Texas BBQ: What It Is and Where It Came From
A few years ago, I and my wife drove down to Fredericksburg, a city in the heart of Texas Hill Country. We initially planned this trip as we wanted to visit a number of wineries in the area, but ended up experiencing a whole lot more.
Founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia, Fredericksburg still proudly retains its German heritage, particularly when it comes to its cuisine. You can find some of the best German-style restaurants in Fredericksburg – some of these establishments offer traditional German menu items, while others offer a modern take on beloved German dishes.
What’s more, you can find some of the best Texas BBQ restaurants in Fredericksburg. Truly. This city is perhaps one of the best places to discover the wonders of Texas barbecue near me, whether that’s slow-smoked brisket, sausage, ribs, chicken, and more – trust me, there’ll be room for seconds.
One of the most popular barbecue restaurants in Fredericksburg is Backwoods BBQ. This family-friendly restaurant serves up well-known American barbecue dishes, such as juicy steaks, sausages, and their famous beef brisket. (What wine goes well with beef brisket?)
Another Fredericksburg barbecue stop I simply have to mention is Lakenvelder BBQ Bar & Grill, a restaurant that prides itself on its authentic Southern-style comfort food. Their mesquite-smoked brisket and baby back ribs are simply divine and will have you licking your fingers with delight.
Room for more? Why not head down to Eakers, which provides its customers with gorgeous South Texas-style barbecue smoked in mesquite and post oak. Eakers has been named as one of 2021’s top 50 Texas BBQ joints.
As we discovered during our trip to Fredericksburg, Texas barbecue is wonderfully diverse, both in its origins and how it’s prepared.
Germans and the Origins of Texas BBQ
Texas BBQ refers to barbecue preparation methods that are unique to Texan cuisine. Think beef brisket, sausage, and pork ribs. (What wine goes well with pork ribs?) The term is also used to describe the side dishes served together with the barbecue.
Influenced by the cuisine brought over by Central European migrants, Texas has become famous for its sausage-making, particularly in Elgin – a city that many call the “Sausage Capital of Texas”.
They say the roots of Texas BBQ near me can be traced back to German settlers in the 19th century, whose food was heavy on meat and sausages. Usually, these meats were sold fresh in markets, but many meat sellers knew that smoked meats (What wine goes well with smoked meats?)would last far longer than anything fresh.
The meat merchants began to smoke and slow cook any unsold meat products so that they could sell them again at the markets. The meat’s mouthwatering smoky flavor became a hit with buyers, boosting the popularity of this newfound meaty fare.
Barbecued meat has since become loved across the state of Texas as a family affair, with Fredericksburg known today as the epicenter of Texas BBQ. Nevertheless, brilliant barbecue joints can be found in every part of the state, from El Paso in the West to Tyler in the East. Texas barbecue is also popular in big cities such as Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth.
Though its roots stem from Germany, much of Texas BBQ has become fused with Tex-Mex cuisine. So much so that you can often find restaurants offering tacos alongside spare ribs and brisket sandwiches! For more restaurants in Texas offering briskets, click here!
Lockhart: The Capital of Texas BBQ
Another popular Texas BBQ destination is Lockhart, a small city around 30 miles from Austin. In fact, in 2003, Lockhart was declared by the Texas Senate to be the “Barbecue Capital of Texas”.
Four food stops in particular repeatedly pop up on lists praising the best BBQ joints in Lockhart. It’s estimated that around 5,000 people visit these restaurants each week – that’s a lot of smoked meat!
Here’s the lowdown on these four acclaimed barbecue spots.
Black’s BBQ
Established in 1932, Black’s BBQ is the oldest barbecue restaurant in the state that is owned and operated by one family. It became famous in the 1960s when President Lyndon B. Johnson, a Fredericksburg native, asked the BBQ joint to provide sausages for a Presidential event.
Chisholm Trail BBQ
The owner of this restaurant had to sell his boat to raise enough money to open this beloved barbecue resto. And it’s safe to say his gamble paid off! Since it opened in 1978, Chisholm Trail BBQ has become a popular eatery among Lockhart locals.
Kreuz Market
This historical barbecue spot goes back generations. Serving up prized Texas cuts, Kreuz Market’s approach to seasoning their barbecue is, in their words, “nothin’ fancy”. They simply dry rub their post oak-smoked meats with salt and pepper, letting the meat speak for itself.
Smitty’s Market
Opened in 1999, Smitty’s Market is run by a family that has been in the barbecue business for over 70 years! In 2015, this joint was voted to have the Best BBQ in Caldwell County, with Texas Monthly Magazine also lauding Smitty’s as one of the top barbecue restaurants in Texas.
Four Texas BBQ Styles
Lockhart is known for its old-school Central Texas barbecue. But this isn’t the only kind of BBQ on offer in the Lone Star State. Each part of the state is home to different barbecue techniques and methods – these are influenced by many factors, such as historical cooking styles, the type of firewood found in the area, and cultural influences.
There are considered to be four main barbecue styles in Texas. And if you’re a foodie like me, you just have to try them all out. My travels across Texas have led me to discover that each of the state’s BBQ styles has a unique flavor and character. Here are some of my observations!
Central Texas Barbecue
This BBQ is characterized by a simple dry rub, often just salt and pepper, though some pitmasters have their own proprietary rubs. Many barbecue owners claim that a no-frills dry rub allows the flavors of smoke to really shine through the meat.
Central Texas BBQ involves meats being smoked for long hours at low temperatures. Under the grill you’ll usually find mesquite, oak, or pecan wood. White bread is often served alongside as a side dish. Central Texas cuisine still displays the influences of the area’s German migrant population, particularly when it comes to its preference for smoked meats.
West Texas Barbecue
One of the things I remember about trying West Texas-style BBQ for the first time is the strong earthy flavor of the meat. This is due to the mesquite wood used, with the scraggly mesquite tree being a common sight across most of the state. Since mesquite wood burns intensely, meats smoked with it are usually exposed to direct fire instead of being smoked for a long time.
South Texas Barbecue
Close to the Mexican border, South Texas offers up barbecue that is heavily influenced by Mexican cuisine. Sweeter than other kinds of Texas barbecue, South Texas BBQ uses a sauce made from molasses that seals moisture in the meat. This Mexican-fused BBQ style is known as barbacoa, which is known to feature cabeza (cow’s head) and lengua (cow’s tongue) cuts.
East Texas Barbecue
East Texas BBQ is notorious for super long cooking times, as the ultimate objective is to achieve that mouthwatering fall-off-the-bone quality. It resembles Central Texas BBQ in that it prioritizes slow smoking through indirect heat. The meats are often marinated in a sweet tomato sauce, with beef and pork being the most popular meats – pulled pork and beef brisket are particular favorites.
Of all the Texas BBQ styles, this is my favorite. East Texas barbecue is typically cooked over hickory wood, which I adore for its delicious bacon-like flavor. Hickory wood is commonly found in the region, making it East Texas’ smoking wood of choice.
Texas BBQ and Its Side Dishes
During family barbecues (and when I get my say about what’s being served!), I usually cook my meats the East Texas way. This means smoking some beef brisket nice and slow above a hunk of hickory wood chunks.
As for sides, I prefer a classic potato salad, as I find it to be the perfect dish for complementing a plate of smoked meats. But you don’t need to be as conservative as me!
Many Texas BBQ restaurants around the state offer a wide array of side dishes for your barbecue, including white bread, coleslaw, pickles, jalapenos, sliced onion, potato salad (woop!), and cornbread.
Other popular sides include fried okra, collard greens, loaded mashed potatoes, pinto beans, mac and cheese, creamed corn casserole, and hushpuppies.
A State Icon
Texas BBQ is revered as a state icon. This means no visit to the state is complete without sampling plenty of its delicious barbecue.
This meaty cuisine is steeped in history. Brought over by Central European migrant settlers in the mid-1800s, Texas barbecue has evolved and transformed into a number of delicious styles.
I can’t finish off this article without mentioning Southside Market & Barbecue in Elgin. Visiting this place is like being transported back in time. Established in 1882, Southside Market is the oldest BBQ joint in the state and offers its customers as true a taste of Texas barbecue as you can possibly get.
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