BBQ Signs of our times - Chapter 2

Our series of photos of great signs at BBQ joints continues. These photos are from our recent trips to Taylor, for the Taylor International BBQ Cookoff, and from the recent Brazos and Beyond BBQ Tour.

As I've said before, nothing reveals the character of a good BBQ joint better than a great sign! The more homemade the sign, the more remarkable your dining adventure will likely be.

Loco Coyote Grill, Glen Rose

Taylor Cafe, Taylor, Texas

Taylor Cafe, Taylor, Txeas

Loco Coyote Grill, Glen Rose

Loco Coyote Grill, Glen Rose

RibShack BBQ, Granbury

Interstate 10, east of Beaumont

(Photos by Chris Wilkins, Tom Fox and Irwin Thompson)

Lunch at Pecan Lodge: Is this the best brisket in Dallas?

Dallas is a city in desperate need of great barbeque. The chains are on every corner, but I'm talking GREAT barbeque.

You have Meshack's, oops, that's in Garland. What about Randy's BBQ? That's in Red Oak, doesn't count. Fort Worth had some great joints, but that ain't Dallas either. It's been pretty lonely for the Baby Back Shak over the past few years, reigning as the best joint in Dallas.

Enter Pecan Lodge at the Dallas Farmer's Market. Once again, Daniel Vaughn and his Full Custom Gospel BBQ blog blazes the trail when it comes to new and upcoming BBQ joints, giving Pecan Lodge his first four-star rating in the city of Dallas.

Four members of the Texas BBQ Posse headed east down Young St. to check out Pecan Lodge today. We were really happy to see some signs of life in shed #2 at the Dallas Farmer's Market, the potential of the place seems obvious. We beat the lunch crowd and ordered as soon as we walked up, meeting owner/pitmaster Justin Fourton in the process. Justin and his wife Diane, aka "Boss Lady" run the joint.

Long story short, the brisket and ribs were tremendous. Despite the mesquite smoke they had in common, the rubs and cooking techniques were completely different. I have to agree with The Dallas Observer, sliced brisket at Pecan Lodge is one of the top 100 Favorite Dishes in Dallas.

Check out Edible DFW for the back story on Pecan Lodge, it's a great tale. And head down to Dallas Farmer's Market Shed #2 if you want to taste what might just be the best brisket in the city of Dallas.

Pecan Lodge, 1010 South Pearl Expressway, Farmer's Market Shed #2, Dallas, TX, 75201, (214) 748-8900. Open: Thur-Fri 11am-3pm, Sat-Sun 9am-3pm.


The BBQ Plate, sliced brisket and ribs, with a side of macaroni and cheese topped with bacon.

Left, the Brisket Tacos and right, The "Hot Mess," a smoked sweet potato topped in brisket and various other goodies.

(Photos by Chris Wilkins)

The Hard Eight: Jewel's favorite BBQ joint

The Hard Eight in Stephenville was our third stop on the Brazos & Beyond BBQ Tour. The posse was eleven strong as we rode into the town, described as "The Cowboy Capital of the World" by some folks.

The posse was all over the board when it came to critiquing Hard Eight Barbecue. Some thought it was great, some average. However, on one issue we were all in agreement --- the free beer on a hot day was great!

Here are a few Texas BBQ Posse member observations on the Hard Eight, just named by singer Jewel in a People magazine story as her & hubby Ty Murry's favorite BBQ joint in the world.

Bryan Gooding:
One has to wonder when you are just using mesquite coals if you are not losing a lot of smoke flavor in the meat. It was puzzling to me how subdued the smoke flavor and smoke ring was on their meat. On the flavor profile I personally found their flavors a tad bland  and I believe this had to do with the lack of any rub on the 1st stage of cooking. I would have preferred a spicier rub.

Tom Fox:
As far as Hard Eight…it’s like the A&M Aggies. All about tradition. The Cadet Corp has the "Keepers of the Spirit", H8 are the "Keepers of the Meat." They have the modern day era twin bonfires burning outside to feed the half dozen outdoor pits. I love that you can basically pick your choice of meat right from the pit. We had the pork chop on the bone, dipped. I don’t know what was in that vat but the chop was one of the best I’ve had.Tried the brisket. I was partial though after being spoiled by the folks at Loco Coyote. A must try is the spicy bbq sauce.

Marshall Cooper:
The Hard Eight pit arena was fun and interesting to observe but it appeared they "push" their pits for production not quality. The brisket was tender but sub-par as there no rich smoked flavor. as one would expect for true BBQ. The ribs were the same but not tender as if they were not done, due to "pushing" their pits. The pork chop looked great but was dry as hell. The sausage was good. Overall the place seemed to cater to tourists and large groups.

Hard-Eight Barbeque: 1091 Glen Rose Road (Hwy 67), Stephenville, TX, 76401, (254) 968-5552, Open: Mon-Thur 10:30am–9pm, Fri-Sat 10:30am–10pm, Sun 10:30am–3:00pm.

If you want a shorter drive from Dallas, Hard Eight also has a DFW location in Coppell.




Photos  ©Tom Fox, R.J. Hinkle and Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse

Loco Coyote Grill: We'll be baaaack...

Our second stop on the recent Brazos and Beyond BBQ Tour was the Loco Coyote Grill, near Glen Rose. Posse member Tom Fox shares his take on this first class BBQ joint, as follows:

"Pulling up at the Loco Coyote Grill in rural Glen Rose, one gets the all too familiar feel about the place. It wasn’t until I opened the car door and heard Waylon and Willie’s ‘Luckenbach, Texas ‘ playing on the outdoor speakers, I realized, that’s it. A Meat Joint.

On that hot summer day the beer was ice cold in the bucket and the barbecue was smoking hot. Before I got my hands on those ribs and brisket, I saw that huge BBQ Po Boy pass by our table. There’s no one I know that could ever fit his or her mouth around that.

As far as the sampling I had, the brisket was smoky and wet, just the way I like it. Had just enough of the fat left on it to give it that flavor profile that we commonly refer to now. The ribs were equally as good if not better. Once again ‘wet’ and scrumptious - all the way to the bone.

They spared no expense when I ordered two pounds of each for the road. It felt like ten. I’m already tossing around the idea of coming back on a cool fall evening with live music playing on the outdoor stage, a cigar in one hand and an ice cold beer in the other…after trying that BBQ Po Boy sandwich of course."

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.



Photos ©R.J. Hinkle, Chris Wilkins & Tom Fox

Sunday morning at the Taylor Cafe

One of the highlights of our weekend trip to Taylor was meeting Vencil Mares on Sunday morning at the Taylor Cafe, which he has owned and operated since 1949. After two straight days of nothing but BBQ, we had skipped a planned stop there on Saturday night when the wives refused to go, forcing Gary and I to eat healthy salads instead.

I wasn't sure they were open on Sundays, but when we cruised by that morning and saw Vencil sitting at the bar through the screen window, it was game on.

I introduced myself and he explained this was the only place you'll get barbeque in Taylor on Sundays. Vencil cut a deal with the local preachers long ago, allowing him to open on Sundays. His part of the deal was not starting to selling beer until the last Sunday morning service had ended.

I sat with him at the bar and we talked the barbeque for 20 minutes or so. He insisted I go into his office to look around and take some photos. The tiny 6x6-foot office was a museum of his life, the walls covered with photos, paintings, deer trophies and war medals from his time as a medic and war hero in WW II.

If you go by the Taylor Cafe, it's very likely you'll find Vencil sitting at the bar. He's there to greet folks seven days a week for over 60 years, from morning til night.

I ordered a pound of brisket and a pound of beef sausage to go. He insisted that I try some of their turkey sausage, adding that to my take out bag.

Good thing it was Sunday morning. This was like going to the church of barbeque, a true religious experience. By the way, the sausage and brisket was every bit as good and Vencil said it would be.....

Taylor Cafe, 101 N Main St., Taylor, TX, 76574, (512) 352-847. Open Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-11pm.



(Photos ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse)

Fear & Loathing at the Taylor International Barbeque Cookoff

We had an absolutely amazing weekend starting Friday night in Taylor, Texas. The primary purpose of the trip was to attend the Taylor International Barbeque Cookoff on Saturday, but the weekend began on Friday night with a dinner visit at Louie Mueler Barbecue followed by wine, cigars and great music on the back deck at the Talbot Street Bed & Breakfast in Taylor.

Saturday morning brought the Texas BBQ bloggers round table at Louie Mueller, arranged by our friend Daniel Vaughn. Then on to the Taylor cookoff for some BBQ 101.

Fellow posse member Gary Jacobson and I need all the intel we can get. The Texas BBQ Posse will be participating in our first cookoff, Blues, Bandits & BBQ in Oak Cliff on Sept. 11-12. Fortunately posse member Marshall Cooper has been smoking meat for 25 years, so hopefully the posse can hang in there at the BB&BBQ in the OC!

Thanks to several of the crews we met and talked technique with at the Taylor cookoff, including Kevin Widmer and Brian Rieger of The Ramblin' Rednecks team from Taylor, shown in the photo above. Also to Robert Sierra and the S&S Pit Crew from San Marcos. Lastly to Allen McAllister and Team Mimosa, who got tenth in brisket at their first cookoff.

The view of BBQ USA from across the pond at Murphy Park.
The beautiful customized BBQ rig of Robert Sierra and the S&S Pit Crew from San Marcos. They won first place for Most Elaborate Rig.
Robert Sierra, cook for the S&S Pit Crew tests his competition brisket.
The tenth-place brisket cooked by Team Mimosa of Taylor. Great finish out of 89 teams, especially considering this was their first cookoff.

Photos ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse