The best barbecue battle between the states will continue to wage war for years to come. However, the state of Texas has perfected one particular cut of beef that no other United States territory has, brisket. Since cows don't have collar bones, the muscles, connective tissue, and collagen found in brisket are extremely durable and require a cooking process that could take anywhere from eight to twelve hours to properly prepare.
The history of brisket has been ingrained within the state of Texas before it even became a part of the United States. Supposedly, the Native American population in south Texas popularized the beef cut with early settlers and it has been apart of Texas' food culture ever since. A spice-based dry rub and hours and hours of being cooked over oak and hickory wood chips in an enclosed smoker provides the meat with tenderness and red rings that are just as aesthetically pleasing as it is delicious.