I know we’ve got our work cut out for us, because there’s a lot of good barbecue in Kansas City,” the owner said.

But brisket is always a top choice when eating barbecue. You could slow-roast your own, but there are many restaurant chains that serve a great brisket—and even if you're not local, some take online ...

I traveled far and wide for Texas barbecue this year, and these are the 21 homegrown dishes that really impressed me.