A meditation on "creamy, crunchy" BBQ perfection

Recently, one of our readers, probably from Houston, took issue with a reference here to the spectacular ribs at City Market in Luling, seen in the photo above.

A Posse member called the best rib he had ever eaten -- just that morning at City Market -- "moist, creamy, crunchy perfection."

Our reader wondered how any real barbecue fan could ever call a rib creamy.

Of course, he was probably more upset that the same post essentially said the best barbecue in Houston was average when compared to the best in Dallas.

Hot barbecue opinions, like hot sports opinions, do generate reaction.

Anyway, back to creamy.

On the Posse, we aren't limited by the restrictive vocabulary of barbecue criticism that focuses on  smoke rings, crust and sugar cookies. That can get predictable.

We say what we feel.

Once, a Posse member described the ribs at a famous Fort Worth joint as looking as if they had been extruded from a machine. It was a wonderful, and accurate, description.

And if you've ever had a perfectly cooked rib that's moist and tender and has a silky smooth textured taste combined with a bit of hard crust, then you, too, know what "creamy, crunchy perfection" means.

If you haven't, keep looking....And probably not in Houston.

Photo ©Jim Rossman/Texas BBQ Posse

On a barbecue tour, Facebook is your friend

From the accompanying video, it would appear that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is a barbecue fan. Though it's hard to think that Silicon Valley's apparent taste for fish eyes would ever catch on in Texas.

Anyway, real barbecue aficionado or not, the Posse wants to thank Zuck for developing the best tool ever for keeping barbecue fans informed and connected, especially when they are on a tour.

Witness our recent 700-mile, 35-hour run to the Texas Gulf Coast and back.

Posse co-founder and ace photographer Chris Wilkins regularly posted photos and updates to the Posse's Facebook page, keeping our friends informed of our progress.

When Posse member Jim Rossman decided to go rogue Saturday morning and head off on his own to Lockhart and Luling, he posted a photo of his delicious looking breakfast at City Market. We were envious.

Rossman, by the way, absolutely refused to drive an hour or so to Galveston with the main body of the Posse. Too far. So, instead, he drives over two hours to Lockhart. Go figure.

About 11 a.m. Saturday, someone posted a photo of the long line of people waiting for the Pecan Lodge to open in Dallas. The Pecan Lodge is one of our favorite places and this was the first Saturday since the Lodge appeared on the Food Network's popular Diners, Drive-ins and Dives show. From the photo, the line appeared absolutely Franklin-esque.

And, later that day, our friend and Oregon radio host Bruce Bjorkman -- Mr. BBQ -- caught up with our travels. He Facebooked Wilkins asking him to talk on the show that afternoon.

So, at about 4:30 p.m. Texas Barbecue Time, as we're cruising home to Dallas on I-45, Wilkins dialed Portland from his cell phone.

On the air, Bjorkman asked what we had discovered during our tour. You can hear the interview around 21 minutes into the show.

"I have to say that we feel pretty good about ourselves and our Dallas BBQ scene after what we've had this weekend," Wilkins said. Then he pronounced Houston barbecue "average" to "very disappointing."

Posse members are never short of strong opinions.

So, Zuck, thanks again for your great innovation. And if you're ever in Texas and want to taste real barbecue, just holler.