Eating Texas barbecue is a sport. It takes discipline, dedication, time and money.
Garland resident Greg Artkop has all of it.
Since 2017, he’s traveled around Texas, visiting Texas Monthly’s top 50 barbecue ts two consecutive times. He started his third tour a few days ago, and he expects to spend one year completing the journey.
After all those miles and all that meat, we asked for Artkop’s best bites, war stories and barbecue tips.
Best barbecue meal?
Pecan Lodge in Dallas. He said without hesitation that Pecan Lodge’s brisket, sausage and pulled pork were his gateway into “new-school” Texas barbecue — a cultural shift that occurred in Texas around 2010, confirms barbecue expert Daniel Vaughn.
No longer just meat and sides on a plate, Artkop learned that this style of barbecue was equal parts science and art.
Pecan Lodge “likely put me on my current path of barbecue insanity,” Artkop said.
Pro tip for ordering barbecue?
Get the turkey. A barbecue t that makes great smoked turkey probably does everything else well, too, Artkop said. Plus: It makes for great leftovers.
Favorite barbecue t right now?
InterStellar BBQ in Austin, one of the four Texas barbecue ts that received a Michelin star in 2024.
Artkop went big on his first visit in 2022, ordering brisket, jalapeño popper sausage, Frito pie sausage, peach tea glazed pork belly, Tipsy Turkey (smoked turkey brined in beer, citrus and herbs), beet salad, jalapeño slaw, potato salad and banana pudding.
“It was the first time that everything on the tray was outstanding,” he said, “a complete meal experience. It’s been outstanding every time I have visited since.” He’s been three more times.
Best sides?
Tater tot casserole at Truth BBQ in Houston and spicy bok choy from LeRoy and Lewis in Austin.
Best cocktail?
Ranch Water at Pinkerton’s Barbecue in San Antonio.
“I’m not kidding, Pinkerton’s makes the absolute best Ranch Water in the state,” he said.
Most-visited barbecue t?
It’s a tie: Hutchins Barbecue in McKinney and Terry Black’s Barbecue in Deep Ellum.
Timing is everything, said the Garland resident. Both restaurants serve lunch and dinner seven days a week and don’t often run out of food.
Funniest barbecue story?
After an afternoon visit to Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Artkop flew home with leftovers. “When the bags were going through security, a TSA agent asked me, ‘Sir, do you have brisket in this bag?’”
“I told him I did. It reeked of smoke,” he said.
He worried they’d take his barbecue, but the agent let him through. “Sir, this is Austin,” Artkop re the agent saying.
“And he picked up my bag and handed it to me.”
Toughest barbecue trip?
Artkop and his friends visited five barbecue ts in Austin in a single day. “That was a challenge,” he said, “since we were trying to get stamps from Valentina’s, Franklin, Micklethwait, InterStellar and Distant Relatives.”
It was a mad dash to get to each one before they ran out of food. And nevermind the meat sweats, as they filled their bellies with every stop.
At their last stop, Distant Relatives, the team had already closed after lunch. Artkop pleaded with the pitmaster. They “took pity on us, scraped together a small plate of leftovers and gave us our fifth stamp,” Artkop said.
Score.