Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q
Tyler, TX 75702
Hours: B & L Mon–Sat.
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Texas Monthly rating: 4.50
TEXAS MONTHLY SAYS: 2008: Menu surprise: Tilapia.
The Brother-in-Law, a sandwiched smorgasbord of chopped beef, butterflied hot links, and cheese, has a powerful (and well-deserved) reputation in East Texas, but order the old-fashioned hand-pulled-pork sandwich, filled with juicy shreds of perfectly smoked pork shoulder. Nick Pencis, the owner and pitmaster, follows a fifty-year-old smoking method—meats housed for sixteen hours in the pecan-fueled pit—to turn out some of the best barbecue in this neck of the Piney Woods.
2008: The Brother-in-Law, a sandwiched smorgasbord of chopped beef, butterflied hot links, and cheese, has a powerful (and well-deserved) reputation in East Texas, but order the old-fashioned hand-pulled-pork sandwich, filled with juicy shreds of perfectly smoked pork shoulder. Nick Pencis, the owner and pitmaster, follows a fifty-year-old smoking method—meats housed for sixteen hours in the pecan-fueled pit—to turn out some of the best barbecue in this neck of the Piney Woods.
BBQ SNOB SAYS: 2010: I ordered a four-meat sampler along with a turkey sandwich for my wife. A good amount of smoke could be detected in the baby back ribs, which had a nice crust despite the super sweet glaze. Brisket was also smoky and moist, but too much fat had been trimmed. Pulled pork was a conundrum for me. The first batch was pale, monochromatic, and lacked much flavor at all. I explained this to the pitmaster, who promptly switched it out for a much better portion of pork that had bits of black bark with plenty of flavor and smoky goodness.
2009: Hot links were underwhelming slices of slightly spicy pork sausage, and the ribs had a sweet, tangy glaze applied lightly to the dark smoky crust. These baby backs weren’t very meaty, which allowed the smoke to penetrate the full depth of the rib. Brisket had a more traditional preparation with a light rub leading to a decent crust and a good smoke line. The meat was moist, but the ease with which it broke apart in my hands was evidence that it may have been overcooked a bit. The wholly untraditional pulled pork was the best item—the mixture of tender shredded pork, black bits of crust, and small bits of rendered fat came together with the nutty flavored sauce that was applied with restraint. The Brother-in-Law sandwich—chopped beef, sliced sausage, and American cheese piled atop a buttered bun and doused with the house sauce—came together quite well. I had doubts about cheese and brisket, but the sausage buffer was key to this flavor profile.
