John Mueller has died

[tx 3 putt 76862]

13 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

nice write up by Houston Chronicle BBQ writer 

 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture/restaurants-bars/bbq/article/Dark-prince-of-Texas-barbecue-John-Mueller-dead-16709775.php?fbclid=IwAR10yVJXUxVMIZctFZHmyO6vEDzUkH4gbUeYCWK-gqp1EmB1E--GJM7752k

Quote

Houston Chronicle critic Alison Cook remembers him similarly. 

"I've always liked John and rooted for him once I got over the shock of our first meeting," she said. "He was so talented, and so prickly."

She explains: "Back when he had his place on Manor Road in Austin, I went to check it out for a piece I was doing for Gourmet. It was closed, no one there, so I got out of my rental car and went up to peer in the window. Suddenly this big Jeep roars up, slams on the brakes, and I hear this loud, challenging voice: "Can I HELP you? It was John.

"He struck me as so rude and unpleasant that I was reluctant to return. But when I did, I was bowled over by his brisket. It had this unforgettable aroma. I became a fan, and later we laughed over our unfortunate first encounter."

 

damn, that one story really sums it up best !

[torre 1285]

Excerpts from the Texas Monthly article.

 

Mueller’s final business venture was at the Granary in Jarrell, which is still operating under the watchful eye of longtime, on-again-off-again Mueller employee Jeff Ancira. Ancira took the reins after Mueller was hospitalized earlier this year. Mueller spent weeks in the hospital, and the family let me know that they were preparing for the end. Then he recovered. For one last time, John Mueller was back. Tracy and Tim Hutchins gave him a job at their Hutchins BBQ restaurant in Frisco, and Mueller was building fires once again. “He was in a happy spot,” Tim Hutchins says.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/john-mueller-barbecue-legend-dies-at-52/

Twitter from Texas Monthly article.  Active until 11 Dec.   https://twitter.com/JSM_meat

 

RIP,  John !

[rage-a-holic 4371]

Bourdain with John

 

 

[Firemans4Horn 18034]

Went to his spot on Manor with @hayden_horn and CampusLoopy from HornFans. I was a college freshman and raised on Sonny Bryans and Spring Creek. The first bites of beef rib and brisket rewired my brain to what barbecue could be. One of the best food memories of my life. That store and coaching tree raised the bar of Austin bbq more than anything.

 

RIP to a troubled, unique, Central Texas legend.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Saw the news yesterday.  Like I said in the BBQ thread, amazing cook and flawed person. 
 

march 31st 2012. I wonder how many shaggy assholes are in this photo…

 

My best memory of John was when I walked up to the 6th and Pedernales location one day to find out the health department shut him down. Someone (I had always assumed his sister) had reported them to the health department for smokers not being screened in or some shit.  His employees turned me away and as I walked back to my truck I posted about it in Shaggy. He immediately sent me a DM telling me to go back and get some food, regardless of being closed. I don’t recall exactly, but they gave me a lot, more than I could eat, for cheap. 
 

For years, his joint was the place I took people from out of town/country to get a taste of real Texas BBQ. 

[Armybrat 40815]

2 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

@ArmybratDo I remember correctly that you shared booze with Bordain on this occasion?

Yes - poured some Garrison Brothers shots for the Shaggsters, then placed the bottle with the last 3 or 4 ounces on the table in front of Bourdain.

[Hermanator 7032]

23 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Saw the news yesterday.  Like I said in the BBQ thread, amazing cook and flawed person. 
 

march 31st 2012. I wonder how many shaggy assholes are in this photo…

 

My best memory of John was when I walked up to the 6th and Pedernales location one day to find out the health department shut him down. Someone (I had always assumed his sister) had reported them to the health department for smokers not being screened in or some shit.  His employees turned me away and as I walked back to my truck I posted about it in Shaggy. He immediately sent me a DM telling me to go back and get some food, regardless of being closed. I don’t recall exactly, but they gave me a lot, more than I could eat, for cheap. 
 

For years, his joint was the place I took people from out of town/country to get a taste of real Texas BBQ. 

Picture and that Bourdain video really bring back memories. Between Franklin in his blue trailer and John on S 1st Austin's BBQ scene from 2010 to 2012 was a very special time and place to be a part of. No explanation, no mix of words or memories can touch that sense of knowing you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. 

The kind of peak that never comes again. 

[jimmyjazz 45877]

46 minutes ago, Hermanator said:

Picture and that Bourdain video really bring back memories. Between Franklin in his blue trailer and John on S 1st Austin's BBQ scene from 2010 to 2012 was a very special time and place to be a part of. No explanation, no mix of words or memories can touch that sense of knowing you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. 

The kind of peak that never comes again. 

It was a rather magical time -- suddenly Austin had 'Q that could not only compete with but better that from Lockhart and Luling.  It seemed crazy, but it happened.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

John also called me a vagina for not wanting to deal with the SXSW crowds. He wasn’t wrong. But fuck SXSW.

[tx 3 putt 76862]

6 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

John also called me a vagina for not wanting to deal with the SXSW crowds. He wasn’t wrong. But fuck SXSW.

[Chopper 17228]

This just makes me so sad. I remember my first time eating at each of his 3 different Austin locations. Each time was a mind-exploding food experience. John ignited something that eventually meant you never have to leave Austin to get amazing barbecue.

[tx 3 putt 76862]

6 minutes ago, Chopper said:

This just makes me so sad. I remember my first time eating at each of his 3 different Austin locations. Each time was a mind-exploding food experience. John ignited something that eventually meant you never have to leave Austin to get amazing barbecue.

 

and then it spread all over the state 

[luke duke 6412]

A couple of pics from when I helped him and John Lewis cook the half cow.








After one of his illnesses 10 years ago




I don’t remember if I made this or someone else did.


John came by my tailgate late night once. We drank some Bud Light and he watched me cook.

[Longhornmaniac8 255]

17 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

Remember at the Alamo Bowl Tailgate where all those people were loading up all their little portable Webber’s with a full bag of charcoal and lighting on fire, causing a 4 ft flame and Shaggy had JM’s smoker on a trailer, cranking out world class Q.

 

14 hours ago, SA-KC_Horn said:

RIP John.

That Alamo bowl tailgate was epic, which was the only time I've ever met him. On that cold ass day, his q was on-fucking-point. 

 

4 hours ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

I think he had some reserve he shared.  @blacklab was there that day but if I recall one of his youngsters was sick and puked. I may be confusing that with the time we cooked the steer.  

This was my first exposure to John, and god damn was it a glorious one. I wasn't even hungry, and he slapped down an enormous beef rib on my plate and I just kinda walked around, not really knowing what to do with it. But holy shit was it something else.

I made my way around to his 6th and Pedernales and Black Box spots. He's absolutely a BBQ legend, flaws and all. I've always said (and it seems like many here agree) that when he was on, he was the best in the business. He didn't have the consistency of some others in the area, but his highest was higher than theirs.

Clearly he was a troubled man, and I hope he is finally at peace. 

[luke duke 6412]

One of his sons working in the 6th Street. John was pretty happy about this.




From the last Q For a Cause that I helped John with.





More random stuff I made to fuck with John

A

When Jimmy Kimmel came and proposed



Some random chick from one of the Q for a Cause events

[luke duke 6412]

Another Q For a Cause





Somebody had this made. I think he said it during a TV interview.


Some good publicity



I forget how many of these I helped with. I cooked a bunch of BBQ at John’s events back in the day



I think we had this one a little over capacity

[HenryJames 66034]

9 hours ago, Hermanator said:

Picture and that Bourdain video really bring back memories. Between Franklin in his blue trailer and John on S 1st Austin's BBQ scene from 2010 to 2012 was a very special time and place to be a part of. No explanation, no mix of words or memories can touch that sense of knowing you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. 

The kind of peak that never comes again. 

That video just makes me sad and nostalgic for an Austin that is no longer there.

[The Ace of Aces 5175]

21 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

That video just makes me sad and nostalgic for an Austin that is no longer there.

And two great men that left far too early due to demons

[Bullneck 19070]

On 12/17/2021 at 9:58 AM, MissingInAction said:

There were two things that would piss him off:

1. Get beer out of his cooler. He would always bring you one eventually

2. Walk behind his pits. And if you raised the lid to take a look you would get stabbed.

I'll never forget him chasing off this hipster douche in a fedora. The cunt went behind the pits, raised the lid and started poking brisket and licking his fingers. 

"Get the fuck out!!" Here comes John with a butcher knife.

Seems like a reasonable response to that kind of provocation.

[MissingInAction 25003]

He always covered the pit thermometers with a electrical tape. When asked why he said , "Those worthless things are for amateurs."

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

Damn, just heard the news this morning.  RIP to the best beef rib BBQer ever in my book.  I ate at John Mueller Meat Co with a client of mine from AR for lunch mid week.  It was pretty empty and cold weather so we went to some little bar next door (I don't live in Austin so not sure where we were) and we started eating.  I made a comment to my friend that the pork rib we had was a little dry and I did not realize John was standing behind me talking to some other dude.  He came over and I thought he was going to stab me.  I then told him the beef ribs we were eating were the best I had ever had and he thanked me and gave us some free beers.  My client from Arkansas still talks about how nice that pit master was that gave us free beer just for telling him how good his beef ribs were.  Kind of sad I will never get to taste them again.  

[Armybrat 40815]

13 hours ago, Armybrat said:

Yes - poured some Garrison Brothers shots for the Shaggsters, then placed the bottle with the last 3 or 4 ounces on the table in front of Bourdain.

My near empty bottle of Garrison Brothers on the table between Bourdain and the chick in purple.

 

[Armybrat 40815]

Shaggy table during Bourdain taping at South 1st location

 

[DDD Dad 14324]

Shaggy table during Bourdain taping at South 1st location
 

I spy blacklab

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Hahaha, fuck, I am reading through the John Mueller Meat Co thread on TOS. Goddamnit, when derka went to La Bbq by accident thinking it was John’s place. Hilarity.

“Is derka really this fucking stupid.... I'm setting my navigation system on foot to go straight up his ass”

John Mueller Esq

[Armybrat 40815]

Hah!

[RollLeft 5040]

15 hours ago, luke duke said:

Some random chick from one of the Q for a Cause events

My sentiments exactly kid....

[Brisketexan 105046]

Also, back in his Manor road days, I was a regular. And he didn’t have the big beef rib on the menu. But he had it as a special one time. I ordered it.

After we ate, I went back up to the counter to tell him 1) it’s the best single piece of bbq I’d ever had, and 2) he should find a way to make it a regular menu item. And a few weeks later, he did. He may have called me an opinionated asshole at the time. I don’t recall.

Y’all are welcome.

[ROFL BOX 6647]

On 12/17/2021 at 9:04 AM, MissingInAction said:

 

[ROFL BOX 6647]

Also, & I've said this in the past (Shag, whatevers) but the 1st time I went to the Manor Road shop was when Roxette was born.  I was on the 2nd day after she was born & my wife said "Go, leave the hospital.  Get some food & bring me some."

So I drove East to the Manor store looking for something... didn't know specifically that his shop was there & I don't even recall what the signage was.

I ordered 2 sandwiches & 2 sides but when I got to the counter, realized I had left my wallet back in the Saint David's hospital room.
John (in a very "no big deal" voice) said "Don't worry about it - get back when you can."
I came back the next day.  & I'm 98% certain the other dude working the counter was Aaron.

[ROFL BOX 6647]

That said, I have decided that if we get proper information, I'm going to attend the funeral or visitation or whatever.  I hope other Shaggers join in.  @luke duke if you're coming down, shoot up a flare.

[tx 3 putt 76862]

I hope the have a memorial service for him him Austin and let people tell stories 

[Murfdogg21 4412]

Someone drop a BL and a knife in his casket. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4974]

I never got to eat any of his Brisket, but I did get to follow along as others here did. I don't think it's blasphemy to say that he was at the forefront of the Texas BBQ renaissance. That renaissance inspired me to learn how to cook BBQ, as I have no doubt it inspired many others. He may have had his demons, but he inspired so many angels. A little bit of Texas died when he passed into the next life.

[futureman 22440]

8 hours ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

I don't think it's blasphemy to say that he was at the forefront of the Texas BBQ renaissance.

I mean it’s safe to attribute it almost completely to Aaron Franklin and the success he had in the late aughts. And Franklin probably doesn’t do that without working for John. 

[ROFL BOX 6647]

On 12/17/2021 at 7:11 PM, Judge Roybeanbag said:

I may be confusing that with the time we cooked the steer.  

Whose idea was that anyway?  I recall the beef bones & smoked marrow... maybe have pics of that somewhere on my computer.  If they were on my original FB account & I didn't save them, then they got vaporized along with the rest of the account when FB did their stupid.

[ROFL BOX 6647]

4 hours ago, futureman said:

I mean it’s safe to attribute it almost completely to Aaron Franklin and the success he had in the late aughts. And Franklin probably doesn’t do that without working for John. 

Aaron definitely embraced the social media aspect of it because he's generally a friendly guy while John was initially hesitant if not aggressively more like "why are you interested in what I run my temps at or what hat I'm wearing today?  Just eat my food & shut up."

[MissingInAction 25003]

John was always interested in how other people cooked, and wanted to know their techniques. I was hanging out with him in Taylor while his neighbor was smoking some Q. 

Don't know if it was the whiskey, but he said his neighbor was the best cook he has ever known. Who knows, that was a hazy night of incredible brisket and ribs.

[Bateshorn 9927]

I ate with him twice, once in South Austin, once in East.  He was gracious both times, the second he toured my small child (now 20) around his pits.  The food was awesome both times, especially the beef rib. 
 

RIP.  

[ztejas 43411]

On 12/18/2021 at 12:20 PM, Patricio Swayze said:

Hahaha, fuck, I am reading through the John Mueller Meat Co thread on TOS. Goddamnit, when derka went to La Bbq by accident thinking it was John’s place. Hilarity.

“Is derka really this fucking stupid.... I'm setting my navigation system on foot to go straight up his ass”

John Mueller Esq

Never met the guy but it's nice to know we have tangled with a common foe. RIP. 

[huge 3793]

  Having the Mayor help out at the first Q event was a surreal highlight.  And the A+++ meat convinced me to learn how.  Still learning.  RIP John.

[ROFL BOX 6647]

FB post from "Louie Mueller"; Wayne.

I'm obv. the furthest from family & Wayne can do whatever TF he wants with the operation, the name, whatever... but I'm not really sure what to make of him using the "Dark Prince" thing & also is that a bit of a parting shot / dig with "finally"?

In the end, Wayne is John's family, so sure - do what you want with it, I guess.

[LCHorn 2612]

I don’t read it as an insult-reads to me like he’s sharing that his health had been declining and Wayne was concerned about him.  

[bluto 4912]

I choose to read things from whatever viewpoint stirs up the most shit. 

[ROFL BOX 6647]

10 minutes ago, bluto said:

I choose to read things from whatever viewpoint stirs up the most shit. 

I cannot speak for her, however I am doubtful that LA would refer to John as "the dark prince".

[tx 3 putt 76862]

No dig at all 

[TwiceHorn 31435]

It's nice that a controversial figure like him can be remembered fondly and his personality "quirks" seemingly forgiven.

The man suffered from a disease that in all likelihood killed him.  It also almost certainly accounted for his undesirable traits and actions.  He didn't choose to be an alcoholic and if given a choice, probably would have chosen to avoid that shit show.  He was, apparently, unwilling to seek or accept help until it was too late.

RIP

 

[EE2B 1565]

FB post from "Louie Mueller"; Wayne.

I'm obv. the furthest from family & Wayne can do whatever TF he wants with the operation, the name, whatever... but I'm not really sure what to make of him using the "Dark Prince" thing & also is that a bit of a parting shot / dig with "finally"?

In the end, Wayne is John's family, so sure - do what you want with it, I guess.

I’m pretty sure the dark prince of BBQ moniker came from Texas Monthly or some other publication. John has even referred to himself as such on social media.

[tigol 2395]

Anyone have the squash recipe?  That needs to live on.

[dcbc 14465]

1 hour ago, tigol said:

Anyone have the squash recipe?  That needs to live on.

This