Desert Oak’s plastic utensils hint at how tender the meat is. Even though we wandered into the diminutive joint shortly before closing time and bought the last bit of the day’s brisket, the meat was still pliable and savory. But we were especially surprised by the sublime smoked sausage, the soft threads of pulled pork accompanied by a vinegary Carolina sauce, and the El Paso Stuffed Potato, slathered in butter, cheese, and sour cream and bountifully topped with beans, chives, chiles toreados, and brisket. The sides held their own too: we’d eat the green-chile cheese rice every day, as well as the mustard-forward potato salad. We felt a little guilty when a regular came in hoping for brisket, but he seemed perfectly happy with sausage instead.
Back to Results
Desert Oak Barbecue
El Paso
Barbecue
$$
Now in a brick-and-mortar spot, Desert Oak remains the only traditional Central Texas–style barbecue in town.

Reviews
El Paso’s Desert Oak Barbecue Has Come a Long Way
Three large red letters caught my eye at a busy intersection in El Paso, and I knew I’d found the new home for Desert Oak Barbecue. “BBQ” is the only thing written above the door, but it stands out amid the strip center clutter. It’s a big step up from
Desert Oak Barbecue
Back in April, I gave El Paso some tough love. I had tried and failed to find good barbecue there, and I wrote about my futile search in an article called “BBQ in Far West Texas? I’ll Paso.” With a headline like that, it’s no surprise that the piece resulted in
Comments