Texas BBQ Discussion

[tsip92]

After 5 1/2 years in Dallas I finally tried Pecan Lodge yesterday.  I was immensely disappointed.  It wasn’t terrible, but certainly didn’t reach the level of top end Texas barbecue.  Of the places I’ve tried here in Dallas I would say Slow Bone > Cattleack > Pecan Lodge.  I think Cattleack and Pecan Lodge are pretty close.  
 

Regarding Pecan Lodge, tried the following:

- Brisket - moist with an OK crust, but a bit bland.  Needed salt and something else. 
- Brisket burnt ends - the basting sauce provided more flavor than the brisket, but not a favorite

- Pork ribs - decent flavor, slightly sweeter version of the brisket crust.  I strongly prefer baby back ribs over these spare ribs.  

- Regular and Jalapeño/ Cheese Sausage - Decent flavor for both but the grind was very course.  
- Fried okra - good cornmeal coating and coked well, but under seasoned 

- Peach cobbler - the star of the show.  Good sweetness, some oat? crisps, and a tasty filling to go with the peaches

- Beef ribs - they were out, it happens 

 

Outside of Dallas I’m a big fan of Franklin’s, La Barbecue, Micklethwait, Louis Mueller, Salt Lick (I know, it’s covered in sauce and they use a lot of electric smokers), Pinkerton’s (Houston), and Killen’s.  
 

Franklin’s is excellent, even if you buy in bulk to avoid the line and then freeze and reheat it.  For day-of accessible BBQ La Barbecue is my go-to.  
 

i also frequent Opie’s in Spicewood.  Maybe not high end, but good respectable BBQ that’s convenient for me and no wait.  
 

I’ve had Snow’s,  Cooper’s (Llano), and Luling City Market, but it’s been so long ago that I can’t remember the details.  

What are your favorite BBQ spots?

[Gerry Hamilton]

Terry Black’s was tremendous in Austin last week, again 

[NothinButDaHorns34]

13 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Terry Black’s was tremendous in Austin last week, again 

A very underrated barbecue spot i will always recommend as a born and raised austinite is a place on the southside across the street from crockett high school called moreno’s barbecue. 

[TXFF]

14 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Terry Black’s was tremendous in Austin last week, again 

TB's can be excellent. It also takes the prize for worst I've ever had (brisket that was so salty it was inedible), and I've had a lot of Central Texas BBQ over the past 45 years. It also ticks me off that Terry stole the Black's name from his extended family who are the owners of the original smokehouse in Lockhart without permission (he was their accountant). The owner of the original apparently didn't want to start a family feud so they didn't press it, but you know they had to be pi$$ed.

[GDI]

Been a long time since I've been there and  things may have changed,   but when I traveled Centex,  I would go out of my way to eat at City Market in Luling.  

[Alex Butler]

kruetz, blacks, Schmit’s in Lockhart are all worth the trip. House Park BBQ is the real gem but you they only do lunch. It’s been there forever at 12th and Lamar right behind the tavern. Love some Bert’s BBQ too, we used to crush turbo guts in high school. Also Brown’s BBQ trailer at corner bar on S. Lamar is legit and the only place outside of Kruetz that does beef shoulder clod!

[Glass Joe]

I agree with the original poster re: Pecan Lodge.  Good, but not great, and it’s not in the same area code (literally 😀) of many of the best Central Texas BBQ stops.  In Dallas-Ft.Worth area, I prefer Panther City, Goldee’s, and even Heim to anything in Dallas.  Hutchins is pretty good.

I’ll be at Snow’s on Saturday morning on my way to the Horns - UGA game (weather permitting), and Snow’s always delivers.  I’m hoping to see Tootsie again.

In Centex, I’m a big Louie Mueller’s guy, Black’s in Lockhart, and Stiles Switch.  RIP Valentina’s.

[horns96]

I thought Goldee's was the spot in DFW?

In Austin, Micklethwait is our to-go spot.

[Austalgia]

interstellar is legit on 620.  A wait, but worth the experience.  Free lone star while you wait in line, and just might meet someone interesting.  That’s what Austin used to be about (born and raised), just talking to folks whether they were cowboys, hippies, owned a million dollar home on lake Austin, or homeless.  Some people that have moved in don’t seem to understand that, to the point Austin seems to have changed.  Sorry, don’t want to be that guy, but it’s true.

Bonus: KG bbq also good.  Turkish guy that wears a cowboy hat and slow smokes meats with a Turkish twist.  And all the usuals, out of those I think Coopers is pretty consistent whether you go to llano (original) or eat it downtown. 

 

[GQ03]

Just now, horns96 said:

I thought Goldee's was the spot in DFW?

In Austin, Micklethwait is our to-go spot.

Have had Goldees twice and won't be back. Incredibly overrated and extremely salty both times. In DFW my favorites are Cattleack, Hutchins, Hurtados and Zavalas. Have heard great things about Panther City but haven't had them or Slow Bone yet. Also need to hit Terry Blacks in Dallas. Had Pecan Lodge as well and it was solid but nothing I needed to have again.

 

Outside of DFW, Franklins is probably my #1 although La Barbecue, 2M (in San Antonio) and Pinkertons were really good. Really enjoyed Snows pre-Covid but can't do the 7 hour waits since covid. Valentina's used to also be borderline top 5 for me before they moved and started having all those issues. 

 

I'll also say my buddies and I used to make it a yearly deal to go to the state basketball tournament and hit all of the best bbq spots in the Austin area. One year we decided to do the Lockhart tour and it was easily the worst experience of the 10 years we did it.

[GQ03]

5 minutes ago, Austalgia said:

interstellar is legit on 620.  A wait, but worth the experience.  Free lone star while you wait in line, and just might meet someone interesting.  That’s what Austin used to be about (born and raised), just talking to folks whether they were cowboys, hippies, owned a million dollar home on lake Austin, or homeless.  Some people that have moved in don’t seem to understand that, to the point Austin seems to have changed.  Sorry, don’t want to be that guy, but it’s true.

 

I feel like it's a Texas thing but all the Californian move-ins and out of town visitors don't get it.

[Robert Young]

1 hour ago, NothinButDaHorns34 said:

A very underrated barbecue spot i will always recommend as a born and raised austinite is a place on the southside across the street from crockett high school called moreno’s barbecue. 

I had Morenos for dinner tonight great chll spot.  I also love Leroy and Lewis, Terry Blacks is always solid.  Snows super over rated IMO looking forward to trying Goldees soon.  Honestly there is a ton of great BBQ in ATX

[cmk4pres]

Pinkerton's in SA is one of my favs. Grant does an awesome job. Love Corkscrew in Spring. Snow's still one of my favorites. 

[Texasborn91]

Truth BBQ in Houston and Burnt Bean in Seguin. If there’s better brisket out there than Truth I will kiss your ass. 

[Hashtag]

You needed to try Pecan Lodge 10 years ago for the true experience of what it was. Has been bad for at least 5+ years now 

 

Coopers is absolutely garbage, avoid

Luling City Market is still great for the sausage and mustard bbq sauce and good for ribs. 
 

Snows is still top notch 

Edited April 4 by Hashtag

[horns96]

Thorndale Meat Market is a great place to walk up and get a spread without standing in line if you ever find yourself on US 79.  Also have great dry-aged bone-in ribeyes in the meat case some days, but call ahead.

[.45s]

Been to a lot of those in Centex and agree with most of the members here.  Eakers in Fredericksburg is also pretty good, as is Kelly's in Wimberley.  Been to Burnt Bean a couple of times recently and it is very good.  We go to Opie's off and on b/c my wife loves their sides so much.  I like those kinds of places.  We take a lot of road trips and love going through Llano, Luling, Lockhart, (a lot of Ls), and Seguin.  I have a couple of pictures with Miss Tootsie at Snow's and would go more often if it was open more.  Her story on the Netflix Chef's Table special in BBQ is quite interesting. We need to get down to Pinkerton's. 

[.45s]

1 hour ago, Austalgia said:

interstellar is legit on 620.  A wait, but worth the experience.  Free lone star while you wait in line, and just might meet someone interesting.  That’s what Austin used to be about (born and raised), just talking to folks whether they were cowboys, hippies, owned a million dollar home on lake Austin, or homeless.  Some people that have moved in don’t seem to understand that, to the point Austin seems to have changed.  Sorry, don’t want to be that guy, but it’s true.

Bonus: KG bbq also good.  Turkish guy that wears a cowboy hat and slow smokes meats with a Turkish twist.  And all the usuals, out of those I think Coopers is pretty consistent whether you go to llano (original) or eat it downtown. 

 

If I had Lone Star I would give it away too.

[HuntFishTexan]

2 hours ago, TXFF said:

TB's can be excellent. It also takes the prize for worst I've ever had (brisket that was so salty it was inedible), and I've had a lot of Central Texas BBQ over the past 45 years. It also ticks me off that Terry stole the Black's name from his extended family who are the owners of the original smokehouse in Lockhart without permission (he was their accountant). The owner of the original apparently didn't want to start a family feud so they didn't press it, but you know they had to be pi$$ed.

That’s not what happened at all.  Terry isn’t a distant relative, he’s the other son of the owners.  He ran the original restaurant for many years before his brother came back to town to get involved with it.  Family fallout occurred and they went their separate ways.  
 

I’ve lived in Lockhart for 42 years and know both sides well.

Edited April 4 by HuntFishTexan
Expounded on brief post

[HuntFishTexan]

1 hour ago, GQ03 said:

Have had Goldees twice and won't be back. Incredibly overrated and extremely salty both times. In DFW my favorites are Cattleack, Hutchins, Hurtados and Zavalas. Have heard great things about Panther City but haven't had them or Slow Bone yet. Also need to hit Terry Blacks in Dallas. Had Pecan Lodge as well and it was solid but nothing I needed to have again.

 

Outside of DFW, Franklins is probably my #1 although La Barbecue, 2M (in San Antonio) and Pinkertons were really good. Really enjoyed Snows pre-Covid but can't do the 7 hour waits since covid. Valentina's used to also be borderline top 5 for me before they moved and started having all those issues. 

 

I'll also say my buddies and I used to make it a yearly deal to go to the state basketball tournament and hit all of the best bbq spots in the Austin area. One year we decided to do the Lockhart tour and it was easily the worst experience of the 10 years we did it.

Miguel of Valentina’s is back with a food truck now.   Making a comeback

[HTXHorn]

Sorry guys… I don’t understand Pinkerton’s. It was one bad experience, but that’s enough for me to rule out an establishment. And I was eating at the original. 
Houston has an underrated BBQ scene. Lots of Vietnamese/Asian influenced places (try Blood Bros) and Corkscrew produces the highest quality brisket I’ve had. Only Terry Black’s in Austin has been that consistent for me. 
Nit-picking opinions about bbq is why Texas has the best bbq in the nation. 

[southpaw]

1 hour ago, HuntFishTexan said:

Miguel of Valentina’s is back with a food truck now.   Making a comeback

Where does he park it?

[BurntOrangeMD]

4 hours ago, GQ03 said:

I feel like it's a Texas thing but all the Californian move-ins and out of town visitors don't get it.

Overall, BBQ in California is horrible. I am not surprised that they don't get it. They never will. More for us! 

[BurntOrangeMD]

1. When in Austin, Terry Blacks.   ...and Franklin's for only the brisket and pork ribs, and if you like waiting in line.

2. When in Lockhart, Terry Blacks.

3. When in Seguin, Burnt Bean.

4. When in Driftwood, Salt Lick.

5. Anywhere else, give it a try and hope for the best.

 

Edited April 4 by BurntOrangeMD

[harveycmd]

Do any of you guys do your own barbequing? Reminds me of when I was in Athens, Georgia back in the day as a recent high school graduate and some guy asked me the most one should pay for companionship. I said zero.

Edited April 4 by harveycmd