Barbecue in Texas  Texas Barbecue refers to methods of preparation for barbecue that are unique to Texan cuisine. Beef brisket, pork ribs, and sausage are among the most commonly known dishes. The term can also include side dishes that are traditionally served alongside the smoked meats. European meat-smoking traditions were brought to Central Texas by German and Czech settlers during the mid-19th century. Traditionally, butchers would smoke the leftover meat that had not been sold, allowing it to be stored longer without spoiling. As these leftovers became popular among the migrants in the area, multiple meat markets began to specialize in smoked meats. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson hosted a state dinner featuring barbecue for the Mexican president-elect in Johnson City, Texas. This was the first barbecue state dinner in the history of the United States. In 2019, J. C. Reid of the "Houston Chronicle" wrote that pulled pork barbecue was becoming common in Texas despite having originated in a different region. Texas barbecue traditions differ geographically and culturally: East Texas, Central Texas, South Texas, and West Texas each have their own unique barbecue styles. Of these various styles, the Central and East Texas varieties are considered to be the most well-known. The different kinds of Texas barbecue can be distinguished as follows:   Another style of barbecue, "barbacoa", is characteristic of South Texas and the Rio Grande valley near the Mexico–United States border. Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican form of barbecue that typically uses goat, lamb, or sheep meat, although beef is also sometimes used. In its most authentic form, barbacoa is prepared in a hole dug in the ground and covered in maguey ("Agave americana)" leaves. East Texas barbecue is usually chopped rather than sliced. It may be made of either beef or pork. It is usually served on a bun. In "Texas Barbecue in Black and White," Robb Walsh writes that African-American varieties of barbecue in East Texas favored beef rather than pork due to its prevalence in the region. Walsh quotes an artist, Bert Long, who states that African-American varieties are heavily smoked. According to Reid, the presence of pork ribs in East Texas barbecue originated from elsewhere in the South. According to Walsh, the origins date back to when barbecues were held for slaves. Many black restaurant owners, in 1910, struggled as food safety regulations passed throughout Texas restricted the operation of their restaurants. Later on, the widespread implementation of a new innovation, the cinder block pit, allowed black restaurateurs to serve their fellow black customers.