Why do Europeans love Texas barbecue?
Texas-style barbecue joints continue to open around the world, and that’s good news for expatriate Texans or those who travel internationally. If you’re in London, you can drop by Texas Joe’s for a taste of legitimate Texas barbecue. Melt and The Beast in Paris offer similar smoked-meat experiences just across the English Channel.
On a recent trip to Como, Italy, I found a new outpost of Texas barbecue called Blacket. As I sat down to a plate of the Texas trinity — brisket, ribs and sausage — I again pondered the question, “Why do Europeans love Texas barbecue?”
Based on my experience traveling abroad and talking to European pitmasters and diners, I’m certain that at least part of the answer can be found in the ingredient that defines Texas barbecue —American-made beef.
Europeans have a complicated relationship with beef, both in its consumption and production. In most European countries, eating beef is an afterthought — the tradition of steakhouses that is so prevalent in the U.S. does not exist in most parts of Europe (Spain is something of an exception).
If you’ve ever ordered a steak in Europe, you quickly realize the experience is quite different from the U.S. The most noticeable difference is how it is cooked — the steaks I’ve had are invariably extra-rare. European beef also lacks the high fat content — marbling — of American beef. This is because much of the beef produced in Europe is grass-fed, rather than the grain-fed or “grain-finished” beef that makes the American product much fattier, and therefore more flavorful.
Indeed, beef production in Europe is highly regulated, mainly because of concerns about sustainability, animal welfare and food safety. The debate over beef production is complex, but clearly Europe as a whole has decided that these concerns are more important than producing, arguably, more tasty beef using the less regulated American approach.
In my experience, the flavor and texture of American beef is better than those of European beef. I think that many Europeans feel the same way. And that’s a big reason Texas barbecue has become so popular there.
One of the common features of Texas-style barbecue joints in Europe is that they all procure imported American beef. At Blacket in Como, when my brisket order arrived I knew immediately that it was American beef. The generous marbling and fat cap were unmistakable. Pitmaster Vincenzo “Enzo” Cuccaro confirmed that he imports Creekstone Farms-brand beef from Kansas, when he can get it.
Unfortunately, European barbecue joints can’t always acquire American beef. Importing beef into the European Union is a complex process. First, there is a quota for the total amount of tariff-free beef that can be imported from all non-E.U. countries. American beef represents just a small sliver of that overall quota.
Additionally, beef imported to Europe must adhere to the standards of sustainability and other requirements previously mentioned. For American beef, this mainly means that it must be hormone-free. Hormones are often used in American beef production to help the cattle grow faster. European regulators have determined that the use of hormones is unhealthy and unsustainable and bans the importation of beef made this way.
American beef imported to Europe is thus labeled “all natural,” meaning it was produced without the use hormones or antibiotics. Creekstone Farms is one brand of American beef known for its all-natural product that satisfies European requirements.
This, of course, creates a problem. The demand for high-quality beef in Europe is increasing, and the quota, measured by quarter, is being exhausted sooner. European pitmasters have told me that it is often hard to find imported American beef toward the end of each quarter because the quota has been reached.
That’s starting to change. American and European regulators are negotiating for larger quotas of imported American beef.
That’s good news for Texasstyle barbecue joints in Europe because there is clearly an increase in demand for the tastier, more tender style of beef produced in the U.S. For Europeans who crave American beef, they know that Texas-style barbecue joints are guaranteed to have that beef, cooked in a proper and traditional way (not too rare!).
To paraphrase an American marketing slogan: “Beef. It’s why Europeans love Texas-style barbecue.”