Believe It Or Not, Some Of The Most Popular Brisket In Texas Comes From A Gas Station

Snacks are undoubtedly the best part of any road trip, but sometimes you stumble upon a less-than-appealing rest stop gas station with expired, pre-packaged snacks and hot-to-go food that leaves you questioning, "How long has that taquito been rotating on that hot dog roller?" Luckily, if you're traveling through Texas, you can stop at a Buc-ee's, where the food is always fresh and there's some of the most popular brisket in the state. 

For the uninitiated, Buc-ee's is a Texas-based gas station sensation known for its award-winning clean restrooms, massive convenience stores (the largest one is almost 68,000 square-feet), and wide selection of food made in-store. You'll find treats like fudge, hot-roasted nuts, jerky, "beaver nuggets," which are sweetened corn puffs named after the business' mascot, and most importantly, brisket sandwiches. 

Served on a hamburger bun, the brisket is either chopped or sliced, then topped with barbecue sauce, pickles, and onions. It comes in two sizes: regular with 8 ounces of meat for $6.99, or the XXL, which has 13 ounces of meat and costs $12.99, as of July 2024. The brisket sandwich is the best-selling menu item at Buc-ee's, with more of them sold than the fountain drinks.

Buc-ee's isn't just a popular spot for those breezing through on their way somewhere else; for locals, it's often the destination itself thanks to the brisket sandwich. The meat is mainly seasoned with salt and pepper to bring out the natural flavors, then smoked low and slow for 12 to 14 hours at a smokehouse that delivers the brisket to Buc-ee's stores daily. Once it arrives, the real show begins. 

"Fresh, hot brisket on the board!" is announced over the loudspeaker every few minutes, drawing a crowd to the carving station to watch. Here, an employee clad in a cowboy hat slices and chops the meat before dousing it in Buc-ee's signature Texas-style barbecue sauce. It is then handed off to other employees who assemble the sandwiches. If you go at a time when you can't get one fresh off the cutting board, there are always pre-packaged sandwiches available. 

If your mouth is watering from the thought of Southern-style barbecue sandwiches and you don't live near one of the Buc-ee's locations in Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Colorado, or Alabama, you can mimic it by making your own smoked brisket at home. If you don't have a smoker, you can always make slow cooker barbecue brisket. Buc-ee's even has its own brisket dry rub and barbecue sauce available to purchase online to help you recreate this authentic gas station brisket sandwich.