Texas Style BBQ
Source- Texas BBQ Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Texas BBQ - Thrillist
When people say “Texas-style,” they mean “Central Texas-style”
South Texas focuses on barbacoa, East Texas serves chopped beef, and West Texas cooks over direct heat in a style more akin to grilling. The food varies depending on where you are in the state, but when people use the term “Texas barbecue” it almost always translates the Central Texas-style of cooking brisket low and slow over indirect heat. Because you'll rarely see the other varieties unless you're road-tripping to remote corners of the state, most of this article concerns the style associated with Central Texas.
Beef reigns supreme
The first thing that makes Texas the iconoclast of the ’cueing world is a worship of beef over pork. The preference dates back to the cattle industry, but culturally you can chalk it up to bigger-in-Texas palates and the arguably higher-quality beef available in the state. Debate all you wish about proteins, but it's tough to convince a Texan that the other white meat packs more flavor than a well-cooked piece of beef, especially in places that serve Prime or Wagyu cuts that elevate the BBQ experience even higher.
The two types of brisket are moist and lean
A brisket has two distinct portions, the leaner "flat" and the fattier "point." Some menus list both types, but even those that don't will happily cut from whichever side of the brisket a customer prefers. So much like in New Mexico you’ll be questioned whether you want red or green sauce on your enchiladas, most BBQ joints will ask you whether you want it moist (aka marbled with fat) or lean. Fatty is by far more popular because it’s loaded with flavor. The lower fat content of the lean side makes it harder to cook perfectly, but it's by no means a second-class barbecue citizen—it's still served with a tiny sliver of fat.
No combo plate is complete without brisket
Pork ribs, sausage, turkey, beef ribs, and pulled pork typically round out a menu, but no plate of Texas barbecue is complete without brisket. The collagen-packed chest muscle is king and how it's cooked is considered the true measure of a pitmaster’s skill. If Texas had a list of barbecue commandments, Thou Shalt Order Brisket would be No. 1. Followed closely by Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor’s Place at the Front of the Line.
Wood is favored over charcoal or gas
Smokers with a gas-assist function have gained popularity in higher-volume restaurants, but most masters still do it the old-fashioned way: a hardwood fire that's watched carefully overnight. The most common wood used in Central Texas is post oak, but you'll also see mesquite, pecan, and hickory.
The fires burn low and slow
One of the hardest parts of barbecuing is the meticulous management of fire. If you cook too hot and fast, the collagen won't have time to render and the inherent toughness of the cut of meat will prevail. Pitmasters subscribe to a low-and-slow philosophy that can take up to 20 hours or longer for each brisket.
Offering a sample bite of brisket is polite pitmaster etiquette
Hour-long lines make for high levels of anticipation, and a customary reward for the wait is a tiny slice of brisket as soon as a customer reaches the counter. This also helps you quickly decide whether you’re on Team Moist or Team Lean.