Greater Houston, we have barbecue redemption

The four meat plate with a link of boudin brought a smile to Posse faces at Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack in Houston.
(Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

In a previous post, careful readers might wonder about the heading over the itinerary of our weekend trip:

"Houston Redemption BBQ Tour"

What's that all about?

Flash back to the Posse's first Gulf Coast tour two years ago. It was disappointing. The only good barbecue we found was in Galveston, 50 miles away.

"Houston, we have a barbecue problem" was the headline on that chapter of our BBQ Chronicles. Some of our smoked meat brethren in The Bayou City are still upset at us.

So, one of the main goals of our most recent tour was to see if Houston had redeemed itself, in a barbecue way.

Or, would that billboard along I-45 near downtown about a dinosaur exhibit prove true?

"Best ribs in town
Houston Museum of Natural Science"

While finding good smoked meat in the city proper is still a challenge, we can report that, yes, the greater Houston area certainly has found barbecue redemption.

Beef ribs at Killen's BBQ in Cypress. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

Five of the six joints we hit served solid barbecue. One, Killen's Barbecue in Pearland, might just be the best place in the state.

(Note: Because of an internal communications snafu, Posse members actually ate at 7 places last weekend. While the main body went to The Brisket House location in Deer Park, one member went to the location in Houston. The food at both received good reviews.)

The only real disappointment, food wise, was Virgie's Bar-B-Que, located in the city. We didn't like it two years ago. Ditto last weekend.

"I thought we might have been wrong the last time, but we weren't," said Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins.

Texas Monthly rates Virgie's among its Top 50 in the state. The Posse can't figure out why.

Houston Redemption BBQ Tour

Friday 6/27
7:45am: Leave Dallas

10:30am: CorkScrew BBQ, 24930 Budde Rd., Spring, 832-592-1184. Open Tues-Sat 11am-til the meat runs out. Website: http://www.corkscrewbbq.com (Texas Monthly Top 50)

1pm: Virgie's Bar-B-Que, 5535 Gessner Dr., Houston, 713-466-6525. Open Tues 11am-2pm, Wed-Fri 11am-6:30pm, Sat 11am-5:30pm. Website: http://www.virgiesbbq.com (Texas Monthly Top 50)

3pm: Brooks' Place, 18020 FM 529, Cypress, 832-893-1682. Open Wed-Sun 11am-til the meat runs out. Website: Website: http://www.brooksplacebbq.com (Texas Monthly Top 50)

7:10pm: Detroit Tigers @ Houston Astros, Minute Maid Park.

Overnight in Houston, Club Quarters Houston hotel

Saturday 6/28
10:30am: Killen's BBQ, 3613 E. Broadway, Pearland, 281-485-2272. Open Tues-Sun 11am-until they run out of meat. Website: http://www.killensbarbecue.com

1pm: Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack, 4529 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, 713-748-4227. Open Mon-Sat 11am-8pm. Website: http://www.raysbbqshack.com

3pm: Brisket House, 5775 Woodway, Houston, 281-888-0331. Open Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sat 11am-6pm. Website: http://thebriskethouse.com

4:00pm: Head back to Dallas

Brooks Place pitmaster and owner Trent Brooks talks BBQ 101 with the Posse in Cypress. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

High on smoke and creamed corn, BBQ eureka at Killen's BBQ

Pork ribs, brisket, potato salad & creamed corn at Killen's BBQ in Pearland. (Photo by Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

Just a week after the Posse's barbecue tour of Houston-area joints, Posse member Daniel Goncalves and his wife, Magda, made a return visit, including a trip to Killen's Barbecue in Pearland, which might just be the best barbecue joint in the state. Daniel says he had a couple of new barbecue revelations while high on smoke and creamed corn. Here is his report:


My wife and I decided at the last minute to spend the 4th of July weekend in Houston. The previous week's trip to Killen's may have influenced that decision.

When the Posse visited Killen's, Posse member Jim Rossman showed up a couple of hours before opening and had the #1 spot in line.

My wife and I stopped Saturday, July 5th, just before 3 p.m. We spotted pit master, Ronnie Killen, on the side lawn. I was curious to see if the joint had sold out any of the meats and how the food would measure up to the "first in line" offerings we had the week before.

Only 6 people were in line ahead of us when we arrived. The board up front said sausage had sold out. We decided to get a 6-meat plate ($28), but divided between only two meats: two portions of pork ribs and 4 portions of moist brisket. It's a lot of food, enough for us have a nice lunch and leftovers for dinner.

We were disappointed we couldn't sample the sausage, which was very good the previous week, but I was pleasantly surprised that sausage was the only meat that had sold out.

A worker said meat capacity was increased for the holiday weekend by temporarily bringing in an additional smoker. On Friday, 85 briskets were smoked and they had sold them out by 3:30 p.m. They had 12 out of 65 left at just after 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The plate came with a choice of two sides. I've never been excited about sides at a BBQ joint. We ordered the potato salad and the creamed corn.

I assumed we would both take a bite of each and the rest would end up in the trash bin. After last week's visit I didn't believe anything could possibly stand up to the meat. I couldn't have been more wrong.

This led to the second great revelation of my BBQ touring experience: Don't put sides to the side (sorry).

The sides stood up just fine and were not out of place with the meat. They were not an afterthought or a simple filler as with many barbecue joints.

Pitmaster/owner Ronnie Killen. (Photo by Daniel Goncalves)

The creamed corn was sublime. It was creamy and luscious while being light and almost frothy with a small spicy after kick. We were told that the creamed corn is the exact same corn served at Killen's Steakhouse which is considered one of the top steakhouses in the country.

If I could create a new BBQ category called "most luscious side," the creamed corn would be king. I challenge any other side from any other joint to go toe to toe with the creamed corn in my fictitious category. Bring it on.

The brisket was perfectly cooked and unbelievably moist, but I personally would have liked a little more rub, especially salt. The ribs were perfect. I felt the same way on the previous visit. The beef flavor seems to be the star while the seasoning does back up duty and that's not a bad thing.

I felt compelled to try the sauces after sampling some naked bits and pieces. Since my Florida days I haven't touched sauce. My personal feeling is that if it needs sauce I don't want to eat it.

This led to my third ever BBQ revelation. The sauces were delicious and complemented the brisket beautifully. I'm wondering if this is part of some genius plan to get you to reach for the sauce so you can experience another layer of culinary goodness. Killen definitely has "it" when it comes to creating perfectly balanced flavor. Escoffier would not be disappointed. sweet and acidity balanced beautifully. No one flavor stands above the other.

We decided to take a brisket back home to Dallas after making sure they had enough left over for the people in line behind us. Our brisket was just short of 8 pounds of jiggly, glistening and gorgeous meat. Memories of Baywatch's intro sequence came to mind.

We decided to further indulge by getting a slice of the buttermilk pie to share. Magda said she noticed lemon rind while exclaiming how wonderful it was. No bottled lemon juice here.

I haven't been this excited about smoked meat since my first BBQ revelation while sampling Snow's marvelous brisket on a beautiful Saturday morning. That was when I finally understood how great brisket could be.

After its Houston tour, the Posse debated on the way back to Dallas whether Killen's was the best BBQ joint in the state. I was reluctant to agree on the spot.

But if you take into account comfort level (A/C, nice decor, friendly staff, personable pit master, beer in line, etc.), all the different meats and their quality, and if you throw sides into the discussion, then I personally would have to say that this is the best BBQ joint in Texas and possibly this side of the sun.

Please pass more of that creamed corn.

Killen's BBQ, 3613 E. Broadway, Pearland, 281-485-2272. Open Tues-Sun 11am-until they run out of meat. Website: http://www.killensbarbecue.com

Dining room at Killen's BBQ. (Photo by Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

Killens' BBQ in Pearland is going to crash everyone's top 10 list.

Killen's BBQ in Pearland. (All photos by Jim Rossman)

I had lunch at Killen’s BBQ in Pearland today and the meats were spectacular.

I have no doubt Killen’s is the best BBQ in Pearland, and likely the best BBQ in the Houston-area. The Posse will double-check my thoughts as we head down to Houston for a BBQ tour at the end of June and Killen’s is a highly-anticipated stop.

I figured Mother’s Day would be a light day at a BBQ joint, but then I remembered this is Texas. Killen’s opens at 11 a.m., and at 10:05 a.m. I was 15^th in line. By the time the doors opened, the line was approaching 75 and there were still 50 in line when I left about noon.

Ronnie Killen has been selling BBQ for a while out of a tent in what was called a pop-up restaurant. His restaurant opened in February 2014, and there’s been a line since the beginning.

Once inside the door, there’s room for about 10 people to stand before you get to the serving counter, where Ronnie was on the knife. I was offered a really nice burnt end at the counter (always a nice touch).

Meat offerings include brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, sausage (regular and jalapeno), turkey, pulled pork and pork belly.

The meats are available by the pound or on plates with two sides. Plates start at $10.95 for one meat and top out at a 6-meat plate for $28.95. I settled for the 4-meat plate (brisket, pork ribs, jalapeno sausage and pork belly.

Sides available include pinto beans, baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, mac ‘n cheese and creamed corn. I opted for the corn and potato salad. The creamed corn was a hearty side that I’d order again. The potato salad was of the mustard variety and was just average.

The brisket was some of the best I’ve had in any place in Texas. It was just the right combination of salt, pepper and rendered fat to make me close my eyes and just nod my head up and down. I’ve had great brisket from Franklin, La Barbecue, Pecan Lodge and Snow’s.

Ronnie Killen’s brisket is as good as any of those.

I thought the brisket was going to be the standout, but I was wrong – today’s best bite was the beef rib.

It was perfectly cooked and bursting with beefy goodness with just the right amount of crust and smoke.

The pork ribs were St. Louis cut and they were perfectly cooked and rubbed with a spicy/sweet rub that I like to find on a rib.

Pork Belly is not on a lot of menus, but it’s a daily feature at Killens. The pieces I had were meaty and fatty and very good.

The house-made sausage comes in regular and jalapeno. I had a link of the jalapeno and it was very tasty, but almost too lean. There was no grease dripping out of this link at all. It had great flavor, but needed just a little more fat to keep it from falling apart.

Killen’s BBQ, 3613 East Broadway St., Pearland, Texas 77581. Open Tuesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. until the meat runs out.

The line at Killen's stretched down the sidewalk before the 11 a.m. opening.

The welcome mat.

A simple menu above the serving line.

Owner and pitmaster Ronnie Killen

Four meat plate, including brisket, pork ribs, pork belly and jalapeno sausage 

Moist brisket and a beef rib

Early diners enjoy lunch. The line is visible outside.

Houston-area barbecue fans finally get hip and learn how to form a line at Killen's Pop-Up BBQ in Pearland

Long line at Killen's BBQ in Pearland last Saturday. (Photo by Bryan Norton/bbqtreasurehunt.com)

"Magic tingle."

That's how Bryan Norton, a blogger who rides a motorcycle to many of the barbecue joints he visits, describes the experience of tasting perfect brisket.

"It's that magic combination of pepper, salt, perfectly rendered fat, and of course brisket that literally travels through your body," he explained recently on the Posse's Facebook page.

"I've seen it make people giggle, laugh, roll their eyes back in their head, high-five and sometimes all of those at once," Norton wrote.

The Posse can't argue. That may be the most accurate description we've ever seen. This Norton dude knows barbecue.

So, we took special notice this weekend when Norton wrote about Killen's Pop-Up BBQ in Pearland, the weekend smoked meat test lab for steakhouse king Ronnie Killen while his barbecue restaurant is being completed.  The joint has been getting rave reviews and attracting crowds.