Texas pitmasters express concern amid beef shortages, rising prices
In Texas, barbecue is more than just a meal, it's a cultural staple and a way of life. But across the state, there are growing concerns as more and more barbecue joints announce they are closing their doors amid rising costs.
Texas is home to thousands of barbecue restaurants, many of which are now feeling the financial strain. Closures have hit beloved establishments like Kirby's BBQ in New Caney and Brett's BBQ Shop in Katy as U.S. cattle supply has dropped to a 75-year low, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, leading to a historic shortage of beef and sending prices soaring.
"The biggest reason that the price of beef is so high is that the supply of cattle has been diminishing," Gbenga Ajilore, chief economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told ABC News. "With lower supply, there's going to be higher prices."
Ajilore said there are multiple contributing factors at play, including recent droughts that have limited grazing areas and led to feed issues for cattle.
Ajilore also noted that high fuel prices and fertilizer supply issues stemming from the Iran war are also causing problems for ranchers.
Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association, told ABC News the barbecue price spikes have been dramatic.
"Four years ago, it cost about 29 cents for the brisket on a sandwich. That is almost $6 today, and that's before you add potentially 12 hours of labor [cost], because brisket's very labor-intensive," Knight said. "You add the pickle, the sauce, the bun, the credit card swipe fees, and so what you're seeing is this sort of incredible increase, almost 40% to 50%, is driving these barbecue restaurants right out of business."
Longtime pitmaster Russell Roegels, the owner of Roegels Barbecue Co. in Houston, has been in the barbecue business for more than 30 years and told ABC News that price uncertainty is a daily concern for him.
"The biggest concern for us in the barbecue industry is how high is it gonna go," he said.
The barbecue industry in Texas is highly dependent on beef, particularly because of the region's famed brisket.
"We are a protein-driven industry in barbecue ... if I spend $100,000 a month on groceries to bring in here, $45,000 of that is brisket alone," Roegels said. "So 45% of my entire food that I buy is briskets. And it's, you know, steadily creeping up."
Consumers are also feeling the pinch at the grocery store amid the beef shortage, with ground beef prices up nearly 15% since last year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index data.
Economists said relief could be years away.
"As far as pricing becoming more normal, or maybe not continuing to accelerate, we were really looking at the replenishment of the cattle herd," Knight told ABC News. "Unfortunately, you just can't replace a cattle in months, like other protein sources. It takes years."
In the meantime, restaurant owners are doing what they can to survive.
For Roegels, that includes urging customers to support local barbecue businesses and consider alternatives to brisket.
"It's a fear for me on a daily basis," Roegels said. "All I would ask is ... my customers, and customers of every other barbecue place out there, support your local barbecue joint. We want them to eat pork. We want them to eat chicken. We want them to eat turkey. But brisket is Texas barbecue. That's just what defines Texas barbecue."
