Most Texans know our barbecue traditions are more complicated than a bit of salt, pepper, and smoke, but how much else is there to say? For Austin-based food and travel writer Veronica Meewes, the answer is: a lot. Her new 512-page book, Texas BBQ: The Art of Low and Slow, covers the subject in great detail, from long restaurant and pitmaster profiles to shorter blurbs that weave the complicated web of who’s who in Texas ‘cue. Gorgeous photographs round out this feast of a coffee table book.
It’s not revolutionary to profile regional barbecue joints. Texas Monthly certainly has that covered already. This book stands out not just for its beauty — including embossed lettering and a cloth wrap that looks and feels like a high-quality denim apron — but for the depth at which it chronicles each establishment.
Some of the more notable entries like Goldee’s Barbecue in Fort Worth, Truth BBQ in Brenham and Houston, and Aaron Franklin in Austin get six to 10-page spreads. Each is written in a way that the reader would understand if they simply flipped to their favorite restaurant, but during long reading sessions, bigger narratives start to unfold. (Nerds with free time: Count the times Louie Mueller Barbecue is mentioned. Partiers: Take a shot for each.)
That may sound repetitive, but these extensive histories offer a taste of the little details other, more common accounts don’t; for instance, the nicknames and specs of some pitmasters’ favorite smokers, or that there’s a popular misconception that 2M Barbecue in Seguin stands for “two Mexicans.” (It’s actually a nod to the owners’ grandfathers, Ignacio Márquez and Joe J. Melig Jr.) That level of information for 75-plus barbecue spots took Meewes two years to compile.
In between these comprehensive histories, there are snippets of more general knowledge: a barbecue glossary, a breakdown of different types of wood and knives, and a profile of two popular barbecue education courses.
Since the book is organized by region — North, East, Central, South, and West Texas — it’s both a great semi-personalized book for Texans who love their hometowns and a useful travel guide. The profiles in each section are listed below.
The title of this book could be a tongue-in-cheek reference to how it’s written, with a clear passion for getting to the bottom of things, finding the flavor, and trimming very little fat.
Texas BBQ is published by HarperCollins, with an original release date of November 11. It is available via the publisher for $50, or as an ebook for $34.99. This is Meewe’s fifth book.
North Texas
Goldee’s Barbecue- Fort Worth Panther City BBQ- Fort Worth Cattleack Barbeque- Dallas Zavala’s Barbecue- Grand Prairie (Dallas area) Smoke-a-Holics BBQ- Fort Worth Heim Barbecue- Fort Worth & Dallas Sabar BBQ- Fort Worth Dayne’s Craft Barbecue- Aledo (outside FW) Hutchins Barbeque- MicKinney & Frisco (Dallas area) Lockhart Smokehouse- Dallas Smoke’n Ash BBQ- Arlington
East Texas
Stanley’s Famous Pit Barbecue- Tyler 1701 Barbecue- Beaumont Blood Bros BBQ- Houston Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue- Tomball (Houston area) Bar-A BBQ- Montgomery Bodacious Bar-B-Q- Longview Sunbird Barbecue- Longview Mimsy’s Craft Barbecue- Crockett Martin’s Place- Bryan Khoi Barbecue- Houston Harlem Road Texas BBQ- Richmond (Houston area) Gatlin’s BBQ- Houston Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Cue- Houston Feges BBQ- Houston Killen’s Barbecue- Pearland, Cypress, Shenandoah (Houston area) Redbird BBQ- Port Lavaca Patillo’s Barbeque- Beaumont Brett’s BBQ Shop- Katy (Houston area) Roegels BBQ Co.- Houston CorkScrew BBQ- Spring (Houston area)
Central Texas
Franklin Barbecue- Austin Louie Mueller Barbecue- Taylor la Barbecue- Austin LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue- Austin Micklethwait Craft Meats- Austin InterStellar BBQ- Austin Kreuz Market- Lockhart Snow’s BBQ- Lexington Eaker Barbeque- Fredericksburg Rossler’s Blue Cord BBQ- Harker Heights Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que- Llano (and other locations) Miller’s Smokehouse- Belton Southside Market & Barbeque- Elgin, Bastrop, Austin & Hutto The Original Black’s Barbecue- Lockhart, Austin, San Marcos Terry Black’s Barbecue- Austin, Lockhart, Dallas, Waco Distant Relatives- Austin Rollin’ Smoke BBQ- Austin Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen- Austin KG BBQ- Austin Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew- Austin Smitty’s Market- Lockhart City Market- Luling Black Board Bar B Q- Sisterdale Victorian’s Barbecue- Mart Viteks’ BBQ- Waco Guess Family Barbecue- Waco Helberg Barbecue- Woodway
South Texas
2M Smokehouse- San Antonio Burnt Bean Smokehouse- San AntonioVera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que- Brownsville Teddy’s Barbecue- Weslaco Reese Bros. Barbecue- San Antonio GW’s BBQ Catering Co.- San Juan Lavaca BBQ- Port Lavaca Butter’s BBQ- Sinton
West Texas
Perini Ranch Steakhouse- Buffalo Gap Evie Mae’s Pit Barbeque- Wolfforth (outside Lubbock) Brantley Creek Barbecue- Hallelujah! BBQ- El Paso Desert Oak Barbecue- El Paso Brick Vault Brewery & Barbecue- Marathon
ProfilesDaniel Vaughn M&M BBQ Co. Chief Firewood BBQ Confessional Houston Edgeworks Camp Brisket (at Texas A&M) Chud’s BBQ Mill Scale Metalworks Jess Pryles/Hardcore Carnivore Brisket Country The Sausage Sensei Matti Bills (Three Six General, Howdy Child)