Sweet tea, venison jerky, and caviar—not the kind you think—are Lone Star state must-haves.
When I first follow to Texas in 2018 , I asked Whataburger if I could alter my order protein style and hold the sauce . They had no musical theme what this meant . See , I ’m a spoiledLondoner , who ’s only go inNew York Cityand Tokyo , so I swore I ’d never relocate to my married man ’s sorry and dust-covered home turf . We argue over the heat , the triggerman , the amateur amusement scene , and , above all , the food . He told me I behaved like the cast ofSchitt ’s Creek . I recount him he act like Kelly Clarkson . I finally kvetch and screamed all the way toAustin , trading our shoebox Brooklyn apartment for a astonishingly nice Austin condo with amenities — and a working elevator ! . Things did get ripe … because I learned to accommodate .
The first thing I embraced was Texas - size dower . ( It ’s true , everything is bigger in Texas.)Blue Bellbecame my Christ , specially during the pandemic ; I mean , six dollar bill for half - congius of extremist - sweet water ice cream ? Screw the Halo Top vegan , I ’m addicted to moo-cow now . Speaking of cow , that ’s one protein beginning you really have to like in Texas , because if not , you go athirst half the time you abuse out with pals .
And now ? I do thing like glamping in Wimberley with coolers of H - eastward - group B grub , and I voluntarily vacation in Galveston with in - practice of law to feed deep - fry wolf fish like any good southerly male child . I whole do n’t kick about the butter mental object on the corn , not to their faces .
Design by Maitane Romagosa for Thrillist
If you ’re one of the millions of newbies in Texas keen to acclimate to this wonderfully indulgent distance , there are a bunch of food market items you ’ll take to swot up on — this lively intel took me years to evolve . My best advice ? Do n’t ever look at the constituent label .
Our favorite Texan snacks and drinks
Venison JerkyThere ’s a net ton of deer in Texas , and what do Texans care to do with nimiety - anything ? Eat it of grade ( that ’s why we spend so much time at Kroger ’s “ Oops , We Baked Too Much ” rack ) . Venison jerky is not what you think . It ’s not as tough asbeef jerky , and I actually find that it ’s soft and packed with savour . TryCentral Market ’s Smoked Venison Jerky , which is crafted by the pit professional of family - possess Texas smokehouse . It ’s always delicious and tender and makes for a great high - protein snack on the go .
Cowboy CaviarQuite the opposition of the decent Pisces eggs , cowboy caviaris cheap , rarely copulate with bubbly , and has had zero contact with a fish . Also make out as Texas caviar , it ’s actually a salad that double asa dip : shameful - centre peas , corn whiskey , Alexander Bell peppercorn , tomatoes , black noggin and avocado . Folks down here just jostle them in their mouth by the spoonful or on a tortilla chip . We go down the chip route and get it all from Whole Foods ( base in Austin , FYI ) .
barbeque SandwichesI’ll say it once and I ’ll say it again . Whether you ’re at a party , a festival , or a gas place , there will be overawe . Cow in the form of dairy farm or meat , that is . beef cattle brisket sandwiches can be found all over the state , and they ’re a convenient means to grave thatbarbecueitch without the effort . We often stop atRudy’swhen get out to a lam in the Hill Country , and go for the half pound of moist brisket ( which can get a lil ’ messy ! ) . Pulled pork is another popular barbeque sandwich option .
Whole Pickled CucumbersIf you love slicing of pickles on ground beef , then come to Texas and go the whole hogget ! Here , we stock , sell , and eat whole - pick cucumbers like they ’re churros . you could find them not only on supermarket shelves but even in movie house and schooltime cafeterias . Next metre you go and see a film , why not switch Zea mays everta for a couple of tangy cucumbers ? A slight crunch and a little zest will keep you center . Better still , have your pickle thrownintoyour bucket of Zea mays everta : also known as the “ popcorn fix . ”
Chips and GuacI make love guac , so I was beguiled that every metre we shoot the breeze booster , a big trough of chips and guac mechanically hit the table . The guac , made of demolish avocado , is mix with a crowd of chopped veggies and flavorer . Some mass make it , but it ’s easier just to buy a big tub from H - Es - B or Costco . Texans never go to Target for guac because they only have small box varieties . Remember , everything needs to be bigger here . also , you ’ll need to pick up large bags of chip shot while at the depot ; H - E - B ’s own brand ofSea Salt Tortilla Chipsare neat because they ’re even tasty on their own when you ’ve run out of dip . Game day , separate .
Peanut BrittleNo sept reunion is over without my pardner ’s Aunt Treena and her noted homemade peanut brittle . Since that is voiceless to fall by for the masses , well , there ’s alwaysCentral Market ’s ! Peanut Brittle is a sweet delicacy that ’s made of flat , jagged musical composition of heavy sugar confect , mixed with nuts . When in Texas , though , you ’ll want brittle made with local pecans . The famous roadside gas post and market chain , Buc - ee ’s , has you covered with itspecan brittle .
Jarred Jams and JelliesAll of the South , and Texas especially , is heavy on yield jam or jelly consumption . We have a major odoriferous habituation down here . Thanks to the bountiful ravisher and berry crops , farm - to - can jams are staple buttery items . I like local brands likeAustin Jam Company , but you ’ll find wayside Peter Sellers all over the state . Spread on your toast , glaze it on some meat , or plainly lend to your pick of kolache .
KolachesKolaches are a traditional “ Tex - Czech ” breakfast pastry , and a nod to the state ’s history of immigration . They date back to the 1800s when Czechoslovakian immigrants motivate to Texas and brought the pastry dough with them . Todaykolache shopsare still thriving . You ’ll find them at every family gathering too . My favorite is the Poppy Seed Kolache , and the just place to buy them isThe Czech Stop Bakeryin West , Texas ( notice : the town is called “ West ” , it ’s not actuallyinthe westerly side of Texas ) .
Sweet TeaWhen I first land , I was abysmally confused that chilled sugared tea leaf was what I ’d get help when I simply necessitate for ‘ teatime ’ in restaurants . Down here , teatime is made of Lipton and sugar . This needs to be emphasized in ALL CAPS : A LOT OF SUGAR . My husband grow up with gallons of the stuff fromChicken Express , and I ’m surprised he does n’t have diabetes . Today we prefer kind that use dark-brown saccharide , agave , or stevia . Moonshine hashalf’n’half Lemonade Teawhich you could buy in pack of 12 .
Peach CobblerTexas is nearly as famous as Georgia when it come to peaches ( we just do n’t have a Justin Bieber birdsong ) . Thisbaked , casserole - style dessertis peach yield woof covered with batter , and serve piping hot . Sprinkle on some powdered sugar , top with whipped ointment or side with ice cream . This is a really loose dessert to make , but most southerly - style or comfortableness food chains , likeCracker Barrel , sell it to - go .
Where to shop for Texan products
These Texan kickshaw can be set up in all the full-grown supermarkets , such asH - eastward - B , Walmart , andKroger . You ’ll detect the local brands stocked in cautiously curated market retail merchant likeWhole Foods , Central Market , andRoyal Blue Grocery , as well as Farmer ’s Markets , where you could buy from them directly . On a road trip ? Well , you only must terminate atBuc - ee’sgas place contraption stores . They are vast and have awesome barbecue to - go items , bite , drinkable and souvenirs . TheNew Braunfels brancheven holds the world disk as the largest convenience entrepot in the human race .
