
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.
Texas barbecue, the classic version of which is found primarily in Central Texas and distinguished by its use of beef brisket and its indirect smoking method, is superior to all other regional varieties of barbecue. This is an incontrovertible fact. However, the state boasts tremendous variety of barbecue styles, from the cabrito pits of South Texas to the sweet tangy ribs of East Texas. Over the years, Texas Monthly has written about them all. In our first barbecue story, “The World’s Best Barbecue is in Taylor, Texas. Or is it Lockhart?” Griffin Smith Jr. wrote that, “at first blush, the East Texas chopped pork sandwich with hot sauce has little in common with the slab of Central Texas beef. . . . The emphasis in Central Texas is overwhelmingly on the meat itself—sauce, if available at all, is usually just a side dip.”
Winner, winner, chicken dinner—and that’s exactly what you should order at barbecue joints across the state that smoke theirs to perfection.
Even though Pizzitola's—formerly known as Shepherd Drive Bar-B-Q—embraces tradition, the Houston establishment isn't afraid of modernity.
Whether used in a sauce or served alongside a tray of meat, strong brews are finding their way back to Texas joints.
Many outsiders look at Texas and see only cowboy hats and oil fields, tacos and BBQ brisket, football and honky-tonks and tech startups. While that surface level understanding misses the complex patchwork of people and passions that accurately represent the state, there is some truth to those conceptions. But even
The new San Antonio joint reflects the flavors of the city with menu items like Mexican-influenced mac and cheese and queso fundido sausage.
The West Texas food truck serves road trip–worthy brisket and ribs.
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."
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.
House-made sausages and oak-smoked brisket help this joint—which recently debuted its brick-and-mortar—stand out from the local crowd.
What started as a way to raise funds for medical bills became a purposeful endeavor for Ramiro Vargas and his family in Edinburg.
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.
After moving to the burbs, this barbecue joint is getting more adventurous with menu items like brisket enchiladas and fideo.
Located behind a coffee shop, this RGV trailer serves massive tacos overflowing with brisket and other hearty meats and toppings.
The Tomball joint puts a delicious twist on the classic dessert with a fresh, hot waffle. And oh yeah, there’s barbecue, too!
Pitmasters have long used trimmings for sausage, but burgers—smoked and griddled—are easier ways to make the most out of expensive brisket.
Even though Marcus McNac of Crimson Creek Smokehouse in Austin claims brisket is not his thing, he still serves a mind-blowing tomahawk steak.
Texas has it beat when it comes to beef-based barbecue. But a few upstart pitmasters are hoping to change KC's reputation.
Eating meat—even when you’re practicing a plant-based diet—is every Texan’s right.
Polish off hearty chili and pickle-brined chicken with a latte at this Central Texas coffee shop turned barbecue joint.
Since this city hosts the State Fair of Texas, it’s no wonder Dallas barbecue joints go over the top with their ’cue.
We get it. You’ve decided to host Christmas dinner this year and you’re looking for a new twist on a holiday classic. Well, we’ve got the perfect solution. Instead of roasting your prime rib in the oven, we recommend smoking it! Not only are the flavors incredible, but just think
Enter for a chance to win a Wesleath duffle bag, a Wesleath grill apron, a $300 gift card to Longhorn Barbecue, a pair of Azulado boots, and a $250 gift card for Azulado.Longhorn Barbecue gift card is not valid towards alcohol. Allen’s Boots gift card is only valid towards Azulado
Yes, there are at least 100 very good barbecue joints in Texas.
Move over, potato salad—there’s a new starch in town.
A funny thing happened on the way to the barbecue joint . . .
In fact, some of the best joints in Texas are working hard to create innovative, and downright delicious, concoctions.
Across Texas, fusion barbecue is making a move—and vegetarian barbecue isn't far behind.
An Arlington man wonders if his penny-wise buddy is being barbecue-foolish.
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.
The Beaumont restaurant serves Central Texas–style barbecue, including impressive brisket and painstakingly developed sausage.
We’ve come a long way from smoked vegetables seeming strange at a barbecue joint—and that’s a good thing.
Set just outside Fort Worth, T&D serves up solid staples and flavorful surprises—and its pitmasters haven’t even found their footing yet.
Our barbecue editor went looking for brisket in a state that’s downright hogmatic about its pork-centric barbecue traditions.
Craft smoked meats and craft beers come together beautifully at these San Antonio, Garland, and Corpus Christi joints.
Plus: A must-read barbecue book and a great jobs resource for aspiring pitmasters.
Green and yellow curries and house-made chili oil accompany the smoked meats at this exciting San Antonio joint.
Former fine-dining chef Damien Brockway shows off his barbecue chops and nods to his ancestors with West African spices and unexpected cuts of meat.
Plus: The new Austin FC stadium will serve local ’cue, and Young’s BBQ suffers a crisis.
Ernie Morales is a man of few words, but if you’ve ever tasted the ’cue at Panther City, you know he has barbecue running through his veins.
The adventurous joint, newly opened in Crockett, is here to take back the crown from big-city barbecue.
Our barbecue editor reviews the joint’s loaded tater tots, meaty pinto beans, and more, coming soon to multiple Wichita Falls locations.
If the key to making great barbecue is loving great barbecue, then Andrew Soto is more than qualified for the job.
Equipment, accessories, and treats for the home barbecue chef in your life.
The Austin trailer is serving up a small, focused menu after narrowly escaping a pandemic-induced closing in April.
The team behind this month's well-red cover story.
How to get a Muenster-Parmesan crust with a nice, smoky flavor.
This smoky, comforting taco recalls the chef’s youth as a migrant farmworker in South Texas.
Plus: coronavirus surcharges, the pork crisis, and the inevitable branded masks.
As meat prices skyrocket, we share seven ideas for how diners and restaurants alike can make brisket, ribs, and sausages last longer.
In 1942, the women of Borger protested their exclusion from the town’s barbecue cook-offs. Then a mysterious challenger emerged.