Urban is especially proud of the BBQ Team, which, before the pandemic struck, rotated from school to school throughout the year, serving lunches like smoked pulled pork, chicken, beef brisket and St. Louis-style ribs (the student favorite).

When schools closed due to coronavirus, the BBQ Team pivoted to pulling up at emergency feeding sites, spreading the barbecue vibe during tough times.

Baylor University’s Aramark dining team’s signature chipotle barbecue sauce has become legendary, and it’s just the thing for melt-in-your-mouth ribs.

At Baylor, barbecue is incorporated into lots of fun items, from the Bear Box to the “Big Papa” baked potato, topped with barbecued pork, sweet/tangy barbecue sauce and pico de gallo for kick.

“We truly miss our students and the energy on campus…we are doing well but can’t wait for normality to return,” according to the Baylor Dining marketing team. They are hoping to once again celebrate back to school with a barbecue event, complete with chicken, sausage, potato salad and coleslaw.

Chef Daniel Concepcion has created his own signature spice line for the Table 29 café, T29 Spices, that he uses for smoked meats (chicken, pork, brisket, bacon and more) at Sam’s Club’s offices.

In order to serve barbecue efficiently, Concepcion has found ways to shave time off while still getting the smokiest flavor. For example, “I’ll smoke chicken for about five hours at 185°F, then bake it in the oven at 180°F, covered,” he says.

As seen at Sam’s Club, an acidic slaw is the time-honored partner of fatty, melty pulled pork. The elements collide in an unforgettable way with this combo.

Hershey Foodservice has developed another interesting flavor combination: a spice rub made with Heath bar bits, cocoa, paprika, cayenne and other seasonings. Get the recipe here.

Chef Melissa Cookston, “the Winningest Woman in BBQ,” shares barbecue tips and recipes on her website, including this sweet Memphis rub, made with turbinado sugar, onion powder, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, cayenne, dry mustard, chili powder, cumin and paprika.

At the University of North Texas (UNT), barbecuing happens on a custom-built smoker that can smoke 92 chickens, 72 pork butts or 24 briskets all at once. While that’s not happening at the moment, “We can’t WAIT to get that up and running on a daily basis!” says Derrick Cripps, senior director of dining services at UNT.