2018 - A look back at the 2017 state championships

As teams report to training camp and begin their preseason workouts, every player and every coach has dreams of going to State.  A chance to play on the biggest stage for the biggest prize of them all – a Texas State Championship.  In this video, I take a look back at the 2017 state championship games played at AT&T Stadium and review the barbecue served at Lockhart Smokehouse in Dallas.

In 2017, all the state championship games were played at AT&T Stadium, Jerry’s World, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.  Twelve games were played over four days.  Teams were there from all across Texas: little towns that only have a single stop light and a Walmart store to the big city schools with enrollments in the thousands.  Some teams were there in hopes of repeating as state champs, others were making their first trip.  Football heaven. . .

Going to State is also a great time for barbecue. . .

The Barbecue

I drove up to Dallas a day early so I could eat some barbecue before I went on a four day football binge.  Lockhart Smokehouse made the Texas Monthly Top 50 List and looks like a good to place to try.  They are located at 400 W. Davis in the Bishop Arts District near where I grew up in Oak Cliff.  This old neighborhood is seeing a renaissance as new shops, restaurants, and condos move in.  Parking can be difficult, but I found a spot around the corner and walked over. 

I entered from a side door and walked thru the indoor dining area to the counter where I could place my standard order of a half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  A nice young man named Jesus prepared my order.  I got myself some pickles and onions from a side table and found me a spot to eat at one of their tables. 

My brisket had a nice, smoky flavor, without much of a smoke ring or an outer bark.  The meat above the fat was very tender and juicy.  However the meat below the fat was chewy and not as tender.  Almost as if the two sections had been cooked separately and fused together.  The pork ribs were big and meaty, with a sweet smoky flavor.  They too were a bit chewy, the meat needing to be bitten off the bone.  They served a typical tomato based red sauce that had a nice spicy tang to it. 

After I ate, I had a chance to talk briefly with Jesus and one of the ladies tending bar.  The owners are from Lockhart and someone is related to the good people who own Kreuz Market, a Lockhart landmark of barbecue. Thus the name Lockhart Smokehouse for a barbeque joint in Dallas. Now it makes sense. . .

I have to say I have had barbeque from other joints around Texas that did not make the Top 50 list that I thought was better than what I was served at Lockhart Smokehouse.  Friendly people and atmosphere only go so far. . .

I rate this barbecue a shaky Hook ‘Em!

Sights and Sounds

Congratulations to all the teams that made it to State in 2017.  What a great ride it was.  Which teams will have their dreams come true and make it to Jerry’s World in 2018?  We’ll see as the season plays out.  It should be a good one. . .

2018 - Lexington, Texas

It is often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Then why not make it barbecue?  Sounds like a good time for a road trip. . .  Here is the video from my adventure to Snow's BBQ in Lexington, Texas:

My wife and I got up before the sun on a Saturday morning and made the trek to Lexington, Texas.  That’s where you will find Snow’s BBQ at 516 Main Street.  

In 2017, Texas Monthly named Snow’s the best barbecue joint in the state, so we needed to check it out.  After a beautiful ride in the country, we got there just after 7:00 AM and made it an even dozen people waiting in line.  More people trickled in during the next hour and there may have been over a hundred there by the time the doors officially opened at 8:00 AM.  Owner Kerry Bexley worked the crowd, raffling off chances to move up in line, get discounts, or free bottles of sauce.  It’s always fun getting to talk to people in line (one gentleman ahead of us was from Australia), but here the main attraction is Miss Tootsie.

Tootsie Tomanetz, 83 years young, is the undisputed Queen of Texas barbecue.  She has been smoking meats in and around central Texas since 1966.  She’s been with Snow’s since it first opened in 2003.  Her Saturdays usually start around 2:00 AM when she gets to Snow’s for the once a week cook.  As people begin to line up early, she still tends the fires while fans seek her autograph and picture.

When we got inside, we were hit with the sweet, enveloping aroma of barbecue. The three ladies behind the counter were old pros, super friendly and efficient.  I ordered a half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  My wife ordered some lean brisket and a slice of smoked turkey.  Having made the trip from Austin, we ordered some extra brisket, a half chicken, and a pork steak to take home.  We got some pickles and onions, scoops of the free pinto beans, and some iced tea from a side table, then found a table outside where we could eat.

All the barbecue we ate had a light, subtle smokiness to it.  The moist brisket was outstanding.  The meat was super tender, the outer bark full of rich flavor.  The ribs had a sweet taste, with a nice little crunch.  The lean brisket was a wee bit dry, but went down great when paired with the tangy barbecue sauce.  The turkey was moist and flavorful, a little peppery on the outside.  The real treat was when we got home and tried the pork steak.  Great oogly-moogly.  Oh was it good.  That was probably what put Snow’s into first place on that Top 50 list.

After we ate, I got a chance to talk with Clay, one of the pitmasters.  He was checking on racks of ribs, swabbing them down with a mop sauce and getting ready to take them into the house for serving.  

As my wife and I gathered our things and headed for the car, I saw Miss Tootsie washing down a cooler.  I walked over and thanked her for the great barbecue.  She smiled back at me, thanked me for making the drive out to Lexington, and kept right on working.  On second thought, it is the love and dedication Miss Tootsie and Clay and the rest of the staff have that made Snow’s BBQ number one on the list.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!