Showing this joint to a friend for the first time is always fun, but the huge line can be daunting. Luckily we were stuffed, so waiting for a half hour or so wasn’t the worst that could have happened.

Once inside the smoking room we were mesmerized by the smell and the view of these huge smokers. One of them was completely full of the popular beef links, which helped to create some room in our stomachs. We opted for the minimum order of a link, two slices of brisket, and two ribs, then we headed for the hood of our truck.

Not much more can be said about how great the meats are here in Luling. The brisket was perfectly smoky, tender and moist with a great crust and impressive smokering. The ribs had a bit of chewiness, but the flavor was perfect. Seasoning and smoke worked together to bring the best out of these simple spare ribs. The links were juicy with great snap and plenty of black pepper kick to go with all that beefiness. There’s a reason I go back to Luling whenever I’m within about an hour of it.

(This review originally appeared on Full Custom Gospel BBQ.)