Why is BBQ so overpriced in DFW? (Dallas, Austin: house, best)
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The focus on Central Texas is a way to downplay and erase the cultural contributions of East Texas (and by extension, the great black pit-masters). It also allows us to swerve around having to talk about the states' role in slavery. We get so deep in the cowboy/Wild West talk and this was a conscious decision by the state to separate ourselves from the rest of the South and the past that comes with it.
Of course something like 25% of the old West cowboys were black......but that's another story.
Most transplants are going to flock to where the hype is. The hype is on Central TX 'que, so it's easy to whitewash the cuisine and focus almost exclusively on German/Czech techniques as if that's all there is. We aren't even talking about the barbacoa skills exhibited by many Mexican-American/Chicano/Tejanos.
Some of us prefer to minimize the sauce factor though. I don't understand why in East Texas and across the South, the sauce is equally important as the meat, and you may not have an option to leave it off or to the side. Plus, the sauce often has a lot of sweetness, and I don't want more than a hint of sweet.
Some of us prefer to minimize the sauce factor though. I don't understand why in East Texas and across the South, the sauce is equally important as the meat, and you may not have an option to leave it off or to the side. Plus, the sauce often has a lot of sweetness, and I don't want more than a hint of sweet.
It’s just regional differences and how people were taught.
Pork does respond well to sweet, in areas of heavy pork availability - you’ll run into a lot more sugar. Heck, there’s places out there that are toasting the brown sugar to reduce it further, mill it and create “super brown”.
If you were raised on more of the salt/cure side of bbq, that’ll resonate with your palette better. Personally, it’s why I quit doing competition BBQ, as the judging skewed sweet. While I could still take home trophies, I didn’t have leftovers I wanted to eat.
There’s different strokes for different folks. One takes time, appreciation for the craft, the right wood, trimming, patience and a lot of practice. The other takes a pork butt and an outdoor oven with a bunch of sugar.
There’s plenty of competitions where it is legitimately entirely just your sauce - the meat is flavorless mush, so the sauce matters.
The focus on Central Texas is a way to downplay and erase the cultural contributions of East Texas (and by extension, the great black pit-masters). It also allows us to swerve around having to talk about the states' role in slavery. We get so deep in the cowboy/Wild West talk and this was a conscious decision by the state to separate ourselves from the rest of the South and the past that comes with it.
Of course something like 25% of the old West cowboys were black......but that's another story.
Most transplants are going to flock to where the hype is. The hype is on Central TX 'que, so it's easy to whitewash the cuisine and focus almost exclusively on German/Czech techniques as if that's all there is. We aren't even talking about the barbacoa skills exhibited by many Mexican-American/Chicano/Tejanos.
THANK YOU!!! Even when you admit that East Texas style BBQ is similar to Memphis style BBQ, you are acknowledging the Black contribution to East Texas style BBQ. I am FROM Memphis, and guess what? Memphis is a predominately Black city; Black people undoubtedly influenced that style of BBQ. And the best BBQ joints in Memphis are the Black owned and operated "hole in the wall" ones. Even the big, poplar, local, White owned BBQ joints in Memphis that they steer all the tourists to secretly have Black pitmasters in the back cooking all the BBQ.
It's relevant to that style of BBQ and there's nothing "weird" or "racial" or "prejudice" about mentioning it in the context of the discussion on different types of BBQ. Does that mean that ONLY Black people cook that style of BBQ? No. But the Black contribution to that style of BBQ is undeniable and is why it is different from other styles of BBQ being discussed, like the type found in Central Texas that is marketed and perceived as the type/style of BBQ that is best in Texas and most synonymous with Texas.
Different groups of people have influenced different types of cusine all throughout history. Like you said, nobody will deny the German/Czech influences of Central Texas style BBQ or call it "racial," "weird," or "prejudice" if you mentioned that Germans and Czechs were an influence on THAT style of BBQ.
Last edited by Julio July; 02-02-2022 at 02:03 PM..
The focus on Central Texas is a way to downplay and erase the cultural contributions of East Texas (and by extension, the great black pit-masters). It also allows us to swerve around having to talk about the states' role in slavery. We get so deep in the cowboy/Wild West talk and this was a conscious decision by the state to separate ourselves from the rest of the South and the past that comes with it.
Of course something like 25% of the old West cowboys were black......but that's another story.
Most transplants are going to flock to where the hype is. The hype is on Central TX 'que, so it's easy to whitewash the cuisine and focus almost exclusively on German/Czech techniques as if that's all there is. We aren't even talking about the barbacoa skills exhibited by many Mexican-American/Chicano/Tejanos.
You are looking for a conspiracy where there isn't one.
Anyone who pays attention knows there is no way to oversell black influence over BBQ here and across the south. As best I can tell BBQ style cooking - less than great cuts of meat cooked over fire or indirectly for long periods of time has been practiced by man for thousands of years but seemingly optimized in more recent times by Africans and indigenous peoples in the Caribbean. Then pirates, slaves and other travelers brought BBQ style cooking probably to Virginia in particular and then it spread across NC, SC, Maryland etc.
People who prefer Tex/Czech sausage and corn over pork butt or beef brisket flat and mustard greens/poke "sallet" are not racist nor cultural thieves. They like certain things.
A big factor per Central Texas over East Texas BBQ is population and population growth. Austin etc. are in the triangle most of East Texas is not.
FWIIW give me East Texas style over Central TX every time..........all the regional and sub-regional variations are part of what makes BBQ both great and something of an ongoing history lesson for the interested.
ETA - I agree that East Tex and Memphis styles are very similar.
THANK YOU!!! Even when you admit that East Texas style BBQ is similar to Memphis style BBQ, you are acknowledging the Black contribution to East Texas style BBQ. I am FROM Memphis, and guess what? Memphis is a predominately Black city; Black people undoubtedly influenced that style of BBQ. And the best BBQ joints in Memphis are the Black owned and operated "hole in the wall" ones. Even the big, poplar, local, White owned BBQ joints in Memphis that they stir all the tourists to secretly have Black pitmasters in the back cooking all the BBQ.
It's relevant to that style of BBQ and there's nothing "weird" or "racial" or "prejudice" about mentioning it in the context of the discussion on different types of BBQ. Does that mean that ONLY Black people cook that style of BBQ? No. But the Black contribution to that style of BBQ is undeniable and is why it is different from other styles of BBQ being discussed, like the type found in Central Texas that is marketed and perceived as the type/style of BBQ that is best in Texas and most synonymous with Texas.
Different groups of people have influenced different types of cusine all throughout history. Like you said, nobody will deny the German/Czech influences of Central Texas style BBQ or call it "racial," "weird," or "prejudice" if you mentioned that Germans and Czechs were an influence on THAT style of BBQ.
Except that there’s plenty of pitmasters from both regions and all races that do one style, both styles a new style and blend them.
It’s not about race, it’s about region. Focusing on where people are “steered” to (assuming that’s what you meant, instead of stir) doesn’t help or contribute. You got all up in arms when I asked why you made it a racial thing - because that is, indeed, odd in 2021. Some of the best CenTex style pitmasters are POC, some of the best Memphis are not. And everywhere in between.
NC - almost always pork, heavy vinegar base sauce used to impart flavor
Memphis - heavy pork, a bit of beef, heavy on the sweet.
KC - 50/50 beef/pork, definitely on the sweet/sauce side.
TX - probably 80/20 beef/pork, with pork rib, sausage and belly about it. Heavy on dry rub, light on sauce.
Wood variants are also there, based on what’s available.
And let’s not even get started on Santa Maria or pa’ina styles.
You are looking for a conspiracy where there isn't one.
Anyone who pays attention knows there is no way to oversell black influence over BBQ here and across the south. As best I can tell BBQ style cooking - less than great cuts of meat cooked over fire or indirectly for long periods of time has been practiced by man for thousands of years but seemingly optimized in more recent times by Africans and indigenous peoples in the Caribbean. Then pirates, slaves and other travelers brought BBQ style cooking probably to Virginia in particular and then it spread across NC, SC, Maryland etc.
People who prefer Tex/Czech sausage and corn over pork butt or beef brisket flat and mustard greens/poke "sallet" are not racist nor cultural thieves. They like certain things.
A big factor per Central Texas over East Texas BBQ is population and population growth. Austin etc. are in the triangle most of East Texas is not.
FWIIW give me East Texas style over Central TX every time..........all the regional and sub-regional variations are part of what makes BBQ both great and something of an ongoing history lesson for the interested.
ETA - I agree that East Tex and Memphis styles are very similar.
Excellent post! BBQ is from everywhere around the world. Native Americans had their own as described by Texas history, MX/Latin America with barbacoa. East Asia had their own bbq from at least prior to 1100 AD, Pacific Islanders did it thousands of years ago (Maori people in NZ for example) and spread out the Pacific to what many experience as luau's in Hawaii nowadays (bury various meats like pork, chicken, fish, etc over hot stones or coals). Philippines, Africa, etc. BBQ existed before the US/colonial times, and mostly not beef based.
Edit: Wife would be upset if I left out Tandoor cooking - over 5000 years old of grilling meats over fire or coals in an enclosed space, probably most similar to cooking on a Weber grill).
Except that there’s plenty of pitmasters from both regions and all races that do one style, both styles a new style and blend them.
It’s not about race, it’s about region. Focusing on where people are “steered” to (assuming that’s what you meant, instead of stir) doesn’t help or contribute. You got all up in arms when I asked why you made it a racial thing - because that is, indeed, odd in 2021. Some of the best CenTex style pitmasters are POC, some of the best Memphis are not. And everywhere in between.
NC - almost always pork, heavy vinegar base sauce used to impart flavor
Memphis - heavy pork, a bit of beef, heavy on the sweet.
KC - 50/50 beef/pork, definitely on the sweet/sauce side.
TX - probably 80/20 beef/pork, with pork rib, sausage and belly about it. Heavy on dry rub, light on sauce.
Wood variants are also there, based on what’s available.
And let’s not even get started on Santa Maria or pa’ina styles.
Cele Store outside of Austin brags they only season their BBQ with only salt and pepper and their pit does the rest. It was ok - I haven't been there since 2002 or so. Does a new pit vs old pit make a difference in the cook/taste? How? I'm interested as I've heard that for a while now but never really asked how it makes a difference.
Cele Store outside of Austin brags they only season their BBQ with only salt and pepper and their pit does the rest. It was ok - I haven't been there since 2002 or so. Does a new pit vs old pit make a difference in the cook/taste? How? I'm interested as I've heard that for a while now but never really asked how it makes a difference.
A seasoned pit v unseasoned can definitely make a difference. More with temp control than anything. Aaron is super open that he only uses salt and pepper and post oak - what’s not mentioned is the snake River farms brisket he uses and has first dibs on, along with the fact that he’s super picky about wood types and conditions.
Yes. A new pit will cook way different from an. old pit.
Cele Store outside of Austin brags they only season their BBQ with only salt and pepper and their pit does the rest. It was ok - I haven't been there since 2002 or so. Does a new pit vs old pit make a difference in the cook/taste? How? I'm interested as I've heard that for a while now but never really asked how it makes a difference.
There was a great TV bit about a pit-master in Memphis who was forced by the city to replace his '50 era pit (IIRC it had been steam boiler built in the '20s and that was part the problem as it contained lead and other nasties) also think there was fire code issue with the old boiler as well.
Anyway, when that guy installed his brand new SOTA pit he basically burned pork fat, beef fat, chicken skin etc. until he had about 1/4 inch crust on the inside of the new pit. Then he re-opened.
The crust acts as insulation and the old timers swear it makes a difference.
There was a great TV bit about a pit-master in Memphis who was forced by the city to replace his '50 era pit (IIRC it had been steam boiler built in the '20s and that was part the problem as it contained lead and other nasties) also think there was fire code issue with the old boiler as well.
Anyway, when that guy installed his brand new SOTA pit he basically burned pork fat, beef fat, chicken skin etc. until he had about 1/4 inch crust on the inside of the new pit. Then he re-opened.
The crust acts as insulation and the old timers swear it makes a difference.
Absolutely makes a difference in aerodynamics as well. That’s basically the premise behind reverse flow, etc. you want to trap heat and creosote separate from one another.
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