So she made the move.

In this episode of Smokeless, Jess joins Nick Pencis of Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q, Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue and Justin Fourton of Pecan Lodge to talk about finding the thing she was genuinely passionate about, moving halfway around the world to pursue it, and building the career and Hardcore Carnivore brand that followed.

Jess also gets into becoming a certified meat scientist, why she felt she needed that extra credibility, the reality of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, burnout and the relentless pressure of social media, hunting in Texas, building Hardcore Carnivore, and why being told she can’t do something usually has the opposite effect.

Plus, Jess takes us inside her new book, Prime Cuts. A culmination of around 15 years of learning, cooking and teaching people about meat.

This is Jess Pryles beyond the recipes, rubs and BBQ videos - and the story of what can happen when you finally find your thing.

This week on the Smokeless Podcast, Nick Pencis of Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ, Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue and Vic Barry get into the questions backyard cooks actually want answered.

What should you buy if you want to start smoking brisket and ribs? Are expensive pits really worth the money? What’s the one meat that’s almost impossible to screw up? Which BBQ trick is completely overrated? And what happens when even experienced cooks get it spectacularly wrong?

The guys talk Weber kettles, overpriced smokers, beef tallow, pork shoulder, BBQ sides, guilty pleasures and some of their worst cooking disasters, including a brisket that ended up being thrown into a river.

Plus, a surprise call to Jordan Jackson for his backyard smoker recommendation, and a look ahead to our upcoming episode with Jess Pryles.

Got a BBQ question for the guys? Send it our way and don’t forget to send us your best (or worst) cooks for Plate or Hate.

Subscribe to the Smokeless Podcast for honest conversations about BBQ, the people behind it, and everything that happens around the fire.

:::

One listener from Oklahoma wrote to the Smokeless Podcast with a dream: to build a BBQ brand and eventually open his own restaurant. But after listening to the show, he started questioning whether opening a restaurant first was actually the right move.

In this episode, the guys give their honest advice on how they’d start all over again in today’s BBQ industry.

Hosted by:

• Wayne Mueller – Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, Texas)
• Justin Fourton – Pecan Lodge (Dallas, Texas)
• Nick Pencis – Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q (Tyler, Texas)

In this episode:

🔥 Should you start with a restaurant, food trailer or pop-up?

🔥 Why building a reputation matters more than opening a building

🔥 The biggest mistakes aspiring pitmasters make

🔥 Why today’s BBQ industry is riskier than ever

🔥 The hidden costs behind rising barbecue prices

🔥 Wayne’s trip to Slovenia to teach Texas barbecue

🔥 Listener questions on thermometers, restaurant service and more

Whether you’re dreaming of opening your own BBQ joint, cooking in the backyard, or you’re simply obsessed with great barbecue, this episode is packed with practical advice from three pitmasters who’ve built some of the most respected names in BBQ.

👇 We’d love to hear from you.

If you were starting a BBQ business today, would you open a restaurant… or start smaller? Let us know in the comments.

📧 Send us your questions:

hello@smokelesspodcast.com

📸 Follow the Smokeless Podcast:

Instagram: @smokeless_podcast

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss a new episode.

This time, the conversation heads deep into the wild places barbecue took them. Sam and Wayne look back on cooking in Maui, spending time at Shep Gordon’s house, feeding Willie Nelson and somehow finding themselves surrounded by chefs, musicians and stories that still feel impossible years later.

Sam also talks about stepping out from his grandfather’s shadow, building his own name within the Skylight Inn legacy and why opportunities outside the restaurant mattered, even when the people back home could not always see the value.

There is also the story of Sam being handed a microphone in front of thousands of people, singing a cappella to a packed Chicago crowd and proving why nobody should ever tempt him with a hot mic.

Part Two is funny, nostalgic and full of the kind of stories that could only happen when barbecue becomes a passport to a completely unexpected life.

Subscribe to the Smokeless Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping barbecue.

Follow Smokeless on Instagram: @smokeless_podcast

In Part One, Sam opens up about the serious health scare that nearly took his life, the lasting impact it has had on him and why it forced him to look differently at his work, his family and the years he spent constantly travelling.

He reflects on the rise of Skylight Inn, watching his daughter grow up while he was on the road, the friendships forged through barbecue and why every opportunity now needs to offer either an emotional return or a financial one.

And because this is still Sam Jones, there are plenty of unbelievable stories along the way, including the time someone managed to set an entire barbecue trailer on fire with four bags of charcoal.

This is Part One of a deeply personal, funny and honest conversation with one of barbecue’s greatest pitmasters and storytellers.

Subscribe to the Smokeless Podcast and join us next week for Part Two.

Follow Smokeless on Instagram: @smokeless_podcast

In this episode of the Smokeless Podcast, the guys call out one of BBQ’s most performative trends, break down the real uses for beef tallow, and explain why dumping it over sliced brisket might be more theatre than technique.

They also get into the BBQ rules they no longer believe, the problem with following YouTube advice too literally, why chicken deserves more attention, and whether food influencers and paid reviews can still be trusted.

Plus, Stanley’s AI ordering assistant joins the conversation as the guys debate what AI could mean for restaurants, staff and the future of the industry.

Topics include:

• Is brisket tallow becoming a crutch?

• The right way to use tallow in BBQ

• BBQ myths that need to die

• Why pitmasters should use the wood available to them

• The return of affordable cuts and smoked chicken

• Food influencers asking restaurants for money and free food

• AI answering phones and taking restaurant orders

• Why the BBQ community remains so tight-knit

Tell us in the comments: does tallow genuinely improve brisket, or is it just being used to fake juiciness?

Listen to the Smokeless Podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Follow Smokeless on Instagram: @smokeless_podcast

Send your questions to: hello@smokelesspodcast.com

Tyler explains why he keeps his beef ribs at just $16 per pound, even as customers elsewhere are paying as much as $75 for a single rib. He also gives us a tour of the joint before the conversation turns to social media, family time and why so many of us are recording life instead of actually living it.

When Tyler opened, he had no money for a sign, paint or staff. His mother ran the register, friends stepped in to help, and the first summer became a full-on family-and-friends operation. Somehow, the business plan he created missed his first-year numbers by only $500.

Tyler also talks about the road that led him into barbecue, cooking huge events, building a loyal local customer base, running a small but seriously capable crew, and why he cares more about the experience across the counter than making somebody else’s list.

A funny, honest conversation about starting small, working smart and building a Texas barbecue business that lasts.

The guys dig into why visitors from around the world are chasing the most American experience possible — and why that often means brisket, gas stations, beaver nuggets, and a trip to a Texas BBQ joint.

Plus, an unannounced Texas pitmaster drops in mid-episode with a real-time update from the World Cup BBQ rush.

In this episode of Smoke(less), Justin, Wayne and Nick dig into what it actually takes to prep for huge event crowds, why guessing demand during something like the World Cup is almost impossible, and how every day in BBQ can feel like placing a bet. Justin breaks down the challenge of planning for surges before and after games, while also dealing with the reality that crowds can disappear the second a match kicks off.  

The guys also get into rising beef prices, whether BBQ joints need to rethink menus, how chicken and other proteins can help balance the numbers, and why brisket costs are still punching restaurants in the face. Plus, they answer listener questions on building better BBQ trays, pulling brisket earlier for a long rest, and whether temperature matters as much as feel.

And of course, Plate or Hate returns — with sausage, brisket, turkey, ribs, chicken, beans, street corn and a few redemption trays on the menu.

Got a BBQ question or want your cook judged on Plate or Hate?

Email: hello@smokelesspodcast.com

Instagram: @smokeless_podcast

Use code SMOKELESS at DrinkWillies.com for 10% off your first order.

#BBQ #TexasBBQ #WorldCup #Dallas #Brisket #SmokelessPodcast

Success in barbecue looks like sold-out trays, packed restaurants, and magazine lists — but behind it can be pressure, burnout, unwanted attention, and a serious personal cost.

In part two with the Primitive Pits + Quetorials guys, we get into the darker side of BBQ success: the pressure of being “the BBQ guy,” why cooking is often the easiest part, Jordan’s sobriety story, and what it really takes to keep showing up in this business.

From the obsession with tallow and “secret tricks,” to the idea that buying the right pit will magically fix bad cooking, they break down why there are no shortcuts in BBQ. Great food still comes down to skill, instinct, fire management, repetition, and understanding the craft.

They also dig into regional barbecue identity, why so many places are copying the same Central Texas blueprint, what makes East Texas different, and the reality of opening a barbecue joint — including health departments, fire codes, wood sourcing, and all the unglamorous stuff most people never see.

This is part one of our conversation with Primitive Pits and Quetorials — and it’s packed with hard-earned lessons for pitmasters, backyard cooks, and anyone who thinks there’s one magic thing that makes barbecue great.

In this episode of Smokeless, we revisit two of our clearest conversations on the beef crisis to understand why BBQ costs so damn much now.

First, Bill Bullard from R-CALF USA explains why he believes the beef market is broken — from packer power and imported beef to country of origin labeling and why cheaper imports don’t always mean cheaper prices for restaurants or customers.

Then Lance Zimmerman from Rabobank gives a different reality check: beef demand is still incredibly strong, quality is higher than ever, and barbecue restaurants are stuck trying to serve premium brisket in a world where the math keeps getting harder.

If you’ve ever wondered why BBQ plates are getting more expensive, why brisket prices keep climbing, or why more barbecue joints are struggling to survive, this episode digs into the forces behind it.

Featuring clips from our conversations with:

Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF USA

Lance Zimmerman, Senior Beef and Animal Protein Analyst at Rabobank

Subscribe for more honest conversations about BBQ, restaurants, pitmasters, beef prices, and the future of barbecue.

#BBQ #Brisket #BeefPrices #TexasBBQ #Barbecue #SmokelessPodcast

• Aaron Franklin (Franklin Barbecue): The conversation explores the importance of the team behind a successful restaurant and the concept of legacy. 
• Joe Zavala (Zavala's Barbecue): The discussion covers the personal and business challenges of navigating a cancer diagnosis, the impact of COVID-19, and a damaging ice storm in 2021. 
• Kerry and Tootsie (Snow's Barbecue): The final segment reflects on how community dynamics and small-town life have changed over the decades. 

Now, after conversations with Aaron Franklin, Daniel Vaughn, Tootsie Tomanetz, Matt Pittman, Joe Zavala, Arnis Robbins, Sam Jones and more — the guys behind Smoke(less) are looking back on the moments that defined the first year of the show.

In this special anniversary episode, Wayne Mueller (Louie Mueller Barbecue), Justin Fourton (Pecan Lodge), and Nick Pencis (Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ) revisit behind-the-scenes stories, personal struggles, hilarious moments, and the deeper conversations that made Smoke(less) more than just a barbecue podcast.

In this episode:

• How Smoke(less) began with a single text message
• The chaos of recording the first episode
• Why certain interviews became emotional
• Aaron Franklin, Daniel Vaughn & Tootsie reflections
• BBQ burnout, pressure & mental health
• Why pitmasters opened up on the show
• The evolution of Texas BBQ
• Hospitality, family & life outside the pit
• What’s next for Smoke(less)

PLUS:

• Ghost stories from Louie Mueller Barbecue
• Bigfoot stories
• Willie Nelson shoutouts
• Behind-the-scenes chaos and laughs

This is the most honest look yet at the people behind the podcast — and the friendships that built it.

Thank you for listening during Year One.

Season Two starts now.

In this host-driven episode of Smokeless, Wayne Mueller (Louie Mueller Barbecue), Justin Fourton (Pecan Lodge), and Nick Pencis (Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ) answer listener questions and pull back the curtain on the reality of life inside a barbecue restaurant.

From fire management and overnight brisket cooks to hospitality, burnout, teamwork, consistency, and restaurant culture — the guys explain why great BBQ is about much more than cooking meat.

The episode also dives into:

• The history and evolution of Texas barbecue
• Why brisket became king
• Sauce debates
• Cooking techniques
• BBQ restaurant economics
• Prime cost
• Hospitality philosophy
• Why most people underestimate restaurant work

Plus: Plate or Hate returns as the guys review listener-submitted briskets, ribs, and BBQ creations.

This episode is funny, brutally honest, insightful, and packed with behind-the-scenes stories from three award-winning pitmasters who live this life every day.

🎧 Subscribe to Smokeless on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music & YouTube.

🔥 FOLLOW SMOKELESS:

Instagram: @smokeless_podcast

YouTube: @smokelesspodcast

While the "real" interview is being rescheduled (hopefully with a more stable connection and a definitive ruling on the pants situation), we couldn't let these gems sit on the cutting room floor. This episode is a curated collection of the funniest, most chaotic, and strangely endearing moments from our failed attempt to connect. From technical glitches to Sam’s effortless wit, this is a raw look at the side of podcasting you usually don't hear—where the grit is real, but the bandwidth is non-existent.

Sit back, grab a sandwich, and enjoy the best of what happens when the plan goes south. Enjoy!

In this episode of Smokeless, Joe opens up about building Zavala’s Barbecue from the ground up, the financial pressure of running a Texas BBQ joint, the brutal reality of nearly running out of money, and how a cancer diagnosis changed the way he sees business, family, and time.

This is one of the rawest Smokeless conversations yet, not just about barbecue, but about survival, resilience, and what it really takes to keep going when life hits hard.

But this conversation is about more than barbecue.

In this episode, the Smokeless boys sit down with Tootsie and Kerry from Snow’s BBQ for something quieter, deeper, and far more personal. A conversation about old stories, hard work, community, family, and the world that existed before Snow’s became a destination for people from all over the globe.

This is the side of Snow’s BBQ you don’t usually hear.

No gimmicks. No rush. Just real stories from two people who’ve lived them.

If you love Texas barbecue, small-town history, and the people behind places that matter, this one’s for you.

Featuring:

Tootsie Tomanetz

Kerry Bexley

Snow’s BBQ – Lexington, Texas

Subscribe for more conversations, stories, and barbecue culture from across Texas.

In this episode of the Smoke(less) Podcast, the guys sit down with Evan LeRoy of LeRoy and Lewis to talk about his journey from chef to pitmaster, the chaos of food truck life, what makes LeRoy and Lewis different, and how a wild path led all the way to a Michelin star.

They get into Texas BBQ, sourcing, pressure, creativity, frozen beef, brutal cooks, and what it really takes to build something great in barbecue.

Subscribe for more BBQ interviews, pitmaster conversations, and Smoke(less) Podcast episodes.

In this episode of Smoke(less), Arnis sits down with hosts Justin Fourton (Pecan Lodge), Wayne Mueller (Louie Mueller Barbecue), and Nick Pencis (Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ). They dive deep into the grit behind the glory: selling a business, moving hundreds of miles, hand-building reverse-flow smokers, and walking away from everything to find what you were meant to do.

This is a masterclass in resilience, engineering, and scaling a Top 50 BBQ brand without losing your soul.

Visit Evie Mae’s Pit Barbeque:

📍 Wolfforth, TX: 217 US-62 Frontage Rd, Wolfforth, TX

📍 Miramar Beach, FL: 12273 US-98, Miramar Beach, FL

🌐 Website: eviemaesbbq.com

Instagram:@eviemaesbbq

cover photo by: David Vaughn

TEXAS BBQ shipped to your door

Order from any of our restaurants and get $20 to ship your first order.

Use code GOLDB3LLYIT at checkout.

🔥 Louie Mueller → https://geni.us/Louie_Mueller

🔥 Pecan Lodge → https://geni.us/Pecan_Lodge

🔥 Stanley’s Famous → https://geni.us/Stanleys_Famous

In this episode we sit down with Lance Zimmerman, senior beef and animal protein analyst for Rabobank the guy banks call when they need to know what's actually going to happen. His answer might surprise you.

The real driver of record beef prices isn't a broken supply chain. It's demand. The highest beef demand since 1983. And the imports everyone is panicking about? They're actually keeping your brisket prices from going even higher.

Lance breaks down the 2026 beef crisis with hard data, explains why the herd won't rebuild as fast as anyone hopes, and tells us the one intervention that could actually move the needle.

In this episode, we talk with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller about the labeling loophole, imported beef, and why brisket prices feel impossible right now, and what can be done to save Texas BBQ.

Drop a comment: Have you noticed beef prices where you live, and do you trust “Product of USA” labels?

Bill breaks down how power and concentration in the beef system shapes everything from what ranchers earn to what consumers pay, the role imports and labeling play in the modern market, and why he believes food production belongs in the same conversation as other critical national interests.

If you care about BBQ, brisket, and the future of beef in America, this one will make you think.

Drop a comment with your thoughts — is the beef industry heading in the right direction, or are we watching a system crack in real time?

Is brisket becoming a luxury, and can Texas BBQ survive this?

Let’s be real: The beef industry is a dumpster fire right now, and we’re all getting burned.

In this episode, we’re quitting the polite small talk and diving headfirst into why your favorite brisket is starting to cost more. We’re calling out the "Big Meat" giants and the price-fixing games that are squeezing local ranchers and suffocating your favorite BBQ joints. What this means for BBQ restaurants and backyard cooks, and why no one seems able to give a clear answer.

Something doesn’t add up, and everyone from ranchers to consumers is asking the same question: why?

The pressure is at a boiling point. We’re talking about how to pivot, how to fight back, and why the BBQ community needs to get loud before the fire goes out.

As the BBQ Editor at Texas Monthly, he curates the legendary Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas list: the ranking that pitmasters dream of, fight for, fear, and loathe. But his path to becoming America’s only full-time barbecue critic is anything but traditional.

In this episode of Smokeless, Daniel Vaughn reveals:

• How a simple blog changed his entire life
• The BBQ meal that hooked him instantly
• His unlikely journey from Ohio to Texas, from architecture to food criticism
• What people get wrong about the Texas Monthly Top 50
• How he handles pressure, backlash & pitmaster expectations
• Stories from the road, the pits, and behind the scenes of the list

If you’re into Texas BBQ, the restaurant world, or just love a good origin story, this is a must!

ABOUT THE GUEST

Daniel Vaughn is the BBQ Editor for Texas Monthly and author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat. He is considered the most influential barbecue critic in the world and has eaten at more BBQ joints than anyone alive. He curates the iconic Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas list.

Big thanks to Vic Barry for helping out!

On the cover: Bobby Mueller (Louie Mueller BBQ)

Smoke(less) is a podcast born from fire — not just the fire that cooks meat, but the fire that fuels life’s hardest questions and boldest decisions. Hosted by three award-winning Texas BBQ professionals, it’s a series of raw, honest conversations that go deeper than food.At its core, Smoke(less) is a mentor's voice in a loud, performative world. It's for anyone navigating personal or professional growth — from young creatives to service industry veterans — and seeking stories that don’t just entertain, but resonate.

Why “Smoke(less)”? Because we're not here to blow smoke. No ego. No filters. No smoke and mirrors. Just the real stories behind the flame — where clarity, craft, and connection live. Pull up a chair. Let’s clear the air.

Join us online at Smokeless Podcast

Produced By Clinton Granberry

Smoke(less) is a podcast born from fire — not just the fire that cooks meat, but the fire that fuels life’s hardest questions and boldest decisions. Hosted by three award-winning Texas BBQ professionals, it’s a series of raw, honest conversations that go deeper than food.At its core, Smoke(less) is a mentor's voice in a loud, performative world. It's for anyone navigating personal or professional growth — from young creatives to service industry veterans — and seeking stories that don’t just entertain, but resonate.

Why “Smoke(less)”? Because we're not here to blow smoke. No ego. No filters. No smoke and mirrors. Just the real stories behind the flame — where clarity, craft, and connection live. Pull up a chair. Let’s clear the air.

Join us online at Smokeless Podcast

Produced By Clint Granberry

At its core, Smoke(less) is a mentor's voice in a loud, performative world. It's for anyone navigating personal or professional growth — from young creatives to service industry veterans — and seeking stories that don’t just entertain, but resonate.

Why “Smoke(less)”?

Because we're not here to blow smoke. No ego. No filters. No smoke and mirrors. Just the real stories behind the flame — where clarity, craft, and connection live. Pull up a chair. Let’s clear the air.