New trouble for Texas BBQ restaurants: High beef cost ‘the final nail in the coffin’
First, restaurants were staggered by an ongoing pandemic.
Now, they can’t always find enough meat.
Pitmasters shared stories last week of food supplies running out of brisket, the gold standard for a city emerging as the new hot spot for Texas barbecue.
Heim Barbecue’s suppliers haven’t run short yet but wholesale brisket prices are going up, Travis Heim wrote by email.
“When it rains, it pours,” he wrote.
“Talking with our suppliers, it seems pretty bad.”
Heim Barbecue is serving weekends in its patio and garden at its West Fork location, 5333 White Settlement Road. That Heim is also open daily for take-out.
The other Heim, 1109 W. Magnolia Ave., is open for take-out. (It’s closed Mondays).
“I’m afraid these meat shortages are going to be the final nail in the coffin for a lot of independent BBQ joints,” Heim wrote.
“We should still be able to provide all the normal BBQ staples, but there’s no way around raising our prices.”
You’ll see more restaurants offering smoked chicken, loaded baked potatoes, and Heim Burgers (if they can get ground beef).
“We’re just hoping and praying that people will still continue to support our restaurants even if we have to raise prices or transition to a menu that’s less beef-heavy,” he wrote.
Heim launched the craft barbecue scene in Fort Worth in a food trailer and has expanded to two restaurants and a busy catering operation; 817-882-6970 or 682-707-5772, heimbbq.com.
Green’s BBQ trailer upholds family’s barbecue legacy
For Don Green of Green’s Texas Bar-B-Que in Euless, carrying on the 40-year barbecue tradition of the Green family’s former restaurant, the higher prices may affect his food trailer more than the pandemic slowdown.
With a food truck, “I was carryout before all the sit-down brick-and-mortars were forced to change their model,” Green wrote in a message.
His biggest problem at first was finding carry-out wrap.
Wholesale brisket prices are up and he expects them to go up more with panic buying, he wrote.
But Green’s lower overhead has helped his business thrive. He actually hired an extra worker to serve customers faster.
“The city of Euless has done a fantastic job supporting local businesses,” he wrote.
“I’m pleased and will adjust to the supply chain if needed.”
Green’s is open only at lunch Saturdays; 414 W. Euless Blvd., Euless, 817-233-1198, greenstexasbbq.com.
