It’s been said that if you want an introduction to Texas barbecue, you should hit the Texas barbecue trail. It’s a track that takes you from Taylor to Elgin to Lockhart, and finally ends in Luling.
But really, that’s just central Texas. As most of you know, there’s a whole lot more of Texas to taste – like the southeast corner of Texas, where beef links trump brisket.
Daniel Vaughn, Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor, has the lowdown on the taste of the Beaumont-Port Arthur area that, in contrast to links from Central Texas that often mix pork and beef, have only beef ingredients.
“It’s a beef casing and all-beef filling,” he says. “And then the spice! The spices are so much different too. There’s lots of garlic and parika, chili powder. It’s not just your salt and pepper and cayenne.”
What you’ll hear in this segment:
– How Cajun-style boudain, with its rice-and-sausage filling, has influenced Beaumont links
– The old-school Beaumont barbecue joint that brought all-beef links to the area
– Where to get the best sausage in the Beaumont area