To most people, the name Pecan Lodge is synonymous with BBQ. But to Diane and me, it goes deeper than that. While the name originated from my grandfathers ranch in Abilene, what we do is anchored in the memories of cooking with all our grandparents. So it’s not surprising what when we first planted our business in Shed #2 at Dallas’ Farmer’s Market, we went back to our roots. I used everything I learned about working an offset pit. And Diane made sure we honored family recipes instead of following the latest trends.

It all started when we ditched our corporate jobs and weekly travel that came with them so we could spend more time as a family. And, to be honest, we weren’t out to set the world on fire – just some mesquite wood, plus a little oak. But one mouthwatering bite of brisket led to another, and before we knew it, the juicy secret about Pecan Lodge was out. Folks began to serve us up heaping portions of praise, and soon after, lines started to form for what Texas Monthly called one of the Top 4 BBQ joints in the world.

It’s not easy work, but we love what we’re doing. And there are no shortcuts to doing it right. Our BBQ pit burns 24 hours a day, fueled by nothing but wood and passion. We grind and stuff our own sausage. And anything we can make from scratch, we make from scratch – from our Southern Fried Chicken to Aunt Polly’s banana pudding to our Mac n’ Cheese to the collard greens.

Times change, and sometimes you have to roll with the punches. Our little stand at the Farmer’s Market had to make way for redevelopment, so we’ve now set up camp in the heart of Deep Ellum. You’ll find us where Main St. meets Pryor St., and good old-fashioned elbow grease meets smoked perfection.

Photo of hand holding beef rib taken by Kelly Yandell of Kelly Yandell Photograhy

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