FROM PIT TO PLATE

How Regional Barbecue in Texas is made

By Cash Galvan, Fact Check Editor

incorporated into many dishes.

”Every meat is different size, every meat is different,” Manny said.

Barbecue in the state is often divided into four main regional styles: Central Texas, East Texas, West Texas, and South Texas. Each style is defined by its meat preference, smoking technique, and sauce.

Central barbecue is characterized by its focus on beef, particularly brisket, which is seasoned with salt and pepper and smoked over oak wood. The meat is usually served on butcher paper with white bread and pickles. East Texas barbecue, on the other hand, is known for its use of pork ribs and shoulder, which are smoked over hickory wood and served with a sweet, tomato-based sauce, explained Miline, a part of Central Texas barbecue.

”Good barbecue includes good appearance and amazing tenderness,” Miline said.

West part is all about beef as well, but with a focus on beef ribs and a dry rub made from spices like chili powder and cumin. South

Texas barbecue, meanwhile, incorporates Mexican flavors and spices, with a preference for sausage and barbacoa, which is a slow-cooked dish with a variety, usually using tougher cuts of meat.

Eastern has a different flavor and style, explained Kristopher Manning, co-owner and manager of the eastern-style Smokey Joe’s barbecue. Places like Goldees and Smokey Joes are used to using old school traditional ways of making barbecue. Using things like breaks, which is a certain type of way to cook a brisket, is most commonly used in eastern Texas.

“Barbecue isn’t like dropping off french fries, it’s like putting love into the food,” Manning said. “You have to have a passion for the food, and without that passion it won’t be as successful as it could be.”

That’s why Manny is careful when choosing people to hire.

”I want to try to hire and find great help, people who care,” Manning said.

While each regional barbecue style is distinct, there are some commonalities across Texas as a whole. For example, beef is the most popular meat for barbecue, and brisket reigns supreme as the king of Texas barbecue. Pork ribs, sausage, and chicken are also popular menu items, depending on the region.

”We have people coming in, and I take over making briskets, get sauces, and we run out within a couple of hours,” Manny said.

Another shared characteristic of Texas barbecue is the emphasis on wood. While charcoal and gas grills are used in some parts of the country, Texans take their smoking seriously. Jones said each region has its preferred wood, with post oak being the most popular in Central Texas and mesquite being the popular choice in West Texas.

”You don’t want barbecue that would taste amazing, then have terrible wood,” Jones said.

Beyond meat and wood, the sauce is another crucial component of Texas barbecue. While some regions, like Central Texas, prefer to let the meat shine on its own, others, like East Texas, are all about the sauce, explained Miline, co-founder and CEO of Goldees.

“Mainly having ingredients that add that specific flavor are very important,” Miline said. “You don’t want something that feels too much [like a basic sauce].”

Along with distinct regional styles, there are also countless barbecue joints throughout Texas, each with its different take on the art of smoking meat. Some of the most famous include Franklin barbecue in Austin, Snow’s barbecue in Lexington, and Louie Mueller barbecue in Taylor. But even smaller, lesser-known joints can offer up smoke of the best barbecue in the state. Bill Jones, who is a famous food critic, thinks that instead of looking for bigger franchises he tries to focus on what makes their barbecue amazing.

”I’m judging barbecue. I mainly look for the first taste, and smoke and spice, because flavor is a big key,” Jones said.

Overall, there isn’t just one best barbecue joint or location that dominates over the rest. Every part of Texas succeeds at some aspect that other regions lack. Some regions feel like their style is the best, while others feel like their region is better or more unique.

”I think we have a unique style compared to any other place around,” Manny said. “Our barbecue is something that you can only get here”