John Mueller, a barbecue phenom who spent his life tending pits, died on Thursday after a long illness. He was 52. Mueller bounced between fame and infamy; mercurial, infuriating, hilarious, and generous would all accurately describe him. Through it all, he remained memorable.The barbecue education began at an early age. As a small boy, he cleaned out the barbecue pit at his family’s joint, Louie Mueller Barbecue, from the inside. His father Bobby passed on his method for “low and slow” barbecue, cooked for a long time in low temperatures. But when John left the business and could cook however he wanted, he opted for high heat, as if in defiance of his barbecue past. Still, he always spoke of his late father with reverence.…View Original PostThe post John Mueller, Barbecue Legend, Dies at 52 appeared first on Texas Monthly.