We didn’t miss a chance to glean a few tips for preparing a turkey when we sat down with the owners of three of the area’s top barbecue joints — Ashley Weaver of Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, Reggie Robinson of lil’Boy Blue BBQ and Joe Zavala of Zavala’s Barbecue — to ask them about their restaurant inspiration, cherished holiday meals and recipes for their favorite sides. What’s as inspiring as their ’cue is they all work with family, bringing the meal and each other together beyond the holiday. 

Here’s to a delicious meal shared with loved ones.

Dayne’s Craft Barbecue

Trains pass regularly right in front of Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, and for co-owner Ashley Weaver, it’s part of the small-town charm. “Once the train is gone you see the old town Aledo on the other side. It’s so homey,” she says. “We couldn’t have asked for a better location.” 

Ashley and her husband, Dayne, will celebrate one year in their brick-and-mortar this month, a huge milestone after years of pop-ups and operating from a trailer. “[It was] scary taking a leap of faith without investors involved,” Ashley says. But that’s how they’ve continuously operated. “It might cost us the extra dollar or five to put quality prime brisket out there, but that’s what we’re committed to serving to the public.” 

Dayne and Ashley Weaver moved Dayne’s Craft Barbecue into a brick-and-mortar location a year ago. During Thanksgiving, the Weavers enjoy traditions like watching football in pajamas and eating pink stuff.

When the couple first visited their current space, it was love at first sight. The sprawling footprint includes indoor seating, a full bar and plenty of tables outdoors. “It just screams barbecue,” she says. 

Before opening their place, they had never been out to Aledo except once when following Google Earth looking for a fishing pond. Fast forward, they are grateful to be able to consolidate their lives in Aledo. “Our business is here, our home is here, our schools are here,” Ashley says. 

This Thanksgiving, the family is going to continue that simplicity. “We’re going to stay in our pajamas and watch football,” she says. Weaver describes their family table as traditional, sticking to the basics. “Of course, we must have mac and cheese for the kids and Dayne.”

While their holiday meal at home might be conventional, Dayne is known for his adventurous menu at the restaurant, including rotating sausage flavors like margarita pizza and berry Gouda. “When we do serve it, we’re serving it to the best of our ability,” she says.

Breakfast is a recent addition to the menu, and it is available Wednesday through Friday mornings for now. They make barbecue burritos with your choice of meat, eggs, potatoes and cheese. Sweet Czech kolaches are only available on Fridays with fillings like fruits and Nutella in a brioche dough. “Whatever he wants to accomplish, he does,” Ashley says about her husband’s baking.

She shared her husband’s best tips: “Instead of attempting to cook a whole turkey, whether that be smoking, frying or roasting, we suggest trying a boneless turkey breast instead.” It is easier to maintain the temperature, and it retains juices. Even when people request whole turkeys, they stick to the breasts. “Also—no injections.”

You can visit Dayne’s Craft Barbecue 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Follow them on Instagram @daynetxbbq for details on pre-ordering for Thanksgiving.

lil’Boy Blue BBQ

Inspiration struck Reggie Robinson and his younger brother Cedric while in line for Truth Barbeque in Brenham in 2016. They had been looking for a way to honor their late grandfather. As Reggie tells it, he observed barbecue’s traditional weekends-only business model and told his brother, “We could do this.” 

“The skillset was built in; we’d been doing it forever,” he says. 

Growing up in north Fort Worth, the brothers attended a year-round school with three weeks of vacation every quarter. “Adults don’t have three weeks off to watch kids, so we spent a ton of time at my grandparents’ house,” Reggie says. 

Aside from running lil’Boy Blue BBQ, Reggie Robinson is a full-time educator. He trains other experts on how to become educators and has taught AP Chemistry and Biology.

His maternal grandfather was an entrepreneur who also raised cows and pigs and he says had even met presidents. Gathered around the smoker, he passed on his wisdom: “Grandpa taught us you gotta love serving, you gotta love making someone’s day.”

“So right away, we had our mission statement: love serving, serving love,” Reggie says.

Today, Reggie’s full-time job is in education. He works at TCC to train people who are experts in their field on how to become educators. He formerly taught AP Chemistry and Biology classes at Crowley ISD, applying his background as a pre-med undergrad. This knowledge informs his cooking, too. “Our approach is like science,” he says. “How do flavors show up in your brain?”

Their aim is not just a chemical reaction — they want the balance of flavors “that gives you a hug [and] makes you feel welcome.”

It’s an attitude that’s also reflected in their pop-ups. The monthly events are called the Cool Kids Supper Club, a reference to the cafeteria table so many grew up feeling excluded from. “We are extending that table because you’re cool too. Come hang out with us.” 

While their first pop-up was brunch, they’ve since focused exclusively on barbecue. “It’s just something about the smell of burnt wood and burnt cow that makes you sort of drift toward the scent.” 

When it comes to Thanksgiving, the amount of food is as essential to Reggie as the flavors. “My thinking now is, if food is love and food is nostalgia, and food is memories and food is sustenance, […then] all of our moments together should prolong life versus like shorten our lifespan.”

He believes you can overcome turkey’s bad reputation by approaching it scientifically. “I like to think about it like making a tea. You’re steeping with rosemary and thyme and sage, a little brown sugar, maple. […] Submerge your bird all the way in that and let it hang out in the refrigerator for like a day or two.” Then pull it out and pat the skin dry, adding a baking soda-and-salt rub. “That’s your chemistry, right? Your baking soda is going to help dry your skin,” he says.

But he cautions against sticking with tradition. “What are your favorite flavors from around the world and then just do that with turkey. It’s an empty canvas — paint.”

For details about the Cool Kids Supper Club, private catering or Thanksgiving pre-orders, follow lil’Boy Blue BBQ on Instagram, @lilboybluebbq.

Zavala’s Barbecue

A cooler on the front porch of Zavala’s Barbecue in Grand Prairie invites customers to grab a free beer, making the wait a little easier. The drinks are part of a partnership with Lone Star and one way Joe Zavala and his wife, Christian, support their customers and others in the restaurant industry. 

Joe Zavala, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2019, and his wife Christian created the Zavala Family Foundation to help others afford costly cancer treatments.

They know how many hours go into making barbecue and how razor-thin the margins are. “Barbecue joints are literally steak houses without alcohol sales,” Joe says. They wanted a way to support fellow pitmasters. Since they also own a coffee shop just down the street, Mas Coffee Co., the couple turned the back into a speakeasy called the BBQ Distro, inviting fellow pitmasters. Rubs and sauces from more than 20 of Texas’ top joints, including Zavala’s Barbecue, are available to purchase. 

Another way they give back is through an invite-only fundraiser called Zavala’s Bash. This event began as a way for the Grand Prairie natives to thank family and friends for their support. But when Zavala was diagnosed with cancer in 2019, he needed help with medical expenses. “My immunotherapy is close to $30,000 every month.” 

Insurance through his full-time job in IT covers most of it, but since many in the restaurant industry don’t have insurance, the high school sweethearts created the Zavala Family Foundation and turned their party into a fundraiser. The nonprofit gives money to those in the restaurant industry battling cancer. This year, Zavala’s Bash raised $34,000.

This Thanksgiving, they are partnering again with Daniel Castaneda to give away turkey breasts to those in need. Castaneda’s brother, AJ, was a Grand Prairie police officer and friend of Joe’s who was killed in the line of duty in 2019.

Joe’s top dish for his Thanksgiving dinner is his mother-in-law’s chocolate pudding with almonds and crushed lady fingers. “It is my absolute favorite thing. I usually end up taking whatever’s left home,” he says. “And it’s gotta be the canned cranberry sauce. I’m a canned cranberry sauce guy.”

Joe’s favorite tip for the perfect turkey is to put a thin layer of mayonnaise on the skin before adding seasoning. “We use our bird rub, a little bit of sweet, a little spice on it,” he says.

Although they currently are available at the American Airlines Center concessions, Joe doesn’t have plans to expand his barbecue business. But he and his wife would like to have additional Mas Coffee Co. locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with plans that include a roastery. 

Zavala’s is open Thursday through Saturday. Follow them on social media @zavalasbarbecue for details on pre-ordering for Thanksgiving.