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Among polite society, a few subjects are invariably touchy, threatening to flare into heated debate. Politics. Religion.
And don’t forget to add one more topic to that list if you’re in Texas: barbecue.
Whether you spell it barbecue, barbeque, bar-b-que, or just bbq, one thing’s
for sure: barbecue is more than just a meal, it’s a mantra.
At last count, Texas boasted over 1,300 barbecue joints, ranging from side-of-
the-road greasehouses with slamming screen doors to sit-down restaurants
with beautiful vistas, air conditioning and even (gasp) wine lists. The business
of barbecue rings up over a half-billion dollars annually, a cobweb of
commerce that connects an otherwise diverse, sprawling state with a common
mission: Go forth and seek out good barbecue.
Although you can find good barbecue throughout the South, the Texas variety
is different from that in other barbecue capitals. Texas barbecue means beef
brisket, basted meats, and tomato-based sauce, or sometimes no sauce at all.
The selection varies from pit to pit but in most tradition reigns.
In each region, divided by hundreds of miles, the local barbecue is influenced
by other culinary cultures, from Southern to Tex-Mex to Southwest. Cabrito or
barbecued goat is often served in the western portion of the state while pork or
lamb is a more common offering in East Texas. Cooking styles vary as well. Out
on the West Texas plains, barbecue is usually cooked over a slow fire of
mesquite wood while in Southern and Central Texas pecan and oak are more
common. Farther east, barbecue pits are stoked with hickory. Throughout the
state, meals are served with sides of cole slaw, pinto beans, and spongy white
bread, often on plates of butcher paper. Dessert, if found at all, is usually a
scoop of banana pudding with a dose of vanilla wafers.
Unlike Kansas City and Memphis, Texas has no clearly defined capital of ‘que.
But Texas does have what’s sometimes nicknamed the “barbecue belt,” a
smoky swath that runs through the central part of the state and includes:
Llano: On the westernmost edge of the barbecue belt lies the community of
Llano. What makes Llano unique among the central Texas barbecue towns is its
cooking style. Most pit masters in this town rely on indirect barbecuing. In a
firebox, wood burns down to coals, then it’s transferred to the main section of
the pit beneath the meat to impart a delicate smoky taste subtler than ordinary
smoking. Don’t miss Cooper’s Old Time Pit Barbecue. From its huge
rectangular pits located by the front door to the dining room lined with loaves
of white bread and jars of jalapeño peppers, this is the real deal.
Taylor: Taylor calls itself “The Barbecue Capital of the World,” home of two
legendary barbecue joints separated only by a parking lot and small road at
their locations on Second Street. Louis Mueller’s is housed in one of the most
authentic barbecue joints in Texas, with an old-fashioned screen door, smoke-
covered walls, and giant fans that provide the only cool breeze on a hot
summer day. Next door, Rudy Mikeska’s serves its equally fine offerings in a
more citified atmosphere. During his lifetime, Rudy Mikeska was the dean of
Texas pitmasters. If there was a political function to be held, Rudy Mikeska and
his barbecue specialties were there.
Elgin: In Texas, the town of Elgin is synonymous with sausage. The small
community, located about 25 miles east of Austin, produces the sausage sold
by many barbecue joints through the state. The best known of Elgin’s smokin’
stops is the Southside Market, probably one of the most recognized names in
Texas barbecue lore. In business since 1882, the market is known for its Elgin
hot sausage, sometimes known as Elgin Hot Guts.
Lockhart: Twenty-three miles south of Austin lies another “Barbecue Capital of
Texas,” Lockhart. The test of a real Texan is to know the correct pronunciation
of the town’s Kreuz Market. No, don’t say “Cruise.” It’s “Krites,” rhyming with
“lights.” Also in town, don’t miss Smitty’s, housed in the building where the
original Kreuz Market was located, and Black’s BBQ, which claims to be the
oldest barbecue house in Texas continuously owned by the same family. Since
1932 the Black family has been firing up these brick pits every day for lunch
and dinner.
Luling: Located east of Austin, Luling is the land of oil wells. No longer a
boomtown, today the barbecue restaurants are the ones producing black gold.
The best known spot in town is the City Market, a no-frills smoky meat market,
with plenty of local atmosphere.
Paris Permenter and John Bigley are the authors of Texas Barbecue and numerous other books on Texas travel as well as the editors of TexasTripper.com, http://www.TexasTripper.com, an online travel guide to the Lone Star State.
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