'Nobody better' in Dallas than Cattleack Barbecue

Lunch sampling of brisket, pulled pork, beer bacon beef sausage & brisket pastrami at Cattleack BBQ. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

There may be some prophets of smoked meat, but too bad there aren't more poets.

The Posse could have used one last Saturday because the smoked pastrami that Todd David served at Cattleack Barbecue deserved an ode, if not a sonnet.

"That's the barbecue gauntlet right there," Posse member Bryan Gooding said of the pastrami. "Everybody else is going to have to figure out how to do it."

Sliced from the lean end, the meat glistened on the tray. Salty with a hint of sweet, the taste lingered pleasantly long after swallowing.

Cattleack, located on Gamma Road not far from the Dallas Galleria, is usually open only Thursdays and Fridays for lunch. But David has been staging some special Saturdays lately.

This past Saturday was particularly special. In addition to the pastrami, David served whole hog, as well as brisket, sausage and smoked bologna.

Pitmaster Todd David points out the Saturday menu for diners.

Posse members started going to Cattleack right after it opened two years ago. Jim Rossman, in fact, might have been the first blogger to review the joint.

"The beef was perfectly cooked and the fat had rendered into that silky-salty state that we’re all searching for," he wrote in May 2013. "This was really good brisket."

Since then, we've been back many times, particularly Rossman, who says he eats at Cattleack about three times a month.

"There's nobody better in town," Rossman said of David. "He's all around, too. Not just brisket and ribs. He's always willing to experiment."

He got no argument Saturday from the three other Posse members in attendance. We loved the pastrami, the brisket, the pork and the sausage.

Notice the wording: "Nobody better." That means the Posse is putting Cattleack in the same category as Pecan Lodge, ranked among the top joints in the state by Texas Monthly.

That's elite company.

Initially, Cattleack was open one day a week for take-out lunches. Now, it's normally open two days, with eat-in seating. David and his wife, Misty, also run a catering business.

Made from brisket, pastrami is cured in brine, rubbed with spices and smoked. It's very popular in New York-style delis.

"I've never heard about it in a barbecue place," Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins said.

I liked the pastrami so much that I ordered a pound to go. We ate some -- re-heated -- with dinner Saturday night and I made a cold pastrami sandwich, with a slice of raw onion, for lunch on Sunday.

Best sandwich I've had in a long, long time. Can't say that about cold brisket.

Cattleack BBQ, 13628 Gamma Road, Dallas, 972-499-0999. Open: Thurs & Fri 10:30am-2pm. Website: www.cattleackbbq.com

Todd David works the cutting board on a busy Saturday at Cattleack BBQ. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Brisket and two kinds of brisket pastrami, fatty & lean, sit on the Cattleack cutting board. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Pitmaster/owner Todd David also smoked a whole hog for the Saturday special occasion. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Cattleack BBQ, 13628 Gamma Rd. in Addison. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

A very tasty Texas BBQ day: Breakfast at Snow's, lunch at Louie Mueller and dinner at Miller's Smokehouse

Legendary Snow's BBQ pitmaster  Tootsie Tomanetz. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

The Posse took it's long overdue 5th anniversary barbecue tour Saturday.

Dubbed the Central Texas Legends Tour by Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins, it came 5 years and 5 months after our very first trip in November 2009.

It was a one-day roundtrip dash from Dallas, covering 390 miles in about 13 hours. We ate at 3 joints and stopped at a fourth to pay homage to one of the state's cooking legends.

A lot has changed since the Posse first started touring. And some things haven't. One of those is the experience -- both food and atmosphere --  at Snow's BBQ in Lexington, our first stop.

Seated outside near the pits, watching owner Kerry Bexley and pitmaster Tootsie Tomanetz work, we ate what has become our standard brisket breakfast there, a slice of moist beef with just a couple drops of sauce, surrounded by a slice of folded white bread.

Nothing against Franklin Barbecue in Austin or Pecan Lodge in Dallas, but several of the 8 Posse members on the trip agreed that if they were forced to pick only one joint in the state to recommend for the complete Texas barbecue experience, it would be Snow's.

The cows mooing at the nearby auction yard, the small-town feel, including the old, rusted storage tank across the street, help make Snow's unique.

To photograph some people, Posse member Daniel Goncalves set up his portable lights in front of the tank.

What attracted him to that backdrop?

"The rust. The texture. The rivets. Everything," he said. "It just goes with barbecue."

Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

From Lexington, we drove about 40 miles to Taylor and Louie Mueller Barbecue.

Louie's grandson, Wayne, runs the place now. He talked about the changing dynamic of Texas barbecue. As joints in urban areas get better, that puts more pressure on out-of-the-way places like his to continually improve.

"People aren't going to come out here for just O.K. barbecue," he said.

Among the items we ordered was the giant beef rib. For some of us, it was the single best bite of barbecue we had all day.

Making his first trip with the Posse, Robert Sullivan thought so.  He didn't hesitate when Wilkins asked him to pose with the bone in his mouth.

Later, Posse member Mark Vamos took the same bone home for his dog, Henry, who also posed with the bone.

Man and dog. Dog and man. Sometimes, as you can see from the accompanying photos, it's hard to tell the difference.

Robert Sullivan & Henry the Dog show their appreciation for a delicious Louie Mueller beef rib bone.
(Photos @Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse, left, and Mark Vamos)

After Mueller's, we drove a couple blocks to the Taylor Cafe, run by Vencil Mares. In his 91st year of life, most of them spent cooking barbecue, Mares was seated in his usual spot near the end of one counter. Goncalves interviewed him while the rest of us had a drink.

Our last stop was Miller's Smokehouse in Belton. Wilkins and Marshall Cooper discovered this joint for the Posse in 2012. Every time we've stopped since, there seem to be more and more smokers operating. And we learned on this trip that the joint's largest smoker yet is under construction.

Miller's only serves ribs on Fridays and Saturdays so we made sure we ordered some. Several of us thought these were the best pork ribs -- nice and savory, not too sweet -- we ate all day. And there was tough competition.

A sad note: On this trip, we learned that Snow's pitmaster Hershel Tomanetz, Tootsie's son, recently underwent surgery for a brain tumor. More treatment is ahead.

Get well, Hershel.

Central Texas Legends BBQ Tour 2015

Snow’s BBQ, 516 Main St, Lexington, 979-773-4640. Open Sat. 8am–12pm or until the meat runs out. Website: www.snowsbbq.com

Louie Mueller Barbecue, 206 W Second St, Taylor, (512) 352-6206. Open Mon-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm. Website: http://www.louiemuellerbarbecue.com

Drop in & say hi to BBQ legend Vencil Mares, 90, at Taylor Cafe, 101 N Main St., Taylor, 512-352-8475. Open daily 9am-10pm.

Miller’s Smokehouse, 208 N Penelope, Belton, 254-939-5500. Open Tues-Thurs 10:30am-6:30pm, Fri and Sat 10:30am-9pm or until the meat runs out. Website: www.wildmillers.com

Owner Vencil Mares holds court at the Taylor Cafe.. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

Photo opportunity with pitmasters Kerry Bexley & Tootsie Tomanetz at Snow's BBQ. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Brisket, pork spare ribs & BBQ pork steak at Snow's BBQ. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Snows BBQ owner & pitmaster Kerry Bexley with son and future pitmaster Colby, 15. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

Louie Mueller Barbecue owner & pitmaster Wayne Mueller. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

Beef rib, smoked turkey and jalapeño beef sausage at Louie Mueller Barbecue. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Miller's Smokehouse, Belton, Texas. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

Posse members (L-R) at Snow's BBQ: Bruce Tomaso, James Taylor, Gary Jacobson, Robert Sullivan, Jim Rossman, Mark Vamos & Chris Wilkins. (Photo ©Daniel Goncalves/fotobia.com)

In a Hyden brothers barbecue showdown, Kirby wins with his brisket

Randy Hyden (top) of Hyden Family Barbeque in Teague and brother Kirby Hyden of Kirby's
Barbeque in Mexia.(Photos ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

You could call them The BBQ Brothers.

In fact, we will.

Kirby and Randy Hyden, once business partners with a long family tradition of barbecue, now operate separate joints about 15 miles apart.

Kirby runs Kirby's Barbeque in Mexia and Randy has Hyden Family Barbeque in Teague.

The Posse first ate at Kirby's in the summer of 2013 during a tour of Central Texas places that didn't include Randy's.

Ever since, we've wanted to return and rectify that oversight. It took a while, but this past weekend we finally made the Hyden Family BBQ Challenge Tour to determine which brother cooks the best smoked meat.

Verdict among the 3 Posse members who made the tour: Kirby.

"To me, it's all about the brisket," said Daniel Goncalves. "Kirby's was better."

Saturday lunch line at Kirby's Barbeque. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Altogether, we drove about 200 miles over 7 hours and ate at three places. The third joint, Alma Smokehouse in Ennis, had only chicken and sausage available when we arrived mid-afternoon. We tried a few bites but should have passed.

Along with eating, we visited Old Fort Parker, which is not far from Kirby's. In 1836, a young girl, Cynthia Ann Parker, was captured by Indians during a massacre. She eventually became the mother of Quanah Parker, the famous Comanche chief.

At opposite corners of the re-created fort, covered parapets extend beyond the main walls. Slots in the floor allow defenders to shoot down at attackers directly underneath them.

We also got a lesson in wild hog hunting, with dogs.

"We're the only ones in here not wearing camou," Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins observed as we waited for our food at Kirby's. It was just before noon and about 20 people were in line.

Sure enough, one of the guys dressed in camouflage said his group had four feral hogs outside. So we went to take a look, thinking we'd see dead animals.

No. The hogs were alive. They were in cages adjacent to other cages that held the dogs that tracked and subdued them.

We learned that two kinds of dogs are used in a hunt. Bay dogs track the hogs. Catch dogs -- in this case a pit bull -- grab the hogs by an ear and hold them down until the hunters arrive.

You never know what you're going to learn on a barbecue tour.

Our early lunch of brisket, ribs, sausage & turkey at Hyden Family Barbeque. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Back to the Hyden brothers.

Their grandparents and parents operated barbecue joints in the area. The brothers bought out the family business and partnered for a short while in the 1980s before Randy went his separate way.

"The '80s in Texas sucked," Randy said. "The economy was so bad people were eating baloney sandwiches."

Randy said he "seriously" got back into the barbecue business when he opened Hyden Family Barbeque in Teague in 1997. A few years later, he moved across the street, into the current location.

When we arrived at about 10:30 a.m., the "Open" sign was on. A flyer on the door advertised the "2nd Annual Teague FFA Varmint Hunt."

A bobcat was worth 45 points, a coyote 25 and a wild hog 5. No trapping allowed.

We didn't know it at the time, but it set a theme for the day.

At Hyden Family, we ordered a sampler plate of brisket, pork ribs, turkey and sausage.

 For a while, we were the only people in the place. Randy came over to our table to talk.

He said a guy recently wanted to buy out his operation and have him teach him how to cook.

"You can buy me out," Randy said he replied. "But I don't have have five years to teach you."

Lunch at Kirby's Barbeque consisted of ribs, brisket, turkey, hame & buttermilk pie. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

On the way to Kirby's, which was a Texas Monthly Top 50 pick in 2013, we did a quick tour of downtown Mexia. There's a neat old movie theater that is now a church.

When we arrived at Kirby's just before noon, one of the first things we saw was a sign that read:
"Ribs everyday starting Feb. 5th!!"

The joint used to serve pork ribs only on Fridays and Saturdays. Later, as Kirby cut orders and answered a few questions from the Posse, he explained that going to ribs everyday was an answer to ever-escalating beef prices.

We ordered a sampling of brisket, ribs, turkey and ham and then judged brother against brother.

Beyond brisket, we rated the turkey a tie and gave Kirby a slight edge on ribs. Kirby's ham, though, had almost no smoke flavor. Randy's sausage was good, but not special.

Wilkins judged the sauces at both joints almost identical.

"They don't overpower their meat with rubs and spices," he added.

Randy Hyden would agree.

"The key is not the seasoning, it's the guy," he said.


Hyden Family BBQ Challenge Tour

9am: Leave Dallas

10:30am: Hyden Family Barbeque, 950 Hwy 84, Teague, 254-739-3102. Open Wed-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm.

11:45pm: Kirby's Barbeque, 216 N Highway 14, Mexia, 254-562-5076. Open Wed-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-3pm.

2pm: Alma Smokehouse, 106 West Interstate 45 Service Road, Ennis, 972-875-2669. Open Mon-Sat 8am-8pm.

3pm: Head back to Dallas

Randy Hyden works the pits at Hyden Family Barbeque. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Kirby's Barbeque, Mexia, Texas. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Hyden Family Barbeque, Teague, Texas. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Killen's in Pearland might just be the best BBQ joint in Texas

Customers wait for the 11am opening of Killen's BBQ in Pearland on Saturday morning. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Even before we had finished eating at Killen's Barbecue in Pearland on Saturday, the great debate began.

"When you factor everything in, this is the best barbecue place in Texas," declared Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins.

We ate brisket, pork ribs, pork belly, beef ribs, turkey and sausage. Everything was excellent -- moist, flavorful and nicely cooked.

On a scouting mission in May, Posse member Jim Rossman called the food at Killen's, which opened in a permanent location early this year, "spectacular." Allison Cook, the restaurant critic at the Houston Chronicle recently gave the joint that newspaper's highest rating, four stars. We wouldn't argue.

Wilkins also pointed out that on a warm, humid, rainy Gulf Coast morning, we were sitting comfortably inside an air conditioned restaurant. Trailer joints, charming as they can be, lose some attraction when it's very hot or very cold or raining.

There were six Posse members on our 35-hour, 610-mile barbecue tour to the Houston area. While a couple of us agreed with Wilkins about Killen's, a couple others urged more restraint before making such a declaration.

We continued our debate on the drive back to Dallas. Each of us rated, in no particular order, our five favorite places, joints that we'd drive across the state to visit, or recommend to good friends to do the same.

Three places made everyone's list: Killen's, la Barbecue in Austin and Pecan Lodge in Dallas.

Four other places received mentions, but weren't unanimous: Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Snow's BBQ in Lexington, Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor and Miller's Smokehouse in Belton.

Franklin, run by now-celebrity pit master Aaron Franklin, is often mentioned as the best place in the state, but it made only three Posse members' lists. Daniel Goncalves said he would never recommend to anyone that they go there because of the long lines.

Every meat we tasted at Killen's BBQ was perfectly cooked. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse) 

Phil Lamb, who included Franklin on his list, noted the barbecue renaissance in Texas.

"It is an important factor that enough people caught up to Franklin that you don't have to put them on your must-go-to list," Lamb said.

And Wilkins, so adamant in his initial support of Killen's, came up with a different No.1 when he altered his criteria a bit.

"If there's one place in the world I would send someone so they would understand Texas barbecue, it would be Snow's on a Saturday morning," he said.

Let the great barbecue debate continue.

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

The Posse enjoys an incredible spread of smoked meat at Killen's BBQ. L-R: Phil Lamb, Tom Fox, Daniel Goncalves, Jim Rossman, Gary Jacobson & Chris Wilkins. (Photo by Bryan Norton)

Some great BBQ joint names, and some great food, too

Clockwise from top left, our stops included Buck Snort BBQ, The First Baptist Church of Bells, Cackle & Oink BBQ
 and Bull Hollar BBQ.  (Photos ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Had this been an official Posse outing, we would have called it the All-Time Best BBQ Name Tour.

Covering 180 miles over 7 hours last Saturday, we ate at Buck Snort BBQ in Van Alstyne, Bull Hollar BBQ in Bells and Cackle & Oink BBQ in Sherman.

As names for Texas joints go, that's a whole lot spicier than Franklin, Pecan Lodge and Kreuz Market.

Mid-trip, we also ate at the First Baptist Church of Bells, where Billy Neal Jr., the pastor, said food is part of the ministry.

"We just decided that one of our gifts here at First Baptist is cooking," Brother Billy said. The church offers free meals on Wednesday evenings to anyone who stays for the service.

And once a month, pitmaster Jim Williams fires up his smoker for a barbecue fund raiser. They set up in front of the church and often sell out by early afternoon. The next one is set for May 17.

On this Saturday before Easter, only three of us -- Posse co-founder Chris Wilkins, Daniel Goncalves and I -- made the trip. All the places were new to us, except Bull Hollar, which was part of a Posse tour a few weeks ago.

One of the highlights of the trip was the baby back ribs at Cackle & Oink
BBQ in Sherman.  (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

The surprise of this trip was Cackle & Oink, our final stop. By the time we arrived, we were stuffed and, frankly, not looking forward to tasting any more smoked meat.

But when the baby back ribs came to the table, we changed our minds. There were four and they looked terrific. We quickly devoured one apiece. Wilkins and I then conceded the fourth to Goncalves, who already had the rib in his hand and was offering us pieces.

"I was getting ready to fight you guys for that last one," Goncalves said, relieved.

Wilkins declared that these were among the best baby backs the Posse has had in its five years of touring. That covers a lot of ground and a lot of ribs.

Our first stop of the day was Buck Snort, located in a 124-year-old building in downtown Van Alstyne. The place is run by Jim Smith, a city councilman. It's a one-man show. Smith cooks, takes orders, and cleans up. Service is buffet style. And you can get a free buffet on your birthday.

"The one man thing works well except for about 20 minutes a day," Smith said, referring to when the place gets really busy.

Since briskets take so long, he cooks them on Mondays and Tuesdays, when the place is closed, and re-warms the meat before serving. He cooks other meats daily, using a gas-fired Southern Pride pit with some hickory wood for flavor.

"Is this great Texas barbecue?" Wilkins said after we sampled the brisket, ribs, chicken and sausage. "No. Is it good, solid food? I would argue it is."

Before moving to Van Alstyne about 6 years ago, Smith had visited the town and loved the feeling.

"It's just like being in Mayberry, literally," he said.

Where did he get the name for his joint?

There is a road by that name a few miles out of town, Smith explained. He also said there is another meaning for buck snort.

Scenes from the First Baptist Church monthly BBQ fundraiser in Bells, TX.  (Photos ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

At First Baptist, located on Highway 69 in Bells, the barbecue fund raisers usually begin between 10:30 and 11 a.m. On a typical Saturday, Brother Billy and his crew will raise about $1,500, he said. The money goes into the building fund for a new church that will be built less than two miles away on Highway 82. Construction is still a ways off.

When will the new building be ready?

"When God says it's done," said Neal, who is in his 9th year as pastor.

Ribs, homemade potato salad & cole slaw at Bull Hollar BBQ.

We sampled brisket, pulled pork and ribs, and especially liked the ribs, which cost $2 a bone and feature a rub made from paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne and brown sugar.

"It's pretty simple," Williams said.

Bull Hollar is just a few blocks away from the church. A few Posse members, including Wilkins, visited the joint in February, right after it opened. They liked the smoked meat and the sides, made by Jan Worsham.

"These sides are every bit as good as I remember," Wilkins said, after sampling the potato salad, cole slaw and banana pudding.

"The beauty of this place is the simplicity," he added. "Everything is made by hand."

After we had sampled brisket, ribs and sausage, pitmaster Jim Worsham asked: "Do you want to try some chicken?"

Yes, we did. It was moist and very flavorful. We realized then why many of the contest trophies and plaques on display in the place were for Worsham's chicken.

"That's some of the best chicken I've ever had," Wilkins said.

Bull Hollar BBQ pitmaster Jim Worsham takes a break on a busy Saturday.  (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Cackle & Oink, located in a former Taco Bell restaurant on Texoma Parkway, opened in 2005. Pitmaster Aaron Vogel is also a competition cook, who learned his trade in the St. Louis area before moving to Texas. His place is filled with award banners and signs, including one for being 2014 grand champion at the Red River BBQ Championship in Ardmore, Ok.

Vogel cooks with wood -- apple -- in contests, but uses two Ole Hickory gas-fired pits at his joint, adding some apple for flavor.

"I've got a purist way of doing it at cook offs," he told us. "But if you're going to be open 7 days a week in a restaurant, you got to be consistent."

Because he uses apple, he acknowledges that the smoke taste may not be to everyone's taste, especially those who like a stronger flavor.

The latest BBQ competition trophies on Cackle & Oink's counter.  

"When we show up at contests and all the other guys are loaded with mesquite, we know we're in trouble," Vogel said.

At Cackle & Oink, we also sampled brisket, sausage and turkey. The brisket and turkey were flavorful, if somewhat dry. The sausage was excellent. Vogel says he gets it from a supplier in Austin.

For the baby backs, Vogel said he bastes them every hour with a slurry made from brown sugar, apple juice and lemon juice. His recipe is similar for cook offs. "But with an all wood fire, you can definitely tell the difference," Vogel said.

Generally, the Posse favors a more robust smoke flavor. But we loved Vogel's baby backs. They were worth the trip alone.

One sidelight. If you get to Cackle & Oink, be sure to look at the ceiling. It's covered with dollar bills -- even some fives -- signed and left by customers. "That's my 401(k)," Vogel joked.

Many of the notes extend good wishes. Some include advice.

"Never play leapfrog with a unicorn," one said.

That's what we love about the barbecue trail. It's full of wisdom.

Cackle & Oink BBQ pitmaster Aaron Vogel visits with the Posse as his "401(k)" hangs on the ceiling. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins)

The unofficial All-Time Best BBQ Name Tour

10am: Leave Dallas.
11am: Buck Snort BBQ, 224 East Jefferson St, Van Alstyne, 903-482-6171. Open Wed-Sat 11am-2pm, 5pm-8pm.
12:30pm: First Baptist Church of Bells, 105 S Pecan St, Bells, 903-965-4813. Monthly BBQ Fundraiser cook, every third Saturday.
1:30pm: Bull Hollar BBQ, 102 N. Broadway, Bells. 903-965-7600. Open Wed-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-2pm. (Or until the meat runs out)
2:30pm: Cackle & Oink BBQ, 3210 Texoma Pkwy, Sherman, 903-891-3200. Open Mon-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-3pm 11am-3pm.

3:30pm: Head back to Dallas.

Check out our South of Fort Worth BBQ Tour story in this weekend's Dallas Morning News

Here's the latest Texas BBQ Posse tour story in the pages of The Dallas Morning News. The story written by Posse co-founder Gary Jacobson tells about our recent trip to four joints located south of Dallas/Fort Worth. Award-winning DMN staff photographer and Posse member Tom Fox takes you on visual journey of our tour.

You can click here to read Gary's story online on dallasnews.com. Click here to see a slideshow of Tom's photos from the tour.

The South of DFW BBQ Tour

9am: Leave Dallas.
10am: BBQ on the Brazos, 9001 E Hwy 377, Cresson, TX. Open Mon-Fri 6:30am-3pm, Sat 9am-3pm.www.bbqonthebrazos.com
11:45am: Lazy S&M BBQ, 2008 Conveyer Drive, Joshua, 817-475-5687. Open Tues-Wed 6am-4pm, Thurs-Fri 6am-7pm, Sat 10:30am-3pm.
1pm: Jambo's BBQ Shack, 5460 E FM 1187, Rendon, 817-478.2277. Open Tues-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 11am-3pm. http://jambosbbqshack.com
2:30pm: Pit Stop BBQ, 3921 S Highway 287, Waxahachie, 972-923-8921. Open Mon-Tue 11am-9pm, Wed 11am-10pm, Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm. http://www.pitstopbbq.net
4pm: Back in Dallas.

The Posse at Pit Stop BBQ in Waxahachie. L-R, Daniel Goncalves, Michael Meadows, Gary Jacobson, Marty Fox,
 Jim Rossman, Tom Fox, Chris Wilkins & Phil Lamb. (Photo by Tom Fox/DMN)

Some barbecue bracketology: The Posse picks the best of the best in Dallas-Fort Worth for the Final Four

Pecan Lodge had a strong showing on the Posse's Best of the Best DFW BBQ list. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BB Posse)

While compiling our list for Final Four fans of the best Dallas-Forth Worth area barbecue joints, we also engaged in some smoked meat bracketology. We rated the best-of-the-best individual menu items -- and some other categories -- from the field of North Texas competitors.

For this task, we relied on the opinions of 6 veteran Posse members. All have eaten a lot of barbecue since we started going on tours in 2009. All have strong opinions. There was just one unanimous pick: The best brisket is at Pecan Lodge in Dallas.

Winners in two other categories came close with 5 mentions each. The Best Deal is the $16.59 all-you-can-eat special at Hutchins BBQ in McKinney and the Best Bar is at Work Bar & Grill in Dallas.

In several categories, 3 votes were enough to lead the pack.

Here are the Posse's best-of-the-best in DFW, with vote totals and comments:

BEST BRISKET: Pecan Lodge in Dallas. This was the only unanimous choice. "Unquestionably the smokiest, most consistently outstanding brisket in town," said Posse member Phil Lamb.

BEST RIBS: Baby Back Shak in Dallas with 3 votes. "I love the Shak ribs. They were the staple for my BBQ fixes during the lean BBQ years on the DFW landscape," said Gary Barber. Others receiving votes: Pecan Lodge and BBQ on the Brazos in Cresson. One Posse member split his vote between Pecan Lodge and Lockhart Smokehouse, which has joints in Dallas and Plano.

Lockhart Smokehouse won for best sausage and best atmosphere.
(Photo ©Chris Wilkins)

BEST SAUSAGE: Lockhart Smokehouse with 3 votes. "You can't mess with Kreuz sausage's history and legacy," said Daniel Goncalves. Lockhart Smokehouse gets its sausage from the famed Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Tx. Others receiving votes: Pecan Lodge, Jambo's BBQ Shack in Rendon and Longoria's BBQ in Everman.

BEST TURKEY: Hutchins with 3 votes. All the meats at Hutchins are very good, but the turkey rises to the top among DFW barbecue joints. Others receiving votes: Baby Back Shak and Hard Eight BBQ in Coppell.

BEST SANDWICH: Jambo's with 3 votes for its giant Jambo Texan. "I don't eat sandwiches at BBQ places, but Jambo's meat combo served between two slices of bread would be the exception," Goncalves said. Others receiving votes: Meshack's Bar-B-Que in Garland, Baby Back Shak and Hard Eight.

BEST SIDE: Baby Back Shak's boudin with 3 votes. Boudin is a Cajun-style sausage stuffed with rice and pork. "Really the only side I've had more than a fork full of in Texas," Goncalves said. Others receiving votes: The Brussels sprouts with cauliflower at The Slow Bone in Dallas and the smoked deviled eggs at Lockhart Smokehouse.

BEST DEAL: Hutchins' $16.59 all-you-can-eat special with 5 votes. "If you truly want to pig out on great BBQ without breaking the bank, it's your only real option," Barber said. One vote for the Trough meat sampler at Pecan Lodge.

BEST SERVICE: Hutchins with 4 votes. This is a continuation from the Best Deal, above. Just tell the waitress to bring another plate of ribs, and don't forget the ice cream. One vote for Longoria's.

BEST ATMOSPHERE: Lockhart Smokehouse with 3 votes. "It's in a vibrant neighborhood and could serve as base camp for any game-watching operation, or simply the first stop among Bishop Arts' many eating and drinking establishments," Lamb said of the Dallas location. Others receiving votes: Hard Eight and Longoria's.

BEST BAR: Work with 5 votes, one split with Lockhart Smokehouse. Eat good barbecue, have a drink and also get a taste of Dallas' revitalized club scene. One other vote for Lockhart Smokehouse.

BEST JOINT OVERALL: Pecan Lodge with 4 votes, one split with Hutchins.  "For me it's all about the brisket and Pecan Lodge knows brisket," Goncalves said. "The waiting line says it all and it's worth the wait." Others receiving votes: Hutchins and The Slow Bone.

BEST CHAIN: Rudy's with 4 votes. The Posse doesn't usually eat at chain joints, but when it does, it's probably Rudy's. No other chain received votes.

Hutchins BBQ won for turkey, best service & best deal for their $16.59 All You Can Eat special.
(Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Hey, Final Four fans! Here's the Posse's guide to the best BBQ in Dallas-Fort Worth

Over the years, readers have asked the Posse for barbecue joint recommendations. Those requests have increased recently with the Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball tournament headed to North Texas.

So, here is our list of best places in the Dallas-Forth Worth area. None of them is more than an hour's drive from AT&T Stadium. The closest is right across the street.

One reader asked what may be the ultimate question this year for barbecue fans who also enjoy a little college basketball:

Pecan Lodge or Hutchins?

Our answer: Figure out how to eat at both. These are probably the two best joints in the area and among the top handful in the state. The other places on our list -- written by Chris Wilkins and Phil Lamb -- are good, too.

Enjoy, especially you fans from Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

The Best BBQ Joints in DFW
(In alphabetical order)

Baby Back Shak/Dallas: The Shak is a long-time Posse favorite. The ribs are among the best in Dallas and the service is great, too. Don't miss the boudin, you can order it as a plate or a side.
Baby Back Shak, 1800 South Akard St., Dallas, 214-428-7427. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-5:45pm, Fri-Sat 11am-6:45pm.

BBQ on the Brazos/Cresson: If you smoke it, they will drive. Fast. The brisket is worth the trip all by itself.  If there were a North Texas BBQ tournament, BBQ on the Brazos would be our "sleeper pick" to make the Final Four.  Dangerously good BBQ that might be able to hang with the best operations around.
BBQ on the Brazos, 9001 E Hwy 377, Cresson, 817-396-4758. Open Mon-Fri 6:30am-3pm, Sat 9am-3pm or until the meat runs out.

Eddie Deen Crossroads Smokehouse/Arlington:
Here's your go-to joint before the big games at Cowboys Stadium. Located catercorner from the stadium, you can enjoy great BBQ and an ice cold beer before cheering on your team. Don't miss the sampler platter, you and several friends can try all their meats for a great price.
Eddie Deen Crossroads Smokehouse, 1004 N Collins St, Arlington, 817-795-6900. Open Mon-Sat 11am-3pm or until the meat runs out. (Crossroads will be adding evening hours during the Final Four weekend & beginning April 15, 2014)

Hard Eight BBQ/Coppell: Not quite the BBQ served by the elite programs, but consistently solid BBQ located 10 minutes from DFW airport.  Fantastic atmosphere with plenty of TVs, cold beer, and an outdoor patio make Hard Eight a great place to spend a lazy afternoon.
Hard Eight BBQ, 688 Freeport Pkwy, Coppell, 972-471-5462. Open Mon-Thurs 10:30am-9pm, Fri-Sat 10:30am-10pm, Sun 10:30am-6pm.

Hutchins BBQ/McKinney: Hutchins is quickly becoming one of the best BBQ joints in the state. Owner Tim Hutchins and crew are combining tremendous BBQ with superb service at a great price. Don't miss the free peach cobbler or banana pudding after you finish your three-meat platter.
Hutchins BBQ, 1301 N Tennessee St, McKinney, 972-548-2629. Open Sun-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9:30pm.

Jambo's BBQ Shack/Rendon: Open less than a year, legendary competition pit master Jamie Geer has already made his mark on the Texas BBQ restaurant scene. Don't miss the Jambo Texan, words can't describe the most amazing sandwich in all of Texas BBQ.
Jambo's BBQ Shack, 5460 E FM 1187, Rendon, 817-478.2277. Open Tues-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 11am-3pm or until the meat runs out.

Lockhart Smokehouse/Dallas & Plano: A meat mecca with joints located in one of Dallas' hottest neighborhoods and the quaint downtown of one of the metro area's largest suburbs. Don't miss the beef ribs and the burnt ends and if you have a big group, ask about the Shiner Platter.
Lockhart Smokehouse, 400 W. Davis, Dallas, 214-944-5521. Open every day from 11am til they're done. They also have a location at 1026 E. 15th St. in Plano.

Longoria's BBQ/Everman: At Longoria's you'll be treated like family. Don't be surprised if pit master David Longoria takes you on an impromptu tour of the pits. And don't miss the brisket sausage, it may be one of the best sausages you've ever tasted.
Longoria’s BBQ, 100 Christopher, Everman, 827-568-9494. Open Mon-Fri 10:30am-7pm, Sat 10:30am-4pm.

Mac's Bar-B-Que/Dallas: Mac's has been open nearly 60 years and still has a full dining room at lunch every day. That's a testament to second-generation pit master Billy McDonald's skills running the smoker. Don't miss the brisket frito pie, it's a Texas classic, and the French fries are considered some of the best in town.
Mac's Bar-B-Que, 3933 Main St, Dallas, 214-823-0731. Open Mon-Fri 11am-2:30pm.

Meshack's Bar-B-Que Shack/Garland: Unquestionably the best BBQ on the east side of Dallas-Fort Worth.  Bring a chair or plan on getting your BBQ "to go."  Cash only. Don't miss the family pack. It's not on the menu, but the last time we got it, it included brisket, sausage, ham, and -- we think -- some ribs, as well as a side of beans .
Meshack's Bar-B-Que Shack, 240 E. Ave. B, Garland, 214-227-4748. Open Tues-Sat 10:30am-until the meat runs out.

Pecan Lodge/Dallas: This joint in the Farmer's Market has taken the DFW BBQ scene by storm. Pit master Justin Fourtin is putting out some of the best smoked meat in the state. You may have a to stand in line, but it's well worth it. Don't miss the brisket, it's world class and put Pecan Lodge on the Texas BBQ map.
Pecan Lodge, 1010 South Pearl Expressway, Farmer's Market Shed #2, Dallas, 214-748-8900. Open: Wed-Sun 11am-3pm or until the meat runs out.

The Slow Bone/Dallas: Jack Perkins took the major success of his burger joint, Maple & Motor, and applied it to BBQ. The sides are on par with the meats, which are really good across the board. Don't miss the brisket, it's some of the best in town.
The Slow Bone, 2234 Irving Blvd., Dallas, 214-377-7727. Open daily 11am-3pm.

Work Bar & Grill/Dallas: Looking for the combination good BBQ and a great bar? Work Bar & Grill is your place. Pitmaster Doug Pickering has brought his "sugar cookie" brisket to the hip neighborhood of Deep Ellum. Don't miss the brisket sliders.
Work Bar & Grill, 2618 Elm Street, Dallas, 214-699-6959. Open Thurs 5pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 11am-2am, Sun 11am-10pm, Mon 8pm-2am, closed Tues-Wed.

Click here to see a Google map of our favorite BBQ joints around the state.

Give customers what they want, says Pit Stop BBQ boss

Award-winning pitmaster Steve Graham and his primary smoker at Pit Stop BBQ. (Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

An experienced competition cook, Steve Graham has filled his Pit Stop BBQ restaurant outside Waxahachie with trophies and plaques. He knows how to cook for a tough audience, judges, even different sets of judges.

For example, he said, he always tried to get a look at the judges before he started preparing his meat. Older judges like salt, he said.

"In a competition, that first taste is everything," Graham said. So the flavor has to be bold and great.

If you read our posts about our recent South of DFW Tour, you know that we loved the atmosphere of Graham's place, but not so much his food.

Graham didn't flinch. He said he now cooks for a new set of judges, his customers.

"Ninety percent of people don't like fat," he said as he explained why he trims fat from his briskets. The Posse always tries to order fatty brisket.

"The people who eat my ribs want them falling off the bone," he continued. "People around here want 'em tender and I try to accommodate 'em." The Posse likes a little tug off the bone.

Graham said he cooks the old-fashioned way in a wood-fired smoker. The legs of his pit are shorter, but with a little imagination, it resembles an Imperial walker from Star Wars.

"I don't get to push a button and go home and go to sleep," he said of places that use gas-fired pits. "I sit in my chair and watch my fire."

Refreshing words, no matter what we thought about his food.

In Texas, barbecued bologna is not the new turkey

Pitmaster Terry Massey slices smoked bologna at Lazy S&M BBQ in Joshua. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

A year ago, after our best of Austin tour, we wrote about how turkey breast was making a move to join the royal family of Texas barbecue: brisket, pork ribs, and sausage.

We're still not ready to give the big bird equal status, but we order it whenever we see it on menus. A lot of joints in the state are smoking great turkey.

On our recent South of DFW Tour, three of the four places we visited served barbecued bologna.

Different, we thought, so we sampled it at each place. At Jambo's BBQ Shack in Rendon, bologna comes as part of the Jambo Texan, the giant sandwich stuffed with a mountain of meats.

After some study, it turns out that opinions about barbecued bologna range widely.

A story on the Food Network Web site says it is a popular smoked meat in the south. The story recommends slicing a thin layer off the bottom of those big round hunks so they don't roll around in the smoker. And it recommends using cherry wood for flavor.

Another site lists bologna among "the 10 strangest things you can barbecue," along with guinea pig, nutria and yak.

"If you don't do it right, it puffs up from the heat and has a tendency to explode," a Tulsa restaurant owner warns of bologna.

Lynn of Lynn's Kitchen Adventures calls barbecued bologna "Oklahoma prime rib" and offers a fully illustrated recipe.

She does admit that while her family likes the dish, she's not a big fan.

"I have told my husband many times that bologna is bologna no matter how you serve it," she writes.

As for the Posse, we found our bologna experience interesting.

"If you're going to eat bologna, this is what you should eat," Tom Fox said after sampling Jambo's. Jim Rossman and I had seconds on the bologna -- blackened -- at Pit Stop BBQ in Waxahachie.

But overall, we're not big advocates.

In Texas, barbecued bologna is not the new turkey.

A second opinion on the Posse's South of DFW BBQ Tour

Michael Meadows, left, and the Posse dig in at Pit Stop BBQ in Waxahachie. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Maybe there was a time, long ago, when I was surprised at how seriously people take barbecue. But certainly not anymore.

Take Michael Meadows, one of the Posse's newest members. He and his family were in Colorado skiing last week. They drove 900 miles Friday arriving back in Dallas just before midnight.

And yet Meadows made the starting gate with the rest of us Saturday morning at the first stop of our South of DFW Tour. During the day, we ate at four places and drove about 160 miles over about 8 hours.

"I wasn't going to miss our outing if I could help it," Meadows says.

I called the sausage at our first stop, BBQ on the Brazos, "o.k." Meadows liked it a lot. He sent me his impressions of the other joints we visited:

Pitmaster Terry Massey shows his new sign
at Lazy S&M BBQ. (Photo ©Chris Wilkins)

Lazy S&M BBQ: Terry Massey, the owner and pit master, could not have been a nicer or more humble chap.  He clearly works very hard and I really wanted to love his BBQ. However, his location is so far off the beaten path that it will be hard for him to ever have a lot of success unless he smokes the best BBQ in the area.  With Jambo's and BBQ on the Brazos in the area, he has some serious competition. Overall, the brisket and ribs were good but were overshadowed by our experience at BBQ on the Brazos.

Jambo's BBQ Shack: Clearly, this is a very popular place. It was packed when we arrived. All of the smoked meats were delicious. I LOVED Jambo's ribs and sausage! Best sausage I have had in North Texas so far. The brisket and pulled pork were good, too.  I was impressed that they won the top prize for their BBQ chicken at the Houston Rodeo but puzzled as to why they don't offer it on their menu. Personally, I think the Bologna needs to go away to make room for that award-winning chicken. My only real complaint is that the interior and exterior of Jambo's has no character. Nothing about the building says, "There is some great BBQ inside".  It is a basic beige Morgan building with some tables inside. That's unfortunate because ambiance does count (at least in my book, it does) when it comes to experiencing great Texas BBQ.  (Hard Eight has figured this out, big time!)

Pit Stop BBQ in Waxahachie: Hands down, this place had the most character and best overall ambiance of all of the places we visited. The exterior makes you believe this will be a fun place to enjoy some real Texas BBQ. When I got out of the car, I was really looking forward to the food. In addition, it was the only place where we had waitresses take our orders and deliver our food vs. order at the counter.

In contrast to the other places we visited, Pit Stop BBQ is a full-service restaurant not a stand. Very friendly people who seemed eager to please. Sadly, their BBQ came in a rather distant fourth place to the other three places we visited earlier in the day.  . .Quite frankly, I missed the bark and fat on the brisket. Instead, their brisket was lean, thinly sliced and rather dry. It needed sauce.  Although I voted against ordering the Bologna and became even more skeptical when it arrived on our table "blackened" (just as the jukebox blared out AC/DC's "Back in Black"), I have to admit that the flavor was the best of any of the barbequed Bologna we had on Saturday.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the peach cobbler, though I didn't try it. Despite their rather unremarkable BBQ, I still  believe Pit Stop BBQ would be a fun, family-friendly restaurant to enjoy on a Saturday night, especially when they have a band playing and games of horseshoes and dart competitions underway.  And based on what you reported back about the pit master's comments, it sounds like they are cooking BBQ exactly the way their customers like it so it doesn't really matter whether we loved it or not.

The South of DFW BBQ Tour

9am: Leave Dallas.
10am: BBQ on the Brazos, 9001 E Hwy 377, Cresson, TX. Open Mon-Fri 6:30am-3pm, Sat 9am-3pm.www.bbqonthebrazos.com
11:45am: Lazy S&M BBQ, 2008 Conveyer Drive, Joshua, 817-475-5687. Open Tues-Wed 6am-4pm, Thurs-Fri 6am-7pm, Sat 10:30am-3pm.
1pm: Jambo's BBQ Shack, 5460 E FM 1187, Rendon, 817-478.2277. Open Tues-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 11am-3pm. http://jambosbbqshack.com
2:30pm: Pit Stop BBQ, 3921 S Highway 287, Waxahachie, 972-923-8921. Open Mon-Tue 11am-9pm, Wed 11am-10pm, Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm. http://www.pitstopbbq.net
4pm: Back in Dallas.

 Pitmaster Steve Graham's cap displays Pit Stop BBQ's motto: "Meat So Tender You Can Leave Your Teeth at Home."
(Photo ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)