HOUSTON BBQ THROWDOWN
Who is the most creative pitmaster in barbecueland? You’ll find out at the 4th annual Houston BBQ Throwdown, a competition for smoked-meat practitioners to create Houston’s next great barbecue dish.
The event, sponsored by the Houston Barbecue Festival and Saint Arnold Brewing Company, will be held 1-4 p.m. Sept. 16 at Saint Arnold, 2000 Lyons. Tickets are available now; $65 general admission includes samples from all competing vendors and Saint Arnold beer.
Like in previous years, invited barbecue joints will produce a dish that represents their interpretation of Houston-style barbecue. The dishes will be judged by a panel of barbecue experts who will decide the winners; the public votes on people’s choice.
Two newcomers are joining the competition this year: Jim Buchanan of Buck’s Barbecue Co. and Joey Victorian of Victorian’s Barbecue. Other barbecue businesses invited to the competition: Beaver’s Westheimer (judge’s choice co-winner for 2017); El Burro & the Bull (judge’s choice co-winner for 2017); Blood Bros. BBQ; Feges BBQ; Harlem Road Texas BBQ; the Pit Room; Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue; and Tin Roof BBQ (people’s choice winner for 2017). Additional participants will be announced later.
This year’s judges include pitmaster Will Buckman of CorkScrew BBQ in Spring, Houston Chronicle restaurant critic Alison Cook and award-winning barbecue photographer Robert J. Lerma.