Meet the barbecue leaders behind KXAN's 'Family Beef' documentary
In Texas’ state-designated BBQ capital, two legendary Lockhart families run the town’s most iconic barbecue joints as a rising star joins the scene — and all vie for coveted spots on the Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ list. Explore our project online now and watch the documentary June 5 at 7 p.m. on the KXAN+ smart TV app.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — While exploring Lockhart’s barbecue legacy, culture and future, we talked with a dynamic cast of characters.
Here are some of the voices most prominently featured in KXAN’s documentary “Family Beef.”
Mark and Mike Black: Terry Black’s BBQ
Helmed by twins Mark and Mike, the Terry Black’s brand has expanded to five Texas cities so far with more growth planned. They say their Austin location is one of the busiest barbecue restaurants in the world, serving about 20,000 people a week. Mike initially worked at Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart under his uncle, Kent, but according to Mike, they didn’t get along. This led the brothers and their father, Terry, to break off and launch their own spot in Austin in 2014. Their venture sparked lawsuits from both sides and created a crack in the family.
Kent Black: Black’s Barbecue
Kent is a third-generation pitmaster who bought the restaurant from his parents in 2015. Black’s began as a meat market in 1932 and has remained in the family since then. From selling snow cones outside the shop as a six-year-old to leading the Black’s Barbecue dynasty, Kent has seen his family business — and Lockhart — pioneer Texas barbecue over decades. Before committing to Black’s full-time, Kent was an attorney and state prosecutor. That legal expertise resurfaced amid multiple business disputes with his brother, Terry Black, and nephews, Mike and Mark Black.
Nina Sells: Smitty’s Market
Nina operates Smitty’s Market out of Lockhart’s oldest barbecue building, which was formerly the site of Kreuz Market. Entering the building is like going back in time, with the walls completely smoked over and the original pit on full display. Nina served as the county clerk for 28 years and inherited the building when her father passed in 1990. Her brother, Rick, got the Kreuz brand. A lease disagreement led Rick to move Kreuz to a new location, leaving Nina to start Smitty’s. The dispute has cooled off since Rick’s passing, but it remains a defining moment in Lockhart barbecue history.
Keith Schmidt: Kreuz Market
Since its inception in the late 1800s, Kreuz Market passed through a few families and now sits with Keith Schmidt, whose grandfather bought the business from the Kreuz family in 1948. The nephew of Nina Sells of Smitty’s Market, Keith was caught in the middle of his father, Rick, and his aunt’s business disputes and nationally publicized split. Since taking over the business in 2011 and his father’s passing in 2019, Keith has worked to mend his family’s relationship with Nina and usher what is likely Lockart’s oldest barbecue joint into the modern era.
Chuck Charnichart: Barbs B Q
Two years after opening her barbecue restaurant, Chuck has garnered widespread acclaim, from catching the eye of the New York Times to receiving a James Beard Award nomination and Michelin Guide nod. She learned from barbecue legends at Franklin Barbecue (Austin) and Goldee’s BBQ (Fort Worth area) before establishing her restaurant in Lockhart two years ago. Pulling inspiration from her Mexican heritage and Rio Grande Valley roots, the Barbs B Q menu reflects the cultural flavors Chuck grew up with — and patrons line up around the block for it.
Daniel Vaughn: Texas Monthly Barbecue Editor
Daniel moved to Dallas in 2001, where he said he became “enamored” with Texas barbecue almost instantly during one of his first meals in the city. More than 20 years later, he’s now the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly with the power to craft the industry’s most influential list and catapult barbecue restaurants into the spotlight. The Texas Monthly Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints list comes out every four years.
In preparation, Daniel and his team of tasters narrow down a pool of about 400 places to try. The closer a joint ranks near the top, the more scrutiny and visits it gets from Daniel and Texas Monthly.
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