The Troubadour Festival returned to Aggieland for the second year in one of the state’s largest gatherings of barbecue pitmasters and guitar pickers.
In the shadow of Kyle Field, 35 of the best barbecue joints in the Lone Star State lined Aggie Park, ready for ravenous ‘cue lovers to descend upon their white-topped tents. Texas country music floated around the festival as smoked meats and succulent sides flowed under the Texas summer sun.
![A man stands in the smoke behind a barbecue pit. He is wearing a maroon short, maroon and white cap and sunglasses.](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-26-scaled.jpg)
![Three men pose for a photo in front of a barbecue smoker, they are all wearing maroon shirts and caps and they are giving a thumbs up](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-12-scaled.jpg)
![A barbecue pit is loaded with rows of Texas Twinkies, jalapeños stuffed with brisket and cream chess and wrapped in bacon](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-20-scaled.jpg)
![A man holds out his hands in front of him with the letters spelling barbecue tattooed on his knuckles](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-21-scaled.jpg)
![A large crowd of people stand in lines for barbecue. Kyle Field is in the background](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-83-scaled.jpg)
The barbecue hot spot
College Station is quickly becoming a hub for all things barbecue education, with Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Animal Science meat science programs like Camp Brisket and Barbecue Summer Camp taking place each year.
These programs are spearheaded by the affectionately named “Three Brisketeers,” Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences; Davey Griffin, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Animal Science and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service meat specialist; and Ray Riley, Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology Center manager in the Department of Animal Science.
The spirit of Aggieland runs deep with this trio, and they shared their expertise throughout the day.
Students of barbecue
Ambassadors for the ANSC 117 class, Texas Barbecue, manned the middle of the barbecue corridor. Texas Barbecue is a class intended for first-semester freshmen to gain a sense of community in the College as well as learn how to barbecue.
These students of barbecue shared the effects of shrinkage on a brisket from preparation and smoking with attendees at the Troubadour festival.
![Three female students talk to a man](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-80-scaled.jpg)
![A hand touches an uncooked brisket in a tub of ice](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-77-scaled.jpg)
![Four students pose for a photo](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-67-scaled.jpg)
![A female singer holds a guitar and is standing at a mic](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-73-scaled.jpg)
![A large group of people pose for a photo](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-7-scaled.jpg)
![A hand grabs a sample of barbecue from a vendor](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-74-scaled.jpg)
![An open-faced grill is filled with grilled meat](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-28-scaled.jpg)
![A hand holds out a sample from one of the barbecue vendors with a flag sticking out of the food that reads Hutchins Barbeque](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-72-scaled.jpg)
![A man holds a cardboard tray filled with an array of barbecue samples](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-70-scaled.jpg)
![Three men stand around a grill talking](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-29-scaled.jpg)
![A girl holds a chicken wing preparing to take a bite](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-45-scaled.jpg)
![Three men look at a rack of ribs in front of a barbecue pit](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-37-scaled.jpg)
![Four knifes sit in a line on a cutting board](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-35-scaled.jpg)
![A large group of people pose for a photo at a festival](https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240518_Troubadour_KP-51-scaled.jpg)