These barbecue pitmasters put tradition and family recipes on the menu

A signature pastime of the summer months, barbecuing owes its tradition and lineage to many Black slave traditions, that combined resourcefulness with learned knowledge of cooking techniques from Native American tribes that helped people make the most out of the meat they could access.

Throughout the U.S., barbecue tells a story of tradition and migration, one that is powerfully highlighted by these three family businesses that have taken their recipes to new heights.

Southeast: Rodney Scott

A true lifelong master of his craft, Rodney Scott barbecued his first whole hog at only 11 years old under his father’s tutelage. Growing up under his father’s watchful eye, the 2018 James Beard Award-winner for Outstanding Chef Southeast attends meticulously to his task. He tends his coals carefully to make sure the heat is applied strategically across the hog and curates smoky flavor profiles with his decades of knowledge and skill. Scott’s barbecue is steeped in the South Carolina whole-hog tradition, but his brand has grown quickly in just five years, bringing the flavor of the state to new southern homes in Alabama and, as of last summer, Atlanta and Georgia.

Midwest: Darnell Ashley

In Milwaukee, pitmaster Darnell Ashley plays his role in keeping a family craft alive. His southern-born father’s technique and recipe followed the family to the Midwest in the 1960s where his father first opened up a shop. After taking time to explore other career pathways, Ashley returned to the family calling, even maintaining the regional Mississippi menu staple of goat until his local supplier died. At Ashley’s Bar-B-Que the meat is marinated for at least 12 hours with a dry rub, and then a wet rub, before being barbecued. Ashley has expanded the menu offerings to include a range of dietary options like fish and turkey, as his business grows with the time alongside his two teenagers, who also work at the restaurant.

Texas: Robert Patillo

While the pit outside has been roasting hogs for over a hundred years, Patillo’s BBQ in Beaumont, Texas breaks the mold by offering another lens through which to appreciate Black contributions to southern barbecue traditions. Founded in 1912, Patillo’s menu more heavily features beef, a Texas staple, and hand-stuffed seasoned beef sausages are a menu highlight. The restaurant is run by Robert Patillo, great-grandson of founder Jack Patillo, whose family lore includes powerful connections and well-kept recipes weaving the restaurant deeply into Texas’ historical fabric.