North Main BBQ owner Ray Green and his infamous armadillo smoker. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/Fotobia.com)

Over the years, the Posse has run into some unusual smokers on the barbecue trail, such as Big Baby, used by pitmaster Jeremiah "Baby J" McKenzie.

Saturday we saw another: A 2,200-pound armadillo at North Main BBQ in Euless.

Logs go in the mouth and smoke comes out the tail. This smoker is anatomically correct, right down to its brass balls, says owner Ray Green.

"We made him for the Texas Sesquicentennial so he's in his 28th year," Green said. March 2, Texas Independence Day, is its "unofficial" birthday.

Green said he has hauled the smoker to special events around the country and it always attracts attention.

"We were going through Los Angeles on I-10 by the Staples Center and nobody would pass us until they took a picture," he said. "We were a rolling roadblock."

In a quick, 60-mile tour Saturday, The Posse ate at North Main, Eddie Deen Crossroads Smokehouse in Arlington and Hard Eight BBQ in Coppell. We'll write about the food in later posts.

If you go to North Main, be sure to ask Ray to show you the chain -- made of many miniature gold pigs with diamonds for eyes -- he wears around his neck.

"This is my 401(k)," Green joked.

"Barbecue bling."

North Main BBQ, 406 N Main St, Euless, 817-267-7821. Open Fri-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-4pm.

Ray Green shows his barbecue bling. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/Fotobia.com)