Southern Pride of Texas
BBQ Tips & Techniques
136 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
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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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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Running 400 Pounds of Brisket to a Wedding Venue: What I Learned About Large-Event Catering the Hard Way
Production timelines, transport protocols, and hold strategies for smoking meat at scale—from someone who's made the ...
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What Fast Food Menu Moves Mean for Commercial BBQ Operations
Ray breaks down what Wendy's, Chipotle, and IHOP's latest menu pushes reveal about where commercial foodservice is he...
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Stick Burners vs Gas-Assist: What Fire Management Actually Looks Like When You're Running a Commercial Kitchen
How fire management differs between offset stick burners and gas-assist rotisserie smokers in commercial operations, ...
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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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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...
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Running Overnight: What Actually Matters During a 12-Hour Unattended Cook
Practical guidance for commercial operators running rotisserie smokers through overnight cooks — from prep to recover...
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