2019 - Giddings vs Taylor

Had a great time in Giddings.  Started with some good barbecue at City Meat Market, then I went to Buffalo Stadium to see the game between the Giddings Buffaloes and the Taylor Ducks.  Here's my video of this adventure:

I spent Friday the 13th in Giddings, about an hour's drive east of Austin.  I was there to see the non district game between the Giddings Buffaloes and the Taylor Ducks.  Robert Little is in his first year as head coach of Taylor.  The Ducks made the playoffs in 2018 and were eliminated in the first round.  They are looking for their first win of 2019.  Adrian Lara is the head man at Giddings.  The made it as far as the third round of the playoffs in 2018 and ended the season with an impressive 11-2 record.  Like Taylor, Giddings is looking for their first win.

The weatherman really dialed up a beautiful evening.  The temperature at game time was around 90 degrees and there was a slight breeze out of the south.  A couple of clouds overhead looked a little dark, but nothing to tell home about.

Both these teams were looking to get off the schnide for their first win of the 2019 season.  Buffaloes and Ducks. . .  it should be a good one.

Before I recap the game, let me tell you about the barbecue I ate earlier in the day. . .

The Barbecue

When my wife and I were eating barbecue at Killen’s Barbecue in Pearland this past summer (Texas Passions episode 402), another patron mentioned that he liked the barbecue served at City Meat Market in Giddings.  That’s all I needed to hear to want to give them a taste.  We stopped by on our drive back to Austin, but they were already sold out of barbecue for the day.  No worries, I’ll just try again some day. . .

That some day is now. . .  City Meat Market is located at 101 W. Austin Street in downtown Giddings.  Opened in 1941, it stands in a large yellow brick building at the intersection of Austin and North Main.  I got there around 12:30 PM and found a parking space next to the building.  The front half of the place is a meat market, the back half is where they serve barbecue.  A big friendly guy named Kendrick led me to the back room where he went to work carving me some moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  He set me up with a side of beans and some pickles and onions.  I got some iced tea and then I went to work.

The barbecue was real good.  The brisket had a tasty outer bark and a deep smoky flavor, but was bit chewy.  The ribs had a sweet smokiness to them, but were a little overcooked and were also chewy.  My order came with a sample of a tomato based sauce.  Dip a bite of meat in it and it went down so good.  I think Kendrick might have tripped while holding the black pepper over his beans.  Very spicy, but also good stuff.

City Meat Market is a no frills kinda place with maybe a half dozen tables in their small dining area.  The barbecue is good and Kendrick and Leroy took good care of me while I was there.  The next time I drive through Giddings, I’ll be sure to stop in and get more of their que.  Assuming they haven’t already sold out for the day. . .

I rate this barbecue one Hook ‘Em!

The Game

Buffalo Stadium in Giddings.  What a beautiful evening with an absolutely gorgeous sunset.  On their first possession, the Buffaloes faced third and nine.  Quarterback Alex Delatorre was sacked, but the Ducks were called for a face mask penalty on the tackle.  Given new life, Giddings drove into Taylor territory.  Delatorre carried the ball to the Taylor one.  After Taylor was called offsides, Cody Gill scored on a dive play to give Giddings an early 7-0 lead.

The Buffalo defense forced a three and out.  The Ducks punt was blocked by Jaron Denmon and the ball rolled out of bounds on the Taylor 34.  Delatorre threw to Drake Moore on the sideline for a first down at the Taylor 12.  Gill scored again from one yard out. The point after was no good, leaving the score 13-0.

The Ducks started from their own 45. Christopher Fabian ran for good yardage on a quarterback option.  His pass to Elijah Sanchez picked up a first down.  Halcyon Morris ran to the Buffalo’s 27 for another first down.  But on third and 11, Fabian’s pass was intercepted by Kolbie Clemons on the two and returned to the 9. 

As the game moved into the second quarter, Giddings methodically marched downfield.  Here’s Cody Gill on a sweep.  His burst up the middle for a 19 yard touchdown capped off a 91 yard drive making the score 20-0. 

After a short punt, Giddings stormed right back.  Gill carried to the Ducks seven.  Alex Delatorre scored on a quarterback sneak to push the score to 27-0.

The teams traded punts.  Delatorre’s coffin corner kick rolled out of bounds on the 1.  Jesse Coward’s punt was caught on the 39 by Chad Adams.  He started to his left, then cut back for a touchdown.  The Buffaloes went to halftime leading 34-0.

Jason Martinez took the third quarter kickoff for the Ducks.  He faked a reverse and returned the ball to midfield.  Christopher Fabian threw to Martinez for a first down.  But the drive ended when Fabian’s pass was intercepted by Chad Adams.  Delatorre threw over the middle to Adams who was wide open.  He raced through the defense for a 52 yard scoring strike.  

The Buffaloes added a 20 yard field goal in the fourth quarter as they stampeded the Ducks 44-0.

2019 - Dripping Springs vs Hays

Friday fun in Dripping Spings.  It started with barbecue from The Switch, then a football game between the Dripping Springs Tigers and the Hays Rebels.  Here's the video I made of this adventure:

I went to Dripping Springs to see the Tigers in action against the Hays Rebels.  Les Goad is in his second year as the head coach of Hays.  Galen Zimmerman is the head coach of Dripping Springs.  Both teams made the playoffs in 2018.  Both teams lost in the first round.

The temperature was around 96 degrees at kickoff.  Weather was not a factor in the game.

Both teams won their opening game of the season and were looking to extend that winning streak to two.  Tigers and Rebels. . .  it should be a good one.

We'll get to the game in a moment.  Let me first show you the barbecue I had earlier in the day. . .

The Barbecue

This past summer, Texas Monthly published a list of the top 25 “new” barbecue joints in the state.  Places that were too new or didn’t even exist when they published their Top 50 list in 2017.  One of the new restaurants is The Switch in Dripping Springs.  It is an offshoot of Stiles Switch in Austin.  I have enjoyed the que served at Stiles Switch many times (Texas Passions episode 310), so I knew I need to head to Dripping Springs.

The Switch is located in a large white building at 166 Hargraves Drive in the Belterra Village shopping area.  I arrived just after 5 PM and was shown to a table.  They have “counter service” at lunch, “table service” at dinner.  A wee bit fancy for a Texas barbecue joint, but I kept an open mind.  I was waited on by two nice young guys, Dagger and Jon.  Jon took my order: a two meat plate with brisket and pork ribs, sith a side of sweet corn casserole and fries.  While I waited for my food, Dagger gave me some complimentary hush puppies.  These were really good, especially when dipd into the spicy aioli.

Dagger and Jon

Just like at Stiles Switch, the food was excellent.  The brisket had a great outer bark.  It was moist and tender, with a rich smoky flavor.  The baby back ribs might have been a little short, but they were long on taste.  I chose a sweet glaze for them instead of the spicy.  The meat had to be bitten from the bone, but it was well worth the effort.  The corn casserole also went down really good.  My order came with a typical red sauce, sorta sweet and not too spicy.  There were two sauces on the table.  Lance’s Mustard tasted of mustard and pepper.  Popeye’s Molasses had a bunch of coffee in it.  I sampled each, then went back to the red sauce when I wanted to dip a bite of meat.

After I ate, I wandered around to the cooking shed where I met Troy, one of their pit masters. A real friendly guy, he was kind enough to open one of the pits and let me take a look.  He took a brisket off the rack, wrapped it in butcher paper, then returned it to the pit to finish its cook.  Back outside, I met their wood gut, Joseph from Chief Firewood.  He was unloading a huge batch of post oak wood that will end up being used to smoke somebody’s barbecue.  Oh yeah. . .

Troy the pit master

Joseph the wood guy

It’s easy to see why the food at The Switch is so good: the people there put a lotta lotta love into all they do.  When Texas Monthly publishes their next Top 50 list, I suspect The Switch will be taking a spot right next to big brother Stiles Switch.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

The teams traded punts to start the game. Late in the first quarter, Hays faked a punt to pick up the first first down of the game.  Bobby Green took a handoff from quarterback Durand Hill and swept to his left.  Austin Hulon made a touchdown saving tackle for Dripping Springs.  As the game moved to the second quarter, Hill was sacked on third and goal.  Tom Skrovan’s 27 yard field goal was good giving the Rebels a 3-0 lead. 

Late in the second quarter, Grayson Winter was pressured as he passed.  His throw was picked off by Liam Dahl and taken to the house.  The pick six gave the Tigers a 7-3 halftime lead.

Dripping Springs got the kickoff to start the third period.  Quarterback Preston Alford ran up the middle for huge yardage to midfield.  Forced out of the pocket, Alford scrambled for a 42 yard touchdown as the Tigers pushed their lead to 14-3.

Bryant Lewis took a handoff on a reverse.  He turned the corner with blockers in front of him, then raced down the sideline for a 58 yard touchdown.  That made the score 14-10.

Here come the Tigers.  Curtis Cox took a handoff from Alford and burst through a huge hole in the Rebels line for a 46 yard gain.  Alford ran up the middle for a 14 yard touchdown to extend the Dripping Springs lead to 21-10.

As the game moved in the fourth quarter, Joeangel Carrasco ran for a big first down.  Hill threw deep to an open receiver in the end zone for a touchdown.  Hays try for two was stuffed, leaving the score 21-16 with 8:44 remaining in the game.

Nursing a five point lead, Dripping Springs could not move the ball and was forced to punt.  A 60 yard kick by Cameron O’Banan pinned the Rebels deep in their own territory. The Tiger defense did its job and forced Hays to punt.  But a 76 yard boomer by Will Agnew flipped the field and pinned the Tigers deep in their own territory.  Dripping Springs tried to eat the clock, but Alford was sacked on third down.  A short punt gave Hays the ball on the Tigers 45. 

Quincy Jackson took the handoff, swept to his right, and was forced out of bounds on the Dripping Springs 13.  Xavier Green bulled his way up the middle for the score as Hays reclaimed the lead at 22-21.  Their two point try failed.

With just over a minute to play, Alford was hit as he passed and Hays recovered the fumble.  They ate all but one second off the clock.  Alford’s desperation pass fell incomplete to end the game.  Twice down by eleven, Hays took the one point victory 22-21.

2019 - Westlake vs Belton

To start the 2019 season, I ate some really good barbecue at Brown's Bar-B-Que and saw the Westlake Chaparrals host the Belton Tigers.  Here is my video from this adventure:

We still have some summer left, but we've made it to the Labor Day weekend and that means it's the start of football season.  I went to Chaparral Stadium on the campus of Westlake High School to see the Chaps play host to the Belton Tigers.  Sam Skidmore is the head coach of Belton.  They made it into the play-offs last year and were eliminated in the first round.  Todd Dodge is the long time head coach of Westlake.  They made a deep run in the play-offs last year and are hoping for more this year.

The temperature at the start of the game was 95 degrees with a breeze out of the southeast.  The temperature fell a bit after the sun went down, but it didn't cool off a whole lot.

This is the start of the 2019 season.  Everybody is undefeated.  Everybody still has dreams of making it to Jerry's World to play for a state championship.  Tigers and Chaps. . .  it should be a good one.

Before I summarize the game, let me tell you about the barbecue. . .

The Barbecue

For the opening game of the new football season, I thought I’d go back to my roots and revisit a local favorite barbecue joint.  Brown’s Bar-B-Que serves up smoky goodness and sides from a bright red food truck parked in front of the Corner Bar at 1901 South Lamar.  I last visited them in December 2016 (Texas Passions episode 15), really enjoyed their que, and was hoping to do so again.

I got there just after they first opened.  A nice lady named Amaris took my order and cut my ribs and brisket.  She added some pickles and onions to my tray, gave me a bottle of sweet tea, and I was set.  I found a picnic table in the shade and went to work.

I think the barbecue was even better than I remembered and I thought it was real good to start with.  The brisket had a sweet smokiness to it, juicy, and oh so good.  Almost buttery, it just melted in my mouth.  The huge pork ribs were also great.  The meat was full of flavor and just fell off the bone.  Not much chewing effort required on these either.  My order came with samples of two kinds of sauce.  One was a typical red sauce – savory with not too much spice.  The other was a sweet mustard based sauce.  Both were good, but I wouldn’t have missed them if they weren’t there.

A lot of things have changed in the three years since I was last at Brown’s Bar-B-Que.  New buildings downtown, the building going up across the street is almost finished, I’m a lot taller than I used to be.  But a couple of things I am happy to report have not changed: Brown’s serves up some super tasty barbecue and unlike some of the more famous barbecue joints in Austin, you don’t have to wait in line for hours to get it.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

The score was tied for the first five minutes of the game.  That’s only because it took Westlake that long to drive 75 yards for the opening score of the season.  Kirkland Michaux passed and ran for big yardage.  He finished the drive with a 25 yard touchdown pass to Ryan Lindley on a swing pass in the flat.  That put the Chaps up 7-0.

Belton picked up a couple of first downs when they got the ball, mainly on quarterback scrambles by Ruben Jimenez.  The Tigers decided on a quick kick on fourth and 8 from midfield. The punt bounced into the end zone for a touchback.  This time Westlake drove 80 yards for a touchdown.  Passes from Michaux and runs by Gray Nakfoor moved the ball into the Tiger’s red zone.  Michaux found Mason Mangum in the end zone for a 6 yard touchdown as the Chaps extended their lead to 14-0.

Early in the second quarter, Westlake hit a 27 yard field goal to make the score 17-0.  Facing third and seven, Jimenez rolled and threw, but his pass was intercepted by Leo Lowin.  Drew Willoughby picked up right where Michaux left off, hitting Lindley for a 6 yard touchdown.  The extra point made it 24-0. 

On Belton’s next possession, Jimenez and D’emante Smith had trouble with a handoff and Westlake recovered the fumble.  One play later, the score is 31-0 when Willoughby threw deep to Luke Nicklos.  The Chaps connected on a 21 yard field goal to take a 34-0 lead into halftime. 

It was more of the same in the second half.  Westlake scored in the third quarteron a 24 yard pass from Michaux to Jaden Greathouse.  Nakfoor got in the act, scoring on a 4 yard run in the fourth quarter.  That made the final margin 48-0.

Belton had trouble moving the ball all night.  They might pick up a couple of first downs, but could never sustain a drive.  I think their entire playbook could fit on the front and back of a 3x5 index card.  Running back up the middle or have Jimenez try to pass.  Add in a couple of turnovers and costly penalties, you’ve got a recipe for failure. . .

It was a good win for Westlake.  Three different quarterbacks played and all led the Chaps to points.  Their defense totally dominated the Tigers.  And there were no major injuries.  Final score: Westlake 48, Belton 0.  

2019 - Brenham

With my wife out of town, I made a quick trip to Brenham for some really great barbecue at LJ's BBQ.  Here's the video I made of this adventure:

On our way back home from our Houston barbecue road trip, my wife and I stopped off at LJ's BBQ in Brenham.  But they had sold out for the day and were closed when we got there.  That just gave me an excuse to go back. . .

The Barbecue

For years, Brenham has had one major claim to fame: it’s the hometown of Blue Bell Ice Cream.  Look in the freezer of any Texan and you’ll find a half gallon or so of some flavor of Blue Bell.  But I drove to Brenham for barbeque.

LJ’s BBQ is located in a small white building at 1407 West Main Street.  Their parking lot was crowded when I arrived, the air filled with the sweet smell of barbecue cooking.  I found a parking spot and walked inside.  The dining room was pretty full and there was a small line of people ahead of me, but it moved very quickly.  I was greeted warmly by Matt, a big guy with a huge smile.  He cut off a small sample of brisket as he prepared my order and gave me a taste.  Oh my goodness. . .  I paid my bill, got some tea, pickles, and onions from a side table, then settled in to eat.

As always, I ordered a half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  The brisket was outstanding: great outer bark, rich smoky flavor, super tender.  Each bite was buttery and just melted in my mouth.  Chewing was optional.  Oh my goodness. . .  The pork ribs were also great.  Big and juicy, the meat falling off the bone, each bite a treat.  There was a squeeze bottle of sauce on the table, savory with just a little spicy kick.  It paired well with the meats.  This was some really good barbecue.

After I ate and finished putting my tray and trash away, I got back in line.  When Matt asked me what I needed, I told him I wanted to speak to the manager.  His eyes grew wide, then I told him the barbecue was too easy to eat. I’d put a bite in my mouth and it would simply disappear.  He and the other good folks behind the counter got a good laugh.

LJ’s BBQ – tremendous barbecue served by really nice people.  The next time Texas Monthly publishes their Top 50 list, I suspect there will be a spot on it for LJ’s.  Either way, people have another great reason to visit Brenham. 

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

2019 - Spring

The third leg of our Houston area barbecue road trip: Corkscrew BBQ in Spring.  Here the video from this adventure:

The Barbecue

After spending the night in the Houston area, my wife and I headed to Spring for lunch.  Corkscrew BBQ is located at 26608 Keith Street in the Old Town area.  Bounded by a railroad track on one side, they are situated in a residential neighborhood.  They have been at this address for a few years now, so the neighbors must be used to the sweet smell of Texas Perfume (barbecue smoke) and the sight of people leaving with full bellies and big smiles.

My wife and I got there a little before they opened at 11:00 AM.  The smell of barbecue cooking over red oak wood permeated the area.  A line was already snaking around the corner of the building.  This gave us a chance to visit with the people near us and check out some of their memorabilia and signs posted along the walls, both outside and inside the restaurant.  We made our way to the head of the line by around 11:40, placed our orders, and found a table. 

My wife ordered a green salad (yes, a Texas barbecue joint that serves salads).  She also got some lean brisket and pulled pork.  I got my usual moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  With the first bite of a pork rib, I thought I had died and gone to barbecue heaven.  Meaty, juicy, tender, with a rich smoky taste.  Great ribs.  The brisket was… unbelievable.  Superb outer bark, really tender and juicy, deep smoky taste, almost buttery when it melted in my mouth.  Wowser…  My wife enjoyed her salad and brisket, but thought the pulled pork needed some sauce.  The couple of bites I snuck were just fine.  Speaking of sauce, there wasn’t any on the table and we didn’t see any anywhere.  And we didn’t miss it one bit. 

As we were eating, Corkscrew’s manager Kamm Wallace walked through the dining room, cleaning tables and talking to patrons.  A big, friendly guy, he stopped at our table and we had a chance to speak with him.  I told him I eat a lot of barbecue and theirs easily ranked with some of the best I had ever eaten.  He broke into a wide smile, his pride clearly showing.

In 2017, Corkscrew BBQ took the #7 spot on the Texas Monthly Top 50 list.  It’s easy to see why.  Corkscrew has hit the trifecta: a warm, comfy atmosphere; friendly people who put lots of love into what they are doing; and absolutely terrific barbecue.  Great oogly-moogly, was this ever good.  So good in fact, I am already thinking about my next Houston road trip.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

2019 - Houston

Continuing on our road trip, my wife and I had fun at Hermann Park, then ate dinner at Pinkerton's Texas Pit Barbecue in The Heights.  Here's my video of this adventure:

After a great lunch in Pearland, my wife and I had some time to kill, so we headed to Hermann Park.  We spent some time at the Houston Museum of NaturalScience (they have a really neat butterfly enclosure) and explored the Rose Gardens where we got married lo those many years ago.  Then it was time for dinner and that meant more barbecue.

The Barbecue

We headed to The Heights.  Pinkerton’s Texas Pit Barbecue is located in a big white building at 1504 Airline Drive.  The restaurant is in the first floor, while owner and head pit master Grant Pinkerton lives on the second floor.  Parking was a bit tight, but I wedged the minivan into a spot.  As you walk in the front door, there is a bar to the left and the dining room to the right.  We got in line, got our food, and found a table. 

The brisket I ordered was really good.  Just a single, thick slice, but it was super tender and had a rich smoky flavor.  They serve two kinds of pork ribs: glazed and unglazed.  I couldn’t decide, so I got some of both.  Big and meaty, tender and smoky, both styles of ribs tasted great.  Pinkerton’s also served blueberry cobbler.  I love a good cobbler and made from fresh blueberries?  Oh yeah. . .  My wife got their two meat plate with lean brisket and pulled pork with a side of beans.  The bites I snuck from her order tasted great and she raved about the beans.  There was no sauce on the table and we didn’t see any when we were in line.  Pinkerton’s might have some, but the meats sure never needed it and we didn’t miss it.

After I ate, I walked around to the smoking shed.  There I met Curtis, one of their pit masters.  A friendly young man, he showed me their pits and explained their cooking method.  Briskets start out being cooked over mesquite wood.  After about twelve hours, they are wrapped in butcher paper and cooked over oak at a higher temperature.  A slightly different smoking technique than most barbecue joints, but you can’t argue with the results.

Pinkerton’s Barbecue made the Texas Monthly Top 50 list in 2017.  It’s easy to see why: mouth watering barbecue, super friendly people.  That’s a winning combination that will keep Pinkerton’s on that list for years to come.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

2019 - Pearland

My wife and I took a barbecue road trip to the Houston area.  Our first stop was Killen's Barbecue in Pearland.  Here is the video I made of this adventure.

The Barbecue

Killen’s Barbecue is located at 3613 E. Broadway Street in Pearland, south of Houston.  It’s a big white building with a large covered dining area to the side.  

We arrived just after noon and got in the short line.  It was a beautiful day and very comfortable in the shade as we waited.  The line moved quickly and we placed our orders.  My wife ordered their two meat plate with lean brisket and pulled pork, with a side of beans and green beans.  I ordered my usual moist brisket and pork ribs.  They were also serving beef ribs, so I had them drop one of those bad boys on my tray.  Our meals came with homemade pickles and pickled onions.  We grabbed some drinks, found a table indoors, and dug in.

The brisket was very tender and had a nice smoky flavor.  It was sliced a little thinner than I like, but you could not see through it like the brisket I got in Kansas City a couple of years ago.  My wife said her last slice of brisket was a little drier than the first slice, probably due to the thinness of the cut.  The pork ribs were big and meaty with a great chew.  I snuck a couple of bites of the pulled pork and really enjoyed it.  The beans were nicely spiced and my wife loved the green beans.  

But the star of the show was the beef rib or should I say brontosaurus rib.  Great smoky flavor, super tender.  Almost like eating a meat popsicle.  Oh my. . .  There were three types of sauce on the table: original, tangy, and coffee.  The first two were “light” sauces with different degrees of sweetness and spice.  The third was richer and had a bit more depth.  All three went well with the barbecue.

In 2017, Texas Monthly named Killen’s Barbecue as one of the fifty best barbecue joints in the state.  From what my wife and I sampled, I suspect Killen’s will keep making that list well into the future.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!