Texas BBQ

[Johnny Sack 8397]

Anyone been to Convenience West in Marfa?  Taking the tribe out that way for a pre T day trip.  Two nights in Lajitas and two nights in Marfa and want to try their BBQ.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Anyone been to Convenience West in Marfa?  Taking the tribe out that way for a pre T day trip.  Two nights in Lajitas and two nights in Marfa and want to try their BBQ.

My buddy who introduced me to Willow’s (they are friends) has been to convenience west and said it was good.

[tx 3 putt 77336]

On 10/2/2021 at 4:50 AM, RMac5 said:

My wife picked up 3lbs of chopped brisket from Evie Mae’s in Lubbock yesterday, was ninety fucking bucks. I thought it was a mistake so I checked their online menu, shows $28/lb.  That’s fucking insane.

 

if they sliced it off a brisket, then chopped it in front of you. that's the going rate 

[utee94 15852]

9 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

if they sliced it off a brisket, then chopped it in front of you. that's the going rate 

If they sliced it off a brisket, chopped it in front of you, and then added tons of water weight by saucing it which is exactly what chopped beef is in Texas, and then they weighed it afterward, then you're getting ripped off.

If they weighed it before saucing it, then the rate is fine.  But I'd have just taken the sliced brisket without the sauce, in that case.

[RMac5 1551]

My wife’s mom called it in to be picked up. Her mom was having a garage sale and thought that would be the easiest best option for lunch. 
 

[tx 3 putt 77336]

I recently ordered a chopped at killen’s, sliced and chopped. No sauce 

[Deej 76897]

2 hours ago, RMac5 said:

My wife’s mom called it in to be picked up. Her mom was having a garage sale and thought that would be the easiest best option for lunch. 
 

As long as your wife's mom paid for it, then it's all good.

[RMac5 1551]

Agree 

[luke duke 6414]

I recently ordered a chopped at killen’s, sliced and chopped. No sauce 

[ROFL BOX 6649]

5 hours ago, RMac5 said:

My wife’s mom called it in to be picked up. Her mom was having a garage sale and thought that would be the easiest best option for lunch. 
 

Probably cost 3x more than what was "profited" from said garage sale. #Wives&Stupid

[Stunns38 3538]

Finally made it to Hurtado’s in Arlington. Was pretty damn good. Got the $40 sampler, got 3 meals out of it. Very good value. The sausage could have been a little better but not bad. Good brisket, very good spare ribs, good burnt ends. The elote and Mac N Cheese were good. Same with the Green beans. Buddy got the Banana pudding and it slammed too. Nice atmosphere.

Would recommend

[phdhorn 6224]

Someone help me out.. there used to be a BBQ place on Westgate just off 290 frontage road, where the Thai Buffet or some such is now, up until the early 90's I think.  Their catering was pretty good.  As I remember they were a Pok-e-jo's or something that purposely sounded like it.  Anyone remember?  Thx.

[GreenspointTexas 9664]

Next week

[WithoutAClue 15416]

On 10/10/2021 at 8:39 AM, phdhorn said:

Someone help me out.. there used to be a BBQ place on Westgate just off 290 frontage road, where the Thai Buffet or some such is now, up until the early 90's I think.  Their catering was pretty good.  As I remember they were a Pok-e-jo's or something that purposely sounded like it.  Anyone remember?  Thx.

The Pit BBQ

[idigTexas 2289]

On 10/10/2021 at 8:39 AM, phdhorn said:

Someone help me out.. there used to be a BBQ place on Westgate just off 290 frontage road, where the Thai Buffet or some such is now, up until the early 90's I think.  Their catering was pretty good.  As I remember they were a Pok-e-jo's or something that purposely sounded like it.  Anyone remember?  Thx.

There actually is a Pok-e-Jo's still in that area.  

[dcbc 14507]

I had an occasion to pass through Forney last week.  So I stopped at 4T based on its mention by Texas Monthly in the last list.  Bark on the brisket was nice, but the smokiness from the hickory was pretty overpowering (and I like smokey).  I don't think they're serving high choice, much less prime.  Not terrible by any means, but not great either.  Spare ribs were pretty good.  Jalapeno sausage was nothing to write home about.  Mac n cheese with bacon was on point.  On the upside, I only spent $35 and learned a lesson about Texas Monthly's 4* ratings.

[Jerry Callo 8720]

TM Top 50 comes out next week.  I'm not about to guess which joints will make the list, but I do have five that shouldn't make it this time (not including any of the ones that shut down since 2017):  

4-T's Bar-BQ - Forney

Smolik's Smokehouse - Mathis

Heavy's Bar-B-Que - Hondo

Fargo's Pit BBQ - Bryan

Payne's Bar-B-Q Shak - Burnet

[NoName 16369]

1 minute ago, Jerry Callo said:

TM Top 50 comes out next week.  I'm not about to guess which joints will make the list, but I do have five that shouldn't make it this time (not including any of the ones that shut down since 2017):  

4-T's Bar-BQ - Forney

Smolik's Smokehouse - Mathis

Heavy's Bar-B-Que - Hondo

Fargo's Pit BBQ - Bryan

Payne's Bar-B-Q Shak - Burnet

Payne's should have been good, but I've never had a good meal there. They were holding brisket in a crock pot last time I went and haven't been back since.

Another one that should be off the list? Coopers in Llano. 0 for about 4 years at this point.

Edited October 11, 2021 by NoName

[DalTxHornFan 3116]

Just now, NoName said:

Another one that should be off the list? Coopers in Llano.

Agree on Coopers.  The last several times I've had brisket from there it was so oversalted as to be almost inedible.

[Jerry Callo 8720]

2 minutes ago, NoName said:

Payne's should have been good, but I've never had a good meal there.

Another one that should be off the list? Coopers in Llano.

Payne's was the worst on the 2017 list in my opinion.  I wouldn't put Cooper's on the list either, but I'd be surprised if they aren't on it again.

[dcbc 14507]

7 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Agree on Coopers.  The last several times I've had brisket from there it was so oversalted as to be almost inedible.

Ah, that's another takeaway I had from 4T  Heavy on the salt on the brisket. 

[Bill Brasky 1450]

I was passing through Lockhart and stopped at Black's last week.    It was almost like they didn't put any seasoning on the brisket at all and cooked it in an oven, the bark had no flavor at all.   Tenderness was pretty good but I had to drown it in sauce so it would have some flavor.   The ribs were the same way, no flavor.    

[HRSchenker 2273]

19 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

TM Top 50 comes out next week.  I'm not about to guess which joints will make the list, but I do have five that shouldn't make it this time (not including any of the ones that shut down since 2017):  

4-T's Bar-BQ - Forney

Smolik's Smokehouse - Mathis

Heavy's Bar-B-Que - Hondo

Fargo's Pit BBQ - Bryan

Payne's Bar-B-Q Shak - Burnet

Agh. All of this hate on 4Ts breaks my heart. I had them last week while checking on the rental house and they were great. Love that they don't use post oak. But their menu has shrunk a bit. They don't do pulled pork or many of their old specials like chicken bombs. 

If any joint needs to drop from the list, it's Heim. They are so far gone it's insane. Pecan Lodge has seen a drop in quality from my perspective but nothing even close to what they're going through. But they invented the bacon burnt end so they'll never drop....

[dcbc 14507]

3 hours ago, HRSchenker said:

Agh. All of this hate on 4Ts breaks my heart. I had them last week while checking on the rental house and they were great. Love that they don't use post oak. But their menu has shrunk a bit. They don't do pulled pork or many of their old specials like chicken bombs. 
If any joint needs to drop from the list, it's Heim. They are so far gone it's insane. Pecan Lodge has seen a drop in quality from my perspective but nothing even close to what they're going through. But they invented the bacon burnt end so they'll never drop....

I didn't hate it.  But I was trying to give it an honest assessment since I hadn't seen it mentioned on here.  I like hickory and have smoked with it in combination with other woods for years.  But it was pretty overwhelming last Wednesday at 4T, and the extra saltiness really brought it out for me, and not in the best way.  I also asked for a quarter pound of lean off the flat and a quarter pound off the point and got two thick slices off the point.  And, yeah, I get that that bottom part is the flat, but that's not really what I asked for, but not the end of the world. 

Here's a picture for posterity.

Edited October 12, 2021 by dcbc

[tx 3 putt 77336]

smolik's is a joke. the list should be top 50 ranked, then 50 more unranked

[Okie State 3844]

Payne's should have been good, but I've never had a good meal there. They were holding brisket in a crock pot last time I went and haven't been back since.
Another one that should be off the list? Coopers in Llano. 0 for about 4 years at this point.

Some guy posted pics from Cooper's in Llano the other day and the brisket looked boiled. Amazingly he was bragging about how great it was. I guess that's why these places stay in business.

[NoName 16369]

25 minutes ago, Okie State said:

23 hours ago, NoName said:

Payne's should have been good, but I've never had a good meal there. They were holding brisket in a crock pot last time I went and haven't been back since.
Another one that should be off the list? Coopers in Llano. 0 for about 4 years at this point.

Some guy posted pics from Cooper's in Llano the other day and the brisket looked boiled. Amazingly he was bragging about how great it was. I guess that's why these places stay in business.

Coopers is only in business because of the name. If they were called Smith's they would have gone out of business years ago

[DalTxHornFan 3116]

1 hour ago, NoName said:

Coopers is only in business because of the name. If they were called Smith's they would have gone out of business years ago

It isn't that difficult.  They have all of the infrastructure set up, good smoke, fully rendered meats. It just seems that they have forgotten that when it comes to barbecue rub, Black pepper > Kosher salt.

[futureman 22532]

cooper’s isn’t as great anymore as it is in my memories but they can still deliver a solid tray of meat every now and then. 

[jimmyjazz 46095]

4 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

It isn't that difficult.  They have all of the infrastructure set up, good smoke, fully rendered meats. It just seems that they have forgotten that when it comes to barbecue rub, Black pepper > Kosher salt.

Last time I went, they were touting their higher temperature smoke.  I'm not sure that's something to tout.  It was "fine", but not enough to justify the drive, other than the fact it got me out of Austin.

[Jerry Callo 8720]

10 hours ago, futureman said:

they can still deliver a solid tray of meat every now and then

Nothing says Top 50 like that statement right there.  They should put that on a t-shirt.

[South Austin 52568]

Cooper's has been subpar for a while.  I'd go to Smitty's over Cooper's.

[BabaYaga 15305]

Hearing REALLY good things about Burnt Bean BBQ in Sequin?  Anyone been there?

[cactusflinthead 27601]

I know the main cook and partner was on BBQ Pitmasters. All I got.

 

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Hearing REALLY good things about Burnt Bean BBQ in Sequin?  Anyone been there?

Yes. Legit. Cool space. Scroll up thread for some pics.

[BabaYaga 15305]

2 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Yes. Legit. Cool space. Scroll up thread for some pics.

Thanks, jumped in late to the thread.  

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Thanks, jumped in late to the thread.  

Post 5465.

Further back than I thought.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

I ate at 1701 BBQ in Beaumont again today. 3rd visit and I feel confident that they are damn good and consistent. I would be shocked if they aren’t in the top 50 (unless they don’t qualify because of some lame rule). Beef rib sandwich is glorious. Jalapeño cheese sausage very good too.

[nolongerU2horn 767]

Interstellar #2 in the state at TM

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Interstellar #2 in the state at TM

There is a dedicated thread for the new list.

[NoName 16369]

31 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

There is a dedicated thread for the new list.

https://www.surlyhorns.com/board/index.php?/topic/22431-tm-top-50-bbq-joints-2021/

 

[pch 1259]

On 10/12/2021 at 9:15 PM, futureman said:

cooper’s isn’t as great anymore as it is in my memories but they can still deliver a solid tray of meat every now and then. 

The north FW location has NEVER delivered imho.  Having worked on the northside for 21 years and eaten there for company lunches, I did not ever think the hype surrounding Cooper's was deserved.  Never went to Llano in their heyday, but somehow they lost their mojo.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Second visit to Feges new location. Very delicious lunch. Kind of funny that they fulfill a 1/2 lb order of brisket as one big ass slice. 

Edited October 19, 2021 by Patricio Swayze

[Jerry Callo 8720]

1 hour ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Kind of funny that they fulfill a 1/2 lb order of brisket as one big ass slice.

Yeah, someone else does that - Killen's maybe.  I don't like it.

[SizzleChest 8284]

1 hour ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Second visit to Feges new location. Very delicious lunch. Kind of funny that they fulfill a 1/2 lb order of brisket as one big ass slice. 

That's like bizzaro world cutter preference for me.  A 1/2 lb of moist should be three slices, and I like sausage unsliced so I can break it apart myself (no knife needed).  I eat all BBQ proteins with my hands anyway.

[4th&Five 41586]

The Franklin dining room finally reopens on 11/23, in case anyone else wants to place a curbside pre-order before then.

[dcbc 14507]

What's the wait like at Truth in the Heights since the list came out? Have a friend coming in from out of town who wants to try it.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

What's the wait like at Truth in the Heights since the list came out? Have a friend coming in from out of town who wants to try it.

I might be able to answer that tomorrow. The line has largely been avoidable since the pandemic started. Well, weekdays at least. But I am sure there will be a bump in patronage.

[DDD Dad 14347]

What's the wait like at Truth in the Heights since the list came out? Have a friend coming in from out of town who wants to try it.

Truth isn’t in the heights.

[GreenspointTexas 9664]

Cant you still order online?