Juicy, Crispy Smoked Chicken Is Having a Moment
Winner, winner, chicken dinner—and that’s exactly what you should order at barbecue joints across the state that smoke theirs to perfection.
BBQ Joint Reviews
May 20, 2022
This Barbecue Joint Uses Brick Pits From 1935 Alongside a New Smoker
Even though Pizzitola's—formerly known as Shepherd Drive Bar-B-Q—embraces tradition, the Houston establishment isn't afraid of modernity.
Business
May 16, 2022
Scharbauer Cattle Company Creates a Model for Ranch-to-Retail Beef
The multigenerational ranch’s Midland Meat Company sells its famous Wagyu-Angus-Hereford crossbred beef directly to consumers.
BBQ
May 5, 2022
Put Down the Iced Tea: Coffee Is Resurging in the Barbecue Scene
Whether used in a sauce or served alongside a tray of meat, strong brews are finding their way back to Texas joints.
BBQ
May 2, 2022
Instagram-Famous Sandoitchi Pops Up at Goldee’s With Stellar Sandwiches
Hurry to the Fort Worth barbecue joint May 2 and 3 for Japanese sandwiches filled with egg salad, orange and cream, or smoked Wagyu tartare.
BBQ Joint Reviews
April 26, 2022
Expect Chiles, Spice, and Everything Nice at Reese Bros Barbecue
The new San Antonio joint reflects the flavors of the city with menu items like Mexican-influenced mac and cheese and queso fundido sausage.
BBQ Joint Reviews
April 21, 2022
The Half Acre Serves Excellent Barbecue From the Ranch Next Door
The 139-year old Scharbauer Ranch now boasts a meat market and barbecue joint, setting up a symbiotic—and delicious—relationship.
BBQ Joint Reviews
April 18, 2022
With Brantley Creek BBQ & Co., Odessa Is Now a Barbecue Destination
The West Texas food truck serves road trip–worthy brisket and ribs.
BBQ
April 15, 2022
Through 70 Years of Booms and Busts, Jack Jordan’s Bar-B-Que Is Still Here
The Odessa staple was started by a musician tired of the night life. Now, his son and grandson carry on the tradition by staying "open and hoping."
BBQ
April 13, 2022
This Seasoning Is the Worst-Kept Secret in Texas Barbecue
While most joints proclaim there's just salt and pepper in their rubs, there is a key ingredient that even Aaron Franklin himself fesses up to using.
BBQ Joint Reviews
April 9, 2022
The Valley’s GW’s BBQ Emulates Central Texas–Style ’Cue Exceptionally Well
House-made sausages and oak-smoked brisket help this joint—which recently debuted its brick-and-mortar—stand out from the local crowd.
BBQ Joint Reviews
April 4, 2022
In Six Years, Vargas BBQ’s Cooks Went From Total Novices to Deft Experts
What started as a way to raise funds for medical bills became a purposeful endeavor for Ramiro Vargas and his family in Edinburg.
BBQ Joint Reviews
March 28, 2022
In a Sliced-Brisket World, Smoke Crafters Barbecue Offers Birria Sausage
And that’s just the beginning of the fun menu items at this Mission joint. Next up: choriqueso smoked burgers and made-to-order Micheladas.
BBQ
March 18, 2022
Where to Eat Barbecue in San Antonio
Tortillas are just as common as white bread at these Alamo City joints, which excel at all manner of smoked meats, including chicken and lamb.
BBQ Joint Reviews
March 14, 2022
Get a Taste of Texas’s Varied Regions at Burro & Bull in Cypress
After moving to the burbs, this barbecue joint is getting more adventurous with menu items like brisket enchiladas and fideo.
BBQ Joint Reviews
March 9, 2022
Old Meets New at Houston’s Latest Gem, J-Bar-M BBQ
An upstart couple in the kitchen teams up with a nonagenarian owner for a restaurant that doesn't miss a beat, from sides to meats to desserts.
Food & Drink
March 7, 2022
New and Noteworthy Spots to Dine in Austin During SXSW 2022
After two years, the festival makes its glorious return to the Capital City, and the dining scene is a little different but no less enticing.
BBQ Joint Reviews
March 4, 2022
Bexar Barbecue Solidifies Tomball as a Smoked-Meat Destination
The couple behind the joint, Justin and Kathryn Haecker, have even hacked their way to cheaper beef by starting their own cattle operation.
BBQ
March 3, 2022
Fourth Time’s the Charm for Gabrick Barbecue Sauces Entrepreneur
After three painful experiences operating barbecue joints, Mark Gabrick finds his sweet spot with a line of H-E-B-approved sauces.
BBQ Joint Reviews
February 25, 2022
Go Bananas for the Pudding at 2 Guys 1 Pit BBQ
The Tomball joint puts a delicious twist on the classic dessert with a fresh, hot waffle. And oh yeah, there’s barbecue, too!
BBQ
February 18, 2022
Grecia Ramos Whips Up Delightful Desserts for 2M Smokehouse
The San Antonio pastry chef breaks the banana-pudding mold with ube cheesecake, homemade versions of Pop-Tarts, and fruit galettes.
BBQ
February 15, 2022
At BBQ Joints Across the State, Burgers Are the New Sausage
Pitmasters have long used trimmings for sausage, but burgers—smoked and griddled—are easier ways to make the most out of expensive brisket.
BBQ Joint Reviews
February 11, 2022
In Beef-Loving Texas, This Okie Pitmaster Dares to Stick to Pork
Even though Marcus McNac of Crimson Creek Smokehouse in Austin claims brisket is not his thing, he still serves a mind-blowing tomahawk steak.
BBQ Joint Reviews
February 7, 2022
A Father-Son Duo Keeps the Barbecue Station Relevant
After thirty years, this San Antonio joint continues to improve while staying true to its loyal customer base.
BBQ
February 3, 2022
Kansas City Needs a BBQ Renaissance
Texas has it beat when it comes to beef-based barbecue. But a few upstart pitmasters are hoping to change KC's reputation.
BBQ Joint Reviews
January 28, 2022
Liberty Hill’s Agape BBQ Smokes Meat With Love
Polish off hearty chili and pickle-brined chicken with a latte at this Central Texas coffee shop turned barbecue joint.
BBQ
January 24, 2022
Where to Eat Barbecue in Dallas
Since this city hosts the State Fair of Texas, it’s no wonder Dallas barbecue joints go over the top with their ’cue.
BBQ
January 19, 2022
The Experts’ Guide to Selecting the Best Wood for Your Barbecue
Post oak or mesquite? Pecan or hickory? Texas pitmasters weigh in on which woods make the best smoked meats.
BBQ
January 14, 2022
Wood Is Hard to Find, and Pitmasters Are Scrambling
As barbecue joints proliferate across the state, wood for smoking meats and reliable, affordable suppliers are increasingly scarce.
BBQ
January 10, 2022
Where to Eat Barbecue in Austin
The Capital City is overflowing with great places to grab some ’cue, from classic trays to more unconventional meats and sides.
BBQ
December 17, 2021
John Mueller, Barbecue Legend, Dies at 52
"The dark prince of barbecue," who always found a new audience to wow with his smoked beef, changed the Texas scene for good.
BBQ Joint Reviews
December 16, 2021
An Arlington Family Has Created a New Must-Try Cuisine, Tex-Ethiopian Barbecue
Smoke’N Ash BBQ pays homage to its dual traditions while wholly, joyfully embracing something new.
BBQ
December 6, 2021
My Favorite Barbecue Bites of 2021
Porkstrami, smoked corn dogs, and multiple brisket breakfast biscuits made our barbecue editor's list of superlative dishes this year.
BBQ
December 2, 2021
Where to Eat Barbecue in Fort Worth
There's so much great barbecue in the city that Cowtown now stands apart from Dallas.
BBQ
November 23, 2021
Where to Eat Barbecue in Houston
Here are 23 barbecue joints worth visiting in and around America's fourth-largest city.
BBQ Joint Reviews
November 22, 2021
Life After Bodacious: Bryan Bingham Starts Fresh With Sunbird Barbecue
Free of the chain's fixed menu, Bingham and his co-owners traffic in excellent experimentation and well-smoked meat with their Longview barbecue trailer.
BBQ Joint Reviews
November 18, 2021
A Small-town Taco Shop Turns Its Focus to Barbecue, With Great Results
With newly perfected sliced brisket, porkstrami, and a chopped brisket and pimento cheese sandwich, East Texas joint Wright On Taco is worthy of the "& BBQ" it just added to its name.
BBQ
November 15, 2021
How Greenberg Smoked Turkey Rebuilt After the Fire That Ruined Thanksgiving
Last November, an explosion at the beloved smoked turkey company destroyed 87,000 turkeys. Just in time for this year’s holiday season, the Greenbergs are back in business.
BBQ Joint Reviews
November 11, 2021
Redwine’s BBQ Eats & Sweets Serves Barbecue Basics With a Side of Family Legacy
Kenneth Redwine is building on his father’s barbecue dreams with his namesake food truck in Farmersville.
BBQ
November 3, 2021
Bolt Over to Briscuits for a Brisket Biscuit
Bread at most barbecue joints is an afterthought. Slices of cheap white bread are handed out for free and often end up in the trash. So I was struck by a new food truck in Austin where the bread, in this case biscuits, is as much of a star as
BBQ
November 1, 2021
A Barbecue Nerd’s Guide to the Most Historic Joints in Texas
Founded as far back as 1886, these barbecue joints laid the foundation for the pitmasters of today—and what they’re serving is as delicious today as it was in centuries past.
BBQ
October 29, 2021
Video: Behind the Scenes at Goldee’s, the Number One Barbecue Joint in Texas
The wunderkind twenty-something pitmasters took us on a tour of their award-winning Central Texas–style ’cue spot.
BBQ
October 18, 2021
Seven A-maize-ing Side Dishes
Move over, potato salad—there’s a new starch in town.
BBQ
October 18, 2021
No, Barbecue Sauce Isn’t Evil
In fact, some of the best joints in Texas are working hard to create innovative, and downright delicious, concoctions.
BBQ
October 18, 2021
Do You Want Your Brisket in a Bento Box? On a Taco? Or Over Rice?
Across Texas, fusion barbecue is making a move—and vegetarian barbecue isn't far behind.
BBQ Joint Reviews
October 8, 2021
At Hecho En Texas, the Barbecue Customer Is Always Right
The family behind this Cameron food truck has cut prices and slashed menu items to keep prices affordable for the locals, to admirable results.
BBQ
October 1, 2021
Has Texas Brisket Peaked?
The state’s favorite smoked meat is so reliably excellent these days that it no longer feels like an achievement.
BBQ
September 24, 2021
Ten Places to Eat State Fair Food Without Setting Foot in the State Fair
Whether or not you plan to attend this year’s fair, head to one of these Dallas–Fort Worth restaurants or barbecue joints for over-the-top fried treats.
BBQ
September 14, 2021
Texas’s Most Famous Barbecue Tacos Just Keep Getting Better
JQ's Tex-Mex Barbecue helped put the smoked brisket birria taco on the map, but it's worth the drive to Houston for any item on the menu.
BBQ Joint Reviews
September 9, 2021
After a Long Hiatus, Smokin’ Z’s BBQ Finds Its Footing
The Bayou Vista food truck is back, with brisket kolaches, pork ribs that fall off the bone, and a local favorite known as the Cheese Champion.