National Barbecue Day (May 16) arrives just as summer grilling season hits full stride — and Dallas Farmers Market has everything you need, from the brisket to the sauce to the spice rub that will make you famous at the neighborhood block party.
The Roots of Great Barbecue
Texas barbecue doesn't have a single origin story. The slow-smoke tradition that defines the state traces back to Caribbean and African cooking techniques, then layered with German and Czech immigrant influence in the Hill Country, then filtered through a century of ranching and cattle culture. What you taste in a great brisket is all of that at once.
Who to Visit at The Shed This Weekend (May 16–17)
On both days, The Shed's lineup includes some of the best small-batch sauce, rub, and spice producers in North Texas:
- Hurtado Barbecue (sampling 11am–3pm with 10% discount cards)
- Kit N Spice (hand-crafted rubs)
- Rika's Barbecue Marinade (Tejano-inspired citrus and chile marinades)
- Spicymas Hot Sauce (Caribbean-rooted habanero and scotch bonnet sauces)
- Uncle Marc's (grilling demo at noon Sunday)
- Gaia's Choice
- L.A. Farm Girl
- Lonestar Specialty Foods
- MD Supper Club
- Mushroom Street Farms
- Pepperona Peppers
"The slow-smoke tradition that defines Texas pit culture traces back to Caribbean and African cooking techniques — layered over generations of Hill Country immigrant influence and a century of cattle ranching."
Field Trip: Fieldsong Farm (May 30)
On May 30, Dallas Farmers Market hosts a guided farm tour at Fieldsong Farm. Limited to 20 guests. Book at the Information Booth.
Sauce Shopping Tip
When tasting sauces at The Shed, ask the vendor which protein they built it for. A Kansas City-style sweet sauce perfect on ribs may overpower brisket. Ask what's best for what you're grilling.
The Shed is open Saturdays 8am–5pm and Sundays 10am–5pm. Get there early on National Barbecue Day weekend — Hurtado's samples go fast.
