Last year I covered my most memorable bites of barbecue from around the country. This year I’m just looking at you, Texas. It was a great year for barbecue, and an even better one for Texas barbecue specifically. From this list you can see how much I enjoyed some good pastrami, and that the second half of 2015 was a really good one in my barbecue travels.
TOP 25 (in chronological order)
BBQ on the Brazos, Cresson – Brisket Taco on 01/07
Pieous, Austin – Brisket Pastrami on 01/25
Bill’s Bar-B-Que, Kerrville – Smoked Goat on 02/06
Mac’s Bar-B-Que, Dallas – Pork Ribs on 04/09
Micklethwait Craft Meats, Austin – Goat Sausage on 04/24
Evie Mae’s Barbecue, Wolfforth – Smoked Brisket on 05/07
Lockhart Smokehouse, Plano – Beef Belly Sandwich on 05/21
Sammy’s Bar-B-Que, Dallas – Borracho Brisket on 06/05
Brisket House, Houston – Beef Short Rib on 06/28
Freedman’s Bar, Austin – Smoked Brisket on 07/15
Bodacious Bar-B-Q, Longview – Brisket Burnt End on 08/07
Kolacny Bar-B-Q, Hallettsville – Pork Steak on 08/29
Granary, San Antonio – Brisket Pastrami on 09/04
Rudy’s, Leon Springs – Smoked Chicken on 09/24
Smoke, Dallas – Whole Hog Sandwich on 09/28
Roegels Barbecue Co., Houston – Smoked Pork Belly on 09/29
18th & Vine BBQ, Dallas – Burnt Ends on 10/08
Lockhart Smokehouse, Plano – Smoked Prime Rib on 10/21
Smitty’s Market, Lockhart – Smoked Pork Chop on 10/27
Valentina’s, Austin – Holyfield Taco on 10/28
Rio Grande Grill, Harlingen – Smoked Fried Chicken Skin on 11/12
Nick’s Bar-B-Que, Port Arthur – Beef Link on 11/17
Smokey Denmark’s, Austin – Sausages on 12/02
Hwy 29 BBQ, Bertram – Smoked Pork Loin on 12/05
Granary, San Antonio – Pastrami Beef Rib on 12/15
THE GIMMES
No matter when I eat these smoked meats, they’ll be on my personal list of the best bites. These are the gimmes, the ones that never let me down.
Kreuz Market, Lockhart – Smoked Pork Chop on 01/28
Pecan Lodge, Dallas – Barbecue Platter on 06/03
Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Que, Tyler – Barbecue Platter on 08/15
Snow’s BBQ, Lexington – Pork Steak on 08/25
Franklin Barbecue, Austin – Smoked Brisket on 10/11
City Market, Luling – Beef Sausage on 10/27
La Barbecue, Austin – Barbecue Platter on 10/28
Louie Mueller Barbecue, Taylor – Beef Rib on 11/18
Have a Happy New Year. We’ll see you in 2016!
