Hou BBQ Throwdown 2016

Saint Arnold Brewery

Amber and I are going to Europe so we dropped our dogs off with her family in Lubbock this weekend. The Hou BBQ Throwdown was being held on Sunday so we only spent 14 hours in Lubbock. I had an excellent time last year, and I was not going to miss this year's event. All the participants elevated their BBQ fusion game this year. The competition was fierce, and with each new bite, you were in store for something wonderful and/or unique. Everyone who attended the Throwdown went home as winners.

The calm before the rush

Blood Bros. BBQ - Gochujang Beef Belly Burnt Ends


Gochujang Beef Belly Burnt Ends w/ Korean salad and pickled onions

Brooks’ Place BBQ - Brisket and boudin stuffed bell peppers w/ a beef oxtails twist

Brisket and boudin stuffed bell peppers w/ a beef oxtails twist

The Brisket House - Beef rib ala Veracruz


Cubed beef rib, Veracruz sauce, served over rice and pico de gallo

Corkscrew BBQ - Smoked chile mac-n-cheese


Creamy cheddar mac-n-cheese, smoked hatch green chile with pepper crusted prime beef rib

Feges BBQ - Beef belly burnt ends, pimento cheese grits, braised greens, bourbon cane syrup, pickled red onions, and chives

Beef belly burnt ends, pimento cheese grits, braised greens, bourbon cane syrup, pickled red onions, and chives

Killen's STQ - short rib tamale, smoked beef ravioli, and smoked short rib umami

Short rib tamale, pork belly and brisket chile de arbol con carne, queso fresco, and micro cilantro

Smoked beef short rib ravioli, port demi cream, parmesan, and fall black truffle

Smoked short rib umami

Midtown Barbeque - Smoked prime rib with chimichurri sauce

Smoked prime rib with chimichurri sauce

Pappa Charlies Barbeque - Short rib vindaloo with paneer queso

Short rib vindaloo with paneer queso

The Pit Room - Chopped brisket taco with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and salsa roja

Chopped brisket taco with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and salsa roja

Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Cue - Pulled pork & waffles

Smoked jalapeño, cheddar and green onion waffle with pulled pork, pit-candied pecans and sweet pork sauce

Ray's BBQ Shack - Muddy Waters sausage

Seafood sausage with shrimp, crawfish, crab meat, and pork

Roegel’s Barbecue Co - Smoked pork belly with surf and turf boudin

Smoked pork belly with surf and turf boudin

Tejas Chocolate Craftory - Santo braised smoked pork cheeks tostada

Santo braised smoked pork cheeks, pinto whip, avocado verde cue sauce, pickled red onion, and cilantro on a crisp corn tortilla

Tin Roof BBQ - Smoked tomahawk prime rib

Smoked tomahawk prime rib with Back Pew milk stout Au Jus and horseradish cream

A judge digging in

Judges table

Judges: Eric Sandler, Pat Sharpe, Wayne Mueller, Lily Jang, and Robert J. Lerma

Judges' Choice : Killen's STQ

People's Choice : Feges BBQ

"The tray"

Until next time, happy smoking...