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BBQ Fandom is the weekly Texas BBQ newsletter from ExploringBBQ.com.
Quick rundown: This week’s BBQ Fandom is built around one idea: 250 years later, the BBQ table still matters. From the Pit reflects on smoke, sides, family recipes, backyard cooks, and the people who make a Fourth of July table feel complete. Around the Fire looks at Texas BBQ as a melting pot, Texas pitmasters heading to Food Network, and the realities of opening a new BBQ joint. Pitmaster Picks connects old-school Kreuz Market with new-school LeRoy and Lewis, while BBQ Events Radar points readers toward July cook-offs and one August event to watch. This Week on ExploringBBQ brings it home with Fourth of July recipes, BBQ sides, cocktails, the June sticker pack reminder, and gear for the next BBQ run.
250 years later, the table still matters
This Fourth of July carries a little more weight than most.
In 2026, the United States marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. That kind of milestone is big enough for fireworks, parades, speeches, road trips, and public celebrations. But for a lot of BBQ fans, the holiday will still come down to something smaller and more personal.
A smoker running early.
A grill in the yard.
A folding table full of sides.
A plate passed from one person to another.
That is not a small thing.
BBQ has always had a way of turning a gathering into a memory. Sometimes that happens at a famous Texas joint with a line wrapped around the building. Sometimes it happens in a backyard where the brisket is running late, the beans are already open, the kids are circling the dessert table, and somebody keeps asking when the ribs will be ready.
Not every BBQ memory comes from a famous joint.
Some of the best ones start at home.
That is the thought behind this week’s From the Pit essay on ExploringBBQ. The smoke gets our attention, but the table tells the deeper story. It tells us who cooked, who brought something, who taught us how to light the fire, and which dish would be missed if it did not show up.
The famous joints still matter. The road trips still matter. The tray still matters.
But so does the backyard cook, the person watching the vents, the traditional family side dishes, the person who brings the deviled eggs, the potato salad, the cobbler, the sausage, or the pan of beans because “somebody had to.”
Two hundred and fifty years later, the BBQ table still matters because gathering still matters.
This week, pay attention to the smoke.
But do not miss the table.
Finish the story on ExploringBBQ.com
What makes a Fourth of July BBQ table feel complete to you?
The meat, the sides, the family recipe, the people around it, or the memory tied to it?
Have a take on this? Share it on Facebook and see what your BBQ crowd thinks.
Until next week, keep chasing the smoke,
Mike
BBQ Fandom | ExploringBBQ.com
This week’s Around the Fire looks at Texas BBQ from three angles: the melting pot of traditions that keeps shaping the table, Texas pitmasters stepping onto a national Food Network stage, and the real-world delays that show how hard it can be to open a new BBQ joint. The smoke is still the headline, but the story around it keeps getting bigger.
Texas barbecue has always been a melting pot
MEAT+POULTRY looks at how Texas barbecue keeps expanding while still staying anchored to the pit. The article points to Central Texas post oak brisket, East Texas hot links and chopped beef, South Texas barbacoa, Gulf Coast smokehouse traditions, Asian seasonings, African American pit traditions, Cajun influence, Tex-Mex formats, and modern BBQ menus built around tacos, bowls, sandwiches, and family packs.
In a week when we are thinking about 250 years of America, this is a useful reminder that Texas BBQ has never been just one story. It has always been shaped by movement, neighborhoods, work, tradition, adaptation, and the people gathered around the table. The pit still matters, but the table keeps changing as new cooks bring their own histories, flavors, and communities into the smoke.
MEAT+POULTRY | June 24, 2026 | Free
Read
Texas pitmasters are headed to Food Network
Food Network’s new series Pitmasters premieres July 13, bringing several Texas barbecue pros into a live-fire competition format. Chron reports that the Texas lineup includes Esaul and Grecia Ramos of 2M Smokehouse in San Antonio, Al Frugoni of Frugoni Open Fire Cooking in Boerne, and Ruben Santana of Barb Barbecue in Boerne. Ernest Servantes of The Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin is also part of the judging panel.
Texas BBQ keeps moving between local pits, restaurant counters, backyard tables, and national screens. When Texas pitmasters show up in a bigger format, it gives more people a reason to care about the craft, creativity, endurance, and fire management behind the tray.
Chron | June 22, 2026 | Free
Read
Mad Jack’s Hill Country opening moves past July 4
Mad Jack’s Hill Country Barbecue was aiming for a July 4 opening in Johnson City, but that date has been pushed back. MySA reports that owner James Jackson is waiting on approvals tied to a new septic system and water well filtration setup, with hopes now pointing toward a possible Labor Day opening.
That is the less glamorous side of BBQ that fans do not always see. Before the first tray hits the counter, there are permits, property costs, water systems, buildout delays, family decisions, and a whole lot of risk behind the smoke.
MySA | June 25, 2026 | Free
Read
If this issue made you think about what makes a Fourth of July BBQ table feel complete, forward it to your favorite BBQ road trip partner. It helps us grow this community one smoke stop at a time.
This week’s Pitmaster Picks pair old-school Texas BBQ with the new-school table it helped inspire. We start in Lockhart with Kreuz Market, Adam Richman, and Daniel Vaughn, then move to Austin for a look at how LeRoy and Lewis keeps pushing Texas BBQ forward without losing sight of smoke, sourcing, and craft.
Adam Richman visits Kreuz Market with Daniel Vaughn
Video | June 24, 2026 | YouTube, First We Feast
Adam Richman kicks off a Central Texas barbecue road trip at Kreuz Market in Lockhart, with Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn along for the visit. The stop covers brisket, beef ribs, old-school ordering wisdom, and a conversation with longtime Kreuz pitmaster Roy Perez.
Why it fits this week: Issue #16 is thinking about BBQ history, gathering, and why the table still matters. Kreuz is not just a famous stop. It is a reminder that Texas BBQ has always been tied to place, habit, smoke, and memory.
LeRoy and Lewis shows the new school side of Texas BBQ
Article | June 29, 2026 | Food & Wine
Food & Wine looks at how LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin built a Michelin-starred restaurant around whole-animal butchery, local sourcing, post oak smoke, and a new-school approach to Texas barbecue. The story follows how the team grew from a food truck into a full butcher shop, smokehouse, and kitchen.
Why it fits this week: Kreuz shows the old-school meat market side of Texas BBQ. LeRoy and Lewis shows how the table keeps changing. Together, those two picks match the issue’s bigger idea: BBQ history is not frozen, it keeps getting carried forward by new cooks, new formats, and new ways of feeding people.
This week’s BBQ Events Radar gives you one August event to watch and four July cook-off options to keep on your road-trip radar, from Fourth of July weekend festivals to late-month BBQ runs.
Click the city links below to see BBQ joints in each city and build the stop into a bigger Texas BBQ outing.
Texas Cook’Em: High Steaks in Edinburg [Competition] [July 4 Weekend]
July 3 to 4, 2026 | Edinburg, TX
Texas Cook’Em gives readers a strong Fourth of July weekend BBQ option in the Rio Grande Valley. The event blends BBQ competition, steak, live music, a car show, cornhole, fireworks, and a full Independence Day festival feel.
This is the kind of event that can work for both cook-off fans and families looking for a bigger holiday outing. If you are heading toward Edinburg, turn it into a South Texas BBQ run and check the nearby BBQ joints before you go.
Alamo Watermelon Festival and BBQ Cook-Off [Competition] [July 4 Weekend]
July 3 to 4, 2026 | Alamo, TX
The Alamo Watermelon Festival and BBQ Cook-Off gives readers another Rio Grande Valley option for the holiday weekend. It brings together the kind of small-town festival energy that fits early July: barbecue, community, summer food, and a reason to spend the day outside.
This is a good pick for readers who want a holiday weekend event that feels local, family-friendly, and easy to build a BBQ road trip around. If you are heading toward Alamo, check nearby BBQ stops before you go and turn the festival into a full South Texas food run.
McDade Watermelon Festival BBQ Cook-Off [Competition] [July Watch]
July 10 to 11, 2026 | McDade, TX
The McDade Watermelon Festival BBQ Cook-Off pairs a traditional summer festival setting with sanctioned barbecue competition. The event page says the cook-off is sanctioned by Champions Barbecue Alliance, with teams competing in brisket, pork ribs, and chicken, plus jackpot categories including margarita, salsa, beans, and open.
This is a good mid-July pick for readers looking at the Central Texas route between Austin, Bastrop, Elgin, and the smaller towns that still make summer festivals feel local.
Great Texas Mosquito Festival BBQ Cook-Off [Competition] [Late July Watch]
July 23 to 25, 2026 | Clute, TX
The Great Texas Mosquito Festival BBQ Cook-Off brings one of the more memorable festival names on the Texas calendar into the BBQ lane. The official event page lists the cook-off for July 23 to 25 and calls out brisket, pork, and chicken competition.
This one has a bigger community festival feel, which makes it useful for readers who want more than a cook-off. If you are near the Gulf Coast or looking for a late-July road trip, Clute gives you BBQ, festival energy, and a story you will not have to explain twice.
Want the full summer calendar?
Browse the July 2026 Texas BBQ Events Guide
Summer Under The Stars in Poteet [Competition] [August Watch]
August 7 to 8, 2026 | Poteet, TX
Summer Under The Stars gives readers an August BBQ event to start watching now. The event brings a South Texas competition weekend close to San Antonio, with a cook-off format that makes it a good target for teams, BBQ fans, and anyone looking for a late-summer excuse to get out on the road.
If you are already thinking past the Fourth of July weekend, this is a good one to put on the calendar. Turn it into a South Texas BBQ run, check nearby joints before you go, and maybe use it as a reason to log a BBQ Passport Visit Stamp.
This week on ExploringBBQ.com, we are leaning into the Fourth of July table: backyard cooks, side dishes, cold drinks, easy appetizers, and a few practical tools for keeping the day on track.
Not every BBQ memory starts in a restaurant line. Some start in the backyard, next to a smoker, a folding table, a cooler, and somebody asking when the ribs will be ready.
Build your Fourth of July BBQ table
If you are cooking this week, start with the table. Pick one main meat, one or two appetizers, a few sides that can hold well, and at least one drink that actually works with smoked meat.
Here are a few useful starting points:
BBQ Party This Weekend? Let’s Smoke
Use this if you need a simple timeline for planning, prepping, cooking, and serving without feeling like the whole day is chasing you.
BBQ Sides: 11 Side Dishes That Actually Pair With Smoked Meat
A good Fourth of July table is not just about the meat. Potato salad, beans, coleslaw, cornbread, mac and cheese, and grilled vegetables can carry just as much memory as the brisket.
BBQ Cocktails: 7 Best Drinks That Actually Pair With Smoked Meat
If the smoker is running and the table is filling up, the drink matters too. This guide helps match cocktails with brisket, ribs, pork, sausage, sides, and backyard BBQ flavor.
Fourth of July recipe ideas
Need something specific for the cookout? These recipes fit the holiday table without making the day too complicated.
Smoky Honey Habanero Chicken Wings on a Weber Kettle
A strong backyard appetizer or main bite if you want heat, smoke, and a little sticky-sweet finish.
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Built for grazing while everyone waits on the main meat.
Texas BBQ Potato Salad
A classic side that belongs on the Fourth of July table.
Southern Baked Beans
A cookout side that can sit beside brisket, ribs, sausage, burgers, or pulled pork.
Texas Ranch Water
Light, cold, and easy to pair with a hot backyard cookout.
Sweet Tea Bourbon Lemonade
A good porch drink for a holiday table, especially if the cook runs long and the afternoon slows down.
Last Chance: June First Stamp Sticker Pack
Your next Texas BBQ stop can come with a little road-trip reward.
Log a BBQ Passport Visit Stamp during June 2026, then send us a quick screenshot and mailing address. We will send an ExploringBBQ sticker pack while supplies last. Each pack includes one 4-inch ExploringBBQ sticker and one 3-inch BBQ Passport sticker.
Here is how it works:
Create or log into your ExploringBBQ account.
Visit a Texas BBQ joint and log at least one BBQ Passport Visit Stamp in June 2026.
Add at least one note or detail about your visit, such as what you ordered, who you went with, what stood out, or whether you would go back.
Send an Email to [email protected] with the following:
Subject: June First Stamp Sticker Pack
Body: Include your name and U.S. mailing address.
Attachment: Mobile screenshot showing your completed June Visit Stamp
Promotion ends June 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT. To qualify, your BBQ Passport Visit Stamp must be logged in your ExploringBBQ account by June 30, 2026. Your screenshot submission must be received at [email protected] by July 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT.
No purchase is required to participate. Sticker packs are limited, one per person, and available while supplies last. Mailing addresses are used only to send the sticker pack.
For the next BBQ run
Supporting BBQ culture does not always mean ordering the biggest tray on the menu. Sometimes it is showing up, bringing a friend, logging the stop, and wearing something that says you are part of the smoke trail.
Know about a BBQ event, new opening, road-trip stop, or story worth following? Send a note to [email protected].
We read every message and may feature reader tips in a future issue. BBQ Fandom follows the people, places, and moments that make barbecue worth following.
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