Texas barbecue is, by and large, about tradition. One of its enduring and endearing characteristics is that it delivers comfort in both food and experience.

Though many barbecue joints are branching out when it comes to new menu items, we’ll never get our Texas card revoked for ordering brisket, pork ribs, sausage, coleslaw and banana pudding.

Still, lingering on the periphery of many menus are items that are either lesser-known or are a regional specialty. For instance, only in recent years have Central Texas joints acknowledged Southeast Texas as a legitimate barbecue region by accepting smoked boudin as a standard menu item.

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GUIDE: The best barbecue joints in Houston according to our critics

The dessert section usually features its own Texas trinity of sweet treats:........

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