Texas Monthly Barbecue Editor Explains the Top 50 List Process

The Texas Monthly Top 50 Barbecue List

• 🗓️ The Texas Monthly Top 50 Barbecue list is released every four years, coinciding with the U.S. presidential inauguration.
• 🏆 This four-year cycle allows for a fresh look at the barbecue scene, ensuring the list reflects current standards rather than repeating previous years' findings.
• 🗺️ The evaluation process spans six to seven months, during which a team travels across the entire state of Texas to assess barbecue joints.

Judging Criteria and Process

• 🎯 The judging focuses solely on the barbecue itself, separating it from the personal stories or struggles of the pitmasters.
• 🧐 While compelling stories and characters often accompany great barbecue, they are not the primary reason for a high ranking.
• 📝 The team aims to get the barbecue joint's best performance during the evaluation period, acknowledging that they can only judge the product presented on the day.

Evaluating Danes Craft Barbecue

• 🌟 Danes Craft Barbecue, ranked 7th, did not come out of nowhere; they were considered for the top 10 in 2021.
• 🏡 Their move to a permanent brick-and-mortar location was crucial, allowing them to build community and overcome the limitations of a food truck.
• 📈 Improvements in individual items, such as juicier turkey and consistently perfect ribs, contributed to their higher ranking.
• 🥩 The brisket was the primary selling point for Danes, with the pork belly brisket also noted as exceptional.

The Importance of Brisket and Sides

• 🔑 Fantastic brisket is the baseline requirement for consideration in the top 10 and top 50 lists.
• 💡 While brisket used to be a standout, it's now an expectation, pushing the focus towards other elements.
• 🌟 Modern barbecue joints are evaluated on the inventiveness of their entire menu, going beyond the traditional brisket, ribs, sausage, and standard sides.

Impact and Criticism

• 📈 Inclusion on the Top 50 list significantly impacts a barbecue joint's business for the following four years.
• 🗣️ Criticism and arguments over the list are expected and are part of what makes the list engaging.
• integrity is questioned when people claim the rankings are swayed by friendships or payment from barbecue joints.