BBQ tips and techniques
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Learn the brisket smoking secrets from Texas's best BBQ joints including Franklin, Terry Black's, Valentina's, Pinkerton's, and Snow's BBQ.
The Backyahd BBQ crew just got back from a weeklong Texas BBQ tour in Austin and San Antonio. It wasn't easy choosing which joints to try, but after a lot of research with the Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ joints, we landed on:
San Antonio
Lexington
First and foremost, know that all these joints are amazing. Comparing their briskets is as controversial and religiously debated as comparing high-end cars. Everyone is going to have a different opinion. Everyone has different tastes and different preferences.
This blog is going to focus on each joint's brisket smoking process and my personal recommendations for when you visit them. I'm going to try to stay away from the contentious discussion around "who is best" and focus more on what each place brings to the table and what sets them apart.
I was able to talk with the pitmasters at each joint. They all welcomed the interaction and openly shared their process. I highly recommend you go back around to the smokehouse, respect their space and, if the opportunity arises, politely ask a few questions to help you improve your skills.
The Roundup: What They Have in Common
Let's start by going over brisket process categories and what the joints have in common and how they differ.
- Wood: Most use Post Oak. Valentina's and Pinkerton's use Mesquite.
- Trim: Other than Snow's, everyone does an aggressive trim. Similar to my Foolproof Brisket Trim method. But most do not trim the silver skin on the meat side because it is too time consuming when doing briskets at volume.
- Binder: No one uses a binder.
- Rub: Most just use salt and pepper. Snow's uses table salt, the rest use kosher salt. Valentina's uses a more complex rub. I personally think Franklin's uses Lawry's, but cannot confirm that.
- Side Up: Everyone cooks fat side up.
- Spritz: Only Terry Black spritzes with Worcestershire sauce at the start and switches to ACV after bark is set. No one else spritzes.
- Pit Temp: Everyone smokes between 250-275. Snow's brings down to 225 after a couple of hours.
- Meat Temp: No one probes for temp. They all go by color and feel, which is something that is developed over years of cooking.
- Time: Everyone cooks for about 1.25-1.5hrs for every pound of brisket.
- Wrap: Everyone wraps. Snow's and Valentina's use foil. Everyone else uses butcher paper.
- Tallow: Everyone puts tallow on the brisket before wrapping. But not much. Just enough to cover it.
- Rest: Everyone rests. Most in a commercial warmer at 145 degrees for 5-12 hours. Snow's only rests for 2 hours in a basic cooler.
The BBQ Joints
Now let's get into the detailed process and our thoughts for each of the joints we visited.
Terry Black's Barbecue
Terry Black’s BBQ in Austin, Texas. Def visit and get the brisket, beef ribs, and sausage. The line moves quickly. #bbq #texasbbq #brisket #smokedbrisket #atx #austin
How to season a blackstone griddle #blackstonegriddle #griddle #bbq #outdoorcooking
Let's look at Terry Black's brisket. They do the foolproof brisket trim, no mohawk, shaved deckle, rounded flat corners, and a quarter inch fat cap. They don't use a binder, but do spritz with Worcestershire sauce after 1.5 hours, and then switch to an ACV spritz after the bark is set.
They rub with only salt and pepper and smoke it fat side up with Post Oak at 250 degrees for 9ish hours. They then check for a dark mahogany color on the cusp of a burned crust. They wrap it with butcher paper and pull when it feels right. To test they pick it up and gauge doneness by how the point and flat bend and how the lean feels under it with a squeeze. They then move the briskets to a 145 degree warmer and rest until it is ready to serve, which can be 10-12 hours.
My Recommendation
When I'm back in Austin, I'd hit up Terry Black's and get a slice of point, a spicy sausage, a beef rib, and potato salad. It's one of the only places that serves beef ribs every day, so don't miss out on that. Their pepper-forward bark is a bit crunchier than other places, which I personally prefer. Definitely make sure you ask for some burnt ends.
Franklin Barbecue
Shorty. Micky 6. Muchacho. Mork. Mindy. Franklin BBQ (@franklinbbq2026) pit names. #texas #austin #bbq
Lighting the @masterbuilt gravity fed with @royaloakcharcoal tumbleweeds. #smoker #fire #chill
Let's look at Franklin's brisket. They do the foolproof brisket trim, no mohawk, shaved deckle, rounded flat corners, and 1/4" fat cap. They don't use a binder and do not spritz. They claim to only use salt and pepper, but I'm confident I tasted garlic and onion - possibly Lawry's.
They smoke it fat side up with Post Oak at 250 degrees for 9 hours without opening the smoker doors. They remove it from the smoker when it turns a dark mahogany almost black color, pour tallow on top and wrap in paper until done at about 195-203 degrees, but they pull by feel not temp. They then move them to a 145 degree warmer and rest until it is ready to serve, which can be 10-12 hours.
My Recommendation
The staff here really stood out from the other places. As we moved through the line I felt like I was visiting with friends. They gave us a pit tour, asked us a bunch of questions, and took time to chat. I would definitely return for the brisket, sausage, and the mustard-forward potato salad. The brisket was definitely the star of the show.
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ
Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ Brisket Method #bbq #texasbbq #brisket #smokedmeat #austin #valentinastexmexbbq #texas #learnontiktok
Valentina’s Brisket #bbq #texasbbq #atx #austin #smokedmeat #texmex #brisket #smokedbrisket #texas @valentinastexmexbbq
Let's look at Valentina's brisket. We ordered the Mex Taco mix because we wanted to try something different. Valentina's does the foolproof brisket trim, no mohawk, shaved deckle, rounded flat corners, and 1/4" fat cap on the flat and a 1/8" fat cap on the point.
They don't use a binder and do not spritz. Their rub is primarily salt and pepper and they also add garlic, onion, chili powder and "other spices". They smoke it fat side up with Mesquite at 260 degrees for about 9 hours. They wrap in foil when a dark mahogany bark forms, and pull by feel not by temp.
My Recommendation
I'll be back to Valentina's and will get the brisket, corn, and queso. Using Mesquite sets them apart from the others who only smoke with post oak. The flavor difference is immediately apparent upon first bite. It's not overpowering like most people think Mesquite is. It's unique and delicious.
Pinkerton's Barbecue
Pinkertons’s Brisket Method #sanantonio #texas #bbq #texasbbq #smokedmeat #brisket #beef #didyouknow #learnontiktok #bbqtips #pinkertons #pinkertonsbbq @pinkertonsbbq
Pinkerton’s Brisket #bbq #texasbbq #sanantonio #smokedmeat #brisket #bbqtips #smokedbrisket #texas @pinkertonsbbq
Pinkerton's in San Antonio uses Mesquite like Valentina's, giving their brisket a distinct flavor profile. They follow a similar trim and cook process to the other joints but their San Antonio location gives you a different vibe from the Austin spots.
My Recommendation
If you're in San Antonio, Pinkerton's is a must-visit. The Mesquite smoke gives their brisket a unique flavor that stands out from the Post Oak joints in Austin.
Snow's BBQ
Some raw footage from our trip to Snow’s BBQ in Lexington Texas. Definitely worth the wait at least once in your life. #bbq #texasbbq
Snow’s BBQ in Lexington Texas. We got there at 5am and ate around 11am. Very long line. But def worth it at least once in your life. Go for the brisket and pork steaks. They use electric knives on the...
Snow's BBQ in Lexington is legendary and only open on Saturdays. They do a less aggressive trim than the other joints, use table salt instead of kosher, and wrap in foil. They also rest for a shorter time - only about 2 hours in a basic cooler.
My Recommendation
Snow's is worth the trip to Lexington and the early morning wait. Get there early - they're only open on Saturdays and sell out fast. The experience of being at the #1 ranked BBQ joint in Texas is something special.
Conclusion
The common threads across all these legendary joints are simplicity and patience. Salt, pepper, quality beef, post oak (or mesquite), and time. No fancy injections, no complex rubs, no shortcuts.
The biggest takeaway for your home cooks: go by feel, not just temperature. All these pitmasters have developed an intuition for when a brisket is done that comes from years of practice. Start paying attention to how your brisket feels at different stages, and over time you'll develop that same intuition.
Ready to try it yourself?
Check out our comprehensive brisket recipe to apply these techniques at home, and don't forget to start with a proper brisket trim.
Jonny