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How to put great Thanksgiving BBQ on your table

With the holiday fast approaching, the Posse reached out to some top barbecue joints to see what they're offering to help bring some great Thanksgiving BBQ to your dining table this year. We didn't find any places open for regular business on Thanksgiving, preferring their staffs spend the day with family and friends. In the true spirit of the holiday, our friends at Slow Bone in Dallas and Meat U Anywhere in Trophy Club are both holding events to help feed the less fortunate. Here's what we heard from 11 of the the Posse's favorite joints around Texas. Happy Thanksgiving…

Joints - 11/07/2017

Looking for a great Dallas lunch deal? Dylan's Barbecue Saloon may be your place

Diners eat on the front patio of Dylan's Barbecue Saloon on Northwest Highway in Dallas. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse) Eating good barbecue for lunch in Dallas can often be a costly proposition, sometimes heading north of $20 at the better-known joints. The Posse is always on the lookout for the next great lunch deal and we recently found one at Dylan's Barbecue Saloon, located just west of Loop 12 on Northwest Highway. Dylan's was opened a little more than two years ago by Dylan Johnson, owner of Milo's Bar in Arlington, in partnership with long-time caterer Bryan Mahoney. I…

Joints - 10/31/2017

Franklin Barbecue targets first week of November for re-opening

Smokers sit in the burned out smokehouse of Austin's Franklin Barbecue in early October. (Photo ©Gary Jacobson/Texas BBQ Posse) Call it serendipity. I stopped by Franklin Barbecue near downtown Austin this morning just to check on rebuilding progress since an August fire closed the place. And there was Aaron Franklin, red socks and all, talking barbecue to a couple in a big SUV. “They’re from Wisconsin,” Franklin told me, smiling, after he had finished. Yes, the most famous pit master in the world, even in the midst of major reconstruction, still makes time for his fans. The news from this…

Joints - 10/19/2017

The state of Dallas BBQ 2017, a Posse debate

The Dallas-area barbecue scene has changed dramatically over the past six years. (Photo ©Michael Ainsworth/Texas BBQ Posse) A few years back, six to be exact, we wrote a “grim indictment” of the lack barbecue choices in Dallas. Pecan Lodge and Lockhart Smokehouse had recently opened, but, we concluded, there was a dearth of joints, especially for a city the size of Big D. Not to mention for the fourth largest metro area in the nation with more than seven million people located in the heart of barbecue country. Why? Were the chains smothering the independents? Tough city regulations? Lack of…

Joints - 10/17/2017

Grand opening - Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ in Dallas

The front of the line enters Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ as it opens for the first time at 1950 Market Center Blvd. in Dallas. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse) There's a serious new player on the Dallas BBQ scene, as Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ opened on Monday in the Design District within walking distance the Hilton Anatole. It's a great location with ample parking, features a spacious dining room and awesome backyard party area. Did we mention the 50-foot ferris wheel out back? More about the later. Most importantly, the meats were spot on as they opened their…

Joints - 09/25/2017

A tribute to Cleo Baltimore, the BBQ goodwill ambassador of Port Neches

Billy Joe’s Bar B-Q pitmaster Cleo Baltimore, who passed away last week in Port Neches. Editor’s note: The Posse, largely, is made up of jaundiced, old newspaper types who don’t get worked up about much. But Joel Smith’s Facebook tribute to Cleo Baltimore, who recently passed away, moved even us. Many thanks to reader Tim Hinson who alerted us to the post. And to Joel for allowing us to reprint his thoughts. By Joel Smith This man's name is Cleo Baltimore, and he passed away yesterday. I don't write this out of sadness, but out of thankfulness. He's the first…

Joints - 09/20/2017

Interested in owning a classic joint? Fatboys BBQ in Cooper is for sale

If you've ever wanted to own a true Texas barbecue joint, there'a a really good one -- Fatboys BBQ -- for sale 80 miles northeast of Dallas in Cooper. We first met and wrote about Heather Hoff & Shannon Bankston in 2012 when they ran Fatboys in the tiny town of Ladonia, population 612. Within a year they had moved the business to nearby Cooper, a bigger town with state Hwy. 24 running through it. When we saw earlier this summer that the joint was for sale, Marshall Cooper and I headed east to visit. Fatboys BBQ is a classic…

Joints - 09/19/2017

Don't miss Smoke Sessions Barbecue -- new joint east of DFW

Pitmaster/owner Chad Sessions at Smoke Sessions Barbecue. (Photo ©Jim Rossman/Texas BBQ Posse) A new BBQ joint flashed up on my Facebook feed last week. My nephew’s mother-in-law tagged her daughter to mention Smoke Sessions Barbecue, a new trailer on State Highway 66 between Rockwall and Royse City in the small town of Fate. I was free for lunch the next day, so I drove the half hour east on I-30 and found Chad and Jessica Sessions manning a very sharp-looking smoker/trailer parked in front of a feed store. The right half of the trailer houses the offset pit and a…

Joints - 09/08/2017

Franklin Barbecue hopes to re-open in 'next two weeks'

Repairs at Franklin Barbecue appear to be progressing on schedule and the world famous Austin joint hopes to reopen for business in a couple weeks, Stacy Franklin says. We were in the neighborhood of Franklin on Wednesday and drove by to see how the rebuilding was going. There were workers on the roof, and it was evident that repairs were well underway. The place has been closed since a fire the morning of Aug. 26. Afterward, Aaron Franklin said the place would be closed for at least a month. "We are hoping to open in the next two weeks," Stacy wrote…

Joints - 09/07/2017

After the fire, could another trailer help reopen Franklin Barbecue?

For a barbecue lover, it might be the saddest sight imaginable: “CLOSED” the sign said. “We had a fire. We will reopen as soon as we can. - The Franklin Family” The sign, hand printed on butcher paper, was taped to the front door of Franklin Barbecue in Austin. Normally, at about noon on a nice summer Thursday, there could be dozens of people in line, ready to taste the best of Texas smoked meats. The original Franklin Barbecue trailer in 2010. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse) But no one was in line during my visit. The joint has been…

Joints - 09/01/2017

The Texas BBQ community responds to Hurricane Harvey

Grant Pinkerton, owner and pitmaster at Pinkerton's Barbecue in Houston, during a visit in June. (Photo @Michael Ainsworth/Texas BBQ Posse) There’s a note with a phone number on the door of Pinkerton’s Barbecue in Houston. It’s addressed to all Hurricane Harvey and flood rescue workers who might show up in the middle of the night. “We live right above the restaurant,” owner Grant Pinkerton explains. “The note says, call this number and we’ll come down and cook for you.” The Texas barbecue community has certainly stepped up to the challenge of helping the state’s residents recover from the unprecedented storm.…

Joints - 08/31/2017

Jones Bar-B-Que -- Touting Texas taste in Victoria, B.C.

Combo platter of ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sausage & sides at Jones Bar-B-Que in Victoria, British Columbia. (Photo ©Bryan Gooding) We walked into Jones Bar-B-Que, not far from downtown Victoria, at 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday. There was no line. The joint touts its "learned in the pits of Texas" style. "Brisket to blow you away. Pork that’ll put you down for the count. Smoked slow," Jones' Web site says. Liam Harlow, the manager who greeted us at the order counter, continued with the hard Texas pitch. Before Harlow got too carried away, though, Posse member Bryan Gooding asked him…

Joints - 08/25/2017

The Posse’s Top 6 BBQ Bars in Texas

The Smoked Meat Bloody Mary at Lockhart Smokehouse, a true Texas BBQ bar classic. (Photo ©Lockhart Smokehouse) There are times when you need more than Big Red or Lone Star with barbecue. We were reminded of that fact of smoked meat life on our recent tour of Houston joints. One stop was Pinkerton’s Barbecue, which has a full bar off its main dining area. Our favorite barbecue bar remains Lamberts in downtown Austin. But, with Pinkerton's, there’s now a new challenger. Bars in barbecue places are somewhat rare in Texas. A lot of joints just offer soft drinks and beer.…

Joints - 08/16/2017

Adamson Barbecue: Great Texas taste in Canada

Customers in the main dining area at Adamson Barbecue in Toronto. (Photo ©Sherry Jacobson/Texas BBQ Posse) Other than too many people wearing Blue Jays baseball caps, there's a lot about Adamson Barbecue in Toronto -- O Canada! -- that will remind a Texan of home. -- There's the line of customers that forms well before the joint opens, even in the rain. -- The big Texas flag in the main dining room. -- The gallery of excellent Robert J. Lerma barbecue photos on the wall, including a portrait of Tootsie Tomanetz, the grand matron of smoked meat at Snow's BBQ…

Joints - 08/09/2017

Texas BBQ revolution keeps spreading

Call me clueless, but I hadn't realized how far, and fast, the Texas BBQ revolution has spread. Some background: We’re heading soon on a cross-Canada train trip, so I was checking to see if there might be decent barbecue joints on the front end (Toronto) and back end (Victoria, B.C.) of the trip. Sure enough, Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins recommended Adamson Barbecue in Toronto, which has gotten some buzz from aficionados. Notice the lede photo on Adamson’s Facebook page, shown above. Can’t get much more Texas than that. And through a Google search I found Jones Bar-B-Que in Victoria.…

Joints - 08/01/2017

7 ways to spot great BBQ joints

Arthur Gee works in the smoker room at Pat Gee's Barbecue, a classic joint in the piney woods east of Tyler. (Photo ©Guy Reynolds) A recent Thrillist story about seven ways to spot fake bbq joints generated lots of comments on our Facebook page, so we thought we’d take a cue and advise you how to spot great bbq joints. Being positive, the Posse thinks, is always better than being negative. That’s not to say the Thrillist item, written by Colleen Rush, is bad. It has excellent advice , i.e., be wary if there’s no wood pile in sight. And…

Joints - 07/27/2017

Have the young guns of Texas BBQ won the revolution?

Left to right: Esaul Ramos & Joe Melig of 2M Smokehouse, Leonard Botello of Truth Barbeque and Grant Pinkerton of Pinkerton's BBQ. (Photos ©Michael Ainsworth & Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse) Your response to the above question probably depends upon personal taste. Evolving personal taste. At first glance, the answer appears to be a loud YES! The young guns of Texas BBQ have, indeed, taken over from the traditional joints. Look no further than the makeup of Texas Monthly’s recent Top 10 places in the state. Seven of them have either started or reopened operations since 2011, five since 2013. Only…

Joints - 07/25/2017

Meet the Holy Trinity of Texas BBQ Joints

A customer orders at City Market in Luling, which opened in 1958. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse) In Texas, we’re familiar with the Holy Trinity of barbecue meats: brisket, ribs and sausage. How about the Holy Trinity of Texas BBQ joints? For consistent quality and longevity, there’s little argument, at least according to the Bible of Smoked Meat in the Lone Star State. Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Kreuz Market in Lockhart and City Market in Luling are the only places to be on every one of Texas Monthly’s top-joint lists since they debuted in 1973. We owe a huge…

Joints - 07/18/2017

The bad boy of Texas BBQ is back and cooking up a storm

Customers line up for lunch at John Mueller Black Box Barbecue in Georgetown. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse) You can say a lot of things about John Mueller, who some might call the bad boy of Texas barbecue. And, over the years, most of it probably has been said. But the dude can cook! We were reminded of that during a recent visit to a new trailer operation — John Mueller Black Box Barbecue — in Georgetown. “Damn, he’s good,” I blurted, after taking a bite of Mueller’s smoked turkey. I followed with a crusted bite of fatty brisket. Delicious.…

Joints - 07/12/2017

Let the Texas BBQ Posse eat cake, mom says, and we do

Customers line up on a Saturday morning at Truth Barbeque in Brenham, the Posse's first stop of the trip. (Photo ©Michael Ainsworth/Texas BBQ Posse) At the first stop of the day on a barbecue tour, we almost never order dessert. Plenty of opportunity later for sweets, if we’re still hungry. And so it was at Truth Barbeque in Brenham on a recent Saturday morning. After tasting the joint’s beef rib, brisket, pork ribs, turkey and sausage, we confirmed that Truth deserved every bit of its recent Texas Monthly ranking among the Top 10 places in the state. “I can’t think we’re…

Joints / Roadtrips - 06/26/2017

Texas Monthly's BBQ rankings, fair or not?

Are Texas Monthly’s barbecue rankings fair? Can you compare a joint open just one day a week to places open six and seven? And a related, but more complicated fairness question: With so much of Texas Monthly’s overall business plan — events, tours, dinners, merchandise — now tied to barbecue, can the magazine look beyond its self interest when it comes to smoked meat? After gurgling below the surface since the release of the latest Top 50 list last month, these issues erupted into full view this week when Ronnie Killen went public to the Houston media. He later elaborated…

Joints - 06/23/2017

Food, music at Opie's BBQ make the Posse happy

Our lunch of brisket, ribs, sausage, pork loin & turkey at Opie's BBQ in Spicewood, with tater tot casserole and butterbeans. The last time Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins visited Opie’s BBQ, on an Easter Sunday four years ago, he was too late for the brisket. In the world of Texas barbecue, that’s called disappointment. So Wilkins was very happy on a recent return visit to the Spicewood joint when we ordered a full platter of brisket, ribs, sausage, pork loin and turkey. The meats are terrific at Opie's BBQ, but don't miss the homemade banana pudding either. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas…

Joints - 06/20/2017

Ronnie Killen says he's selling brisket for no profit

Snake River Gold brisket at Killen's Barbecue in Houston, which goes for $30 a pound. Seeking to improve quality, barbecue maestro Ronnie Killen recently changed brisket suppliers and is now paying so much for raw brisket that he doesn’t make any money on the final, smoked product. “If it means selling brisket for no profit, then that's what it means,” Killen said on the Houston Chronicle’s BBQ State of Mind podcast Wednesday. "I don't care." Killen operates the popular Killen’s Barbecue in suburban Houston. He said on the podcast that he now pays $9.35 a pound for brisket supplied by…

Joints - 06/15/2017

Impressive return to Winners BBQ in Cedar Hill

Selection of smoked meats at Winners BBQ in Cedar Hill, sliced brisket, sausage, baby back ribs & chopped brisket. The Posse gathered recently at Winners BBQ in Cedar Hill, anxious to see if my impressions from a visit a few weeks earlier would hold. Owners De’Andre and Maegan Jackson had just opened their second location three weeks earlier when I dropped in the first time in late April. Posse pitmaster Marshall Cooper & I visited their Plano location in early April. We were very impressed. That led to my visit to Cedar Hill and then our gathering of 10 Posse members several weeks…

Joints - 06/06/2017

The making of Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ list

Without a doubt, it’s the most anticipated and influential list of its kind in Texas and beyond: Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ joints. It boosts business for those places that make it, and generates endless discussion among barbecue fans everywhere. If you have any doubt about the appeal of the list, just Google Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ, or check your Facebook and Twitter feeds over the past couple weeks. Or, view all the coverage the Posse has devoted to the list over the same span. Or, look at the longer lines at many of the top-ranked joints. A new…

Joints - 06/04/2017

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