The barbecue experts at Texas Monthly are once again sharing their perspective on where to eat smoked meats statewide courtesy of a new list titled "Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas."

Released every four years, the new and improved list recognizes restaurants that have either opened or made significant changes since 2021, which is when Texas Monthly last published its quadrennial ranking of the state’s 50 best barbecue restaurants — an occasion that combines the anticipation of receiving Christmas presents with the seriousness of attempting to pass the bar exam.

Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn traveled across the state to compile the list, which is presented alphabetically by city. Overall, he finds the state of the state’s barbecue is quite strong.

“No matter where I go, I find there’s no end to smoked-meat innovation,” he writes. “Thanks to ingredients and preparation methods from a medley of culinary traditions, we’re now blessed with dishes such as za’atar-spiced lamb, berbere-seasoned pork ribs, and brisket fried rice. It’s a glorious time to eat Texas barbecue, and I’m more excited than ever for what the future will bring.”

Dallas-Fort Worth earns seven of the 25 spots on the list, followed by greater Austin with five, Houston with four, and San Antonio with one.

Dallas-Fort Worth representatives include: Arlington’s Ethiopian-influenced Smoke ‘N Ash and Douglas Bar and Grill in Dallas' Snider Plaza, which operates as a steakhouse in the evenings.

From there, Vaughn dives into the suburbs, shouting out North Texas Smoke BBQ (Decatur), Heritage Butchery & Barbecue (Denison), Pit Commander BBQ (Van Alstyne). Hill City Chophouse (Tolar), and B4 Barbecue and Boba (Mabank).

Houston's representatives consist of Brisket & Rice, an Asian-influenced restaurant in a far-west Houston gas station; J-Bar-M, the massive barbecue temple in EaDo; Montgomery’s Bar-A-BBQ; and Rosemeyer Bar-B–Q, a food truck in Spring.

Austin starts with Egyptian-influenced KG BBQ; Briscuits, a food truck that serves its barbecue on a biscuit; and Lockhart’s Barbs B Q, the female-owned restaurant that recently starred on the New York Times’ list of The 20 Best Texas Barbecue Restaurants From the New Generation. The Texas Monthly list also includes Austin restaurant Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen and Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue, located in the small town of Harker Heights near Killeen.

San Antonio gets recognized for Reese Bros Barbecue, which updated its offerings with Mexican-influenced dishes such as brisket and the queso fundido sausage and a carnitas torta. Heading south, the Rio Grande Valley takes three spots: Vargas BBQ (Edinburg), El Sancho Tex Mex BBQ (Mission), and GW’s BBQ Catering Co. (San Juan).

Barbs B Q isn’t the only overlap between Texas Monthly and the Times. Houston's Brisket & Rice and Smoke N Ash in Arlington also bask in both spotlights.