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Jeannie Heffernan with her son Evan

Like many amateur barbecue cooks, Bob Heffernan had high hopes when he entered brisket in the Weimar BBQ Cook-off in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out exactly as planned. “He burnt it to a crisp,” says his son, Evan. Determined to get better, he continued to cook barbecue, becoming the go-to cook and fundraiser for his sons’ Little League baseball teams. Beginning in 2003, he and his wife, Jeannie, set up a borrowed trailer in a Walmart parking lot in Cypress, selling barbecue to their friends and neighbors. It was a win-win: Bob got better at barbecue and the teams raised needed funds.

Still, this was a side hustle — his day job was working in the construction industry. But with the recession of 2008, he made barbecue a full-time pursuit by buying his own trailer, supporting his family and putting his sons through college. Though not involved on a daily basis, Evan helped out when he could.

In early 2017, Bob was diagnosed with cancer and given seven to eight months to live. The family had to decide if they should continue with the barbecue business or sell it. They decided to continue. “I spent most of that time working with him trying to learning as much as I could (about cooking barbecue),” says Evan. After Bob passed away in late 2017, Evan and his mom kept the business going, mainly with catering jobs served out of the trailer. When COVID-19 hit in 2020 and restaurant dining rooms closed, they were well-situated to take advantage of the need for takeout business. It was also during this time that Evan began to expand on everything his father taught him.

“I wanted to build off of what he gave me and also make it something that was what you can consider (contemporary) craft barbecue,” says Evan.He started with a foundation of the wood his dad used (pecan) and the custom-made pit he installed on the trailer. It is a unique offsetstyle pit with the firebox in the middle and two cooking chambers on each side.

Both the pecan wood and Evan’s refined cooking technique make the brisket here both unique and delicious. Unlike other craft barbecue briskets that use a heavy pepper rub, his seasoning has a much lighter touch, with a more fine-grained pepper and less of it than other Central Texas-style pitmasters use. The pecan smoke also gives it a more subtle flavor. Jeannie is also a partner in the business and handles the excellent sides and desserts, all made from family recipes.

On a recent visit to the trailer at 11 Below Brewing, the trinity of brisket, pork ribs and sausage was excellent, as were side dishes, including red beans and rice and a crisp cucumber-and-tomato salad to go with the classic options of mac ’n’ cheese and potato salad. You rarely see red beans and rice as an option at Houston barbecue joints, which is unusual, given the Creole traditions of the area, and this version is a welcome addition to the menu.

Dessert featured a banana pudding based on a recipe from Jeannie’s grandmother, with chunks of fresh banana encased in a not-toosweet pudding and drizzled with crunchy bit of vanilla wafers. It’s one of the best versions of banana pudding in Houston.

With their current menu of exemplary barbecue, sides and desserts, the Heffernan family undoubtedly honors the tradition and legacy that Bob started so many years ago.

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