7 smokin' Houston-area joints sizzle on Texas Monthly's surprising new best BBQ in Texas list

HOUSTON, Texas -- Texas Monthly has shaken up the barbecue world. The magazine's newly released list of the state's top 50 barbecue joints makes major changes to the conventional wisdom surrounding where to find the best 'cue in Texas.

The video above is from a previous story.

Presented as a ranked top 10, 40 additional restaurants listed alphabetically by city, and 50 honorable mentions, the magazine's team of 32 staff writers and three freelancers compiled the rankings by visiting 411 establishments during the spring and summer. With 29 new entrants - including four of the top five - the list leans heavily towards restaurants that have opened since Texas Monthly last ranked barbecue joints in 2017.

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Despite all the changes, barbecue fans shouldn't panic. Texas Monthly's message to readers isn't that the old places have gotten worse in the last four years. Rather, they've been outshined by restaurants that cook a wider selection of meats than the classic Texas trinity of brisket, ribs, and sausage; prepare a more diverse selection of sides than potato salad, beans, and cole slaw; and show a willingness to incorporate international flavors into their preparations.

WATCH: Chew on this: Popular local BBQ spot pays UT football star

Thanks to a NCAA rule change, Grant Pinkerton can now help make decisions involving some of the best football players around, and do it without quitting his day job as owner of Pinkerton's BBQ.

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