Southern Pride of Texas
BBQ Tips & Techniques
193 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
What KFC, Taco Bell, and Panera's New Menu Items Tell Us About Where Commercial BBQ Is Headed
Fast-casual chains are chasing smoke and slow-cooked flavors. Here's what that means for operators running real smoke...
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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...
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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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What I Actually Drank at the National Restaurant Show This Year
Ray's take on nine drinks from the NRA Show floor that caught his attention—and what they mean for BBQ operators runn...
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The Yield Equation: Why Your Brisket Math Probably Costs You More Than You Think
Trimming philosophy, injection strategy, and real yield calculations that separate profitable brisket programs from b...
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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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Running Brisket, Ribs, and Chicken at the Same Time Without Wrecking Any of Them
How to sequence multiple proteins in a commercial rotisserie smoker — timing, rack placement, and the temp management...
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What Taco Bell's Shredded Beef Tells Us About Where Commercial Protein Production Is Heading
Taco Bell's new Shredded Beef Nacho Fries signal growing QSR demand for slow-cooked proteins. Here's what that means ...
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The Missing Metric: Why Nobody Tracks Smoke Time Per Labor Dollar
Commercial BBQ operators track food cost and labor separately. Here's why combining them into smoke time efficiency c...
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Daddy's Chicken Shack Goes to Jersey — What the Acquisition Tells Us About Equipment Strategy
A NJ multi-concept group acquires Daddy's Chicken Shack. Here's what operators should learn about equipment standardi...
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Running 400 Plates Off-Site: What I Learned About Production Planning the Hard Way
Production math, transport temps, and timing strategies for large-scale catering with smoked meats. From a guy who's ...
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Running 50 Briskets at Once Without Losing Your Mind (Or Your Temps)
How to maintain consistent temperatures across large-volume cooks. Real techniques from decades of service calls and ...
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