This Week In Barbecue

This Week in Barbecue, Season 8 Episode 17, Rasheed Philips and Bryan Hull close out 2025 with an unfiltered talk about the state of BBQ. From canceled collaborations to Traeger’s meltdown, from the rise of “tenderism” to the future of open-fire cooking, the duo tackles what barbecue needs to let go of and what deserves to rise in 2026.Topics Covered: The MOVE challenge and the BBQ fitness wave Why “tenderism” might be marketing gone wrong, Traeger lawsuits, tech burnout, and dropping stock prices. The Campbell’s Soup controversy, Nostalgia, food quality, and the illusion of flavorThe cuts, cooks, and community BBQ needs next This Week in Barbecue is the podcast for those who love the culture, craft, and chaos of the pit. Subscribe for weekly episodes, hot takes, and everything barbecue

In today’s episode, Rasheed and Bryan sit down with the newest member of the misfitsss barbecue crew Tyler, a professionally trained chef from Canada who’s making the leap into the world of live-fire cooking.Fresh off our first big pop-up residency at RoundTrip Brewery, we break down:• What it’s really like transitioning from chef life to pitmaster life• The surprising similarities (and real differences) between the two crafts• The wins & mistakes from our first official misfitsss BBQ pop-up• How passion, pressure, and community shape the way we cook• Why “tenderism” has Rasheed fired up again• Behind-the-scenes moments from the RoundTrip event• What we’re improving next time and what worked better than we expectedWhether you’re a chef, pitmaster, backyard griller, or someone who just loves the culture of barbecue, this episode has something for you. It’s honest, funny, and packed with the kind of real-life lessons you only learn standing next to a live fire.Be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and drop a comment:What do you think is the biggest difference between a chef and a pitmaster?

Welcome back to This Week in Barbecue, the podcast where we don’t care when you get your ‘cue, as long as it’s not drive-thru.We’re fresh off the Open Fire Meat Up, I’ll give y’all a quick recap and talk about what it was like cooking on Big Javi’s rig, the Fire Coop. We’ve also got an interview dropping soon with Tay from EatBobbys on YouTube, so keep an eye out for that.Now, this week we’re diving into a mix of topics, from meat prices that’ll make you question your life choices, to the never-ending tipping debate, and even a Texas high school barbecue program that’s shaping the next generation of pitmasters.Plus, we’ll break down what skyrocketing food costs mean for your holiday table, from turkey shortages to creative ways to feed the family without going broke.So grab a plate, pour a drink, and let’s talk barbecue, community, and the cost of keeping the fire going.

This week, the mics get turned in a different direction.No headlines. No festival rundowns.Just two friends and one of the most honest conversations we’ve ever shared.Bryan Hull sits down not as my co-host, but as a man with a story.For years, Bryan poured his heart, time, and talent into a Texas-style BBQ restaurant outside of Texas, helping drive it to a Top 3 ranking and more than 5x its revenue. He built systems. He built culture. He built success.So why walk away when the stakes were that high?Why leave after climbing that mountain?This episode cuts deep into a partnership that wasn’t a partnership.communication that never came,grief that reshaped priorities,and the hidden cost of sacrificing your mental health for someone else’s dream.Bryan speaks openly about loss, burnout, and rediscovering his self-worth through the flames of adversity. It’s raw, real, and necessary — for anyone who has given everything to a passion… only to realize you might be giving away pieces of yourself too.Barbecue teaches patience.It teaches resilience.And sometimes, it teaches you when it’s time to walk away.If you’ve ever questioned your value, your boundaries, or your future — this one’s for you.

This week, Rasheed sits down with Anthony DiBernardo, the pitmaster and founder behind Charleston’s beloved Swig & Swine BBQ, to talk about the journey from dream to legacy. Anthony opens up about betting on himself, the sacrifices and support that built his business, and the heartbreak of losing his son, Asher. Together, they reflect on resilience, faith, and how community and the Holy Smokes BBQ Festival, help heal and uplift families through their work with Ronald McDonald House Charities. It’s an honest, deeply human conversation about what barbecue really means when the fire goes beyond the pit.