Things You’ll Only Hear at a West Texas Barbecue (and What They Really Mean)

What's better than a Texas barbecue? The smell of brisket wafting through the air, the sound of your cousin figuring out the hard way that he chose the broken lawn chair, and the uncle who keeps suspiciously "checking the pit" every couple of minutes, only to return with meat juices dripping down his chin.

More Than Food

Texas barbecues aren't just all about the food. What about the language? Ever given it much thought? You might oughta. Around here, each compliment, side eye, and "bless your heart" has an alternative meaning that only locals are truly fluent in.

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Let's dive into some Texas BBQ lingo that only makes sense to locals.

"That's an interesting rub." - While this may sound like a compliment, 9 times out of 10, what it really means is, "I'd rather chew on a box of rusty nails."

“Who made the potato salad?” -  You'll usually hear this directly before someone gets the ever-living crud roasted out of them for adding some weird ingredient like apples or raisins.

“Y’all come hungry!” - This essentially translates to, "We hope you bring a bunch of side dishes because it's not our fault you have 9 kids."

“How’s your mama?” - Most of the time, this question is followed by some form of juicy gossip or something to do with a suspicious mole the doctor will be cutting off next Tuesday.

“We don’t do sauce." - This phrase is heard most often coming from the mouth of a man who thinks his barbecue is moist enough to enjoy without sauce. Just play it cool, casually agree with them, and sauce up your meat when he runs to the gas station for more beer.

“You’ve really outdone yourself,” - Someone is either telling you that your spread is "Absolutely divine" or to "Please never invite us over when you're cooking again."

BBQ = Love, Y'all

West Texas barbecues are more of a competitive sport disguised as a humble family gathering. But, at the end of it all, beneath the eyerolls and subtle snarky shade, we're really just all saying how much we love each other, especially when food is involved — and definitely if you brought the jalapeño poppers!

 Keep scrolling for more West Texas-based foodie fun in the galleries below...