Since True Texas BBQ opened in 2014, H-E-B fans have been obsessed, with even Texas Monthly calling it the best barbecue chain in the state. Now, San Antonians can bring some of the smoke home. The beloved grocer recently introduced a trio of candles inspired by some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.
Although the grocery chain didn’t make a big to-do about the new home scents, Austin influencer Grocery Obsessed — aka Emily Hill — was on the case. While paying a visit to an H-E-B trip, she spotted the candles among more conventional offerings like piñata cake, cinnamon apple pie, and wildflower bouquet.
The curious offerings pay homage to three of True Texas’ most popular dishes. Barbecue stans can spice up a dinner party with a serrano cornbread candle with a hint of honey butter or pucker up with dill pickle. And, of course, no backyard cookout would be complete without the smell of burnt ends.
The curious scents are the newest drops from H-E-B’s Flavor Favorites line. First debuted in 2021, the candles mimic the aromas of a grocery trip with fragrances like bakery cinnamon rolls, pumpkin pie, Cafe Olé coffee, and TX sweet tea.
Still, none of the scents has prompted more of a fuss than the butter tortilla candle. Inspired by H-E-B’s cultiest of cult foods, the variety became an instant sensation when it launched.
As for which of the three scents should squeeze into a rotation of Diptyque and Voluspa candles, Hill’s followers named a clear winner. While the pickle fragrance was strong enough to knock guests on the floor, and the burnt ends scent was “really off,” the cornbread variety was universally regarded as “heavenly.”
The True Texas BBQ candles are now available at H-E-B stores and online. 14-ounce jars retail for $10.40, and smaller four-ounce votives sell for $5.20.