Our Story
Briar Ridge BBQ was founded by Kyle and Sylvia Kapphahn, who spent 22 years in Central Texas before relocating their family to Newberg, Oregon in search of a quieter pace of life. What they couldn't find locally in Newberg and the surrounding communities was the barbecue they'd fallen in love with in Austin — so they decided to bring it closer to the people who call this place home.
Kyle picked up the craft of smoking after visiting legendary Austin joints like Franklin Barbecue and Terry Black's. He started on a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, cooking for family and friends, then moved up to a custom 250-gallon offset smoker — the kind that uses a side firebox to push a slow, even stream of smoke across the meat for 10 to 18 hours at a time. Word got around the neighborhood, an email order chain formed, and a hobby quietly turned into a calling.
When Hillsboro's Ferttie's Barbecue closed and put its food truck and trailer-sized smokers up for sale, Kyle and Sylvia saw their opening. Briar Ridge BBQ was born — named for the street they lived on in Keller, TX where they first started barbecuing.
Kyle runs the smoker; Sylvia runs the sides, many of them family recipes passed down three generations. Between Kyle's German, Irish, Mexican, and Spanish roots and Sylvia's Chinese heritage, Briar Ridge is as much about blending traditions as it is about honoring Texas barbecue itself.
"Our secret brisket recipe is very simple: oak, smoke, salt, pepper, and time. That's it." — Kyle Kapphahn
