Family-owned and family-inspired: Brantley Creek Barbecue is serving up the best BBQ in West Texas

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - If you live in Texas, you probably love barbecue. But if you live in West Texas, then you’re really going to love this place.

A husband wife, niece and nephew are serving up some of the best barbecue in the country.

The quintessential family-run small business, barbecue runs in Brantley Creek’s blood.

“I have a passion for barbecue since I was young. My grandfather instilled it in me,” co-owner Brandon McPherson explained. “That’s all he did. I remember his smokey backyard and he cooked all the time. I still do things now and I still remember familiar smells. It’s just a thing I love, the smells, the crackle of the wood... and people’s smile on their face.”

Brantley Creek BBQ went fulltime in 2019, after McPherson left the oil industry.

“It was nerve wrecking. We don’t know nothing about opening up a food truck so it was slow, and then it slowly grew,” co-owner Ashley McPherson said.

“It was scary. I would wake up like, ‘what am I doing? I can’t pay bills like this.’ It was a struggle. It was a struggle for a while,” Brandon McPherson said.

Now, Brantley Creek BBQ is selling out, with lines around the corners.

“Still the same love. Hard work or not. Long days, long nights, early mornings. I still love it,” Brandon McPherson said.

And two and a half years later, Brantley Creek BBQ is getting ready to open up a brick and mortar spot on Faudree, coming this winter.

“We’re excited, we’ll finally have more space. The trailer, you know, it’s tight in there,” Ashley McPherson said.

“We’ll have a large smokehouse, big smokers, full bar, everything like that.”

McPherson’s grandfather, who inspired him, may not be around to see all of this success in person, but...

“He would be ecstatic. Yeah. For sure.”

If you want to try their barbecue, you can follow Brantley Creek Barbecue on Facebook for information on where their truck will be parked for the day and updates on the upcoming restaurant. And don’t forget, every Tuesday we’re featuring one small business. Let us know which business you’d like to see featured next, and tune in every Tuesday for more places to go and things to do.

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