You might say the two major eras of Houston barbecue are “BG” and “AG,” that’s “Before Gatlin’s” and “After Gatlin’s.” Before the Gatlin family opened their tiny Gatlin’s BBQ storefront in the Heights, many prominent barbecue joints had transitioned to “set it and forget it,” push-button smokers that made barbecue easier but lost the essential smokiness for which Texas barbecue is famous.
When Gatlin rolled his trailer-mounted, offset steel pit behind his little shop and started cooking on that, the game changed, as they say. Not only did he start using old-school techniques, Gatlin also offered a menu that combined the best of ETX and CTX-styles of barbecue, with salt-and-pepper brisket existing side-by-side with a dirty rice dish any Cajun would be proud of.
