INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’ s most engaging chefs
Ryan Courter, Owner, Selma’ s Texas Barbeque
Selma’ s Texas Barbeque 9155 University Boulevard, Moon Township; 412.329.7003, selmasbbq. com.
On the Menu: Traditional Southern slow-smoked meats and Texas barbeque. Hand-rubbed St. Louis-style pork ribs, all-natural chicken slow cooked over hickory, slab ribs, pulled pork, chopped brisket, smoked turkey, fried popcorn shrimp and hot Italian sausage. The Southern-style fried catfish is farm raised, lightly dusted in seasoned cornmeal and served with hushpuppies. Sides include fresh-cut fries, mac‘ n’ cheese, collard greens, baked beans, green beans, potato salad, coleslaw and fried okra. Wrangler sandwiches and Texas-size salads tossed with mixed greens and fresh vegetables are also offered. Plus, there’ s house-made Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake( a single Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcake is served free to every customer on Wednesdays). Gluten-free menu options are also available. The restaurant offers dine-in, carry-out and catering services.
Q A What led you to own Selma’ s
Texas Barbeque? I was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. My business partner, Dave, was also from down south. When we moved to Pittsburgh, there wasn’ t food we could find that was the food we grew up on. There’ s a style of food here in the north we weren’ t accustomed to eating. We decided to open a restaurant that made really good Southern food. Named for Dave’ s grandmother, Selma, we created Selma’ s Texas Barbeque and opened in 2010. We make most of our menu items from our families’ recipes and keep the authentic tastes from our southern roots.
How do you decide on the menu? The core menu is good southern smoked Texas style because everything we make is cooked low and slow. There’ s no microwave on-site; everything is made now. We’ d rather sell out of something first than warm it up. Basically we continue to focus on Southern comfort food made from scratch, and make it in the open kitchen concept so you can watch us through every step as we slice it, cook it and create it.
What kitchen tool can’ t you live without? It has to be our chef knives. Everything we do is all hand-cut with no slicers.
What is your best advice for a novice? Do something you love doing and then it’ s not work. When I service all of our catering events I’ m doing something that many people can’ t do at home. We put a lot of work into it because we want to make sure it’ s something people feel good eating. We make our food from scratch and we have a lot of pride in that. When someone eats a corn muffin I made and they ask me,“ You made this from scratch?”— that’ s a really cool thing to hear. It’ s the reason I love what I do.
What is your favorite quick meal to prepare at home? My wife, Leah, and I have two little girls( ages 6 and 8) who love barbeque— but you can only eat so much of a good thing. At home, I do most of the cooking and it’ s treason to say I whip up chicken nuggets, but it happens. I like grilling out back, though, and I grill steak and chicken and make
Ryan Courter, Owner, Selma’ s Texas Barbeque.
pasta. If I do bring something home from Selma’ s for the girls it’ s our Mac and Cheese and Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake— they love them both. And, sometimes if I don’ t bring home Selma’ s or grill outside, it’ s a Hot Pocket that gets the job done.
What is your favorite go-to ingredient? It has to be our seasoning salt— it gives everything life. It goes on our chicken, steak and burgers— and even in our vegetables.
Other than your restaurant, where’ s your favorite place to eat? We go out for special occasions— but, we keep it as simple as eating at Giant Eagle Market District in Robinson. We get our grocery shopping done and then we eat there.
What’ s the next big food or dining trend? I’ ve seen a lot of things come and go, but people are always looking for convenience. Selma’ s is a fast casual concept, but we create recipes that take a few days to make that are fast to serve. We eventually want to offer a full bar to have a place to watch Pittsburgh sports. At the end of the day, people want a memorable and quick experience with polite service. n
— Reese Randall
Pulled Pork Wrangler sandwich with a side of fresh-cut fries and mac‘ n’ cheese.
Hand-rubbed St. Louis-style pork ribs with a side of green beans, cole slaw, cornbread and a Chocolate Coca-Cola Cupcake.
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