Women have made significant strides as business owners and entrepreneurs in the last five years. Between 2019 and 2024, women-owned businesses increased by 17%, generating $3.3 trillion in revenue nationally, according to the 2025 Impact Report by Wells Fargo. 

Despite these advancements, gender inequity still exists. Securing funding is one of the biggest hurdles that women face when launching a business, with only 1.9% of the venture capital funding going to female-founded companies. 

This gap becomes even more stark for women who belong to minority groups. 

“Native American women are one of the most underfunded, under-resourced founder groups,” says Chris Wright, the director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Tulsa.

A lack of funding can be attributed to two reasons. First, investors are prone to gender and racial biases. In a study published by the Harvard Business School, men who made identical pitches as their female counterparts were 60% more likely to receive funding. 

The second reason is that women may struggle with leveraging the right connections. 

“There are a lot of ladies that I work with that have been a stay-at-home mom for ten years, and they don’t have a close circle of friends,” explains Lakisha Meade, manager of business and entrepreneurial services at REI Oklahoma. “Setting up that stream of networking and friends can be a process.” 

Additionally, women shoulder the majority of responsibility when it comes to unpaid caregiving for their children. The added pressure can make it difficult for women to focus on growing their business while maintaining a work-life balance.

Despite funding disparities between men- and women-led businesses, organizations across the state are committed to helping close this gap. 

REI Oklahoma, which is dedicated to cultivating economic growth, established the REI Women’s Business Center over 20 years ago as an avenue for women to access training, networking and one-on-one support for their businesses.  

By connecting with the organization’s business lending program, women can secure loans that they may not qualify for otherwise. 

“We focus on the startup businesses that can’t go to the bank for a traditional loan,” says James Harrington, the vice president of business resources at REI Oklahoma. “About 50% of the people that we help with loans are women.” 

Small business owners that export goods outside of Oklahoma may qualify for grant funding through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), an initiative established by the U.S. Small Business Administration. In addition to STEP, the SBA offers several investment programs for small businesses focused on technology and research. 

To help Cherokee women access capital, the Cherokee Nation and University of Tulsa partnered to create the AcceleratHER Fellowship, a 12-week hybrid program that provides funding, mentorship and culturally relevant training to selected fellows.

“It’s a detriment to the community that we don’t always get to see [Native women’s] brilliant ideas come to life,” says Tralynna Scott, the chief economist for the Cherokee Nation and the Cherokee Nation special envoy to the U.S. Department of Treasury. “We want to instill confidence in this sub-demographic of entrepreneurs to really give them the courage to go for it.” 

Women that are accepted into the AcceleratHER program receive a $10,000 non-dilutive seed grant to kickstart their businesses. 

“For our city to thrive, we need to have programs and resources that are accessible to everybody,” explains Wright. “[These programs] are a differentiator for the city of Tulsa.”

Networking is an essential skill for business owners and entrepreneurs. Having a sense of community to turn to for support can help women navigate challenges they may encounter when establishing and running a business.  

Forming solid connections can also help entrepreneurs identify sales leads and partnerships, stay in-the-know about emerging trends, and increase the visibility of their brand. There are a variety of networking opportunities available to women and small business owners that take place throughout the year.

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODC) hosts a series of Lunch & Learn meetings to help empower entrepreneurs with business strategies and relevant information. Ray Little, the director of entrepreneurship and small business at the ODC, helps lead the program. Topics covered include business licensing, tax requirements and forms and certifications. 

“I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart, and it’s my passion to help people start and achieve their dreams,” shares Little. “That’s how you get wealth in this country, by starting your own business and creating something out of nothing.” 

Similarly, REI Oklahoma puts on the OKC Women’s Business Breakfast every first Thursday of the month. 

“Whether you’re looking for a bookkeeper, an attorney or women who are in similar industries, this [event] is about making connections,” says Meade. 

Local chambers, like the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Oklahoma City Area Chamber of Commerce, are great resources for business owners, too. Usually a small fee is required to join, but they offer extensive events and networking opportunities geared at businesses of all sizes.

Social media can also be a networking tool. Facebook communities like the Tulsa Small Business Moms and the Tulsa Business Owners Networking Group are inclusive, online spaces that enable local business owners and entrepreneurs to promote their services, ask questions and mingle at in-person events. 

Women have been the founders of schools, publications and medical facilities long before statehood. They continue to play a pivotal role in commerce. 

“We have 205 women-certified businesses here in Oklahoma, and I think that’s amazing,” says Little.

Amanda Thompson, who was a fellow of the AcceleratHER program, received national recognition for her innovative business plan to help address unaffordable housing in Oklahoma. Her business, Prime Craftsman Homes, has built 49 tiny homes since 2024. 

“The women in the program really see a need not only for themselves, but for their community,” says Scott. “That’s what I love about female-owned businesses.” 

On a mission to increase literacy and create a community space for Black and Brown people, Onikah Asamoa-Caesar founded Fulton Street Books & Coffee in 2020. At least 70% of the books that she curates for the store are written by people of color or marginalized communities. Other women-led businesses in Tulsa include Buck Atom’s Curio Shop, the Wildflower Café and Dog Dish. 

Oklahoma City is home to several women-led businesses, as well. Founded by Tammy Greenman, Kelsey Karper, Laurent Massenat, Hugh Meade and Laura Phillips-Shin, Factory Obscura is an immersive art experience that strives to spark wonder and connection. Plant People, Painted Door and Boom Town Creamery are a few other beloved businesses in the area that are owned and operated by women. 

The life of an entrepreneur is filled with uncertainty, adversity and sometimes, great success. Women that choose to establish a business often possess strong leadership skills and other characteristics. 

Some of the key traits that an entrepreneur must have are adaptability and problem-solving. These characteristics help them overcome short-term roadblocks and rejection. Most businesses do not take off overnight; on average, it takes a small business at least 2–3 to start turning a profit. 

“Resilience is important,” says Wright. 

Business owners must have a strong vision for their business. By clearly articulating their short- and long-term goals, they can motivate others to buy into their ideas and give direction to stakeholders and employees. 

Equally as important is a healthy dose of confidence and competitiveness. Business owners need to be willing to share their achievements, network and persuade investors to earn capital. They also need to understand what differentiates their company from other market options. 

Without a doubt, every business leader needs an understanding of business fundamentals – from accounting to marketing. 

“I’d recommend having a very good business plan to start with and doing some market research,” adds Harrington. “Connect with the people at REI Oklahoma and explore other resources to really build out a successful plan.” 

Investors usually take a few minutes to listen and review a business pitch before making up their minds. Grab their attention, and be ready to strike while the iron is hot with these tips:

• Practice, practice, practice. 

• Personalize your pitch to your audience.

• Communicate your business model and go-to market.

• Provide financials to illustrate how investors can benefit.

• End with a call to action.

As an entrepreneur, Wright weighs in on what makes a pitch great: “Some of the best pitches that I’ve seen are when the founders are able to communicate a real, personal connection to the problem they’re solving,” he says. “The storytelling component is really important.”

“OKLAHOMA, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain / And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet / When the wind comes right behind the rain!”

Yes, yes – we’re sure you’ve heard our state’s iconic song, but do you know when and how Oklahoma was founded? How about some of the state’s most influential figures and key historical moments? Just how important Native Americans are to the fabric of our state’s success? Well, if not, you’re in luck – we outline all that and more in the following pages to remind you that the land we belong to is, indeed, quite grand.

It’s likely that no state has a more complicated and distinct origin than Oklahoma.

The area east of the Panhandle was acquired in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, and soon became part of the schemes of Thomas Jefferson and succeeding presidents to force all Indian tribes west of the Mississippi River.

“Jefferson was convinced it would take many generations for white settlers to occupy all the Louisiana Purchase, and it took three,” says Oklahoma State Historian Matthew Pearce. 

The first region to be known as Indian Territory would encompass the present states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and part of Iowa. Relocation by treaty began soon after 1800, and the Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced large numbers to present-day Oklahoma on what became known as the Trail of Tears.

After Kansas and Nebraska entered the union, more Indians were moved further south to present-day Oklahoma. Plains tribes were placed on reservations in the western half of the territory. 

The Dawes Severalty Act gave the government the power to break up communally held tribal land and allocate it to individuals. The Unassigned Lands in Oklahoma were then opened for non-Indian settlement through land runs, a lottery and an auction. 

 The greatest impetus for statehood began after the Land Run of 1889. About 50,000 settlers began to clamor for statehood so as to gain representation in Congress, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Leaders in Indian Territory favored double statehood. When it became apparent that would not happen, white settlers lobbied to join the two territories. Oklahoma was admitted to the union on Nov. 16, 1907, as the 46th state. 

Oklahoma after the land runs looked differently than people might imagine, Pearce says.

“We think of a homesteading family in the middle of the prairie with a dugout,” he says. “But most people moved to a town or city. The railroads were in the area, and had been involved in platting town-sites. Settlers started purchasing town lots to establish businesses.”

Though Oklahoma would come to prosper as an agricultural state, “it was tough to farm, especially the first year. But people were drawn to the opportunity of a chance to own land. The United States was rapidly industrializing, but still there was the perception that the way you can make yourself is through farming.”

Our Founding

After residents of the Twin Territories voted for statehood in 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt admitted Oklahoma as the 46th state on Nov. 16, 1907. 

On Dec. 3, Roosevelt announced to Congress: “Oklahoma has become a state, standing on full equity with her elder sisters, and her future is assured by her great natural resources.”

Pearce says he finds Oklahoma history interesting “because it serves as a microcosm of so many regional, national and trans-national stories. We are a very diverse and multicultural state. That ties into our history stretching back to the forced expulsion of Native and enslaved people here, to more recent stories of people finding a home here, such as refugees from the fall of South Vietnam.”

The Tulsa Race Massacre 

Oklahoma’s major historical moments rarely happened in a vacuum. The Tulsa Race Massacre on May 31, 1921, took place shortly after the end of World War I, Pearce noted.

“Many African-Americans had served in World War I, had been to France to experience a society absent of Jim Crow segregation. They came home and were expected to again become subservient. They started advocating openly for civil rights.”

But many white Americans were out to strengthen segregation, Pearce says, with similar incidents of racial violence breaking out in Chicago, St. Louis and other cities.

Route 66

Next year, Oklahomans will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66. It’s a highway that remains significant today. 

“By the 1940s and 1950s, highway travel is starting to replace railroads for goods and for leisure travel,” Pearce says. “We see the proliferation of car culture. Businesses were developed to cater to travelers’ needs.” 

Today, tourism is one of the largest industries in Oklahoma, Pearce says. Motorists who make the Route 66 journey from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif., are vital to the industry. 

Route 66 became a primary route for migrants to California, especially during the Dust Bowl. 

The Dust Bowl

“One of the most-requested topics for me to talk about is the Dust Bowl,” says Pearce, who works for the Oklahoma Historical Society. “There is no denying the absolute scale and severity of the Dust Bowl.”

The drought was worse in western Oklahoma and the Panhandle, but the exodus was greater elsewhere in the state, Pearce says. 

In wheat country in western Oklahoman, “many farmers owned their land. The likelihood of them leaving their land was much less. But the migrant and tenant farmers in southern and eastern Oklahoma were forced out by landlords. They comprised what we think of as ‘Okies.’  Prices fell, and they stopped growing cotton.” 

The Dust Bowl and Great Depression of the 1930s were followed by World War II, which brought a greater military presence to the state in the form of Tinker Air Force Base and other installations.

The Fight for Civil Rights

In 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case brought by Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher that the state must provide instruction for Black students equal to that of whites. Fisher became the first African-American admitted to the University of Oklahoma law school. 

Ten years later, schoolteacher Clara Luper and her students pioneered Oklahoma City’s sit-in movement at downtown lunch counters.

Many civil rights activists trace their roots to the All-Black Towns, Pearce says, which were founded by formerly enslaved people who had come with Indian tribes or migrated to the territory after the Civil War.

Shirley Nero, a retired educator who grew up in the historically Black town of Clearview, was among Black students who worked to better their opportunities after enrolling at East Central University in the late 1960s.

“We were going to break the barrier,” Nero says. “The white kids weren’t mean or hateful, it was just the way they prevented you from doing things.”

A Black student group was formed.

“We had dances. We created and performed plays. We had floats in the parades,” says Nero. “We had queen candidates. We had study groups in the library. We made friends with the president of the college and met with him every other week.”

By the time she graduated, Nero says, “it had made a huge difference. They came to respect our group. We advocated for our own rights, for the right to have a part in the student government.”

Will Rogers was, in his day, the No. 1 radio personality, No. 1 at the movie box office, the nation’s most-sought-after public speaker and the most-read newspaper columnist, according to the curators at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore. 

Oklahoma has produced a giant share of luminaries, but for worldwide notoriety, it’s hard to beat William Penn Adair Rogers, born on Nov. 4, 1879, in Indian Territory near what would later become Oologah.

“Will Rogers’ human nature, wisdom and humor were nurtured on the sprawling frontier governed by Cherokee Indians,” according to his biography on the museum’s website. Rogers often expressed pride in his Native ancestry. He died in 1935 when a plane piloted by the famed Wiley Post crashed in Alaska. 

Woodrow “Woody” Guthrie, one of Oklahoma’s most creative native sons, wrote two autobiographical novels, numerous essays and articles, more than 1,000 songs and poems and hundreds of letters, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society. He was a major influence in the urban folk revival and social protest songwriting. Born on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Guthrie moved to Pampa, Texas, in 1929, where he experienced the Dust Bowl years. He learned to play guitar, fiddle, banjo and mandolin. When he made money from playing at dances, he often gave it to someone he thought needed it more, according to the OHS.

In the early 1940s, he wrote some of his best-known songs including “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You,” “This Land Is Your Land,” and “Bound for Glory.”

By 1950, Guthrie was showing symptoms of Huntington’s disease. He died on Oct. 3, 1967. His descendants, including son Arlo, have carried on his tradition of musical performance and social activism. A music festival is held in his honor every July in Okemah.

Ralph Waldo Ellison, born in OKC in 1914, was the grandson of slaves and is best known as the author of Invisible Man, the 1952 novel that addressed many of the social issues faced by African-Americans in the early 20th century. More than 40 years later, Nobel Prize winner Saul Bellow declared: “This book holds its own among the best novels of the century.”

Ellison spent the two years in Rome as a Fellow of the American Academy and taught at Bard College, the University of Chicago, Rutgers, Yale and New York University, according to the OHS. He died in 1994.

Actor, director and producer Ron Howard was born in Duncan in 1954. His father, Rance, majored in drama at the University of Oklahoma. Ron made his film debut at the age of 18 months. In 1960 was cast as Opie on The Andy Griffith Show. In the mid-1970s he became America’s favorite teenager in Happy Days.

Howard’s directorial debut came in 1977 with Grand Theft Auto, in which he also served as screenwriter and star. His smash hits include Splash, Night Shift, Cocoon, Parenthood, Apollo 13 and The Grinch. A 1992 film, Far and Away, told the story of an Irish couple who come to Oklahoma Territory to take part in the Cherokee Outlet Land Run, according to the OHS.

Jim Thorpe, born in 1888 on the Sac and Fox Reservation, is remembered as one of the greatest sportsmen of the 20th century, winning two Olympic track and field golds and playing baseball, football and basketball at the highest level, according to Olympics.com.

In presenting Thorpe with two gold medals in Stockholm in July 1912, King Gustav V of Sweden said to him: “You sir, are the greatest athlete in the world.”

Thorpe played baseball for the Rocky Mount club in North Carolina in 1909 and 1910, receiving small payments. When a newspaper report about it appeared, it was deemed Thorpe had infringed the rules regarding amateurism, and in 1913 he was stripped of his titles. In 1983, some 30 years after his death, the International Olympic Committee reinstated his medals at an emotional ceremony attended by two of his children.

Wilma Mankiller, first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, was also the first woman elected chief of a major Native tribe, according to the National Women’s History Museum. Born in 1945, in Tahlequah, Mankiller moved with her family as a child to San Francisco as part of a Bureau of Indian Affairs’ relocation policy. In a 1993 interview, Mankiller described the move as “my own little Trail of Tears,” a reference to the forced removal of Cherokees to Indian Territory.  

Mankiller worked to empower Native communities in California and would bring back that knowledge to Oklahoma. She founded the community development department for the Cherokee Nation, improving access to water and housing. She was elected principal chief in 1985 and led for 10 years. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993, and in 1998 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

The history of Oklahoma’s Native population is typically associated with the Indian Removal Act of 1830, when members of such tribes as the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole were forced to migrate to what was then Indian Territory. But the Osage, Caddo, Pawnee, Wichita, Apache, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, Osage and several other tribes called the region home well before European colonization.

Regardless of when or how they arrived, what the tribes soon had in common was hardship resulting from U.S. government efforts to assimilate them, to take away their traditional forms of government and to undermine their cultures, says Megan Baker, a member of the Choctaw Nation and an assistant professor of anthropology at Northwestern University.

The 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act brought hope and a sea of change. It allowed for tribes to have greater autonomy and assume responsibility for services administered to them by the federal government.

In other words, “self-government was coming back,” says Baker, who spent four years working for her tribe’s cultural preservation department while researching her Ph.D. “They could now govern themselves according to their own kind of culture. They had been taught to be ashamed of their culture. With self-determination they were becoming proud of their culture again.”

Self-determination brought economic development, which Baker witnessed when her family traveled from California to visit relatives in McCurtain County.

“Hochatown is crazy now, but back then there was nothing but forest,” she says. “I watched things pop up here and there. I was really interested in what the tribe was doing, how it was reshaping the area.”

Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, speaking in March during Sovereignty Day, summed up what self-determination means for his tribe. 

“From where I sit, the Nation is doing very well,” Standing Bear said.  “We are … getting that Osage back in our lives and I see it and you see it when these little children come and pray for us at our dinners in our own language; and it’s emotional, as it should be.”

The scissor-tailed flycatcher was adopted in 1951 as the state bird, but it had not been an easy sell to the legislature, what with the bird only hanging around every summer long enough to reproduce. 

“The scissortail was eventually chosen for its diet of harmful insects, its Oklahoma-centered nesting range and by the fortunate circumstance that no other state had designated it,” according to the Oklahoma Historical Society. 

The mistletoe is Oklahoma’s oldest symbol, chosen as the Oklahoma Territory’s floral emblem in 1893. The mistletoe survived its designation when Oklahoma became a state after one senator “passionately orated on the subject, recalling that mistletoe was the only greenery available to decorate graves during the hard winter of 1889.” 

In 1986, then-Rep. Kelly Haney wrote legislation naming the Indian blanket as the official wildflower. The new symbol was honored at a ceremony attended by more than 20 tribes. Haney later served in the state senate and as principal chief of the Seminole Nation, and was the creator of “The Guardian” statue that sits atop the state capitol.

The American bison was adopted as the state animal in 1972. The resolution states: “The magnificent animal was native to both the grasslands and woodlands of what is now Oklahoma and was significant in the cultures and ceremonies of many of the Indian tribes who lived in Oklahoma and have passed along their heritage to modern-day Oklahomans.”

The state monument is the Golden Driller, which stands in front of the Tulsa Expo Center. A plaque at the base reads: “Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God’s abundance a better life for mankind.” 

“Labor Omnia Vincit,” Latin for “work conquers all things,” was referred to as a motto in the 1893 statute describing the Grand Seal of the Territory of Oklahoma, according to the OHS. 

In 1992, the honeybee became the state insect. 

“The honeybee is critical to crop pollination and plays a vital role in our varied and plentiful food supply,” the resolution stated.

Main image cutline: A scene during the Cherokee Outlet Opening, 1893. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society

For as long as humans have wielded fire and meat, barbecue has existed – born as a practical cooking method, forged into a cultural commonality across continents, refined by technology and globalization, yet forever anchored in its primal, simple technique. Oklahoma is home to hundreds of BBQ restaurants and thousands of passionate pitmasters. We talk to a few of them about preferred cooking methods, grilling essentials, savory sauce predilections, and the beauty found in the communal nature of barbecue.

Barbecue – perhaps the most primal cooking method to exist – has been around for centuries. But where did it originate? 

In the book The Indigenous People of the Caribbean, Samuel M. Wilson uses archaeological and ethno-historical evidence to trace barbecue’s roots to the Caribbean islands, where Native traditions mingled with Spanish explorers’ techniques, and later European settlers’ adaptations. Fast forward to today, and barbecue is a rich tapestry of Native, African and European influences, woven into a distinctly American art form that shifts in flavor and flair from region to region.

American barbecue specifically has evolved over centuries, from Indigenous Caribbean tribes cooking meat over indirect flames using green wood, a method dubbed “barbacoa,” to the spread of BBQ techniques through the American South, often thanks to the comparative ease of raising pigs. By the pre-Civil War era, American southerners had refined the art of slow-cooking pork and beef to tender deliciousness. 

Some barbecue pros make their own sauces. Others slather on their favorite local or national brands. Some think the less sauce you use, the better, while others encourage generous utilizations. In the end, to sauce or not to sauce is a question personally posed to each pitmaster.

Chuck Gawey, owner of Tulsa based Albert G’s Bar-B-Q, created his own tomato-based sauces (classic and hot) over thirty years ago and still has it bottled in Sapulpa. 

“There’s a lot of good sauce out there,” he says. “Really good ribs and brisket don’t need sauce, but it does add something. It’s personal preference.”  

Oklahoma doesn’t have a single, universally defined barbecue sauce style like some other regions, as our state sits at a crossroads of barbecue traditions, with Texas to the south and Kansas City to the north. Sooner State barbecue sauces lean towards a sweet-and-spicy profile and tend to have a tomato base with sweetness from molasses, brown sugar or honey, along with a smack of heat from peppers, cayenne or hot sauce. Some pitmasters add Worcestershire sauce or mustard for some depth.

From rotisserie to charcoal to an array of woods like hickory or mesquite, barbecue offers endless cooking possibilities. Yet Oklahoma’s pitmasters share a unifying mantra: Low and slow, the time-honored key to smoky goodness.

“For cooking big meats, like brisket or pork, I like low and slow cooking with pecan wood,” says Travis Clark, owner of Clark Crew Barbecue with locations in Tulsa and OKC. “We use that same pecan wood for our ribs, turkey and chicken, but at a higher temperature. For grilling, I love direct fire on open coals with a charcoal and wood mix. That’s for steaks, burgers, pork steaks and sausage.”

Matt Thompson, vice president of operations for Oklahoma BBQ behemoth Rib Crib, says that his team members are also “big fans of low and slow to make sure the smoke flavor is there,” he says. “Our smokers stay well below 300° which also helps tenderize the meat and keep it juicy.”

Gawey concurs; this method is tried and true. 

“Everything is indirect, every time,” he says. “Our pork butts and briskets go in the smoker at 6 p.m., and at 7:30 a.m. the next day I take it off. It’s low temperatures, and we use pecan and hickory. In the morning after I pull it off, we bump up the temperature a bit to 250 or so degrees to cook ribs, bologna and turkey.”

Deliciousness is in the eye (or, rather, stomach?) of the beholder, but Oklahoma pitmasters share insights into what makes barbecue truly tasty for them. 

“We use all our own seasonings, and they are the same exact ones we sell,” says Clark. “[We’ve got] years of researching and testing these out at competitions. They are balanced, and complement the meat, but are not overpowering. 

“The technique to focus on, then, is tenderness,” Clark continues. “Learn what it feels like when it’s done; it’s not always a temperature, as every piece of meat is different. And above all, don’t over-smoke your meat. Barbecue doesn’t have to be over-smoked. Find the balance you like.”

Rib Crib’s Thompson says the bark – the combo of spices, smoke and meat – is essential. 

“That’s where a lot of wow factor comes in for barbecue,” he says. “When the bark is right, every bite is a ‘holy smokes’ moment. We slather and season to make sure there is a good bark, and use green hickory wood to put off more smoke.”

For Gawey, it’s all about the passion.

“It’s about caring about the products we’re putting out. It’s been 33 years now, but we can always do better,” he says. “A great rub is important too.  We’ve had the same one all these years.”

In a heavily saturated barbecue market, each pitmaster needs something to help them stand out. Cindy Watts, owner of OKC’s Bedlam Bar-B-Cue, keeps her ‘gimmick’ simple: a focus on creating the highest quality product she can. 

“We don’t want any hormones; it’s all-natural and grass-fed, unprocessed,” she says. “That usually – but not always – means the most expensive ingredients. Nothing frozen. And we make our own rubs and sauces that flavor everything.”

For Thompson, smoking meats daily and keeping things fresh is a major priority, too. 

“Our craftsmen begin and end their days prepping meats and loading the smokers to make sure we can keep up with demand,” he says.

Backyard barbecue bashes thrive on stellar meats, good company and a few key touches: ice-cold drinks, a steady flow of food, and a warm and welcoming vibe that keeps everyone mingling. Barbecue is, after all, a communal experience. 

“A friend of mine, Mike Mills, always says that ‘barbecue is not a concept, barbecue is a culture.’ Barbecue brings people together,” says Clark. “We have huge, 30- to 40-top parties of guests all the time. It’s a communal type of food; people pass it and share it. Barbecue is the best food for that, it’s what we do at gatherings. It’s what brings families together.”

Cutting-edge grilling technologies are continually advancing, but local restaurant owners tend to stick to time-honored secrets forged through years of mastering the craft.

“I’m a master electrician by trade,” says Clark. “If you rely on something electronic, it will let you down. I’d prefer to invest in my people and training versus an electronic probe or machine that will fail. People can care about a piece of meat and have pride in it – no wireless probe can sense tenderness to know when it’s right.”

However, if you’re a backyard BBQ enthusiast who enjoys some gadgets at the grill, try: 

• Smart grills that integrate app-based controls and WI-FI connectivity

• Robotic grill cleaners such as the Grillbot, which autonomously scrubs grates with motorized brushes

• Wireless meat thermometers like the Meater Pro, which probe with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and have a 165-foot range

• Laser surface thermometers like the Etekcity Infrared map out grill hot spots without contact, and temperature controllers  like the Flame Boss 500, which fine-tune airflow in smokers via a fan system synced to a smartphone

Ready to become a pitmaster? Here are some tools to utilize. 

1. Grill: Choose a charcoal grill or gas grill. If you want to go more advanced, try a pellet grill or ceramic kamado.
2. Tongs: Long, sturdy, stainless-steel tongs about 16 inches long are ideal to flip meat.
3. Thermometer: A digital meat thermometer is critical for ensuring your food is cooked through.
4. Grill brush: Keep your grates clean and extend the life of your grill with a heavy-duty brush. 
5. Basting brush: A silicone brush safely coats meat without losing bristles.
6. Chimney starter: For charcoal users, a chimney starter ignites coals quickly, so you can skip the lighter fluid.
7. Grill basket or skewer set: Perfect for veggies, shrimp or kebabs. 
8. Cast iron skillet: Or a griddle to sear steaks, cook sides like veggies or cook bacon. 
9. Heat-resistant gloves: Protect hands with leather or Kevlar gloves when handling hot grates or coals.
10. Fuel: Stock quality charcoal or hardwood pellets for pellet grills. Gas users need spare propane.

We asked our barbecue experts: What’s your favorite barbecue dish? 

Cindy Watts: “I like our jalapenos poppers, the sliced brisket, oh, and our green rice – that’s a broccoli cheese rice casserole from my cousin’s grandmother’s family recipe.”

Travis Clark: “Brisket and burnt ends. It’s a longer, more challenging cook. If it’s not done right, it can turn out tough. But when you get it right, it’s some of the best meat you can eat. I like a chopped brisket sandwich with spicy sauce, personally.”

Matt Thompson: “I love sweet and sticky ribs with a bark that’s almost like candy. Tons of flavor, so tender – and nothing says ‘barbecue’ quite like that for me.”

Chuck Gawey: “It’s hard to pick one thing. A lot of time and effort go into the ribs and brisket. If I have a sandwich, I love our chopped brisket bologna combo, and I do use sauce. Oh, and our smoked turkey that is smoked and then dropped in the fryer.”

Is this an exhaustive list of Oklahoma’s tastiest barbecue? No! So don’t get onto us if someone’s missing, capeesh? But it’s a great way to get started on your Okie BBQ journey… 

Burn Co. Barbeque: The pitmaster rules the Hasty Bake at Burn Co. in Tulsa, turning out sought-after charcoal-smoked brisket, pulled pork, baby back ribs, sausages and quirky favorites like The Fatty, resplendent with bratwurst, hot links and smoked sausage.

Rib Crib: Since 1992, Oklahomans have frequented their favorite of more than 60 Rib Crib locations across eight states, where award-winning, slow-smoked-on-site daily meats are augmented by classic sides like fried okra and cowboy beans.

Albert G’s: From-scratch creations at Albert G’s include chopped brisket, hot links, Polish sausage, tabouli and coleslaw, with three convenient Tulsa locations. 

The Butcher Barbecue Stand: Locals and travelers cruising historic Route 66 flock to the family-run Butcher Barbecue Stand in Wellston for mouthwatering, competition-grade barbecue.

Oakhart Barbecue: Let your senses guide you to Oakhart Barbecue in Tulsa’s Pearl District, where central Texas-style barbecue is smoked low and slow over post oak. Standout menu items include pepper-rubbed spare ribs with a sweet glaze, succulent brisket, and house-made sausages.

Leon’s Smoke Shack: Family-run Leon’s Smoke Shack is a haven born from Leon Thompson’s passionate hobby, now thriving at two Tulsa locations. Crowd-pleasing dishes are smoked to perfection over a blend of pecan, hickory and post oak woods.

Mac’s: An iconic Skiatook hotspot, Mac’s Barbeque is a beloved institution opened by Mike and Vickie McMillian in 1985 and is still a no-frills, down home, family-run and award-winning barbecue joint serving up classics along with house specialties.

Smokies Hickory House: For over two decades, pitmaster Tom Eddings has been serving up smoky delights cooked over hickory wood at Smokies in Broken Arrow. This family-run gem is renowned for hearty platters loaded with brisket, pork, ribs, sausage and hot links. 

Bedlam Bar-B-Q: Using curing and dry-rub applications, Bedlam Bar-B-Que and its long-held family recipes are sure to impress OKC diners. Make sure to try specials like smoked chicken on the bone and Edward’s Hot Plate, with pork hot links, jalapeno sausage and spicy cowboy beans.

Clark Crew Barbecue: Boasting hundreds of championships and competition honors, Clark Crew Barbecue, a cherished family-run Oklahoma icon, delivers expertly smoked Wagyu beef, smoked-then-fried wings, wood-fired pizza and irresistible desserts. 

Iron Star Urban Barbecue: For nearly 25 years, Iron Star Urban Barbecue has dished out house-smoked meats kissed with a meticulously honed secret rub. Inspired by Oklahoma’s infamous lady outlaw Belle Starr, this upscale yet laid-back OKC gem remains a local favorite

Bonus Photo Gallery:

All gallery photos and main image by Stephanie Phillips