To Houstonian pitmaster Randy Pauly, Texas barbeque is more than food — it’s a sacred craft.
His team of novice smokers proved it on Monday, the opening day for the convenience chain Buc-ee’s in Pass Christian, Mississippi. A dozen employees in cowboy hats, trained by Pauly, moved in rhythm. They slid fresh breakfast tacos under a glowing lamp, chopped brisket into messy cubes and occasionally belted, “Fresh brisket on the board!”
Wearing a feathered cowboy hat and a belt buckle featuring the Buc-ee’s mascot outlined in sparkling rhinestones, Pauly often glanced at the employees with the admiration of a proud parent…