Southern Pride of Texas
BBQ Tips & Techniques
12 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
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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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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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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What McDonald's 900-Unit Expansion Means for Independent Operators Running Real Smokers
McDonald's massive 2025 growth signals chain restaurant strategy shifts. Here's what independent BBQ operators should...
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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...
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Chain Restaurants Had Another Rough Year — And BBQ Operators Should Pay Attention
The Technomic Top 500 shows chain struggles continue. Here's what independent BBQ operators can learn from their pain...
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What the 4/20 Fast Food Circus Tells Us About Commercial BBQ Operations
Fast food chains chase viral moments while serious operators build lasting revenue. Here's what actually works for hi...
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Your Smoker Doesn't Know It's at 7,000 Feet — But Your Cook Times Do
Altitude changes everything from boiling points to combustion. Here's how mountain operators adjust smoking temps, ti...
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What Starbucks and Panera Chasing Trends Tells Us About Staying in Our Lane
National chains keep reinventing their menus while BBQ operators who stick to fundamentals keep winning. Here's why c...
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Tri-Tip at 200°F Without Searing: Why Low and Slow Works on This Cut
A service tech's take on smoking tri-tip low and slow at 200°F, skipping the sear, and why the marinade matters more ...
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Running 50 Briskets at Once Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Bark)
Practical temperature management strategies for high-volume brisket operations, from zone mapping to recovery protocols.
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Dry Heat vs. Moist Heat Smoking: Why Your Chamber Environment Matters More Than Your Wood Choice
Understanding when to run dry versus humid smoke can transform your results on tough cuts. Here's what actually happe...
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