Smitty’s Market
Lockhart, TX 78644
Hours: Open Mon–Fri 7–6, Sat 7–6:30, Sun 9–3.
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Texas Monthly rating: 5.00
TEXAS MONTHLY SAYS: Partisans debate whether Smitty's or Kreutz Market is now Lockhart's top barbecue spot (and which side of the feuding family they favor) Smitty's gets our vote—from the dark, smoky-scented entryway to the juicy coils of sausage and astonishingly flavorful brisket. Sides of potato salad, pickles, cheese, and more may be bought in the bright, spotless dining room. Beer. Open Sun 9-3, Mon-Fri 7-6, Sat 7-6:30.
At peak hours, the lines invariably stretch out the back door. Patiently, you inch your way forward, passing the waist-high brick pits and perusing the list of post oak-smoked meats (brisket, pork ribs and chops, shoulder clod, sausage, prime rib). Salivating, you finally place your order for a pound or so of meat (in this ancient hall there are no platters or sandwiches). You pay with cash or check (here there is no debit or credit). You proceed to the high-ceilinged dining room, staring at the meats on your butcher paper (here there are no plates). At last, faint from hunger, you squeeze in at one of the long communal tables and tear into some of the finest barbecue in Texas.
Smitty’s began around 1900 as Kreuz Market, a German butcher shop that sold fresh meat during the week and smoked whatever was left over on the weekend. The Kreuz name endured even after Edgar “Smitty” Schmidt bought the business, in 1948. It was still in use in 1999, when a dust-up among the late Edgar’s three children caused his son Rick to take the Kreuz name to a new building down the road (see Kreuz Market). Fortunately, daughter Nina Schmidt Sells and her son, John Fullilove, kept the fires burning and reopened under the current name. They made a few concessions to modernity, such as repainting the dining room and offering sauce (you have to ask for it). Other than that, the place is still the proud bulwark of tradition it has always been. May it never change.
BBQ SNOB SAYS: 2010: While the sausage was well smoked as always, I realized I like a bit of pork in the mix to moisten things up. But if you top a saltine with a slice and a dot of hot sauce, it makes for a great flavor combination. The sweet glazed pork ribs were huge and meaty but needed more time on the smoker to render out those gobs of fat. The clod wasn’t ready so we opted for brisket, which was the biggest disappointment. The tough slices held little smokiness, and while they were well seasoned, they needed much more cooking time to tenderize. The fat remaining on each slice was also a bit chewy and unappetizing. This is odd since Smitty’s has a knack for making fat appetizing, seriously.
2009: An order of fatty brisket, lean shoulder clod, ribs, sausage, and a large pork chop were tantalizing atop the greasy butcher paper. The sweet glaze on the ribs adds a great flavor to the meat, but the smokiness was missing. The fatty brisket had too much unrendered fat, but the flavor from the rub was great. It surprised me that the shoulder clod was missing the smoke factor. It was good enough, but not to the level that I’ve come to expect from Smitty’s.
2008: Our first experience here was not particularly favorable, but we chalked it up to a slight case of meat coma as it had been our sixth place of the day in a span of only five hours, so I gave it another try. Was I ever rewarded. The lean brisket (actually a misnomer, it’s beef shoulder) was perfectly seasoned but could have been more tender. The fatty brisket, on the other hand, was so good that I even ate all the fat. It was pull-apart tender and beautifully smoky with a slight salt rub. The spare ribs were the standout here and rank among the best I’ve ever tasted.
