Texas is enormous. You could drive for six hours and still be in Texas. The good news is that the state takes food seriously enough to make every single one of those hours worth pulling over for. Here is what to eat, and exactly where to get it.
Brisket
This is the whole reason people plan road trips through Texas, and nothing should come before it. Proper Texas brisket has a thick black pepper crust called the bark, a pink smoke ring just underneath, and interior meat so tender it barely needs a knife.
Pitmasters tend their fires for up to 18 hours with nothing but salt, pepper, smoke, and patience.
Franklin Barbecue in Austin is the most famous destination, where the brisket is sliced to order, wrapped in butcher paper, and worth the hours-long line…