Posse favorites: The Jambo Texan sandwich at Jambo's BBQ Shack

The Jambo Texan sandwich at Jambo's BBQ Shack in Rendon. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Every now and then you run into something so uniquely Texan that you stop in pure amazement. This is the case with pitmaster Jamie Geer's Jambo Texan sandwich at Jambo's BBQ Shack in Rendon.

The Posse hit Jambo's in force during their first week of business and was quite impressed.

It wasn't surprising. Jamie not only builds what many consider to be the best BBQ smoker the in the world, the Lamborghini-esque Jambo pit, but he is also a veteran pitmaster on the competition BBQ circuit with numerous championships under his belt.

I had seen a photo of the Jambo Texan sandwich before, but you must see it to believe it. Sandwiched between two pieces of Texas toast, the Texan has the following meats starting from the bottom: sliced brisket, chopped brisket, smoked bologna, pulled pork, smoked sausage & pork ribs.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox - Photographing the Best of Texas BBQ tour

Dallas Morning News staffer Tom Fox works the line at Franklin BBQ. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

We had several firsts for the Posse on our recent Best of Texas BBQ Tour. This was the first tour spanning three days and also our first trip taken to rank the top joints in the state. The results will be published in The Dallas Morning News and online on March 10.

Another first was to have the Morning News assign a staff photographer to travel with us, documenting the 700-mile journey to the best BBQ joints in Texas. The Posse is made up mainly of photographers and writers, but we'd never had someone fully dedicated to shooting the trip. There's a big difference between shooting with your iPhone or happy snapper, as opposed to using full pro gear.

Running into the BBQ Snob is a good sign

Daniel Vaughn, aka: The BBQ Snob, at Snow's BBQ in Lexington. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Running into your “barbecue friends” out in the wild is really a pleasant surprise.

Twice this year I’ve run into Daniel Vaughn, a barbecue blogger and author who’s tireless pursuit of great smoked meat has benefitted us all.

I’m never surprised to run into Daniel at a restaurant, because if I see him, I know I’m in for some good barbecue.

A respite from brisket, ribs and sausage on the Best of Texas BBQ tour

The Posse digs into a Brother-in-Law sandwich at Stanley's. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves)

Discipline and portion control were the guiding principles of our recent Best of Texas BBQ Tour. They have to be when you eat at 10 places over a period of about 48 hours.

But while we focused on -- and scored -- only brisket, pork ribs and sausage, we did manage to sample other fare on the first day of the tour, when we visited only 3 places.

Posse favorites: The Tipsy Texan sandwich at Franklin BBQ

The Posse is always keeping an eye out for the greatest sandwiches offered on the Texas BBQ trail. Such was the case the first time we saw the massive $2.75 chopped beef sandwich at Meshack's BBQ in Garland, the BBQ Po Boy at Loco Coyote Grill in Glen Rose or my favorite, the Brother-in-Law sandwich at Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q in Tyler.

Well, it looks like there's another contender for the BBQ sandwich elite, the Tipsy Texan at Franklin Barbecue in Austin. Seriouseats.com blogger Carrie Vasios sums up the Tipsy Texan this way, "This sandwich tastes like everything that is good." And we can't disagree with her assessment.

Aaron Franklin piles chopped brisket, sliced sausage, coleslaw and pickles between two buns to create to monstrous sandwich. It looks like you could feed two people with this beast. The Tipsy Texan was originally priced at $6.50 but now goes for $8.00, still a good deal considering the amount of that six-star brisket and sausage you get to enjoy. Just another excuse to head down to Austin this weekend!

Franklin Barbecue, 900 E. 11th, Austin, (512) 653-1187. Open Tues-Sun, 11 a.m.-until the meat runs out.

Photo by Chris Wilkins

Checking out Casstevens Cash & Carry in Lillian

Texas BBQ Posse member Guy Reynolds writes and shares photos from a recent trip to Casstevens Cash & Carry in Lillian. The joint has received four stars from Daniel Vaughn on his Full Custom Gospel BBQ blog and received a 4.5 rating from Texas Monthly. Here's Guy's dispatch from Lillian:

My mother and I have been waiting for Off The Bone to open its new location, walking distance from where she lives in Mansfield, but it's been months since the announcement and little progress has happened. So the last time I was over that way we decided to make the drive out into the country about 15 miles to visit Casstevens Cash & Carry in Lillian, not much more than a fork in a FM road in Johnson County. It's a place I only knew of because of my friend Bud Kennedy's writings about it for the Fort Worth paper. Mom knew of it too and wanted to give it a try so we picked a Friday since that's the day they have ribs.

We arrived around noon and had no trouble ordering or finding a seat in the little place. Business was steady the hour we there, mostly from what appeared to be regulars, the type who knew the help by name and vice versa.

I ordered up a slab of ribs that cost $18 and weighed in at 1.6 lbs. That's a bit of a bargain compared to the the $13 per pound standard rate. And we had a couple of slices of brisket too. I'm no cue connoisseur but I'd rate both selects as very good. The brisket had a great smoky flavor but was a tad on the dry side. I wasn't paying attention when it was sliced or I would've requested it from the fatty end since I prefer it good and moist. The sauce, served on the side, was very good but I didn't use much of it. The ribs were meaty and flavorful and required no sauce. I wouldn't say the meat just fell off the bone but it was tender and a little tug did the trick.

Of course I had to make a few pictures while I was there and it's so easy to do them with my phone and the Hipstamatic app that that's what I did. Next time I need to go in the morning to get that smoker working since all the meats were already finished.

Click here to see a slideshow of Guy's photos on Flicker.

Casstevens Cash & Carry, 11025 E. FM 917, Lillian, TX, 817-790-2545. Open Mon–Sat 5:30 am–8 pm, Sun 7 am–8 pm.

Photos by Guy Reynolds

Posse favorites: Beef ribs at Lockhart Smokehouse

Beefed Up Wednesday is something you're going to want to check out at Lockhart Smokehouse in Oak Cliff. Posse member Jim Rossman came back after a recent lunch raving about the beef ribs, a menu item available only on Wednesdays. And Jim eats there one or two times a week.

Not a lot of joints serve beef ribs, though I've tried them at several places including Louie Mueller BBQ, Gonzales Food Market and Smoke in Dallas. The ribs from Louie Mueller have been amazing every time I tried them and Gonzales was really good as well. I probably won't order the beef rib the next time I dine at Smoke, it was underwhelming compared to Mueller and Gonzales.

A group of ten from the DMN headed over the viaduct today to find out for ourselves. Arriving at 11:30 am, the line wasn't long yet and we got down to business.

The rib is giant, almost making you think of prehistoric days. They normally cut if from the bone for you, throwing some sweet pickles and white bread on top. It looked great.

Irwin Thompson ordered his "animal style," ie: still on the bone. It was fun to watch him devour one-plus pounds of meat off that big rib bone.

Bottom line, most of us have been here numerous times and this is one of the best things we've ordered at Lockhart. It was cooked perfectly, with good rub, texture and smoke. One rib could easily feed two people, unless you come in with a huge appetite.

Open only three months, Jeff and Tim are understandingly still knocking out some of the kinks of starting a BBQ joint from scratch. However, Beefed Up Wednesday will keep you coming back for more......

Lockhart Smokehouse, 400 W. Davis, Dallas, 214-944-5521. Open every day from 11am till they're done.

Photos by Chris Wilkins

Baby Back Shak - Is the "Rossman Platter" the best BBQ sampler deal in Dallas?

If you go to the Baby Back Shak and ask for the "Rossman Platter, it's very likely they'll look at you with blank stare and say "excuse me, what did you ask for?" To members of the Texas BBQ Posse, the Rossman Platter may be the closest thing to BBQ greatness that Dallas has to offer.

To backtrack, Jim Rossman, shown above on a recent trip to the Taylor Cafe, is a member of the posse who also happens to the the Dallas Morning News tech guru. This man knows his Mac computers and iPhone stuff, but he also knows his barbecue as well.

I was in DMN computer training with Jim the other day when a photo popped up on the screen, showing a mound of ribs, brisket and boudin. We knew it was the Shak, the boudin was a dead giveaway, but what was this thing of beauty?

"That's my lunch yesterday, a two-meat plater with TWO sides of boudin, and I ate very bite of it," Jim replied with a smile on his face. Instead of picking cole slaw, potato salad or the world-famous Shak beans as his two sides, Jim opted for two sticks of boudin, a Posse favorite we've written about before.

A light bulb suddenly went off in my head. That two-meat platter was $11.49 and would easily feed two people (sorry Jim). With the addition of the boudin sausage, it was actually a three-meat platter. Lunch plans for the next day were set in motion.

Along with several other folks in the DMN Photo department, fellow posse co-founding member Gary Jacobson and I ordered from the Shak the next day, settling on sharing a three-meat platter for $12.49. We ordered chicken, ribs, brisket and two sides of boudin, aka: The Rossman Platter. After we split the check, the total cost was under $7.00 each for a virtual four-meat sampler platter from one of the best BBQ joints that Dallas has to offer.

Since the Baby Back Shak is the unofficial headquarters of the Texas BBQ Posse, I hope pitmaster and owner Clarence Cohens doesn't read this and bump his prices. Knowing him as the posse does, that probably ain't gonna happen! However, the Shak Platter with four meats and two sides is $13.99. If you split it that's seven bucks a piece. WIth boudin as your two sides, that's a five-meat platter, the Rossman Platter on steroids. That's what we call BBQ greatness in the Lone Star State.........

Photos ©Chris Wilkins/The Texas BBQ Posse

Posse favorites: Crispy wild boar ribs at Lamberts Downtown Barbecue

Our second stop on the Central Texas 5-Star Anniversary BBQ Tour took us to Lamberts Downtown Barbecue in the heart of Austin. Our previous stop at Franklin Barbecue was going to be a hard act to follow.

The dining room had just closed for lunch, so we took over the bar in the historic Austin building that dates back to 1873, ordering up a round of frothy cold beverages. Looking over the menu, the crispy wild boar ribs jumped out as must-sample bbq tour fare, described as "Honey & Sambal, Cabrales Blue, Celery & Daikon Slaw. Though not exactly sure what that meant, we ordered three plates of ribs and jumped in. I can't precisely describe the sophisticated mix of sweet and sour, hot and cold, but what an amazing dining experience.

Next, we ordered sampler plates of brisket, pulled pork, sausage and ribs. Nothing that touched Franklin BBQ, to be quite honest. Fortunately, posse member Libby Jacobson is an Austin local and knew about Lambert's famous mac & cheese, so we talked our way into servings for the group, despite the fact that M&C isn't on the bar menu. Another Posse favorite was born, some of the best we've sampled.

Bottom line, these are two "can't miss" dishes. The next time you find yourself near the corner of Guadalupe & 2nd Streets in downtown Austin, belly up to the bar and enjoy!

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue, 401 W. Second, Austin, (512) 494-1500. Open Daily 11am-11pm.

(Photos by Chris Wilkins)

Posse favorites: Chopped beef sandwich at Meshacks's BBQ

The secret is now out about the little BBQ joint on Avenue B in old downtown Garland. Meshack's Bar-B-Que Shack has gone from obscurity to stardom over the past year.

Their chopped brisket sandwich, on the menu at a cool $2.75, may very well be the best BBQ bargain in the DFW area. You can also buy a pound of chopped beef for $7.00.

Travis and Donna Mayes opened Meshack's in May 2009. They had been in the business 15 years earlier and wanted to make another run at BBQ greatness. Donna said they prayed about it and decided to give the new business three months to gain momentum. Full Custom Gospel BBQ blogger Daniel Vaughn came along in August with his first review and the rest is history, as they say.

In July 2010, D Magazine awarded Meshack's with the "Best Barbecue" award in their Best of Big D 2010: Food & Drink rankings. Donna says their lives have been a whirlwind since then. Business has tripled and people are coming from near and far to order at the small take-out window.

On the breaking news front, Travis and Donna are expanding to a second location in east Dallas. More details to come, but they promise the same great food and low prices. The new joint will have ample parking and seating, but no need to be alarmed. They will keep the original location running as well, for all you BBQ purists who have come to appreciate to skills of one of the top pitmasters in Texas!

Meshack's Bar-B-Que Shack, 240 E. Ave. B, Garland, TX, (214) 227-4748. Open Tues 10:30 am-5 pm, Wed-Sat 10:30am-7pm.

(Photos by Chris Wilkins)

Posse Favorites: BBQ Po Boy sandwich at Loco Coyote Grill

The Texas BBQ Posse's collective mouths dropped open after seeing the Loco Coyote Griil's BBQ Po Boy being delivered to a neighboring table during our Brazos and Beyond BBQ Tour last Saturday.

The sandwich reminded us of a steroid version of another of our combo-meat favorites, Stanley's Brother-in-Law sandwich in Tyler. The Brother-in-Law combines sausage, chopped brisket and cheese on a bun.

Loco's BBQ Po Boy may be the biggest sandwich I've ever seen. It combines chopped and sliced brisket with sausage on a massive hoagie bun, with your choice of onion rings or fries. The price is a cool $12.99 and one sandwich could easily feed two hungry folks. Just another reason to head west of Glen Rose to the Loco Coyote.

Loco Coyote Grill, 1795 County Road 1004, Glen Rose, TX, 76043, (254) 897-2324. Open Thur-Fri 4pm-9pm, Sat 12pm-9pm, Sun 11am-3pm

(Photo ©Tom Fox)

Posse favorites: Boudin at the Baby Back Shak

Decisions, decisions, decisions. I always struggle with what meat to order at the Baby Back Shak. Their baby back ribs are the best is Dallas, bar none. The smoked chicken is among the best I've ever tasted and the other meats follow in this tradition of excellence.

We've written several times over the past year about the Shak, the unofficial headquarters of the Texas BBQ Posse. What I've neglected to mention is their boudin, one of the best and most unusual sides, or Shaksessories, you can get at a Texas BBQ joint.

By definition, boudin is a Cajun sausage stuffed with pork and rice. According to Louisiana food historians, it's one of those food products that originated in frugality; the rice was meant to stretch the meat. Now, it's a unique and delicious treat all its own.

Depending on what you order at the Shak, a sandwich or a plate, you get either one or two sides respectively. It's hard to pass on the Shak beans, among the best BBQ beans on the planet. The green beans take me back to my grandma's kitchen. The buttered corn is to die for. And the potato salad and cole slaw ain't bad either.

We eat at the Shak at least once a week and sometimes twice. When it comes time to order a side, nine times out of ten I'm ordering the boudin. Once you've tried it you will too.....

(Photo by Chris Wilkins)

Posse favorites: Clark's french fried corn on the cob

Clark's Outpost BBQ in Tioga offers a unique side dish to go with your ribs and brisket. And no, we aren't talking about their world-famous lamb fries, aka the cowboy's favorite.

We took a road trip to Clark's last month, to do our posse duty of sampling various smoked meats while passing on the sides. Our waitress mentioned we should try their french fried corn on the cob, it was something special. We gave up without a fight and ordered one each.

The deep-fried corn cob arrives at your table warm and covered with butter. It has the texture of perfectly grilled corn but melts in your mouth. I'm pretty sure it's the best corn on the cob I've ever tasted.

We're planning a small tour of north Texas joints next month, starting at Clark's. The "no sides" BBQ tour rule will have to be tossed aside so everyone can sample a true Posse favorite.

Clark's Outpost BBQ, 101 Hwy. 377 at Gene Autry Drive, Tioga, Texas. Open Mon-Thurs 11 am- 9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-9:30 pm, Sun 11 am-8:30 pm.

Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse

Posse favorites: Stanley's Brother-in-Law sandwich

One of the great discoveries on our recent East Texas BBQ Tour was the brother-in-law sandwich at Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q in Tyler, the first stop on our four-joint tour.

Several of us went directly for the 4-meat sampler, no sides, as a way to quickly judge the long-time barbeque joint. Fortunately, a couple of our posse members ordered and loved the brother-in-law sandwich, not your everyday BBQ sandwich.

Author David Gelin writes a great description of the infamous sandwich in his book, "BBQ Joints: Stories and Secret Recipes from the Barbeque Belt."

"STANLEY'S FAMOUS BROTHER-IN-LAW HOT LINK, BUTTERFLIED. Grill that bad boy on the flat side, then the round side. Toast a bun of your liking until lightly browned. Lay a piece of good ol' American cheese on the bottom bun and, in ascending order, place link, sauce, chopped beef brisket, sauce and top bun."

I think it's time for another road trip to Tyler, my brother-in-law is calling......

Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q, 525 S. Beckham Ave., Tyler, Texas. Open Monday - Friday 7 am-2 pm, Saturday 11 am-til the meat runs out.

(Photos by Michael Hamtil & Guy Reynolds)

Posse favorites: Frito Pie at Mac's Bar-B-Que

Between our weekly trips to the Baby Back Shak, the Texas BBQ Posse has been heading just east of Deep Ellum to Mac's Bar-B-Que, 3933 Main St. in Dallas. For some strange reason, really good barbeque isn't always easy to find in Big D, but Mac's delivers consistently well-cooked meats and good sides from their lunch menu.

Speaking of sides, the french fries cooked in soybean oil have to be among the best in DFW. Several of us have become addicted to Mac's Frito Pie, a dish not offered at most BBQ joints. They start with a layer of ranch-style beans, then pile on the chopped brisket, topped by fritos right out of the bag, then shredded cheese. You also get a hot cup of Mac's own BBQ sauce, which I use to dip my fries into. This combo alone is worth the trip to the little building just south of Baylor Hospital.

Mac's Bar-B-Que is open for lunch on Monday-Friday, 10:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

(Photos by Chris Wilkins)