The Barbecue State. It’s not just Central Texas.

Okay. I don’t have much time. That’s because I am hungry and I have a wonderful chicken plate from Broussards Link and Ribs in the fridge. It’s ready for me to eat and my stomach says: “Ya better do it quick, Mr. Smarty Pants EFD.”

Well! I never thought I was a smarty pants. As a matter of fact, I only wear pants when I work for the gub’ment. Well, that doesn’t mean I run around without anything covering my lower torso like Porky Pig. I wish I could. Seriously. But I can’t.

Texas barbecue has been handed this stereotype. It is all beef. And it is not very good unless it comes from within a 100-mile radius of Austin. Hooey.

I did my time in Central Texas. There are some particularly great BBQ joints. Waco had several that were good both in atmosphere and meat: Uncle Dan’s, Michna’s, Mamma & Pappa B’s, Jasper’s. In Llano, Cooper’s has wonderful eats from beef to cabrito. And yes there are the shrines to barbecue in places such as Taylor and yes, Austin. But Texas is a big state. It’s got different styles of barbecue all over. Best ribs ever for my money can be found at the Country Tavern, between Tyler and Kilgore.

We have our own style of barbecue in Southeast Texas. It’s hard to describe. Just shut up and eat! Broussards in their little green shack off 11th and Washington in Beaumont is a great place for all sorts of barbecue meat. Just go at a time when there aren’t lines waiting. They also have a place off Fondren and Sam Houston Tollway in Houston. Just down Washington from Broussards is another barbecue institution. Patillo’s has long been a favorite of mine. They had a place on 11th and McFaddin that I probably visited more often than my weight required when I lived near there in Old Town. But they paved paradise at put up something there, a Jack in the Box, or whatever. And then there was one. Greatest links imaginable at Patillo’s.

I could go on. There is good ‘que everywhere in Texas. You just have to know where to look.