Texas BBQ is famous–and rightly so, we think.
But there’s a big problem: there is no one “Texas BBQ.”
Perhaps to foreigners and transplants, it all seems the same.
But born-and-bred Texans and true connoisseurs know that each region of the state has its own take, born from decades of culinary integration and innovation.
In the middle of the 19th century, German and Czech immigrants began flooding into Central Texas.
They brought with them the traditional culinary methods–including smoking and processing sausage–from central Europe.
That culinary heritage, combined with the booming beef industry in Texas, is where Texas BBQ began.
German butchers in Central and Southcentral Texas smoked large cuts of meat–like brisket–to prevent waste.
The closest you can get to the first Texas BBQ is in Central Texas, where practitioners still hew closely to those Central European seasoning and smoking methods.
As the traditions that emerged in Central Texas spread to the rest of the state, they began to mix with the culinary traditions of those regions.
South Texas BBQ was influenced by Spanish and Mexican cuisine.
And East Texas BBQ was influenced by former slaves responsible for the vast majority of Southern Cuisine.
Because of our proximity to African-American and Creole cuisine, there are some subtle–but important–traditions that distinguish East Texas barbecue from the other regions of the state:
Texans love beef, and East Texans are no different. But our proximity to other African-American culinary traditions in the south means that we’re also a lot more open about smoked chicken, pork, and–when you start getting close to Louisiana–boudin.
They don’t disdain barbecue sauce in Central Texas, but purists will give you a dirty look if you ask for it on your brisket.
Not so in East Texas. We use tomato-based sauces closer to something you’d find in Memphis or Kansas city, and we put it on everything we can.
It’s especially prevalent on pork ribs, which are often finished with a sauce and a little direct heat.
In Central Texas, the dry rub reigns supreme. Often, the simpler the better–with true enthusiasts using just salt and pepper.
In East Texas, every pit master spends years developing their dry rub using the spices they love (and brown sugar, quite frequently).
