2018 - Miller's Smokehouse in Belton

Another beautiful day in Texas.  Another great day for barbecue. . .  Here's the video of my latest adventure.

It was just after lunch time as I drove through Belton on my way back home to Austin after visiting my 92 year old Dad.  I remembered hearing that Miller’s Smokehouse had moved to a new location.  This seemed like the perfect opportunity to eat some great barbecue and check out their new digs.

I exited off I-35 and found my way to Miller’sSmokehouse at 300 E. Central Avenue.  Their new location is big and bright, with a large covered patio and dining area.  They had several dessert cases filled with cakes, pies, and cheese cakes that looked awfully good, but I resisted the temptation and ordered my usual half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  They only sell ribs by the half or full rack.  A half rack would be too much for me to eat at one setting, so what should I do?  The answer was simple enough: order another half pound of brisket to take home with the extra ribs.  Very clever marketing strategy on their part.

The brisket had a nice outer bark and a good smoky flavor, but was a wee bit chewy.  The pork ribs were the star of the day: big and meaty, with a rich smoky flavor.  The bark had a hint of pepper that added an extra zing.  The meat was very tender and easily bit from the bone.  Their sauce was a typical tomato based red sauce that went well with the meat. 

As I was finishing up, a member of their staff came by my table to ask how I liked things.  I looked up and saw that it was Armando, the gentleman I had met when I first sampled Miller’s Smokehouse in October 2016 (Texas Passions season 1, episode 5).  He remembered me as the guy who makes the barbecue videos.  We spoke for a couple of minutes, then he offered to show me their new smoking shed.  I couldn’t pass up that offer, so we walked around back.  At their old location, the pits were located in an alley next to the restaurant, but now they have an enclosed area attached to the kitchen with five big smokers working their magic.  Armando introduced me to Johnny, one of their pitmasters.  Johnny and I talked a few minutes, then I had to get back on the road for Austin.

So what did I learn?  Miller’s Smokehouse new digs are really nice. They still serve great barbecue and their spot on the Texas Monthly Top 50 list is well deserved.  And Miller’s has some super friendly people working there who love what they are doing. 

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!