In Good Morning America (GMA)’s United States of BBQ tour, the first two contestants were both Dallas barbecue heavyweights. During its first stop on Monday, April 9, Texas State Fair favorite Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que took on Dallas mainstay Pecan Lodge in a battle to make the best brisket sandwich.
Pecan Lodge presented the celebrity judges — Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and new Monday Night Football hosts Troy Aikman and Joe Buck — with their signature “Texas Between Two Buns” sandwich.
Pecan Lodge’s husband-and-wife pitmasters, Justin and Diane Forton served up brisket, pulled pork, sausage, coleslaw, and jalapeños between two hamburger buns.
Not to be outdone, Smokey John’s served up their “Big John” sandwich, featuring hickory-smoked brisket, sausage, and coleslaw topped with an onion ring. They included a St. Louis spare rib on the side to ensure they sealed the deal.
Host Kaylee Hartung asked Aikman what defines Texas barbecue. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback said, “I think it comes down to the meat, wherein some places it is all about the sauce; I think that is the biggest difference.”
Local WFAA sports commentator Joe Trahan joined Prescott and Buck for the taste test. The judges had the challenging task of deciding who had the best brisket sandwich, with the winner moving on to compete against three other contestants in New York.
While it seemed to be a hard decision for the judges, Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que reigned supreme and was presented with the “Golden Tong” by Aikman. GMA will air the grand finale on Monday, May 16, where Smokey John’s will battle the best from Tampa, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, Illinois, for a chance at $10,000 and the title of the Ultimate Pitmaster.
After the contest, Smokey John’s Brent Reaves told The Dallas Morning News, “When you think of Dallas barbecue, one of the first things you think about is Pecan Lodge, so to go up against them was really awesome.”
The Dallas Express spoke with Reaves at the beginning of the year, and he explained how he and his brother, Juan, picked up where their father left off at Smokey John’s to continue offering the restaurant’s mouth-watering barbecue, which has been a staple in Dallas since 1976.