🔥 Welcome to The Black Smoke Barbecue Podcast – where barbecue meets culture, community, and real stories from the pit. 🔥

In this episode, host Brandon and the crew celebrate Labor Day traditions, the start of football season, and the art of cooking with special guest Tamu Gonzales, a trailblazing pitmaster at Big Bib Barbecue. Tamu shares her inspiring journey from cashier to general manager and pitmaster, proving that passion, persistence, and hard work can open doors in the BBQ world.

🍖 Inside This Episode:

• Labor Day cookouts, football season excitement & family traditions
• Tamu’s rise from cashier to pitmaster and general manager at Big Bib Barbecue
• The importance of cleanliness and discipline in professional BBQ
• Debunking myths about flavor and technique
• What it takes to cook for large-scale events and keep quality consistent
• Signature dishes that showcase Tamu’s style and creativity
• The impact of COVID-19 on BBQ business and expansion plans
• Balancing management duties with the love of cooking
• How media coverage and storytelling help grow BBQ businesses
• Tips on cooking brisket and why patience is key
• Reviving the tradition of communal cookouts and gatherings
• Why women belong in BBQ—and how Tamu is paving the way
• A fun lightning round to close things out with laughs and flavor

🔥 This episode is all about inspiration, culture, and the power of food to bring people together.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Black Smoke Barbecue Podcast

02:50 Labor Day Celebrations and Barbecue Traditions

05:51 The Journey of Tamu Gonzalez: From Cashier to Pitmaster

11:47 The Hard Work Behind Barbecue Excellence

17:36 The Importance of Cleanliness in Barbecue

23:08 Influences and Inspirations in Barbecue Craft

28:07 Exploring Side Dishes and Barbecue Culture

28:32 Cooking Collard Greens and Sweet Potato Casserole

32:09 Massive Cooking: The Brisket Challenge

38:15 Empowering Women in Barbecue

40:11 The Journey of Big Bib BBQ

44:19 Balancing Business and Barbecue

47:43 The Impact of Media Coverage

48:50 Brisket Cooking Techniques

54:59 Lightning Round: Quickfire Questions

55:01 Essential Tools in the Pit Room

55:26 Music That Fuels the Fire

56:52 Favorite Comfort Foods

57:59 The Importance of Family and Food

59:25 Bringing Back the Cookout Culture

01:02:07 Where to Find the Big Bib

01:03:12 Live Music and Community Events

01:06:21 Connecting with the BBQ Community

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to support the culture and keep the smoke rolling!

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