Certainly, John Hancock wasn’t slow-cooking brisket and chicken over mesquite coals in a brick pit out back when he splashed one of the most recognizable signatures in American history across the Declaration of Independence.
Despite all his accomplishments, the versatile Ben Franklin wasn’t known for his barbecue sauce. And George Washington, with his legendary wooden false teeth, might have had a tough time handling smoked pork ribs, no matter how tender.
Nevertheless, here in the Lone Star State we insist on celebrating the Fourth of July Texas-style. That means barbecue.
With that in mind, the brave and hungry staff at the Telegram loosened our belts a notch and pointed our noses into the wind for the smell of wood smoke.
We scoured Bell County barbecue joints, young and old, large and small, to discover the state of Texas barbecue.
Fred Afflerbach
