We didn’t see pitmaster Roy Perez and his famous muttonchop sideburns on our last visit to the Lockhart institution, but the rest was reassuringly familiar. Rows of picnic tables ushered us back to a long, hallowed hall, and we soon found ourselves in a happy haze of post oak smoke. Kreuz (pronounced “Krites”) is a place where barbecue expectations are upside down. Your first choice should be sausage. Part-beef, part-pork, and all-around flavorful, it boasts a snap that is particularly satisfying. If you don’t fancy that, choose the remarkably succulent pork chop. And if you crave beef, go for shoulder clod, lean and tender. Only the brisket is unpredictable, often coming in dry and under-smoked. As for sides, both the sauerkraut and German potato salad have nibblets of brisket for added heft.

Reviews
Kreuz Market
We wanted to keep this renowned spot at the top of our list, where it’s been since our very first barbecue story, in 1973. But after repeated visits by various staffers, we had to be honest: we couldn’t. The brisket was consistently disappointing. The scanty fat on the “fatty” was
Kreuz Market
Two years ago, I took a road trip with two friends and stopped at ten joints in a single day. Our final stop was Kreuz, and it did not disappoint. I was hoping to strike gold on this trip where Kreuz was again the tenth stop on a
Kreuz Market
On two previous trips to Lockhart, Kreuz was solid, but it has never been otherworldly. I assumed this trip would be no different, but it turned out to be one of my best barbecue experiences. I’ve eaten mounds of barbecue in my time, but this day was different. Two companions and
Kreuz Market
The old Kreuz Market was like a one-room chapel. The humble brick building off the courthouse square in Lockhart had turned out divine smoked meat since 1900. But just as churchgoers nowadays worship in larger halls, so too does the visitor to the new Kreuz Market, which opened in 1999
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