Jeff Savell discusses whole pig cookery at a past Barbecue Summer Camp.

The Barbecue Summer Camp, co-hosted by Foodways Texas and the Meat Science Section of Texas A&M University’s Department of Animal Science, was first held in June 2011. The camp is coordinated by meat science educators, Davey Griffin, Ray Riley, and Jeff Savell, with activities held at the Rosenthal Meat Center and O.D. Butler Animal Science Teaching, Research, and Extension Complex.

Registration for Barbecue Summer Camp is coordinated by Foodways Texas, an organization with a mission to preserve, promote, and celebrate the diverse food cultures of Texas. Foodways Texas is hosted by the Department of American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. Membership in Foodways Texas is required to be eligible to enter the lottery system used to enroll participants in these camps.

Camp Highlights

Highlights of the three-day event include:

• Panel on pit design and maintenance
• Tour and tasting from historic Martin’s Place, Bryan, Texas and visit with pit master, Steven Kapchinskie and reflections from Robb Walsh
• Meat safety and thermometers
• Panel on barbecue wood and smoke
• Rubs and marinades including participants applying seasonings to briskets, pork butts, beef short ribs, and pork spareribs
• Brining basics
• Hog preparation for whole hog cooking
• Beef anatomy overview with demonstrations
• Pork anatomy overview with demonstrations
• Pork cutting room demonstrations
• Whole hog cookery
• Poultry sessions coordinated by Christine Alvarado, Department of Poultry Science
  • Beer can chicken
  • Dark and light meat fajitas
  • Homemade sausage
  • Drums with mayo/spices
  • Wings with siracha sauce

Camp Resources

Some of the resources for products mentioned and used in past Barbecue Summer Camps:

Woodland Foods

Barbecue Summer Camp in the News

See media articles about past Barbecue Summer Camps:

• Camp ‘Cue, Greg Morago, Houston Chronicle
• Barbecue Summer Camp: a recap of the 3rd annual BBQ Summer Camp at the Texas A&M Meat Science Center by Robb Walsh, Houstonia Magazine
• Foodways Texas Barbecue Camp brings a weekend of meat, smoke and a piece of Texas heritage by Jessica Dupuy, Austin Culture Map
• 7 things you can learn at Texas A&M’s BBQ camp by Mariah Medina, San Antonio Express-News
• Foodways Texas BBQ Summer Camp by Robb Walsh
• Texaz Grill’s Steven Freidkin goes to summer camp by Ando Muneno, Phoenix New Times
• Cooking Brisket for the Barbecue King of Texas by Kathryn Robinson, Seattle Met
• Barbecue Summer Camp, June 2016 version, photo and summary wrap up by Jeff Savell