Characteristic products
Texan cuisine is difficult to define, as there are many different influences in this large state whose demography has varied greatly over the decades, with different influences from one region to another. There are, however, two predominant styles.
Firstly, the flavors of the American Old South, strongly inspired by African-American gastronomy, are more prevalent in the east and along the coast. In central and western Texas, there's a stronger Mexican influence.
The second point is Texans' passion for barbecue. Meat is not simply cooked, but grilled. The same goes for fish. This tradition is a direct link to that of the cowboy, who prepared his meals alone, far from the family home. Once the animal had been killed, the meat was cut up and grilled over the coals. Smoking is also common.
So it's no surprise that meat plays a major role in local cuisine, and of course Texas is the biggest beef producer in the USA, with almost 13 million head of cattle in 2022. Beef is inseparable from local cuisine, and the famous Texas Longhorn bulls - with their oversized horns - are emblematic of the state and featured on many logos. But there's also pork, which became common in the late 19th century with the arrival of immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe, as Texas has the largest Czech-American population in the country. They introduced their own culinary traditions, including sausage-making. Whole roast pigs were prized for special occasions. Poultry is also popular, and Texas is the 6th largest chicken producer in the United States.
Starchy foods are an abundant accompaniment to barbecue: bread, sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, dried beans, etc.; although the trend is gradually reversing and fresh vegetables are increasingly making their appearance on restaurant tables. Perhaps that's why Whole Foods Market, an organic food retailer, was founded in Austin in 1980. Proximity to Mexico and Louisiana also explains the abundant presence of spices such as moderately hot New Mexico chile, fierce jalapeño or fiery cayenne pepper, not to mention Tabasco sauce, as well as a host of other aromatics such as cumin, paprika, black pepper or coriander. BBQ sauce originated in the southern U.S. and each state has its own recipe, but it contains a base of vinegar and tomato paste with liquid smoke extract, onion powder, various spices and sugar or molasses.
As in the rest of the United States, breakfast is very important and must be hearty. Sometimes sweet(pancakes, oatmeal or granola), it's mostly savory(breakfast burrito, bacon & eggs, potatoes). Breakfast is often eaten on the go, in a fast-food restaurant or to take away. Most restaurants, pizzerias, fast-food outlets, grills and delis provide complete takeaway meals. In the evening, Texans and Americans generally dine early. Restaurants serve dinner from 6pm, and it's not uncommon for the last service to be at 8 or 8:30pm, even on weekends. Keep this in mind when you're in small towns, if you don't want to sleep on an empty stomach. This is less the case in big cities, but be sure to check.
US cuisine made in Texas
Texan barbecue is derived from the barbacoa cooking technique, originating with the Taïnos, an indigenous people of the West Indies, who spread across the American continent via the Spanish colonial empire. Traditionally, this is a slow-cooking method in which the meat is wrapped in leaves and then cooked in a covered pit filled with embers. During the 19th century, cowboys developed techniques for cooking over embers, introduced to the region by black slaves from Louisiana. Serve with bread, potato salad, pinto beans, rice with various sauces,pickles, raw onion and sometimes hot pepper. T-bone steak, brisket, pork ribs and sausages are the most popular cuts. While cooking methods are similar, there are some differences from one corner of the state to the other.
In the eastern part of the state, where "Deep South" influences are stronger, you'll find long-cooked meat that falls off the bone, and no skimping on BBQ sauce. In Central Texas, the meat is generally rubbed only with salt and black pepper, and cooked over the coals for quite a long time. In the West, the preference is for more intense and rapid cooking over the flame, cowboy style. In the south, particularly along the Rio Grande, barbecue is more akin to Mexican barbacoa, with meats such as goat, lamb and mutton that are less common elsewhere in the state.
Of course, you'll find a host of other Old South recipes, from deliciously crispy fried chicken to fried catfish, not to mention cookies & gravy, a kind of savory scone in a creamy sausage gravy. Corn bread, a corn bread often flavored with onion, has a fluffy, crumbly texture reminiscent of cake. Fried okra are small fritters of okra, a green vegetable with a slight eggplant flavor, very popular, as are black eyed peas, prepared in a variety of ways, often with bacon fat. Finally, chicken-fried steak, despite its name, contains no chicken but a thin cutlet of beef, breaded and fried like chicken and topped with a creamy sauce.
Home of Tex-Mex
When we eat Mexican food in Europe, or even in the United States, we are most often treated to an extremely distorted version of Mexican cuisine, which is in fact a variation that appeared in the United States in the 20th century and has taken the name Tex-Mex. Indeed, Texas was Mexican territory until 1848. This style combines flavors and elements of northeastern Mexican cuisine, making generous use of beef and chili. Elements such as dried beans, avocado, lime, coriander and cumin are also found in both cuisines. On the other hand, there are many differences, such as the use of wheat patties in the USA, whereas corn tortillas are eaten in Mexico. Pork is generally preferred in Mexico, while beef is more common in the USA. Yellow cheese, an industrial yellow cheese supposed to imitate cheddar, is common in the U.S., while in Mexico white queso fresco is used.
The most emblematic Tex-Mex dish is of course chili con carne, a spicy blend of kidney beans, beef, onion and sometimes tomato. The beef is not automatically ground, but can be cubed. The dish is sometimes garnished with fresh or pickled jalapeño peppers, cilantro, grated cheese, etc. Not to be confused with chile con queso, a dip of melted cheese with chili served with tortilla chips. Tortilla chips are used in nachos, which are chips topped with melted cheese, chili, onion and sometimes even chili con carne.
Many Tex-Mex recipes use a wheat tortilla. These include fajitas, filled with meat (usually beef or chicken) with peppers and onions, and quesadillas, usually marinated chicken with a generous amount of melted cheese. Burritos - originally from northern Mexico - are therefore a natural presence in Texas. But the U.S. version is obviously bigger and more abundantly topped, notably with a hearty mix of rice, meat, red beans, sour cream, guacamole and so on. Chimichangas are simply fried burritos. While taco recipes vary widely across Mexico, in the USA they are crisp, folded into a half-moon shape and filled with minced meat, cheese and crudités. The same filling is used for puffy tacos, fried and puffy, a specialty of San Antonio. Finally, pan de campo is the official bread of Texas, although it's more accurately a kind of thick scone baked in a pan.
Desserts and drinks
When it comes to desserts, the state's classic US pastries are easy to find, from cheesecakes to melt-in-your-mouth brownies, sugar-sprinkled apple pies and doughnuts. In Texas, however, you'll have to try the pecan pie, for which the state disputes paternity with other states in the Old South, such as Louisiana. Pecan trees grow naturally in the region, and pecans are the perfect garnish for this rich, brown-sugar pie. Another version - sometimes nicknamed the "poor man's pecan pie " - is the peanut pie, with peanuts, which is also very tasty. But there's also the peanut butter pie, which is more like a cheesecake, with a cookie-crumb crust and a peanut butter mousse filling. Texas sheet cake is a moist chocolate cake topped with cocoa frosting. Another Southern dessert, banana pudding is a layering of banana slices, custard and small cookies, while cobbler consists of a base of fruit - usually peaches - covered with discs of shortbread dough that form a golden crust. The Mexican influence popularized desserts such as egg flan, sopapillas (cinnamon-sprinkled doughnuts topped with honey) and tres leches, a cake soaked in a mixture of milk and sweetened condensed milk and topped with whipped cream. Czech immigrants brought their own pastry tradition with them, with kolaches, brioche tarts filled with fruit
While the quality of American coffee is often derided as being like sock juice, it's worth noting that specialized coffee shops have been springing up like mushrooms in recent years. Be aware that if you ask for tea, we'll understand that you're asking for iced tea. Otherwise, you should specify that you want a hot tea. Indeed, as in other southern states, iced sweet tea served with a slice of lemon is very popular. Of course, we love sodas, and while the famous Coca Cola was born in Atlanta in 1886, the oldest American soda - Dr Pepper - was created by a pharmacist, Charles Alderton, in the Texan town of Waco a year earlier.
When it comes to alcoholic beverages, as everywhere else in the U.S., beer tops the list. Of note is Lone Star - self-proclaimed the " National Beer of Texas " - originally produced by the Lone Star Brewing Company, founded in 1884 but since closed, their signature beer now produced by the Miller Brewing Company. Founded by German and Czech immigrants in 1909, Spoetzl Brewery is still in operation, producing several lines of bocks, dark, full-bodied beers at 6° minimum, much stronger than classic American beers. Texas also produces wine. The first vines were planted by Spanish missionaries as early as the 17th century, but production remained relatively modest. Today, it is booming, and the state is the 6th largest wine producer in the United States, although it is far from competing with California, which accounts for over 85% of the country's wine production.
