How ‘low and slow’ became the standard in cooking Texas barbecue
Texas barbecue has many unique characteristics, mainly related to how it is cooked — low and slow — and how it tastes (salty and smoky). Central Texas-style barbecue is further characterized by the method used to cook the meat low and slow. Specifically, it uses a technique in which the heat source is separated (“offset”) […]
Is it ‘barbecuing’ or is it ‘grilling’? The debate rages on
Barbecuing vs. grilling. This fall, many of us will host a traditional backyard barbecue for friends and family. Part of this ritual is for guests to circle around the coal-fired kettle grill, beer in hand, and act as armchair-quarterbacks providing advice to the host tasked with cooking the burgers, steaks and hot dogs. Inevitably, a […]
The king of custom cooking
You may never have set foot in Lenox Bar-B-Q on Harrisburg, but there’s a good chance you’ve eaten barbecue that was cooked there. That’s because Lenox is one of the few joints in Houston that has become known for a niche service in the barbecue business referred to as “custom cooking.” As the demand for […]
Texas barbecue is starting a new era. Here’s what the ‘fourth wave’ will bring.
A new era of “fourth wave” barbecue. The barbecue joint of the future will look a lot like — and a lot different from — contemporary establishments. First and foremost, the soul and foundation of Texas barbecue — the trinity of smoked brisket, pork ribs and sausage — will continue to be the focus of menus. And […]
Why more Texas barbecue joints are making their own sausage
Why more Texas barbecue joints are making their own sausage. One reason why barbecue is such a tough business is because the process of smoking meat can be wildly uneconomical. Take brisket, for example. A pitmaster receives a raw brisket that weighs 14 pounds. The brisket first needs to be trimmed of any extra fat […]
Burnt ends are a blank canvas for pitmasters
Burnt ends are a blank canvas for pitmasters. The story of American barbecue is often revealed in the way that discarded cuts of meat evolve into the traditional dishes of particular regional styles. Texas brisket is a classic example. As the beef industry gained momentum in the 1950s and more Americans were consuming meat, specific […]
Is Texas barbecue really that expensive? Not compared to fajitas
In a recent post on social media, Brett’s BBQ Shop co-owner and general manager Jacqueline Herrera posed a question to customers and fellow restaurant owners: Why does it seem like diners nowadays are willing to pay up to $80 per pound for beef fajitas at their favorite Tex-Mex restaurant but complain about the perceived high cost of $30 per pound […]
How ‘low and slow’ became the standard in cooking Texas barbecue
Texas barbecue has many unique characteristics, mainly related to how it is cooked — low and slow — and how it tastes (salty and smoky). Central Texas-style barbecue is further characterized by the method used to cook the meat low and slow. Specifically, it uses a technique in which the heat source is separated (“offset”) […]
Are Texas barbecue joints thinking about not serving brisket? Maybe
Texas barbecue has a math problem. Specifically, with the cost of brisket. Both in how much a pitmaster pays to acquire and cook the raw product and in what the customer pays to consume the finished product. First, a quick refresher on how brisket is made and sold. Conservatively, it costs a barbecue joint about […]
How food safety helped push Texas barbecue cooks to use offset pits
Above-ground brick pits with a firebox to the side (offset) of the cooking chamber is the quintessential cooking appliance of Central Texas-style barbecue. This device gave rise to “indirect-heat” cooking, in which heat and smoke flow horizontally over and around the meat, cooking and flavoring it, rather than the “direct-heat” method, in which the fire is directly […]
