Presented By Dan Gentile/Thrillist Don’t expect Texas to have a single style of barbecue. That would be like French winemakers hawking a single grape varietal. Like Champagne, Central Texas brisket might be our most recognized brand and most popular export, but we’ve got plenty more to offer. Barbecue changes pretty significantly across the state. It is 857 miles from Orange to El Paso, after all. There are, however, some common threads. You’re much more likely to find the larger, meatier pork spare ribs instead of dainty baby backs. Beef ribs can be found throughout the state, but massive beef short ribs are a relatively recent phenomenon. Texas also has one of the few American barbecue styles where sausage-making is an integral part of the tradition.