Texas vrs KC barbecue


 
Lynn Dollar

Lynn Dollar

TVWBB Emerald Member
Last night on Greg Rempe's BBQ Central podcast, he was asking .................... if you asked 10 people whether they would prefer a barbecue tour in KC or a barbecue tour in Texas, how many of the 10 would choose each one.

He asked Meathead, who said 7 of 10 would do a Texas tour.

This forum has some pretty astute barbecue cooks. People that hang out here aren't neophytes. I'm curious what the thoughts would be here ?

Me, I think there's a personal answer for what I would like, and another answer for what I think most people would choose. And I think maybe 8 of 10 would choose Texas, simply based on fact that Texas barbecue gets more play in the media.

For me personally, it would be a tough decision. For brisket I want to go south, no doubt about it, but the rest of Texas barbecue doesn't really draw me in. I think I'd like to see what Kansas City has to offer for barbecue on the whole.
 
In terms of a tour, probably Texas. There are a bunch of really old, traditional markets (and some newer joints) scattered around Texas that lend themselves to a really nice road trip experience. Now if you're asking which style of BBQ is better, that's a whole different question.
 
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Rich Dahl said:
A short hop through New Mexico and I'm in Texas. Seeing that I haven't been to either one I would go to the closets first.
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You might find it tough to make it out of the Land of Enchantment. The food there is some of the best we have ever eaten in our travels. I have a sister in Texas and have been to a number of the notable BBQ joints there. With a choice of a week of eating around New Mexico or around Texas, I'd be leaning towards NM.

Sorry, for taking a brief tangent.
 
I think there are a lot ways you could approach a Texas tour vs. a KC tour. I've never been to Kansas City. I'd want to hit the classic places like Arthur Bryant's and Gates and then some newer joints. In Texas you could spend your time just in Austin or go to Lockhart, Taylor, Luling, etc. I'm biased towards Texas so I should probably disqualify myself from the discussion, but I will admit that Texas seems to get a lion's share of the focus recently. I can remember when that wasn't the case.
 
Texas has Texas Monthly, Daniel Vaughn, Aaron Franklin, and Texas A&M Brisket Camp proselytizing the virtues of Texas BBQ with oodles of free publicity. KC has KCBS, which most people would think is a Los Angeles TV station. Advantage: Texas.
 
J Grotz said:
You might find it tough to make it out of the Land of Enchantment. The food there is some of the best we have ever eaten in our travels. I have a sister in Texas and have been to a number of the notable BBQ joints there. With a choice of a week of eating around New Mexico or around Texas, I'd be leaning towards NM.

Sorry, for taking a brief tangent.
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I will second the food in NM. I swear I must have been a Mexican in a former life! :LOL:
Being from KC, I'm biased. Never having had authentic Texas BBQ, I'm ignorant. But I will say this, most KC joints do it all very well, even brisket. Case in point is the Z-Man sandwich from Joe's. It's to die for! A tour of Texas for BBQ is on the bucket list.
 
I would go central Texas but not Austin. Been to KC several times but prefer no sauce. Now, Albuquerque NM had two BBQ joints that we really liked. Mr. Powdrell's BBQ House (a family joint on Central) and County Line (a legit Texas based chain) on Tramway. Powdrell's for their pulled pork and County line for ribs and Brisket. That was 30 years ago and there's a lot more BBQ joints there now.
 
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Born and raised in KC. Eaten at about every place in town a few times each
or many more times for the best places ... Jack Stack, Q39, Slaps, Gates, Hawg Jaw,
Little BBQ Joint, Joe's KC ..... all are excellent, all are different.
Brisket, and namely burnt ends are my 1st choice ALWAYS. I also always order
my Q dry, and rarely use any sauce. Most folks say KC BBQ is sauce based. If
thats the case, then I guess I prefer Texas bbq.
 
Great thread. I've been lucky to have BBQ in both places, and at a few of the famous ones, and some not so famous. I think KC wins for sauce and burnt ends. My son is totally hooked on KC's Q39 sauce, that stuff is great. On the other hand, I really enjoy brisket TX style (salt and pepper rub), and good TX style beans (Aaron Franklin's recipe especially). I don't understand the white bread for a side in TX. I also like TX style hot links.....

Both TX and KC have some authentic "Joints". Joints are my favorite.... outdoor smokers, with 50+ year old buildings to eat in. Decorated with rusty tin and old farm/ranch implements, seed signs, and Allis Chalmer tractor parts. Asbestos tile floors, coasters under the legs to keep the tables from wobblin' or picnic tables worn smooth from years of use. No white table cloths! No chandeliers! Sure, great bbq can be made in a strip mall, but it just isn't the same.

I really like love KC and TX both and can't choose. Tennessee deserves honorable mention here. I think they have so many great bbq joints in TN they just take em' for granted and don't talk about em' much.
 
Kevin L (NKY) said:
The best BBQ is what is on the plate in front of you. All regional and international in the countries that I have been in and eaten on the street or in restaurant is all good .
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Have you never thought about making a barbecue tour ?

I have. A lot. I'm here in between these two barbecue meccas. Whenever this covid thing is all over, and if I can get Mrs Dollar away from going on quilting retreats, I'm gonna hit one of these, maybe even both.
 
Lynn Dollar said:
I have. A lot. I'm here in between these two barbecue meccas. Whenever this covid thing is all over, and if I can get Mrs Dollar away from going on quilting retreats, I'm gonna hit one of these, maybe even both.
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Quilt shops and BBQ joints seem to go together like PBnJ. My wife and I joked for years that we would open a business, quilt shop up front BBQ out back. Sort of a small business mullet.

She no longer quilts, but the same principle applies to yarn and she is a knitter and a weaver.

Whenever we plan a trip, I am always looking up yarn and quilt shops near good eats. One trip to the deep south involved blues and BBQ joints in the Misssissippi Delta, NOLA, and a stop to meet the quilters of Gee's Bend. That's a BBQ and quilting trip that should be on your list; even more so if you're a fan of the blues.

Here's a good place to start for planning a trip to Texas:

https://www.quiltinghub.com/Shops/Quilt-Shops/In/Texas

If your wife is a knitter and you are near KC, a trip to the Yarn Barn in Lawrence is a must.

Edit: Here's an example I just remembered. Giddings, TX: City Meat Market and All Around The Block Quilt Shop.
 
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