2020 James Beard Awards America's Classics Winner: Vera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que

Like and subscribe to hear more from chefs, writers, beverage professionals, and more! Each year since 1998 the James Beard Foundation Awards Committee has recognized our nation’s beloved regional restaurants. Distinguished by their timeless appeal, they serve quality food that reflects the character of their communities. We anoint these locally owned restaurants with a James Beard Foundation Award and designate them as America’s Classics. Watch the full 2020 James Beard Awards broadcast: https://youtu.be/8ceDCJYGHoM Vera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que 2404 Southmost Blvd, Brownsville, TX Owner: Armando Vera Armando “Mando” Vera and his family practice a near-lost art in South Texas: barbacoa de cabeza (barbecued cow’s head) buried underground in a brick-lined pit and smoked for up to 12 hours. The tradition stems from the region’s 19th century vaquero-cowboy culture; Vera’s father opened a restaurant serving the specialty in 1955. Barbacoa is for weekend feasts. Customers request meat by the pound or half-pound (cachete, or cheek meat, is a rich and popular cut) and then build their own tacos with tortillas, homemade garnishes, onion, and cilantro that come with each order. Brownsville is a four-hour drive from San Antonio, the closest major Texas city, but the chance to savor this disappearing border-town delicacy merits a pilgrimage. Community-focused and independent restaurants are at the heart of every city, town, and village across America and the world. The James Beard Foundation celebrates restaurants that showcase culinary leadership and provides training and resources for chefs and restaurateurs to use their voices for positive food system change. Open for Good is the James Beard Foundation’s campaign to help independent restaurants survive this crisis, rebuild better, and thrive for the long term. Open for Good programs provide critical resources to help independent restaurants build the capacity to come back stronger, more equitable, more sustainable, and more resilient. Learn more at jamesbeard.org.

my name is armando era i'm the owner of vera's backyard barbecue in brownsville texas my parents started the the business across the street where we're located now we've been here since 1955 you know it's six and a half decades later and here we are you know it's it's it's beautiful we love it we're very famous for the barbacoa or the mexican barbecue you have a pit or a hole in the ground and and that's where you do this you know that's put mesquite wood you you cook it the old-fashioned way th

e ranch way they put it in the pit put the the seed melt on top we put dirt on the top to to to insulate it and and and it'll stay overnight [Music] friday we start uh at five o'clock in the morning so it's a good 12 hours total 14 hours and then product is done to be uh deboned and then prepared for the customer the most popular would be the the cheek meat they like the texture that's the smoked flavor that's what sells the most a lot of people like to order picachette which is a cheap meat a c

acete is served in a little boat order your tortillas your salsa on the side and make your own tuck i've been a customer of meadows for about 25 to 30 years there's many barbacoas in brownsville but this is the only one that is pit made this one has the mesquite taste and that is what makes it the best thank you so much the community in brazil you know it's somewhat of a melting pot you know we've got people from different areas the community sticks together you know i'm very honored to be part

of the james beard american classic award you grow up in something and you know it goes in your blood and it's there and it's you have a passion for it and so you start doing it right so i love what i'm doing

2020 James Beard Awards America's Classics Winner: Vera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que

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