We may not make the rules, but we do know one of the more important ones: when it comes to quintessential Texas Barbecue experience, brisket is a must.
And in the hands of creative pitmasters across this great state, a good brisket can be featured in anything from award-winning chili and the tacos you can’t live without to the burgers and BBQ plates that have been beloved for generations. But none of that can happen without a thoughtfully-sourced, high-quality brisket.
That is why at Goodstock By Nolan Ryan, we believe that a great barbecue experience starts with the highest quality brisket. So, if you’ve ever wondered what you could do with the finest Texas beef, check out this list of ten dishes from standout pitmasters using Goodstock; you’ll be planning a road trip in no time.
The G Thang at Rollin Smoke
Visit this “spectacular” Austin-based truck for a truly unique grilled stuffed burrito made with carne guisada and smoked mac and cheese. The flavorful chunks of carne guisada start with Goodstock Black Label Prime brisket and after smoking for 8-10 hours get wrapped in an El Milagro tortilla along with the mac and cheese, onions, chipotle cream, and a spicy verde sauce. It’s a perfect all-in-one meal for anyone looking for smoky Mexican spiced flavor.
The BCBC at SLAB BBQ & Beer
SLAB BBQ is known for breaking the rules of traditional Texas barbeque so it’s no surprise that the menu at each of their four locations in the Austin area is full of inventive ways to use their brisket, from nachos to mac and cheese and a huge variety of sandwiches. The pick here is the B.C.B.C. (Brown Chicken Brown Cow), an exquisite mash-up of flavors that samples from all over the map. It starts with Goodstock Angus Brisket and smoked chicken breast, topped with pickles, onions, mustard slaw and two of SLAB’s house-made sauces: the Alabama-style Dank White and classic tangy Backyard Red Sauce.
The OG Sandwich at Mum Foods
While many of the dishes on this list feature brisket smoked in the traditional Texas BBQ style, the OG Sandwich at Mum Foods features Goodstock’s Texas-raised Angus brisket prepared as pastrami. This standout from the local Austin farmers market scene that recently opened the doors at its first brick-and-mortar location brines the beef for 10 days, then seasons and smokes it to juicy, flavorful perfection. They then slice the meat, pile it high on house-made sourdough rye bread and complement it with a grainy mustard that delivers a balanced, decadently memorable sandwich.
Brisket Baked Potato at Southside Market & BBQ
The oldest BBQ joint in Texas focuses on traditional BBQ dishes, but an unheralded star of the menu at each of the four locations around Central Texas is the enormous Brisket Baked Potato. Their time-tested smoked brisket is chopped and piled on top of a perfectly cooked spud, along with your choice of cheese, sour cream, and chives. Each one could last for several meals, and will leave you wondering why you never put BBQ on a potato before.
Brisket Grilled Cheese at McKenzie’s Barbeque & Burgers
With locations in Conroe and Montgomery, McKenzie’s can please any beef-loving palette in a number of ways. Among the many local favorites on the menu, the Brisket Grilled Cheese stands out. The buttery toasted bread can barely contain the rich gooey American cheese and chopped brisket that meld together in a scrumptious comfort food symphony.
Brisket Egg Rolls at BOLD BBQ
This underrated joint in Wylie, TX delivers real Texas BBQ, but isn’t afraid to stretch the definition to include their inventive Brisket Egg Rolls. Chopped smoked Goodstock Angus brisket is mixed with goat cheese then wrapped in a thin pastry shell and deep fried to perfection. You might think that could result in a cluttered clash in styles. But the balance and execution is spot on so that each bite is rich and creamy with a sublime combination of smoky beef fresh tangy cheese inside the crispy exterior.
Frito Pie at Dozier’s BBQ & Meat Market
The only place on this list that can also process your bounty from hunting season, Dozier’s features a meat market in the front and a hidden gem of a BBQ joint in the back. One of their signature specials is a brisket chili that is instrumental in building an incredible “Frito Pie.” The beefy and spicy flavor of the chili combines with the corn chips, cheese, and diced white onions to deliver a distinctive version of a Texas classic.
Brisket Texas Twinkie at Rejino Barbeque
This hearty appetizer from West Texas Top 50 Joint Rejino BBQ packs a huge flavor punch by putting a twist on another standard appetizer. They take a jalapeño that’s been stuffed with cream cheese and their incredible smoked brisket, then wrap it in bacon and smoke it to perfection.
Brisket Chili at Brett’s Backyard Bar-B-Que
Pitmaster Brett Boren and his right-hand man Braden take advantage of trimmings from their briskets as well as fresh ground 80/20 beef cook up a house special brisket chili. The Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joint in Rockdale, TX builds in layers of smoky flavor by giving the beef a few hours in the smoker, and mixes in two whole chopped briskets in a pot with their special blend of seasoning. It’s finished in the smoker at high heat to deliver an elevated chili that stands head and shoulders above a bowl of Texas Red.
Pitmaster Sandwich at 1775 Texas Pit BBQ
The College Station standout has earned accolades for respecting the region’s cultural heritage, and this dish makes the list because of how the Goodstock Black Label Prime brisket pairs with their traditional Czech sausage. The spiced sausage combines with the melt-in-your-mouth richness of the smoked brisket to deliver a distinctive flavor combination inside a bakery fresh bun.
To learn more about each of these restaurants—and the dozens of other establishments that serve Goodstock beef—and get directions to plan a trip to taste them for yourself, visit GoodstockTX.com.
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