Two dads turn a backyard beer-drinking friendship into Shenanigans BBQ food trailer

The Shenanigans BBQ trailer is parked on the parking lot at Tribal Coalition Coffee, 2715 E. U.S. Highway 377, across from Bennett’s Camping Center.

The food truck is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday (it’s closed Monday), but there have been days when the order window had to close early because all the food had been sold.

The menu includes rib plate, sausage plate, brisket tacos, brisket nachos, brisket sandwich, smoked chicken sandwich, brisket grilled cheese and pulled pork sandwich.

Prices range from $11-$17, with one or two sides. (The plates come with two.)

Sides include chips, cole slaw, baked beans, macaroni and cheese and brisket poppers. Prices range from $2-$4 for sides that are sold individually.

Some might argue that no dessert goes better with barbecue than banana pudding, and Shenanigans has that, too. One serving costs $4.

Drink choices are water, soft drinks and lemonade.

On Sundays, those who bring a copy of their church bulletin or program receive 10% off.

Pae and Yarborough met when their kids were in kindergarten. Gracie Pae and Logan Yarborough are now freshmen at Granbury High School, where Logan’s dad graduated.

Pae has a mailing and printing business in Dallas and his wife, Monica, has a photography business here. They have another child, Nicholas, who is a senior at GHS.

The dads had talked for a while about going into business together and, when Yarborough lost his job because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they decided the time was right. Pae provided the equity and Yarborough provided the sweat.

Pae readily admits that Yarborough is the talent behind Shenanigans. His own chief contribution is that he’s a friendly, talkative guy. He’s good at chatting up customers.

“He’s always cooked, and I’ve always drank beer,” Pae said. “So, I would sit around and drink my beer while he would cook. And, you know, he’s just been good at it. We’ve always talked about doing this, and then COVID hit, and I couldn’t find anyone to do my mom’s 80th birthday party, so I had him cater it and it was just a big hit.”

Even though Yarborough is the main chef, Pae and his wife have helped with some of the cooking, Pae said. They “doctored up” the mac and cheese recipe to get it just right and they have made banana pudding.

“It’s a team effort, you know, but his talent is, he’s got that patience to sit there. You know, he puts in 12-13 hours just on one smoke,” Pae said, referring to Yarborough smoking the meats. “Everything else, we just kind of pitch in together. It’s all hands on deck.”

Yarborough’s parents also help at the food truck, and the business partners’ kids plan to pitch in this summer, they said.

Shenanigans has a Facebook page. The contact number for the trailer is 817-527-5579.

“Nine times out of 10, backyard barbecue is better than any place you’re going to eat, restaurant-wise, and that’s what this is. It’s backyard barbecue,” Yarborough said. “It’s all slow cooked. The brisket, it’s 12-plus hours, the ribs are six hours, the pulled pork is 15 hours. You keep that slow (cooked) backyard taste, and everybody loves it.”