Henderson Bob's Here's a man who knows his barbecue. "We don't use water in the pit and we don't poke holes in the meat," says Bob Allen, the honcho of this small storefront operation. "I've been in the business seventeen years, and I know when a brisket is done." Indeed he does. His slow-cooked hickory-smoked meats (including ribs, turkey, chicken, and pork or beef sausage) stand out in the region. Bob's wife and two sons pitch in too, dishing out spicy-sweet ranch-style beans, average potato salad, the usual sweet slaw, and thick, red sweet sauce. The only seating is outside under a small wood pavilion. Brisket plate about $4.30. Rating: 4. 1205 Pope, 903-657-8301. AE, DS, MC, V, checks accepted. Closed Sundays and Mondays. ps

Huntsville New Zion Missionary Baptist Church You can see the plume of smoke before you spot the church and the simple white frame building next to it. Out front are age-blackened steel pits. Inside are communal tables of smiling diners, tended to by a motherly crew, some church ladies, some not. The wondrously flavorful hickory-smoked beef is fibrous yet tender; the ribs are ample but fatty. Excellent plain pinto beans balance mustardy potato salad, and diners have a choice of three sauces, all mild. Brisket plate $5. Rating: 4. 2601 Montgomery (FM 1374), 409-295-7394. Checks accepted, no credit cards. Closed Sunday through Tuesday. ps

Kilgore Country TavernTexas' fastest-moving waitresses work at this legendary spot, where the menu is short and the sauce is sweet. The big, pink, meaty pork ribs are tender to the bone, while the hickory-smoke-tinged brisket is some of the best in East Texas. The large, low-ceilinged room would have no character whatsoever if the diners who fill it weren't so happy. If you have time, grab a beer and shoot a round of pool. Larry Hagman (J.R. of Dallas fame) ate here in 1987. Brisket plate $9.50 at lunch, $10.50 at dinner. Beer. Rating: 4. Six miles west of town on Texas Highway 31 at FM 2767, 903-984-9954. AE, MC, V, checks accepted. Closed Sundays. ps

San Antonio Bob's Smokehouse The original of a three-outlet local chain, Bob's mesquite-smokes a little of everything (including lamb ribs), but specializes in hulking beef ribs and beef sausage so well cooked that it crumbles out of its casing. The thickish sauce has a slight afterburn. Utilitarian, no decor. Brisket plate about $4. BYOB. Rating: 4. 3306 Roland, 210-333-9338. Cash only. Open daily. jm

Uvalde Haby's Bar-B-Que Its motto is "Best of the West," and it's no idle boast: fourteen-hour mesquite-smoked fall-apart brisket, pork ribs slightly crisp on the outside and limp on the inside, delicious chicken. The pork-and-beef sausage tastes commercial, but that's forgivable, given the quality of the other meats. Thinnish, tangy sauce is an old family secret. Standard sides, all homemade. Brisket plate $5.25. BYOB. Rating: 5. 529 E. Main, 210-278-5746. MC, V. Closed Sundays. js

El Paso Bill Parks Bar-B-Que Homesick Texans driving from the west get back in touch with their palates shortly after crossing the state line, veering off I-10 in El Paso at the Piedras or Copia exit and pulling into Bill Parks's, a warm and comfy, red-Naugahyde oasis of soul-style barbecue in the desert. The house specialties are the mesquite-pecan-and-oak-smoked pork and beef ribs (speak up when ordering if you don't want them bathed in the sweet sauce), roastlike brisket that was slightly overdone, near-perfect sliced pork, pork-and-beef hot links and smoked sausage, sides of mixed greens, rice and gravy, and stewed okra in addition to the usuals, and surprisingly complex sweet-potato pie. Brisket plate $5.85 (fat) or $6.50 (lean). Beer, wine. Rating: 4. 3130 Gateway East, 915-542-0960. AE, DS, MC, V. Closed Sundays and Mondays. jnp