“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire” is an old proverb. Texas is noted for its “low and slow” smoking of its brisket. The variant saying “where there’s smoke, there’s brisket” has been cited in print since at least 2009 and was popularized by an HEB supermarket commercial in 2011.
 
An older food saying is “Where there’s smoke, there’s toast.”
 
   
Google Groups; The Smoke Ring BBQ List
From: “Will Syrup”

Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:03:19 +0900
Local: Sun, Sep 13 2009 6:03 am
Subject: where’s there’s smoke there’s brisket
 
7 pm dinner ended up being 8 pm dinner. took it out at 7:30 was 195 degrees. let set for 30 min. I’ve eaten a lot of briskets but never one this good. low & slow and no foil. 220 degrees for 9 1/2 hours.
 
YouTube
HEB Brisket TV Commercial - HEB
HEB | Jan 21, 2011
Where there’s smoke there’s brisket. The Janecka family pitsmokes the Texas way over natural hard wood for up to 18 hours. HEB wants quality. This is the Fully Cooked Meat Department at HEB. No Store Does More than My H-E-B.
 
Twitter
‘Where there’s smoke, there’s brisket’ - HEB ad. Thank you #SweetBabyJesus for making Texas my home. #fb
8:22 PM Feb 13th via TweetDeck
JCGorczynski
John C. Gorczynski