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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

If you’ve ever scrambled to the top of Enchanted Rock, that massive speed bump of pink granite that rises from the Hill Country north of Fredericksburg, you’ve explored land protected by The Nature Conservancy in Texas (TNC).The same holds true for thousands of undeveloped acres along South Padre Island, parts of both Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, and dozens of other places that ooze the spirit and beauty of the Lone Star State. In all, The Nature Conservancy, along with its partners and supporters, has helped set aside one million acres of land — including some of the most iconic scenery — in a state that’s 95 percent privately owned.A hiker ascends Baldy Peak at The Nature Conservancy’s Davis Mountains…

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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

Texas-December-Warmer-Than-Usual-Temperatures-Global-WarmingDuring the height of Texas’s unbearably hot summer a few months ago, I told you all how excited I was for winter. The period of June through August—when temperatures reached the triple digits and it was impossible to step outside without breaking a sweat—was a true test of my commitment to Texas residency. But I made it through, reminding myself that cooler temperatures would get here eventually. In a sense, I was right: 52 degrees Fahrenheit, which it is as I write this five months later, is certainly better than a consistent 105. But it’s still warm, all things considered. (I barely even break out that decade-plus-old North Face jacket that was supposed to be my saving grace in these months.) And this isn’t the…

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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

Ken Paxton watchOn Wednesday, Ken Paxton took to social media to say that police had descended on his McKinney home—which was empty at the time—after a caller made a 911 call falsely claiming that a life-threatening situation was taking place at the address. The practice, known as “swatting,” has long been a favorite among those seeking to move online harassment of an individual into the real world. The FBI began using the term as early as 2008, and the practice escalated in 2015 as the “Gamergate”campaign used it against critics; an Oklahoma police chief was shot several times after entering the home of a swatting target in response to a fake call. The term entered the Oxford English Dictionary that year, and it has remained a common…

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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

Inside F1 Smokehouse in Fort Worth.F1 Smokehouse in Fort Worth isn’t a barbecue restaurant. I’ve been reminded of that repeatedly by the owners and chefs of Far Out Hospitality, which last September added F1 Smokehouse to the eight other restaurants in its portfolio. The brand’s vice president Vernon Erickson told me, “Let’s not call it really a barbecue restaurant,” preferring the term “American smokehouse.” Far Out founder Felipe Armenta convinced celebrity chef Graham Elliot to leave Chicago for Fort Worth in 2022 to help develop the brand’s culinary direction. Elliot told CultureMap that their aim with F1 was to “redefine the barbecue experience.” Chef de cuisine Wes LeFevre describes F1 as an “American smokehouse–inspired restaurant.” His message to the established local barbecue joints that might consider F1 to be competition…

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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

Texas Horoscope 2024Get your boots on, cue the band, and light up the fireworks—2024 is gearing up to be an exciting year for all of us. No matter your sign, you’ve likely learned lessons in patience and taking the long road over the past few years. This year, the stars over Texas will finally bless us with lots of forward motion. In 2024, passions will ignite in a way we haven’t experienced in quite some time, and the cosmos are forecasting promotions, new jobs, renewed friendships, and even some reinvigorated romances. Each of the twelve zodiac signs will experience the twists and turns a little differently. Read on for insight into what to look forward to (and what to look out for) in the coming year.  Capricorn (December…

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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

German liquified natural gas activists visit Port ArthurAs the rented minivan navigates the Houston suburbs and the first petrochemical facilities come into view, the reaction inside the vehicle is like there’s been a celebrity sighting. “Look over there,” says Constantin Zerger, at the wheel, pointing out a flare blazing over a refinery to the south, a method of burning off excess gas that is largely forbidden in his home country. He and the van’s five passengers—journalists and environmental activists visiting from Germany—lean toward the windows to get a better glimpse of the industrial sites they have traveled thousands of miles to see.This trip, on a sunny day in November, has been organized around a subject that has lately occupied much of Zerger’s mind: liquefied natural gas. A trim and focused man in…

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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

Don Baucham of DB’s Rustic Iron BBQ.Don Baucham played the long game in the desert. He bought a piece of land in Terlingua a decade ago when he was still working an oil-and-gas job in Brazil. His plan was to build a barbecue joint in the tiny town just outside Big Bend National Park, but it was slow going. In the meantime, Baucham opened DB’s Rustic Iron BBQ in a food trailer there. When I visited in 2019, he told me the water, septic, and power had been set up at the future restaurant site, but the construction of the building hadn’t commenced. “I’ve spent over $60,000 so far, and I haven’t sold a sandwich there yet,” Baucham told me at the time. Baucham’s perseverance paid off, and he was able…

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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

A Houston Bishop Squabbles With the New York Times Over a Saucy Crossword ClueI was amused to read the Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Texas Andy Doyle’s edifying tough-love letter to the New York Times for its December 29 crossword, in which the answer to the clue “Tex-Mex condiment” was “taco sauce.” I imagine it takes a lot for a bishop of any religious denomination to take time away from his duties and use official letterhead to publicly address a snafu in the Gray Lady’s iconic puzzle. As Doyle  proclaimed, “I raise a loud shout from Texas on behalf of our people and from whence the term Tex-Mex finds its locus.” I applaud his effort, but I think he’s being overzealous.It’s true, as Doyle notes, that our beloved regional cuisine is named after a railroad. It’s also…

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Get in-depth coverage of news, reviews and conversations about Texas barbecue. It's basically Christmas every day for barbecue-lovers.

JANUARY PERKS Brisket U | Get $15 off any Brisket U Class with code TXMNEWS24scTW InterStellar BBQ | See calendar for specials Baker Boys BBQ | Every Tuesday: pork steak special until sold out La Barbecue | Pop up with house-made chili dogs, “Red Rockets,” at Tinies on 1/6 from noon to sold out! Juan and Allie’s BBQ | Address: 114 Texas Spur 511 Sunset Texas 76270

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Alex Snodgrass shopping columnThe beginning of a new year often starts with a slate of goals and promises. Maybe you want to try a short-term elimination diet or use your oven for more than heating frozen food. If either of these thoughts have crossed your mind in the last five years or so, you likely already know about Alex Snodgrass and her blog of easy-to-accomplish, wholesome recipes, the Defined Dish.Snodgrass grew up in Celina, a small town about 45 minutes north of Dallas. Her mom cooked nearly all the family’s meals, so when Snodgrass went off to college at Texas Christian University, she felt unmoored by the lack of home-cooked meals.As soon as she was able to live in an apartment, she was making dishes like lobster paella…

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