9 Texas Foods Folks Pass On And 9 They’d Eat Every Day
Texas cuisine is as big and bold as the state itself, with flavors that range from mouthwatering to downright mystifying. While some Lone Star State specialties have locals lining up around the block, others make even hardcore Texans think twice before digging in.
Whether you’re a native or just passing through, knowing which Texas foods earn thumbs up and which get the side-eye can save your taste buds some trouble.
1. Pass: Rocky Mountain Oysters
Bull testicles masquerading as ‘oysters’ trick unsuspecting tourists every year. Breaded, fried, and served with cocktail sauce, these private parts become public fare at rodeos and specialty restaurants.
I once witnessed my cousin’s horrified face when he discovered what he’d been enthusiastically devouring. Many Texans proudly claim they enjoy this delicacy, but privately admit they’d rather leave these oysters in the mountains.
2. Pass: Pickled Pig’s Feet
Pink, gelatinous trotters floating in vinegar jars haunt convenience store shelves across rural Texas. This old-school preservation method creates a snack that even adventurous eaters approach with caution.
The texture combines rubbery skin, gelatinous fat, and tiny bones in an unholy trinity that challenges modern palates. Growing up, my grandfather would enjoy these while watching football, smacking his lips with satisfaction while the rest of us maintained a safe distance.
Most younger Texans pass on this particular tradition.
3. Pass: Liver and Onions
Sliced beef liver fried with onions creates a dish that divides Texas families along generational lines. Older folks raised during leaner times appreciate this iron-rich protein, while younger generations run screaming.
The metallic flavor and mushy texture trigger immediate gag reflexes in the uninitiated. Small-town diners still feature this on weekly specials, but watch carefully – these plates often return to the kitchen barely touched.
Even liver lovers admit it requires significant seasoning to mask its fundamental essence.
4. Pass: Menudo
This traditional Mexican soup featuring tripe (cow stomach) in spicy red chile broth divides Texans along cultural and adventurous-eating lines. The distinctive aroma alone sends many fleeing before the first spoonful.
Texans with Mexican heritage often swear by menudo’s hangover-curing powers, while others can’t get past the honeycomb texture of the stomach lining.
The soup itself has a delicious, complex flavor, but the main ingredient’s chewy, slightly rubbery consistency creates a textural challenge that many find insurmountable.
5. Pass: Calf Fries
Bull testicles’ younger cousins! These “delicacies” come from young calves during castration and somehow made their way onto dinner plates instead of staying in veterinary waste bins.
Breaded and fried beyond recognition, they’re served with cocktail sauce to mask their origin. Ranch hands traditionally ate these out of necessity and frugality, but modern Texans with grocery store access increasingly decline.
Cowboys still hold calf fry festivals, but attendance comes more from tradition than taste preference.
6. Pass: Chitlins (Chitterlings)
Pig intestines cleaned, boiled, and sometimes fried represent a soul food tradition that tests even the most dedicated offal enthusiasts. The preparation process alone – cleaning and removing unmentionable residue – deters most modern cooks.
The unmistakable aroma during cooking announces chitlins’ presence to the entire neighborhood. My great-aunt used to prepare these for New Year’s, claiming they brought good luck. Most family members mysteriously developed other commitments that day.
Despite cultural significance in some communities, younger generations increasingly opt for less aromatic traditions.
7. Pass: Tongue Sandwiches
Thinly sliced beef tongue on rye bread creates a sandwich that younger generations increasingly avoid. The smooth, dense texture and distinctive flavor immediately identify this as something outside standard deli fare.
Old-school Jewish and German delis still feature tongue prominently, but customers skew decidedly older. The mental image proves too powerful for many – they can’t separate the meat from its original purpose.
My grandfather would smack his lips over tongue sandwiches while telling us it was tasting us back, effectively ensuring none of his grandchildren would continue this culinary tradition.
8. Pass: Head Cheese
Despite the misleading name, no dairy participates in this old-world cold cut. Various parts from a pig’s head – cheeks, ears, snout – are boiled until gelatinous, formed into a loaf, and sliced for sandwiches.
The resulting mosaic of meat bits suspended in natural gelatin challenges both visually and texturally. German and Czech settlers brought this traditional way to use every part of the animal, but even in these communities, head cheese enthusiasm wanes with each generation.
Most Texans prefer their sandwich meats with less identifiable facial features.
9. Pass: Armadillo Eggs
Despite the alarming name, no armadillos suffer in the making of this appetizer. Jalapeños stuffed with cheese, wrapped in sausage, then breaded and fried, create these spicy bombs that challenge even seasoned spice-lovers.
The problem isn’t the concept but the execution. Too often, they’re greasy gut-busters that leave you regretting life choices.
When my brother-in-law brought these to our family cookout, half remained untouched while the brisket disappeared instantly.
10. Eat Daily: Breakfast Tacos
Morning glory wrapped in a warm tortilla! Fluffy eggs, crispy bacon, melted cheese, and salsa create the perfect handheld breakfast that keeps Texans fueled through scorching summer days.
Gas stations, taco trucks, and upscale restaurants all compete for breakfast taco supremacy. The beauty lies in their versatility – add potatoes, beans, chorizo, or brisket depending on your mood.
Nothing beats watching the sunrise with this portable perfection.
11. Eat Daily: Smoked Brisket
Smoky, melt-in-your-mouth beef with a peppery bark that makes grown men weep. Properly smoked brisket represents Texas on a plate – no sauce needed, just pure meat magic from hours of low-and-slow cooking.
The hallmark of true Texas brisket is that telltale pink smoke ring and meat so tender it practically falls apart with a stern glance.
Texans will happily stand in hours-long lines at legendary spots like Franklin Barbecue, proving devotion to this beef masterpiece.
12. Eat Daily: Queso
Liquid gold that flows freely across the Lone Star State! This warm cheese dip studded with peppers, tomatoes, and sometimes ground beef creates tortilla chip addiction epidemics everywhere it’s served.
From gas station convenience stores to five-star restaurants, queso brings Texans together regardless of political divides. Everyone has opinions about the perfect queso recipe – some swear by Velveeta while purists demand real cheese only.
The debates get heated, but everyone agrees life improves with queso.
13. Eat Daily: Tex-Mex Enchiladas
Corn tortillas embracing seasoned meat or cheese, smothered in chili gravy, and more cheese create the ultimate comfort food. Unlike their Mexican cousins, Tex-Mex enchiladas proudly flaunt their American influence with generous cheese portions.
The best ones come from family-owned restaurants where recipes pass through generations. Texans measure significant life events by enchilada consumption – breakups, celebrations, and ordinary Wednesdays all improve with a steaming plate.
That distinctive yellow cheese creates nostalgic cravings impossible to ignore.
14. Eat Daily: Chicken Fried Steak
Beef steak pounded thin, battered like fried chicken, then smothered in peppery cream gravy, creates Texas on a plate. This dish perfectly embodies the state’s bigger-is-better philosophy – it frequently overhangs the plate it’s served on!
Every small town cafe claims the best version, leading to fierce local loyalty. My grandmother judged restaurants solely on their chicken fried steak quality, refusing to return if the gravy came from a packet.
The crispy exterior giving way to tender beef, then soaking up creamy gravy, creates textural perfection.
15. Eat Daily: Pecan Pie
Sweet, gooey perfection featuring Texas’ official state nut! The combination of caramelized sugar filling and crunchy native pecans creates dessert nirvana that appears at every holiday gathering.
Heated debates rage about proper additions – chocolate chips, bourbon, or straight traditional? Family recipes are guarded more carefully than bank passwords. Last Thanksgiving, my aunt refused to share her award-winning recipe even after three glasses of wine.
The contrast between the flaky crust, sticky filling, and nutty crunch keeps Texans coming back for “just one more sliver.”
16. Eat Daily: Kolaches
Czech immigrants blessed Texas with these heavenly pastries that now fuel morning commutes statewide. Soft, slightly sweet dough cradles fillings ranging from traditional fruit preserves to Texas-fied sausage and jalapeño versions.
The Central Texas Czech Belt towns, like West and Caldwell, claim the most authentic versions. Early Saturday mornings, bakeries see lines forming before dawn as Texans secure their weekend kolache fix.
There’s something magical about biting through that pillowy dough into a pocket of sweet or savory filling that makes everyday problems temporarily disappear.
17. Eat Daily: Texas-Style Chili
Rich, spicy beef swimming in a complex chile-based sauce WITHOUT BEANS represents Texas in a bowl. State law practically forbids beans in true Texas chili, though fierce underground bean-inclusion rebels exist.
Cubed or ground beef simmers with dried chiles, cumin, oregano, and sometimes chocolate until the flavors meld into something transcendent. Chili cook-offs in small towns become battlegrounds of honor and secret recipes.
During one particularly cold winter in San Antonio, I witnessed neighbors comparing chili recipes with the seriousness of international peace negotiations.
18. Drink Daily: Dr Pepper
Though technically a beverage, this 23-flavor soda born in Waco in 1885 has achieved food group status among Texans. The distinctive cherry-vanilla-spice profile creates passionate devotees who consider all other sodas inferior imposters.
Hot Dr Pepper with lemon (yes, served warm) remains a winter tradition in parts of Texas. True believers insist Dublin Dr Pepper made with pure cane sugar was the pinnacle of soda perfection.
I once witnessed a Texan in New York decline a Coke with such horror you’d think they’d been offered motor oil.