Regional Barbecue in Texas & the U.S.

The world of barbecue is a wild and wonderful one. It’s a world of deeply-rooted heritage and strong ties to communities, and it’s completely and objectively (well, maybe not completely objectively) the best kind of food around. 

Though barbecue recipes vary region by region, town by town and recipe by recipe, most barbecue dishes are separated into four main categories and a few subcategories. There’s Carolina barbecue, Kansas City barbecue, Memphis barbecue and, of course, Texas barbecue. 

Now, we know that Texas barbecue is something special. After all, living here in our Austin apartments means we are close to dozens of top-tier barbecue joints serving some gorgeous Central Texas-style food.

Here are the four main barbecue types, where they come from, how they’re made and what makes them all so so good!

Types of BBQ around the country, including Austin’s!

Carolina barbecue

Carolina barbecue is considered to be one of the oldest styles of American barbecue, acting as the center point from which the many other regional styles evolved.  

Carolina-style barbecue is characterized by its use of pork, cooked either whole or by the cut. It’s cooked over a long period of time with hardwood or hardwood charcoal before being served pulled, shredded, sliced or chopped. 

Other distinctive features of this barbecue style include the use of tomatoes, mustard and vinegar, the ratios of which vary within the Carolinas themselves. 

North Carolina vs. South Carolina barbecue

Now, never confuse North with South Carolina, or vice versa, unless you want to never be invited to visit either state. That goes with barbecue, too, so knowing the difference between the two states’ styles of cooking is paramount to your continued good standing there. 

No pressure, though.

South Carolina and eastern North Carolina have historically been known for their use of tomatoes and mustard, thanks to the local German heritage in many small towns. In central and western North Carolina, though, vinegar and ketchup are used as a base for barbecue recipes. 

Kansas City barbecue

While Carolina barbecue is typically sequestered to the pork realms, Kansas City style barbecue knows no such limits. These recipes use a variety of meats, including pork, beef, turkey, sausage and lamb, plus the occasional fish, too. 

Kansas City-style barbecue is prepared by seasoning the meat in a dry rub before smoking it over hardwoods. Most barbecue is then served with a thick tomato-based barbecue sauce that ranges from sweet to smoky to spicy, depending on the recipe. The burnt fatty ends of leftover meats are often served alongside as an extra treat.

Memphis barbecue

Pork ribs and barbecue sandwiches are most popular in Memphis-style barbecue circles, which is widely-renowned as one of the most well-known barbecue styles in the country. Each May, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest brings hundreds of thousands of visitors, critics and hopeful chefs to Memphis to put their skills to the test on the world stage in a competition that is broadcast all over the world. 

To make a true Memphis-style barbecue, ribs are slow-cooked in a pit with either a strong dry rub applied (“dry” ribs) or brushed with sauce during the process (“wet” ribs). 

Texas barbecue

Finally, we get to the good stuff!

Texas is a big state with a diverse variety of cultures and traditions brought by settlers, slaves, entrepreneurs, pirates, immigrants and more, leading to an incredible range of cuisines from one city to another.

It’s no different with barbecue, either. In fact, each cardinal region of the state has its own unique style of barbecue that has become embedded in local cookbooks. A variety of meats are used here, but the most popular types are beef brisket, pork ribs and sausage. Check it out!

East Texas style barbecue

Here, barbecue is smoked over hickory wood until the meat is, to use a technical term, falling off the bone. It’s typically marinated in and served with a sweet tomato sauce, very similar to that of North Carolina barbecue. 

Central Texas barbecue

Barbecue here is prepared very differently, relying on only a simple dry rub of salt and pepper prior to cooking. The detail is all in the cooking process, though — the meat is slowly cooked over indirect heat, using woods like pecan, mesquite or oak to provide extra flavor. Sauce is rarely added to the meat, but many places offer it as a side.

This style of barbecue is what most people are describing when they refer to Texas-style barbecue, as it’s a method unique to the Lone Star State. 

West Texas barbecue

This barbecue method is about as direct as it gets. Literally.

Meat here is cooked over direct heat from mesquite wood coals. There’s nothing fancy here; just good, well-cooked meat that’s very similar to grilling!

South Texas barbecue

The barbecue here is very moist and flavorful, thanks to a thick, molasses-like sauce that’s used to marinate the meat. 

There’s also a unique style of barbecue along the Rio-Grande Valley and then Mexico-United States border called barbacoa, which originated with the Taíno people in the eastern Dominican Republic. The word “barbacoa” comes from the Arawak word “barbaca”, which is where we get our word for barbecue today!

This style of cooking is very broad but usually involves steaming the meat until it is tender. Traditionally, this was done in holes dug in the ground and covered with thick agave leaves, or over a large open fire. Whole sheep or goats are often used, and the fatty, nutrient-rich meat is often accompanied by onions and cilantro when served. 

Armed with this powerful knowledge, you can now walk into a barbecue restaurant and know exactly what you’re looking for and how you’d like to have it. And, honestly? Living here in Austin means you’re in the Central-Texas-style barbecue capital, so you’ll probably never be disappointed wherever you end up going.

Enjoy!

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/HaiBaron