Soaring Beef Costs Are Messing With Texas' Barbecue

The price of brisket isn't just shooting up in Texas—it's threatening the state's signature food business. As the Washington Post reports, at Roegels Barbecue Co. outside Houston, owner Russell Roegels now pays $5.56 a pound for brisket, up 28% in a year. He's bumped his brisket price to $35 a pound and still worries "you're one bad week from closing." He's not alone: rising beef costs are shutting down well-regarded spots across the state, from Brett's BBQ Shop near Houston to Sabar BBQ in Fort Worth, as more than 3,000 Texas barbecue joints face a squeeze on their most important menu item.

The forces behind the spike stretch far beyond the smoker. The national cattle herd is at its smallest in roughly three-quarters of a century, notes Forbes, thanks to drought, high feed and land costs, and labor shortages. Inflation, tariffs, and what critics say is aggressive pricing by major meatpackers have pushed wholesale beef higher, while everything else—from coleslaw to takeout containers—also costs more. "You can't really hide that price anymore," says Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn, who notes that $40 brisket is no longer shocking. Even elite operations like Burnt Bean Co., ranked Texas' top barbecue joint, say they're stuck in "survival mode."

Some owners are raising prices, leaning on catering, or cutting back on brisket days. Smaller and newer operators, especially those without direct ranch connections, are particularly exposed, notes the Post. Others are quietly reengineering menus and steering customers toward pork and sausage. Pitmasters are experimenting with cheaper cuts like beef cheek that mimic brisket's texture, but Vaughn worries that regional specialties—from saucy East Texas plates to South Texas "Mexicue"—are fading as the state's barbecue scene standardizes around what's affordable. "What is at risk now is losing that community and culture. It's much bigger than just a business closing," says Emily Williams Knight, president of the Texas Restaurant Association. "We are going to lose some of these special, culturally significant restaurants." For the full deep dive, read the Post piece.