Texas BBQ Staple Brisket Removed from Menu Amid Soaring Beef Prices

One of Texas's renowned barbecue establishments, Butter's BBQ in Sinton, has removed brisket from its menu due to sharply escalating wholesale beef prices, a move that owner Andrew Soto fears could signal a broader crisis for American smokehouses.

Soto explained that the cost of brisket increased by $1 per pound in a single week, forcing him to consider raising the price from $37 to $51 per pound. "That was the final straw that broke the camel's back," Soto told The Washington Post, emphasizing he was unwilling to charge customers such a price.

The decision is particularly noteworthy as Butter's BBQ is the first restaurant on Texas Monthly's list of the state's top 50 smokehouses to eliminate brisket entirely, according to the magazine's barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn.

Butter's BBQ announced the change on social media, apologizing to customers and stating that brisket had accounted for over 70 percent of its total inventory costs. "We apologize tremendously, we've done all we can to combat the constant price hikes, but we can no longer sustain our current business model," the restaurant posted.

The rising cost of beef is a significant factor, with the U.S. cattle herd shrinking to a 75-year low following prolonged drought conditions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, steak prices have risen 4 percent, ground beef 7.2 percent, and beef roast 8.4 percent in the year leading up to August. Average retail beef prices reached a record $9.64 per pound in April, up 13 percent from the previous year.

Industry experts also point to increased operating expenses post-pandemic, meatpacker pricing, and tariffs as contributing factors. For barbecue restaurants, brisket is a substantial cost due to its lengthy preparation and cooking times. Customers are also contending with higher food prices, making expensive meals less frequent.

Shawn Jones, owner of Kirby's BBQ in New Caney, Texas, announced his restaurant would close at the end of 2025, citing unsustainable beef prices. "With brisket being our biggest seller here in Texas, that is really weighing on our profit margins," Jones stated on YouTube, warning that a full barbecue meal could cost customers $70 to $100.

Several other Texas barbecue businesses have closed in recent months, including Fiasco BBQ in Austin, Kelly's Hill Country BBQ in Wimberley, Lenox Bar-B-Q in Houston, Brett's BBQ Shop west of Houston, Sabar BBQ in Fort Worth, and Wright On Taco & BBQ in East Texas.

Butter's BBQ plans to offer smoked beef cheeks as a more affordable alternative. However, Soto acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, describing it as "a gut punch."