Old Arthur Watts enters Barbecue Hall of Fame

Arthur Watts, the enslaved boy who became a legendary pitmaster and the source of Old Arthur’s sauces and rubs, has been inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame. The honor spotlights a family recipe legacy that still drives a commercially successful Evanston, Illinois, brand.

Why it matters: - Arthur Watts’ induction into the Barbecue Hall of Fame elevates a Black barbecue pioneer whose recipes still shape a family business today. - The recognition adds national visibility to Old Arthur’s sauces and rubs, which are sold online and through Amazon. - The honor also connects the brand’s commercial success to a longer American history of barbecue craftsmanship and tradition.

What happened: - American Royal inducted Arthur Watts, known as “Old Arthur,” into the Barbecue Hall of Fame as one of three 2026 honorees. - The recognition will be marked at the 46th World Series of Barbecue, scheduled for Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 in Kansas City. - Watts was remembered as a pitmaster who supervised community barbecues at age 101.

The details: - Watts was born into slavery in Randolph County, Missouri, on the farm of J.J. Watts, a slave-holding physician. - As a young boy, Watts was assigned to the barbecue pits in addition to work in the garden and kitchen. - Watts began developing sauces and rubs to improve the flavor of the meat he cooked. - After emancipation at age 28, Watts earned a living as a highly regarded pitmaster. - Watts catered large barbecues for city festivals, county fairs and social events across central Illinois. - Watts died at age 108 in 1945. - His son, the first Eudell Watts, wrote down the recipes before the family lost them. - Eudell Watts IV and Eudell Watts III launched Old Arthur’s about 15 years ago. - The company bases its barbecue sauces and rubs on Watts’ secret recipes. - Old Arthur’s says the recipes have been kept close to the originals, with minimal changes. - The full product lineup is available at the company website and on Amazon.com. - The sauces sell for an average retail price of $7.49. - The rubs sell for an average retail price of $10.99. - The 2023 National Barbecue & Grilling Association Competition named Old Arthur’s Spicy Barbecue Sauce the top entry in the tomato spicy sauce category. - The same competition gave Old Arthur’s a first-place win in 2022 for its mild sauce. - Barbeque News ranked Old Arthur’s Barbecue Sauce among the top 10 commercially available barbecue sauces for two consecutive years. - Food & Wine Magazine called Old Arthur’s one of America’s best barbecue sauces.

Between the lines: - The Hall of Fame induction turns a family recipe story into a broader cultural story about legacy, memory and recognition. - Old Arthur’s positioning depends on authenticity, with the company framing its products as close to the original flavors created in the 1840s. - The brand’s awards help support that authenticity claim in the market, where heritage and taste are both selling points.

What's next: - Old Arthur and the other 2026 inductees will be honored in Kansas City at the World Series of Barbecue. - The company is likely to keep using the Hall of Fame recognition and recent awards to build interest in its sauces and rubs. - The family says it will continue presenting the recipes as a living piece of American barbecue history.