Editor’s note: This is the 10th article in a series in which J.C. Reid provides advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on how to build the perfect barbecue joint. Previous articles addressed service style, smokers, brisket, sausage, pork ribs, physical structure, wood and location. Today’s focus is creating a menu to ensure success.

In the 1996 movie “Big Night,” flamboyant restaurateur Pascal provides the following menu advice to his idealistic counterpart, Secondo:

“Give people what they want, then later you can give them what you want.”

In my own experience patronizing, working in and writing about restaurants over the past 30 years, this is the best advice any restaurateur can follow to ensure the success of their venture.

Too often, chefs and restaurateurs open a restaurant featuring a menu of items that they want to cook, rather what their guests want to eat. The image of an out-of-touch, overbearing chef forcing guests to eat his multicourse tasting menu (no substitutions!) has become a cliché in today’s media-driven culinary scene.

The point being, of course, is that the restaurateur should initially open with a menu of recognizable, crowd-pleasing dishes to ensure success, and once the business becomes established, they can add more personal dishes.

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For the aspiring pitmaster, the choice of what to put on the menu can make or break a new barbecue venture, especially in the beginning.

One of the biggest mistakes a pitmaster can make when drafting a menu is offering too many items. Perhaps wanting to show off their cooking chops, a pitmaster will offer a dizzying six to eight smoked-meat offerings with obscure options such as lamb chops or pork belly. This is certainly a worthy ambition, but most guests just want the basic Texas trinity of brisket, pork ribs and sausage.

Indeed, the most crucial theory in developing a menu for a new barbecue joint is the well-known K.I.S.S. method — Keep It Simple, Stupid.

With that in mind, divide the menu into four sections: proteins (meats), sides, desserts and specials.

For the proteins, go with the “Texas trinity +1,” specifically, brisket, pork ribs, sausage and one more meat with a good profit margin that’s easy to cook, usually turkey or chicken.

For the sides, simplicity is again the key using the 3+1 method: most customers will want the three traditional sides of coleslaw, beans and potato salad. Then add one more option: creamed corn or collard greens are two options you often see on menus nowadays.

Desserts are something of a wild card. Sure, cobbler and pecan pie are old standbys, but guests are more flexible about what they expect to see on the menu. For a new barbecue joint, it is wise to simply partner with a local bakery to provide a good-quality pie or cake.

Specials provide the opportunity to “give them what you want,” i.e. come up with creative, signature dishes that reflect the personality and interests of the pitmaster. This often comes in the form of a sandwich. CorkScrew BBQ in Spring has become well-known for its “Bobert” sandwich: any meat topped with a house-made green-chile ranch and fresh pico de gallo. Tacos, baked potatoes and Frito pies are other items that can make a new vendor stand out in the crowd.

Once a new barbecue joint gains a loyal following and establishes a more secure financial footing, the pitmaster can start branching out with signature menu items. In the fall and winter, for example, Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue in Tomball has become known for their barbecue-inspired soups.

Recently, desserts have become an easy and profitable way for a new spot to make a name for itself. When Killen’s Barbecue in Pearland opened in 2013, it became known for croissant bread pudding. Truth BBQ in Brenham has become almost as famous for its homemade cakes as for its smoked meats. When it comes to desserts, it seems like aspiring pitmasters can get as creative as they want and still make their guests happy.

J.C. Reid is the Chronicle's barbecue columnist. He also is the co-host of BBQ State of Mind, a podcast covering barbecue news from Texas and around the world, and co-founder of the Houston Barbecue Festival. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook, or send barbecue tips and questions to jcreid@jcreidtx.com.