Texas BBQ Joint Ditches Brisket Amid Soaring Beef Prices

Butter's BBQ, a Texas institution and one of the state's top 50 smokehouses according to Texas Monthly, has removed brisket from its menu due to soaring beef prices. The decision comes as the cost of brisket has surged by $1 per pound in just a week, making it unaffordable for the restaurant to serve.

Andrew Soto, owner and pitmaster of Butter's BBQ, explained that to cover the increase, he would have had to raise the price from $37 to $51 per pound. 'That was the final straw that broke the camel's back,' Soto said in an interview with The Washington Post.

The crisis is not limited to one smokehouse. Several Texas barbecue businesses have shut down in recent months due to rising costs, including Fiasco BBQ in Austin and Kelly's Hill Country BBQ in Wimberley. The US cattle herd has shrunk to its lowest level in 75 years, leading to higher beef prices.

Industry experts point to factors such as high grain prices, inflation, rising interest rates, and drought conditions as contributing to the surge in beef costs. For barbecue restaurants, brisket is particularly expensive due to long cooking times and significant preparation requirements.