9 Dishes To Never Order At A BBQ Restaurant, According To A Texas Pitmaster

No trip to the American South is complete without a stop (or few) at a barbecue joint. These restaurants are renowned for succulent cuts of meat perfectly smothered with barbecue sauce and served with tantalizing sides. We wouldn't be surprised if your mouth is already watering just thinking about it.

But, alongside all of that succulent brisket, made-with-love mac and cheese, and soft cornbread are items that aren't worth ordering. Plus, your barbecue platter is only so large, especially when you have to choose a few options from a long list of sides. To save yourself the time and headache of the "Actually, can I do ..." game when you're at the counter, we consulted barbecue expert Sloan Rinaldi, pitmaster and owner of Texas Q, to get recommendations from what you should or shouldn't order the next time you visit a barbecue restaurant. Of course, Rinaldi notes that many of these suggestions are both subjective and regional, so always take your personal preferences into account before you place your order to set yourself up for a fulfilling barbecue experience. 

"Beans, beans, they're good for your heart, the more you eat the more you ..." Okay, we won't go there — this time. But, it seems like beans are more of an oddity on the barbecue menu than other staple sides, like collard greens, cornbread, and mac and cheese. They're hearty, and because they contain so much fiber and protein, they can easily fill you up. This is bad news bears for a barbecue platter, where you want to get a little smattering of everything rather than fill up on any one single item. 

In pitmaster Sloan Rinaldi's experience, a lot of restaurants (especially outside of Texas), don't understand the technique needed for great pinto or baked beans, either. While she notes that "All sides are worth trying in Texas" (including the beans), she explains that "other regions do not seem to render the baked beans long enough to caramelize and develop flavor, and they often don't understand pinto beans." If you're visiting a barbecue joint outside of Texas and feel wary about those beans, she recommends ordering regional coleslaw or potato salad instead.

Make no mistake, it can be expensive to purchase a platter from a barbecue spot. This is because the price of the meat, especially premium cuts, is quite high. It's even led to some barbecue spots in Texas trying to pull cuts like brisket off the menu because of how expensive it is to procure. "Prime brisket is pricey, so if you're paying north of $30 per pound, you are likely getting prime," Sloan Rinaldi says. Although she says that there's no concrete way to tell that you're getting high-quality meat until it's plopped in front of you, she shares that "A cheap price usually means cheap meat." 

If you're looking to chow down on some barbecue on a budget, you can always scour for deals in your area. Or, stick to the cheaper cuts on the menu. Pork butt and pork shoulder tend to run cheaper than brisket, for example, so if you want a budget-friendly swap that doesn't sacrifice on quality, try ordering a less expensive protein like pulled pork. However, if you want quality meat and desirable cuts, prepare to splurge a little. 

Going to a barbecue restaurant and ordering a sauce that's not a regional specialty is like walking through the thin-crust pizza capital of the country, New Haven, in search of a deep-dish pizza. While you're likely to find a good slice, you won't be getting the full regional experience of a thin slice of apizza. Likewise, each regional style of barbecue comes with its own sauce that's made to match the proteins and the flavors of that area. For example, in Kansas City, you'll find a sweet and tangy sauce that goes heavy on the molasses, brown sugar, and tomato sauce. Meanwhile, in Eastern North Carolina, you'll find vinegar-based barbecue sauce. 

As you can imagine, if you want to taste the truest flavor of regional barbecue, you'll want to order the right sauce for your protein of choice. Sloan Rinaldi notes that you can always order the sauce on the side (which is how it's most often served in Texas). But the one thing you'll need to look out for is where that sauce is coming from. She says, "If it's not house made, that's a hard pass!"

This one should be a red flag not only at a barbecue restaurant but any restaurant. Scratch-made desserts are part of the dining experience and should be something that you should order — so long as you have room left. 

"The absolute most decadent desserts are found to be scratch-made at Texas BBQ joints," says Sloan Rinaldi. Take a peek on the menu for items like Texas sheet cake (which is sometimes called Texas funeral cake). This cake has the thinness of a brownie, along with a fudge frosting adorned with hunks of chopped walnuts. Could you ask for anything more? 

Another Southern staple that you can look for on the menu: peach cobbler. There's nothing better than indulging in a sweet, juicy cobbler topped with a decadent streusel and a scoop of melty vanilla ice cream. And there's something all the more special when your favorite barbecue joint bakes it in-house with love. 

One of the questions we had to ask Sloan Rinaldi was how to tell the difference between a good barbecue joint and one that's subpar. She explains that good barbecue joints "sell out daily by 3 p.m., and lines form before opening." So, if you're showing up at the barbecue joint at 6 p.m. and the trays are still filled with food, it could be a bad sign. 

The reason why you should avoid restaurant ghost towns is simple. Full trays may indicate that a barbecue spot isn't as well-regarded as the Google reviews say it is — or the restaurant staff could have made more food than they knew what to do with, which can certainly happen. Plus, the longer the meat sits out with no one to eat it, the drier it gets. When the cuts are kept whole and sliced to order, you'll get the juiciest meat possible. And honestly, does mac and cheese that's been sitting under a heat lamp for who-knows-how-long sound appealing? Probably not. 

It's not just important to pair the region's barbecue sauce with a protein. You'll also have to pay attention to make sure you order the "right" protein in the first place. Every state will have a different star protein, which should be at the top of your list when it comes to ordering. "In Texas, always go with The Trinity — brisket, pork ribs, and sausage," says Sloan Rinaldi. This will give you a smattering of each type of protein that the Lone Star State's barbecue scene is famous for. Meanwhile, if you stop at a Memphis barbecue joint, you'd be remiss not to order a plate full of succulent pork ribs prepared either wet or dry. (We recommend ordering both.)

You'll need to read up on the proteins that each state excels at before you plug in the directions for your barbecue joint of choice. That being said, you can order your favorite proteins regardless of state borders, but if you want the most fulfilling barbecue experience, you're best off sticking to the specialties. 

We're not going to say that ordering a burger at a barbecue restaurant is sacrilege. But, if the shoe fits ...

Listen — if the menu contains every cut of meat possible, it seems a bit silly to resort to a ground beef burger or whatever mystery meat they put inside of a hot dog. (Sausages, though, are a different story entirely.) You can order cheeseburgers and hot dogs at nearly every other restaurant, fast food spot, diner, and maybe even fancy steakhouse. Take this one opportunity to try a barbecued protein that you may not otherwise sample. Pitmasters are artists, after all, and their craft can't be found just anywhere. 

You don't just have to stick to ordering brisket or ribs, either. You can taste the artisanship in other dishes as well. Sloan Rinaldi is particularly proud of dishes like barbecue brisket tacos, brisket chili, and prime Black Angus Frito pie. Why would you ever need to order a burger?

This seems to bring up memories of dining out at a restaurant as a kid and having someone give you a wary stare from across the table as you pile a few more dinner rolls onto your plate. After all, if they're free, why not eat them? 

Unfortunately, while the free bread at restaurants is part of the dining experience, you may want to rethink the bread when you stop at a barbecue restaurant. On the other hand, some would argue that a barbecue plate in Texas isn't complete without a slice of cheap white sandwich bread, pickles, and raw white onions (which will typically come complimentary). It's convenient if you want a wrap for your single sausage, yes, but why would anyone want to dilute the succulent flavor of the meat with a slice of sandwich bread — straight out of the bag? 

Besides this, it's important to note that the bread is rather filling, which means you can order less of the good stuff if you fill up on it. While bread is acceptable for pulled pork or brisket sandwiches, grabbing a slice or two as a side just seems silly. 

The focal point of a barbecue experience is undeniably the protein. But, that doesn't mean that your plate should only be piled high with meat. "Yes, the proteins are always the star and must be exceptional, but you must also have a supporting cast of stellar, next-level sides," says Sloan Rinaldi. "That is the foundation of Texas craft barbecue." 

Since there are so many different sides, from coleslaw to cornbread, there is seemingly no limit for what you should stack your tray with. But Rinaldi has some suggestions. Her go-to order? The aforementioned "Texas Trinity" (brisket, sausage, and ribs) with a side of corn pudding and Texas pinto beans. While her go-to beverage is Big Red, a Texas cream soda bursting with citrusy notes, she also notes that "Beer and barbecue go hand-in-hand." After all, you'll need something to wash down all that brisket, mac and cheese, and whatever other side dishes and proteins are vying for a spot on your platter.