The blog entry below is a follow up from our last write up on Texas BBQ. Our Part 1 gave the rankings from the Texas Monthly magazine. Check out "Texas BBQ - Part 1 of 2"
The entry below is from a Tumbleweed TexStyles' loyal fan that took the ultimate man's trip around Texas. He along with a group of buddies were able to try some of the best BBQ hot spots. He wanted to share his experience and opinions. Enjoy his write up!
Experiencing Texas Barbeque Greatness
One pound of moist brisket, one large beef rib, a link of
sausage, and an RC cola. Enough for any
man, or woman, this order slammed our taste buds time after time on our trip. Our barbeque journey began in Cowtown and
trickled down I-35 making stops in Waco and Taylor until finally reaching what
most consider the barbeque capital of Texas, Lockhart.
In Waco, Vitek’s wetted our
barbeque appetites with their famous Gut Pak, a masterful compilation of
brisket, sausage, fritos, beans, and sauce.
A favorite among Baylor Bears, Vitek’s will probably never crack the top
ten, but it is well worth your time.
However, the next places we visited are undoubtedly among the best in
the state. In fact, we pounded through
four of the top five rated places in three days. We rolled into Taylor’s Louie Mueller’s after
the lunch crowd to find this smoky ole gem right off the main drag. The inside was as if you stepped into an
antique photo with walls so covered in soot; you could barely make out the
signs on the walls. We missed the boat
for their award winning sausage and beef ribs, so we “settled” for their brisket
and pork ribs. As expected, the meat
fell off the bone of the ribs and the brisket had a nice crust to bite into. As good as the food was at Mueller’s, we
pressed onto what I knew would give my taste buds the ride of a lifetime.
We traveled on down the Texas highways town by town, each one reminding us why we love the Lone Star State. We arrived in Gonzales late that night and got settled at our buddy’s family home that had been in his family since before the depression. A lot of this trip was about the simple things in life that are often raced by in our busy lifestyles. This was a weekend to enjoy friends, barbeque and Texas.
We traveled on down the Texas highways town by town, each one reminding us why we love the Lone Star State. We arrived in Gonzales late that night and got settled at our buddy’s family home that had been in his family since before the depression. A lot of this trip was about the simple things in life that are often raced by in our busy lifestyles. This was a weekend to enjoy friends, barbeque and Texas.
The
next morning we headed to Lockhart to try and beat the crowds to Kreuz Market. Not to our surprise, the line was already
backed up to the door. With the smell of
smoky goodness and the smiles of satisfied patrons, we were ready for everything
this renowned establishment had to offer.
As we finally made it into the pit room, we placed our order and they
lifted the pit doors to unveil all that was hiding inside. From there they moved it to the butcher’s
block and made our cuts. From there, the
meat was slapped on a sheet of plain ole butcher paper. The meat was just the first stopping point in
this long line. After the meat, you get
to the market where you can request a number of sides to accompany your
meat. I went with a couple slices of
cheddar cheese, an avocado, crackers, and a nice RC cola. After our order, we saddled up at a picnic
bench and ate like we were getting the chair in the morning. Each bite was enjoyed to its fullest leaving
nothing but the greasy piece of butcher paper as evidence.
After a well-deserved rest in
town, we made our way to Luling City Market.
Again we took our place in line, waiting to enter the smoke room and
make our well thought out selection. I
decided to go with my customary order and was not disappointed. As I snapped into the smoked sausage, my
shirt was baptized in the greasy juices of barbeque heaven. There was a reason City Market was labeled as
a top barbeque joint in Texas, and we just experienced why. From the people to the food, each of these
places represents all that is good in the state of Texas.
On our last day, we saved
what we still believe to be our favorite barbeque place in our lovely
state. The smell of smoked meat filled
our truck as we drove up to Smitty’s Market.
The old brick building is simple but filled to the brim in
character. As we walked into pit room,
we were greeted with an open fire to the side of our feet that was slowly breathing
into the seasoned smoke pits. The red
brick walls were covered with aged soot, each layer representing the brilliant
history of this market. My order was placed
and my stomach had been primed. We sat
down at the family style benches and began to work our way through our piles of
meat. Smitty’s and Kreuz enforce the
simple culture of no forks and no sauce.
So with our hands as our utensils, we completed the job set before us
and loved every minute of it.
This was a trip not meant for
sissy’s or lite weight eaters. Your goal
when visiting these barbeque gems is eat to your fullest and then eat some
more, or I promise you will have food left on the table. If you haven’t tried these legendary Texas
barbeque joints, go out and experience it for yourself. I can only attest for what tickles my
barbeque fancy, but there is a story waiting to be told from each of you. So travel down those Texas highways and taste
God’s goodness through the medium of barbeque.
Enjoy!
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| Chase sporting a "Texas Cities - I've Been Everywhere" shirt. |
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| Chase sporting a "Texas Cities - I've Been Everywhere" shirt. |
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