight cook on a commercial rotisserie smoker—wood, temps, tim...
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Running 50 Briskets Without Losing Your Mind (Or Your Bark)
How to maintain consistent temps across large loads — airflow, rotation timing, and the mistakes that cost you meat q...
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What Domino's Menu Pivot Tells Us About the Catering Calendar You're Probably Ignoring
Domino's is rethinking its menu timing and promotional calendar. Here's what commercial BBQ operators can learn from ...
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Why Your Choice Between Low-and-Slow and Hot-and-Fast Is Really a Labor Cost Decision
Breaking down the real operational math behind cooking method selection for commercial BBQ—yield, labor, throughput, ...
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What Your Smoked Meat Actually Costs (And Why Most Operators Get It Wrong)
How to accurately cost smoked meats for commercial operations, including yield tracking, labor allocation, and equipm...
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Stick Burners vs Gas-Assist Units: What Fire Management Actually Looks Like at Commercial Volume
Real talk on managing fire in offset stick burners versus gas-assist rotisserie smokers when you're running 200+ poun...
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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...
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McDonald's Is Opening Restaurants Like It's 1995 — And Commercial BBQ Operators Should Pay Attention
McDonald's aggressive 2025 expansion signals where food service is heading. Here's what serious BBQ operators can lea...
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