Texas Barbecue

Texas barbecue, at its Central Texas heart, is about beef: brisket and beef ribs rubbed simply with salt and pepper and smoked low and slow over post oak for many hours until the meat is tender and ringed with pink smoke. Served on butcher paper with white bread, pickles and onion, it is a genuine culinary art and a source of fierce local pride.

What you actually see

• Smoked brisket - the signature cut, sliced to show its smoke ring and bark.
• Beef ribs and sausage - the giant ribs and the smoked sausage links.
• The legendary joints - the famous smokehouses of Lockhart, Taylor and Austin.
• The ritual - ordering by the pound on butcher paper, with the classic sides.

When to go

Year-round; the best joints often sell out by early afternoon, so go for lunch and be prepared to queue at the famous ones. It is a meal to plan a day around.

Honest expectations

The most celebrated places have long queues and sell out early, so timing matters. It is heavy, meat-forward eating, so pace yourself. Quality varies hugely, so seek out the respected joints rather than the nearest.

Nearby

Austin, Lockhart and the Hill Country are the heartland; the whole state has its own barbecue traditions.