Texas Barbecue Brisket Prices Climb as Beef Costs Top Seven Dollars
Nationwide beef prices climbing to over $7 per pound have pushed Texas barbecue brisket costs to high levels, forcing smokehouses to reevaluate their menus and lean on alternative cuts. At InterStellar BBQ in Austin, brisket now sells for $42 per pound, a dramatic jump from the $24 price tag recorded when the restaurant opened in 2019, mysanantonio.com reported.
Menu Diversification at InterStellar BBQ
To manage rising operational expenses, pitmaster John Bates has spent years expanding InterStellar BBQ's offerings beyond beef. The shopping center restaurant at 12233 Ranch Road 620 N., Suite 105, now incorporates poultry items like duck, chicken, turkey, and chicken sausage into its daily rotation. Bates stated to mysanantonio.com that he would need to price brisket between $65 and $70 per pound just to turn a profit on the signature cut under current market conditions.
Peach Tea-Glazed Pork Belly Emerges as the New Signature Item
While brisket commands $42 per pound, InterStellar BBQ prices its award-winning peach tea-glazed pork belly at $36 per pound. Bates described the dish to mysanantonio.com as a beautiful, tender, smoky, sweet, salty, and rich bite of barbecue that hits all the marks and serves as the primary item that put the Austin establishment on the map. The restaurant currently holds the No. 6 spot on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ Joints list, drawing crowds despite broader economic pressures facing the industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is InterStellar BBQ located?
The restaurant operates at 12233 Ranch Road 620 N., Suite 105, in Austin, Texas, 78750, inside a local shopping center.
When did John Bates open InterStellar BBQ?
Pitmaster John Bates opened the Austin barbecue staple in 2019, at which time brisket was priced at $24 per pound.
What ranking does InterStellar BBQ hold on Texas Monthly’s list?
The Austin smokehouse currently sits at No. 6 on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ Joints list.
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