A common variation on standard sliced bread, Texas toast is a type of bread that is packaged and sold in stores as usual. It is pre-sliced to about twice the width of a normal slice of packaged bread for a sandwich. Unlike regular bread though, Texas toast is not often used for regular deli sandwiches, but in other uses. This type of thick bread is used most notably and often for dishes like French toast.
Texas toast, despite its name, is not already toasted pre-packaging, and can be bought fresh in stores, much like regular bread. It is shaped in a similar way to regular bread, but because of its thickness it is more common in certain types of dishes, where it is more practical than a thinner slice. These dishes include those heavy with substances like syrups, sauces, and fondue.
The item is thought to have originated in 1941 in Beaumont Texas at the Pig Stands event, though it likely has been used in some variation for much longer. Today, the bread is commonly sold through bread companies like Wonder, Mrs. Bairds, Safeway/Lucerne and Franz Bakery. The item is common in kitchens, food departments and cafes around the world, and has found many uses in fine and casual dining.
Texas toast’s largest contribution to the culinary arts has been through French toast, where is it is effective in absorbing the syrup sopped onto the bread. It is also popular with fondue, chicken, or pork sandwiched with sauces or gravy and a number of Southern dishes. It is traditionally served as a toasted side dish with various lunch and dinner items, as far ranging as catfish, chicken-fried steak and barbecue items.
Another popular use, with sandwiches or by itself, is to butter both sides of the bread and broil it in a pan until it is golden or light brown. It then is often served with pulled pork, seasoned with garlic, topped on a club sandwich or used with large deli sandwiches and cheeses.
Texas Toast is also the name of a variation of garlic bread made with this type of bread by various brands and restaurants, as well as in homes around the world. Another popular way to prepare the bread has a cook placing the bread in a frying pan after bacon or steak to absorb the grease and take in flavor. Whatever way it is prepared, Texas toast is a variation that can be enjoyed in a number of ways, bringing a bit more texture to a meal than regular sliced bread.