2017 - La Barbecue Austin

Texas Passions - La Barbecue Austin.  Season 2, episode 4

A review of the barbecue served at La Barbecue in Austin, Texas.

So I’m driving down east Cesar Chavez Street here in Austin.  It’s going on lunch time and I need to get something yummy for my tummy.  I just happen to roll down the window and am instantly captivated by the sweet smell of barbecue cooking.  I park the van and follow my nose to La Barbecue.

When I first got to La Barbecue, I spotted their smokers and had to take a closer look.  A wonderful young man named Brendan saw me lurking around and ended up giving me a guided tour.  Their three smokers were made from repurposed fuel tanks and are worth around $50,000 – each.  He raised the lid on one of the smokers where briskets and pork shoulders were just beginning their cook.  I got to see a member of their staff trimming excess fat off a brisket as part of the two day prep before cooking.  I also got to see a batch of sausage getting ready to come out of the smoker. 

Pit master Brendan Lamb

Pork shoulders and briskets starting their long cook

After the tour, it took about an hour from the time I got in line to place my order to the time I sat down with a full plate of moist brisket, pork ribs, and a link of their sausage.  Their brisket was phenomenal: moist, tender, and full of smoky flavor.  Slow smoked over post oak, the brisket is wrapped in butcher paper towards to end of the cook to ensure a great outer bark.  Delicious.  The ribs were tender and meaty, the meat falling off the bone when I bit into them.  They make their own sausage and it has been voted the best in Austin for the last couple of years, but I am not much of a sausage guy.  Their pickles are also homemade and were very tasty.  There were two kinds of barbecue sauce on the table, but neither added much to what was already spectacular barbecue.

La Barbecue serves barbecue out of a food trailer located at 1906 East Cesar Chavez.  It is owned by LeAnn Mueller, daughter of the legendary Bobby Mueller, and granddaughter of Louie Mueller, the god father of central Texas barbecue.  You may have also heard about her brother John, but that’s another story.  They have a lot of shaded picnic tables around the trailer for people to use.  There was a large cross section of people there enjoying the barbecue.  It was neat to see many of the them taking pictures of their food.  La Barbecue has been ranked as one of the very best joints in Texas and I wholeheartedly agree.  

This outstanding barbecue gets two Hook 'Ems!

2017 - Waco Road Trip

Texas Passions - Waco Road Trip. Season 2, episode 3 

A review of the barbecue served at Tony DeMaria's Barbeque in Waco, Texas.

My wife and I recently took a short day trip to Waco so she could see and shop at The Silos at Magnolia Market.  If I have to do the Chip and JoJo thing, then I need to eat some barbecue.

I was in Waco back in November 2016 to see Tyler play Klein Collins in a high school play-off game (Texas Passions 2016, episode 14), I had tried to eat at Tony Demaria’s then, but they were closed for the Thanksgiving weekend.  I made sure this time to pick a day for our trip when DeMaria’s was open and serving barbecue. 

Tony DeMaria’s is located at 1000 Elm Street in Waco, a little west of I-35 and north of the Brazos River.  They originally opened in 1946 as a grocery store and meat market.  Son Geoff took over the business in 1985 when Tony retired.  In 1995, they moved to their current location, dropped the grocery store, and began operation only serving barbecue using the same recipes and cooking techniques from back in the 1950s.

I ordered my usual half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  Unfortunately for me, they only smoke pork ribs on Wednesdays (all you can eat) and we weren’t there on a Wednesday.  My brisket was served on butcher paper and was mising some of what I look for in good brisket: not much of an outer bark, no smoke ring.  But what it did have was a great smoky flavor.  Slow smoked over hickory wood, the brisket was super moist and tender and was easily cut with a plastic fork.  They had two kinds of sauce on the table: a typical tomato based sauce (very mild, not much kick) and a spicy sauce that was a little watery.  What made this barbecue special was that it was served with a side of “gravy” – an au jus made from the meat juices themselves.  Dipping a bite of brisket in the gravy added extra richness and depth to the meat.

 

My wife ordered a two meat plate with brisket and turkey.  Like me, she really enjoyed the brisket.  The turkey was also very tender and full of smoky flavor.

Tony DeMaria’s has a large indoor eating area, but no dining area outside.  We arrived just before 11 AM and there wasn’t a line to speak of, but there was a long line of diners by the time we left.  It was really neat to see a wide cross section of people there to eat lunch.  The staff was very friendly and it was great talking with them and some of the other patrons.  I enjoyed their BBQ, but can only give them a single Hook ‘Em! Since I did not get to sample their ribs.  I’ll try to time my next visit to a day when ribs are being served.

2017 - Houston Road Trip

Texas Passions - Houston road trip. Season 2, episode 2 

A review of the barbecue served at The Brisket House in Houston, Texas.

My wife and I attended a wedding in the greater Houston area.  We had lived in Houston in the late 1970’s and had eaten at The Brisket House back in the day.  We liked their food then, so we thought we’d give them a try this trip.  We didn’t find out until later that The Brisket House then is not the same as The Brisket House now that first opened in 2010.  No worries. . .

There are three editions of The Brisket House in Houston.  The one located at 3301 Cypress Creek Parkway (FM 1960 west) opened in April 2016.  It was fairly nearby where we were staying and it only took us 30 minutes to drive there in Saturday morning traffic.  Keep in mind, I’m talking about Houston and “nearby” is a relative term.

I ordered my usual half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs which were served on butcher paper.  I scooped up a helping of sliced onions and pickles and a cup of their sauce from a side table.  The brisket was tender to the touch, had a succulent dark outer bark, and a rich smoky flavor.  The ribs were short, but loaded with tender meat that easily pulled from the bone.  Their sauce was a typical tomato based red sauce with a touch of peppery spice.  It didn’t add much to the meat, but then again, the meat tasted great without it. 

My wife ordered the two meat plate – brisket and turkey – with beans and fried okra on the side.  She liked the brisket and enjoyed the sides.  The turkey was tender and smoky, but we brought the bulk of it home to enjoy later. 

We really enjoyed our lunch at The Brisket House.  They have a large dining area inside and places to eat outside as well.  The staff was very friendly and I had fun chatting with them.  Their meats are slow smoked over a combination of pecan and oak woods.  They had a slightly sweeter taste than what I am used to eating in central Texas, but it all went down real good.  If you’re in the Houston area, keep The Brisket House in mind for good barbecue.

I rate this barbecue: two Hook ‘Ems!