Texas’ Top Barbecue Stars Come Together for the Ultimate Meat Up: So Much Top 50 Talent in One Place

What: Texas Monthly‘s Inaugural Meat Up

Where: Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards Street

PC Moment: Following the release of its highly anticipated 50 Best Barbecue Joints in Texas rankings — which only come out every four years — Texas Monthly gathered some of the Lone Star State’s best pit-masters together under one roof for the magazine’s first-ever Meat Up event.

A sold-out crowd of more than 500 flocked to Silver Street Studios to sample barbecue bites from list honorees: Ronnie Killen and Manny Torres (Killen’s Barbecue, Pearland), Will Buckman (CorkScrew BBQ, Spring), Jordan Jackson (Bodacious Bar-B- Q, Longview), Arnis Robbins (Evie Mae’s Pit Barbecue, Lubbock), and Leonard Botello IV (Truth Barbeque, Brenham).

Houston’s own Yunan Yang (Pepper Twins), Ken Bridge and Felix Florez (Ritual), Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya “Tako” Matsumoto (Ramen Tatsu-Ya), Rebecca Mason (Fluff Bake Bar) and Lyle Bento (Southern Goods) also provided barbecue-themed provisions.

On the menu: everything from smoked pork belly rolls and brisket sliders to beef pastrami burnt ends boudin and beef bacon “Heath” bars.

Guests grooved to sounds from Mike Ethan Messick and John Evans, who performed live on the Gibson Stage, while also indulging in refreshing cocktails like mojitos, mules, and slings courtesy Gentleman Jack and a festive lounge sponsored by 44 Farms.

Outdoor games like giant Jenga and cornhole kept the fun going all night long.

BBQ Enthusiasts: Jake Salzman, Ashley Frankart, Jackie Effenson, Patrick Cowhand, Urban Swank‘s Felice Sloan and Shanna Jones, PaperCity‘s Jailyn Marcel, Trevor Thompson, Shaun O’Brien, Jeff Rudd, Tito Shoemake, Tamara Smith