Camp Brisket: Texas A&M’s Annual Meat Science Program Extravaganza

Barbecue enthusiasts from across the country gathered at Texas A&M University’s Hildebrand Equine Complex on Friday to kick off the 12th annual Camp Brisket — an educational program for the public hosted by meat scientists from Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in collaboration with Foodways Texas.

Camp Brisket attracts participants from all backgrounds and experience levels, from home cooks and hobbyists to professional chefs and restaurateurs. Members of each year’s class get to spend two days on the Texas A&M campus in College Station, honing their craft under the direction of a trio of experts known as the “Three Brisketeers” — meat science professor Dr. Davey Griffin, Rosenthal Meat Center manager Ray Riley, and Dr. Jeffrey Savell, vice chancellor and dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The January program is distinct from the college’s three-day Barbecue Summer Camp in that it focuses solely on the science, history and preparation of beef brisket, teaching participants practical techniques for perfecting this Texas staple. Both programs frequently feature top pitmasters and other leading figures in the Texas barbecue scene, who provide their own advice and perspectives.