Maybe you’ve never visited a Buc-ee’s before, but you’ve more than likely heard of it. The chain of beaver-themed travel stations has taken over the Southern United States and is quickly moving northward. Each Buc-ee’s features a gigantic interior and massive amounts of fueling stations and parking spots. It isn’t your usual grab-and-go gas station — it’s a destination in and of itself, featuring a souvenir shop replete with fun tchotchkes and merchandise emblazoned with the image of Buc-ee, the chain’s eponymous beaver mascot. Buc-ee’s also has some killer food, and is especially known for its smoked brisket, an iconic Texas food. In fact, it’s so popular that many Buc-ee’s patrons are more than happy to pay a hefty price for the XXL brisket sandwich.

You may be wary of pit stop barbecue, or gas station food as a whole. After all, when you think of gas station sandwiches, your mind probably conjures images of sweaty plastic wrap and gray turkey slices pressed between droopy, brown lettuce. However, at Buc-ee’s, food is taken seriously and freshness is a promise. This is especially true of the chain’s smoked brisket, which is cut up fresh throughout the day, every day, at every Buc-ee’s location. You don’t have to worry about missing the freshest possible slice, either. Buc-ee’s staff call out when a new hunk of meat is being carved with a “fresh brisket on the board” echoed by all surrounding employees. When the meat is done being carved, “fresh chopped brisket on the board” follows, with plenty of time for you to sidle up to the brisket counter and grab your fresh sandwich.

Read more: The Best And Worst Barbecue Sauces To Buy At The Grocery Store

How The Brisket Is Made

Buc-ee’s employee carving brisket – Brandon Bell/Getty Images

You can rest assured that any brisket sandwich or taco you get is fresh. The smoked cuts of beef are warmed and sliced throughout the day, each and every day. However, Buc-ee’s brisket isn’t cooked on the premises. Rather, each and every piece of Buc-ee’s brisket is smoked in Texas using the state’s signature brisket-cooking style, then shipped out to Buc-ee’s across the country. This doesn’t mean the meat isn’t delicious — each cut of brisket is smoked for 12 to 14 hours at a stretch, and is carved fresh at each Buc-ee’s location. While this may seem deflating to anyone who assumed the meat was smoked on each property each day, its taste and tender texture is perfectly juicy and fresh.

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The chain’s practice of carving on site helps the meat maintain its moisture and fat content (which contributes to the flavor) when the meat is reheated at each location. If the brisket was shipped out pre-sliced, it would turn out dry and mealy, so slicing each portion fresh at each Buc-ee’s is more than just theater — it’s the key to its signature juicy texture and smoky taste. You can get a serving of brisket any time you’d like at the travel station chain; grab a brisket taco with fresh eggs for breakfast, or brisket sandwiches available freshly wrapped later in the day

So Much More Than A Pit Stop

Interior Buc-ee’s – Tada Images/Shutterstock

Buc-ee’s brisket is definitely its crown jewel. Its savory, juicy, and ever-so-meaty brisket sandwiches and tacos are Buc-ee’s way of bringing Texas flare to the rest of the nation (well, at least the Southeast and Colorado). However, Buc-ee’s offers far more than just a good cut of meat. The chain is well-known for many things, from its impeccably clean bathrooms to its wide selection of Buc-ee’s merch, but where Buc-ee’s really shines is in its fresh food and snacks.

Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets (corn puff snacks with various flavors, such as peanut butter, sea salt caramel, and white cheddar) are a popular treat. The chain also offers up fresh, warm, sugar-glazed pecans, banana pudding, and various flavors of fudge, any of which would satisfy any Southerner’s sweet tooth. On the savory side, if you’re not a fan of brisket, you can always grab a pulled pork or smoked turkey sandwich, either of which are sure to satisfy a hankering before you hit the road. Although, if you’re looking for a true, authentic trip to the travel station, there is really no replacing the brisket.

Read the original article on Chowhound.