Texas

Texas has its own distinct barbecue culture-one I'm pretty fond of. Consistent with the ranching tradition, Texans are friendly with the cow. The result of this felicitous familiarity is that Texas barbecue joints almost always offer a lot of beef.

Look for specialties like salt-and-pepper barbecue beef ribs-huge bony things that look like they came from a Flintstones episode. In Texas, it's not unusual to see a beef rib smoked so long that the meat looks almost burned. But as delectable as the ribs might be, when traveling in Texas, it's best to shift one's gaze away from the ribs and toward the ever-present briskets. It's there that you're most likely to find my favorite version of barbecue perfection, Texas-style.

The main difference you'll encounter as you travel through Texas is the kind of wood used for smoking. In the plains of West Texas you're likely to find beef smoked with mesquite, while further east you're more likely to encounter some pig along with your beef, and it's more likely to be smoked over oak or hickory.