Inside Burnet Feed Store BBQ (Burnet, TX)

Snow's BBQ Giveaway!!!

For the first time, my buddy Kevin Kelly and I are teaming up for a giveaway. Kevin's out in California, where he does a fantastic service to the cause of BBQ via his site KevinsBBQJoints.com. Today, we announce a great giveaway from the famed Snow's BBQ in Lexington, TX. Sincere thanks to Snow's proprietor Kerry Bexley (pictured below) for donating the prizes. As always, without the generosity of the business, there would be no giveaway. Also, all credit to Kevin for doing the heavy lifting on this. (Be sure to befriend Kevin on Facebook & Twitter.)

So, on with it. 3 prizes from Snow's.

Prize #1: Whole brisket

Prize #2: 2 rings of original sausage & 2 rings of jalapeno sausage

Prize #3: T-shirt, baseball cap, & koozie

We've got lots of ways to enter, and you can enter each way once per day. Any of the following gets your name in the hat:

1. Tweet about the contest using @ManUpTexasBBQ and @KevinsBBQJoints in the tweet.
2. Retweet any of our Twitter posts about this giveaway.
3. Click “Like” and/or leave a comment below our Facebook post about the contest or Kevin's Facebook post.
4. Comment below this post or Kevin’s post about the giveaway (Be sure to leave enough information that we can get in touch with you if you are a winner).

Entries will be accepted through midnight Pacific (2 AM Central) on Monday, July 18, so get to it!!!

The pit at Burnet Feed Store BBQ (Burnet, TX)

Coming up...

More pics from Burnet Feed Store BBQ (Burnet)

More pics from Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor)

More pics from Taylor Cafe (Taylor)

First pics from The Q Card party at Sugar Shack BBQ (Austin)

Q&A with Daniel "BBQ Snob" Vaughn

Q&A with John Mueller

Announcement of winner of Iguana Isle giveaway

Tomorrow: KevinsBBQJoints.com & I announce a giveaway

More giveaways after that

Pics from Big Papa's Smoke Shack BBQ (Luling)

Pics from Gonzales Food Market (Gonzales)

Wayne Mueller on CBS Early Show!!!

This past Saturday, Wayne Mueller, of Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, TX, made an appearance on the CBS Early Show. They had him come to New York for an appearance on the show, after LMB was picked as the best BBQ in the country for the "Taste of America" tour on "The Early Show on Saturday Morning." In the segment, Wayne tells us what to look for when shopping for certain meats, preps a brisket with kosher salt and cracked black pepper, and slices a finished brisket. (Speaking of LMB brisket, check out the brisket he served us one week before his Early Show appearance.) He also gives a little Texas BBQ history and describes the 3 pits they use at LMB. Congrats, Wayne! And lookin' good in all black!

What wood would you burn at your Texas BBQ joint?

In our planning of our make-believe Texas BBQ joints, I've asked about location, name, slogan, and style of cooking. Now, assuming you're cooking one way or another with wood, what wood will you burn to cook and flavor your meats?

BBQ sauce: Just add water.

Shirley J (Orem, UT) sent me their just-add-water BBQ sauce. Anyone ever had it or had any other j-a-w BBQ sauce? We'll be trying it at our next sauce-and-rub party here at the house in Austin.

Sarah storms Sugar Shack with skewers!

Sarah Pember stopped by The Q Card's Sugar Shack BBQ party last Saturday night. It's always fantastic to see the author of The Smart Kitchen, even when she doesn't blow your mind by eating BBQ with skewer chopsticks. That's right. Two thin little skewers, used as chopsticks, to eat slow-smoked BBQ. Awesome! (Follow this trail blazer on Twitter.)

Harold's Pit Bar-B-Q (Abilene, TX) is closing.

On July 30, Abilene's well-known Harold's Pit Bar-B-Q will close its doors "temporarily," but "Further plans are indefinite." Read the story here.

Event Announcement: Fire Fighter Q Off

What: Fire Fighter Q Off

When: Wednesday, July 27, 2011, 6 PM

Where: Q on the Riverwalk, Hyatt Regency San Antonio

More info: San Antonio fire fighters all across the city are trading in their helmets for chef’s hats, hoping for a chance to compete in the Hyatt Regency San Antonio’s “Fire Fighter Q Off.” Open to the public, this entertaining and educational event will take place Wednesday, July 27 at 6 p.m. in Hyatt Regency’s international barbeque restaurant, “Q.” It’s the hotel’s way of helping fire fighters draw attention to fire prevention and safety during a season when most people are heading outdoors to fire up the grill. Firehouses across San Antonio are invited to submit an original barbeque recipe to Q Executive Chef, David Wirebaugh by Friday, July 8. The experienced and talented Chef will review all the recipes, and select the three that “spark” his interest to take part in the competition. Then things really heat up, as the three winning firehouses must each assemble a team, made up of four firefighters, to prepare the recipe for a panel of celebrity judges. Each team will elect a “chief chef” who will be in charge of cooking. The panel of judges will score the recipes based on taste, presentation and originality. The winning team will receive a grand prize to include:

• A lunch at their fire house catered by Q

• A free weekend stay for the team members at Hyatt Regency San Antonio

• A customized apron

• Q’s special barbeque rub

Q diners will fan the competitive flames by tasting the recipe results and casting their votes for a People’s Choice Award via FaceBook and Twitter. The winner of the popular vote will receive a lunch catered by Q at the firehouse.