If You're Considering Dessert At A BBQ Joint, Be Sure To Look For This

There are two types of people in this world: Those who always ask for the dessert menu, and those who rarely do. If you're a dessert person, you know that a good one can really make or break the overall restaurant experience, and that some places are more likely to have better desserts than others. For example, a Michelin-starred restaurant is almost guaranteed to have high-quality pastries or homemade ice cream, but a BBQ joint's dessert menu might be hit or miss, since its specialty is, well, BBQ. Before ordering anything beyond brisket, be sure to ask your server if the desserts are made from scratch or if they're pre-made.

We're not saying you should never order dessert at a BBQ restaurant; in fact, you might find some of the very best desserts out there at a BBQ joint. All we're saying is that it probably isn't worth it if it's not made fresh or in-house. For restaurants, pre-made desserts are more cost-effective and consistent, but at the end of the day, they are likely frozen, shipped, and reheated. If you don't mind a pre-made dessert, you're better off eating at a chain restaurant, like Olive Garden or Chili's (although there are plenty of chain restaurant desserts you should avoid, too). But if you're planning to have dessert at a new BBQ spot, you should be sure to seek out sweets that are both freshly made and on-brand.

Sloan Rinaldi, pitmaster and owner of Texas Q, agrees with us. In an interview, she said that "the absolute most decadent desserts are found to be scratch-made at Texas BBQ joints." This is a no-brainer; there are a myriad of rich, crave-worthy Southern desserts worth hopping on a plane for, so an established BBQ restaurant should certainly prioritize a few classics. Texas Q's menu features only six different items, but each of them are Southern staples: blackberry cobbler, peach cobbler, banana pudding, Texas fudge cake, lemon bar, and pecan pie.

In addition to Texas Q's offerings, look for other Southern delicacies when scanning BBQ dessert menus, such as sweet potato pie, blueberry pie, key lime pie, bread pudding, and apple cake. You'll know if a dessert feels out-of-place on a menu; for example, we wouldn't suggest ordering tiramisu or lava cake at a BBQ joint. These are completely off-brand (and they're most likely frozen, too). You want your post-BBQ dessert to make your meal feel complete and to add to the overall experience, not to leave a sour, semi-frozen taste in your mouth. After all, if a BBQ restaurant can master the perfect barbecue, it better be able to master something as simple as banana pudding.