We walked through the doors of this thoroughly nondescript suburban strip center spot and were greeted by the heavenly incense of smoked meat—which carried us to the counter in a happy daze. Next, came an unsolicited, excruciatingly upbeat testimonial from a fellow patron, waiting and antsy for service: “Best barbecue
Owner and pitmaster Bob Allen is just as guarded as he is hospitable, so don’t expect a pit tour here. But though we could not see the equipment, we were assured that no gas was used in the preparation of the meat. The menu is simple, but it does include
Greg Gatlin is in charge of the smoker, but he also bustles around taking orders and tidying up. So does his mom, who is responsible for the fine bread pudding and other sweets. After a wait—which is often lengthy—you’ll receive plates neatly stacked with precisely sliced meat. In case you’ve
The brawny pork ribs that emerge from the big metal smoker set a standard for the genre. They are massive, pink, and delicious, their meat lightly clinging to the bone until you grab a bite with your teeth and give a light tug. A heavy, salty-peppery crust, without a trace
You could lose a lot of tire tread and a little bit of soul looking for good barbecue in East Texas. But if you should find yourself in Jasper, mosey down Main Street, past the modest houses and packs of free-range dogs, and make the acquaintance of George Ralph Mahathay,
A devastating fire in 2012 destroyed all but the thin brick facade of this joint, which faces Polk Street in downtown Jefferson. But once the flames were extinguished, owner and pitmaster Stephen Joseph started rebuilding, and seven months later he was christening the new Bewley smoker. The refurbished interior is
Ordering brisket is a reflexive action for most eaters of Texas barbecue. And at a joint like Buzzie’s, with a reputation for expertly smoked beef, it’s truly a no-brainer. Where your tough choices come into play at this Hill Country standby is farther down the menu. If for some crazy
Billy Ray Nelson is the former sheriff in these parts, but he had always dreamed of making real-deal barbecue his full-time gig once he retired. His wish came true four years ago, and boy, is that a good thing for the rest of us. Situated in a wide-open field on
CALVIN TRILLIN: I’m pretty ecumenical. I like Texas barbecue and I like North Carolina barbecue. But there’s more to barbecue than the barbecue. I started going to Arthur Bryant’s, in Kansas City, at the beginning of the time when the oldest person or the most daring person among my friends
With six locations—two of which are in the Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport—this family-run operation could be considered a chain now and, thus, not admissible for this list. But rules are made to be broken, especially when a plateful of expertly smoked meat is before you. We still like the original
The tiny town of Fannin is famous for exactly two things. The first is for being the site of the 1836 Battle of Coleto Creek during the Texas Revolution, where Texians under Colonel James W. Fannin surrendered to the Mexican army, only to be marched to Goliad and executed en
The closest some Dallasites will get to a Central Texas barbecue experience could well be ordering meat by the pound at Lockhart Smokehouse. The similarity to Kreuz Market, in Lockhart, isn’t an accident. Co-owner Jill Bergus is part of the Schmidt family, who run Kreuz Market, and she and her
If you’re in the market for brisket, be sure to get the fatty rather than the lean, and be sure they leave the crust on when cutting your order. We didn’t know to say anything on our first visit, and our brisket came out looking scalped. When the bark is on,
Trent Brooks was working as a materials specialist for a gas-compression company when a supervisor, who knew of Brooks’s talent as a part-time pitmaster, referred him to an ad on Craigslist for a $12,000 mobile smoker. Brooks negotiated the price down to $4,500, and the rest, as they say, is
A few months back Fargo’s moved out of its original building, a cramped place that lacked indoor seating—or outdoor seating, for that matter. Though the restaurant is now located just a few blocks from the first location, the large dining room, lined with big windows, feels miles away. One thing
If Miller’s were in Austin, it might have started in a food truck. Instead, Dirk Miller began cooking in the front room of his meat-processing and taxidermy business, which opened in 2006. First came sausage wraps and pulled pork in 2008; he started “throwing briskets” on the smoker a year
This place comes with rock-solid credentials: The pitmaster, Lance Kirkpatrick, worked under Bobby Mueller at Taylor’s Louie Mueller Barbecue for nine years. Following that, he briefly succumbed to the lure of a fine-dining kitchen, but last year Austin entrepreneur Shane Stiles beckoned Kirkpatrick to the pits once again. We’re grateful
Some people may be turned off by the description at the bottom of the Lamberts menu: “Fancy Barbecue?” But there are so many outstanding dishes at this establishment, we urge you to put preconceived notions out of your mind. Plus, the restaurant (we can’t bring ourselves to call it a
In this case, “La” is not a definite article referring to the “Cuisine Texicana” this relatively new joint says it serves; it’s an abbreviation referring to the first name of the co-owner LeAnn Mueller, granddaughter of the founder of Taylor’s famous Louie Mueller Barbecue (disclosure: LeAnn is a contributing photographer
If there’s a dark prince of Texas barbecue, it’s probably John Mueller, the famously irascible, hugely talented, at times erratic master of meat who left his family’s legendary joint—Louie Mueller Barbecue, in Taylor—and set out on his own in 2001 with John Mueller’s B-B-Q, on Austin’s East Side. By 2003,
Our first visit to Tyler’s Barbeque was a failure. The staff was friendly and the food was great, particularly the tender brisket with its peppery crust and subtle smoke ring, but we arrived too late to try the pork ribs, whose praises were being sung all over the High Plains.
With rattlesnake skin tacked to the particleboard walls, wagon wheel chandeliers, and black-and-white-checked tablecloths, Willie’s aesthetic can be described Little House on the Prairie chic. This joint has a large menu that caters to local tastes (brisket tacos, fajita plates), and it was packed during the weekday lunch rush. Meats
To create the lettering for our June barbecue issue, creative director TJ Tucker spent six long hours playing with barbecue sauce.Aaron Franklin graciously provided the sauce, and to achieve the right look, we thickened it with agar, an edible hydrocolloid that is used much like flour or cornstarch. It
In June we’ll publish our every-five-years list of the top 50 BBQ joints in Texas, which is always one of the most hotly anticipated issues we put out. It will be on newsstands on May 22, and we’ll be releasing the names of the joints on the list later this
Secession, Aggies, and artists: the Texas stories y'all wanted to read and share in 2012.
Robstown retirees have been exhibiting their rock dinner spread since 1983. It never gets old.
The latest installment of Lone Star Listings, our new recurring feature that highlights beautiful, historic, and interesting properties and homes around the state.
Despite shaking up the department store chain's corporate leadership, the Plano-based retail giant continues to suffer.
During George Friedman's first public speaking appearance since his company was hacked by Anonymous, occupy protesters interrupted a panel he hosted at SXSW, calling him a private spy who worked for wealthy corporations.
Rick Perry dropped by the CNN Grill at SXSW where he told Peter Hamby that "the idea you can just stroll in there and be in the mix and be successful ... is a bit of a stretch."
The Texas Public Policy Foundation's president on the direction of the Republican Party of Texas and what it's like to be one of Ronald Reagan's "happy warriors."
From FT33, in Dallas.
From Boulevardier, in Dallas.
From Chris Shepherd, the chef-owner of Underbelly, in Houston.
This recipe is from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.¾ pound watermelon flesh (about 2 ½ cups), seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons fresh lime juiceBlend watermelon, sugar, and 1 ½ cups water until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour into
Recipe from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.4 ounces raw red snapper, cut into 1/2-inch cubes1 tablespoon finely chopped white onion3/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided 1/2 cup thinly sliced octopus (cooked as below)4 medium shrimp (cooked as below)1/2 cup
This recipe is from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.1 ½ cups corn oil8 regular-sized corn tortillas, each cut into 8 triangles salt to tastePlace a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, and preheat to bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes. Working in batches, fry tortilla
This recipe is from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.1/2 cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), roasted 1/2 cup peanuts, roasted 4 medium tomatoes, roasted, peeled, coarsely chopped 2 medium tomatillos, husks removed, roasted, coarsely chopped 2 chipotle peppers in
This recipe is from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.4 medium tomatillos, husks removed, coarsely chopped1 serrano pepper, stemmed 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 tablespoon finely chopped white onion ¼ small bunch cilantro ¼ teaspoon kosher salt Place tomatillos, pepper, garlic,and onion
This recipe is from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.8 to 10 guajillos (long, reddish dried chiles), stemmed, seeded, reconstituted with enough water to cover (reserve liquid)2 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed, reconstituted 6 garlic cloves, peeled, roasted 1 tablespoon finely chopped white onion 1
This recipe is from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.½ small white onion 2 garlic cloves, peeled 2 serrano peppers, roasted, peeled, stemmed ½ small bunch cilantro, divided in half 6 medium tomatoes, roasted, peeled 1 ½ teaspoons kosher saltPlace onion and garlic in a food
Fish tacos, the way Houston chef Hugo Ortega makes them.
This recipe is from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.For the refritos (refried beans)2 cups dry black beans, well rinsed and picked over ½ small white onion, quartered, plus another whole onion, finely chopped 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
This recipe is from Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico cookbook. Find several more recipes from the book here.1 cup granulated sugar4 pints fresh raspberries1 tablespoon fresh lime juicePlace a saucepan over medium heat and add sugar and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, about 4 minutes. Stir in raspberries and
TEXAS MONTHLY partnered with StateImpact Texas and KUT News to take a close look at how the state can manage a growing population amid a shrinking water supply. Listen to reports from NPR’s John Burnett, Texas state photographer Wyman Meinzer, and more audio and online reports.
What a day in the Twitter life of Austin Mahone is like.
The Hill Country Drive, the BBQ Market Drive, the Backwoods Drive, and thirteen other summer trips, from the mountains to the coast, that will take you down some of the prettiest, most picturesque, most wide-open stretches of asphalt Texas has to offer. Buckle up!
Robert Caro on LBJ. Marcus Luttrell on war. Douglas Brinkley on Walter Cronkite. James Donovan on the Alamo. Steve Coll on ExxonMobil. Ben Fountain on a surreal Dallas Cowboys halftime show. Dan Rather and Sissy Spacek on themselves. For some reason, May has turned out to be a month like
From Justin Yu of Oxheart, in Houston.
Style blogger Jane Aldridge on where she likes to go in Texas to get her goods.
