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.
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.”
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.
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
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.
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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.
An underrated cut of meat, tri-tip is a practical (and delectable) choice as beef prices skyrocket.
Plus: please stop wringing out the brisket.
This weekends-only Arlington barbecue trailer is a taco joint in disguise.
Open only on Saturdays for now, the barbecue trailer has fun with its smoked meats.
The San Antonio joint's meat market turns out expert, flavorful links and one of the best hot dogs in Texas.
Plus: the secrets of couples navigating the additional pressures of a barbecue partnership.
The 65-year-old Brownsville restaurant specializes in traditional underground pit-smoked cows’ heads.
Fried catfish served with smoked meat is a magical combination—and harder to order than it should be.
Three Texas cities—and their respective tastes—appeared in the review service’s “word clouds.”
As a culinary destination, the Big Easy isn’t famous for its smoked meats, but a host of joints serve quality brisket and pork.
Opened in September, the Forney joint has already outgrown its trailer and ordered two smokers from the high school welding program.
The family-run Dallas institution is finally back in business after 2017's devastating fire.
Those with a sweet tooth will also appreciate the Nutter Butter banana pudding.
A soldier stationed in Afghanistan is looking forward to coming home.
The most delicious trend in smoked meats combines Texas’s two favorite food groups in exciting ways.
Valentina's is known for serving barbecue in tortillas. But for its newest addition, pitmaster Miguel Vidal looked to the Spanish bocadillo.