Pictured is Panther City BBQ pork belly burnt ends, Brisket elote, and street tacos, $53.

My gf and I traveled across the country on a big road trip, we hit as much barbecue as we could including heavy hitters like Skylight Inn and The Smoke Pit in NC, Big Bob Gibson's in Alabama, and Hutchins and Panther City in Dallas. We kept scores based on texture and flavor, with sub categories for presentation, sides, and tea.

Maybe a hot take, but Texas wins. The beef in Texas is just too good. There's some incredible chicken and pork out east, but the inspired brisket elote at Panther City in Fort Worth or that thick slab of brisket at Terry Black's in Austin or the absolutely perfect beef rib at Hutchins in McKinney... They're the best of the best.