Bulldozer.... next time i am in the area i'll try to get over to Franklin and try it,
i dont live anywhere near it so i'll get a mess of it to go and be hapy with that till
i find my way back again at some point.

at that price.... i wouldnt make a habit of it anyway when there is good brisket out there for $9/pound.
eating it the frequency i do..... i couldnt pay that but once in a while. lol

anyway... thanks for mentioning it. i look forward to trying it.

Bulldozer.... thanks for posting that link.
MAN i am SOOO so sorry i started this thread.... i wish they could delete it so that people wont think its the place IN LULING !

i just didnt know there was anyplace in Houston trying to copy the place in Luling.
its just TERRIBLE what they have done.

your link really explains what happened.

thanks again

YESSSSS I WAS WRONG ! OMG ! I FEEL LIKE A JERK !
i had NO idea that someone had run off with the name and had a resturant in Huston !

CITY MARKET IN LULING IS STILL $9 a pound !
MAN! i am SOOOO SORRY !

i thought that was the one in Luling i had NO idea there was another one.

now breathing a sigh of relief.... because the one IN LULING is GREAT and STILL $9/pound !

YESSSS ! CITY MARKET !
Here's the link ! http://www.lulingcitymarket.com/menu....

NOT GOOD !

Tomorrow i was about to go to Luling for brisket. just for grins i called them to check on the price because a friend of mine wanted a pound and i wasnt sure how much it was there.

WELL ! i called and i got the anwer ! and BOY were they tenative about it too..... they almost didnt want to answer. HA ! and NOW i see why ! i coud hear it in the voice.

so i asked..... when did the price change...... and she kept being evasive about it.
finally she told me 6 months ago.

the last time i was there i only got a half pound and didnt even bother to check the price because i was in a hurry to get home... so i didnt realize it had gone up. i thought it was kind of high but i thought i was imagining things. lol

COME ON !......$13.35 a pound? when there are SO many good places that dont even come close to that kind of price. ... or do they? maybe i'm wrong.

what are they tryin to do here? are they chasin the tourist dollar?
i mean luling is GREAT but WOW !
ON PRINCIPLE ! ....i am NOT payin THAT kind of money for good BBQ when i can go somewhere else and get it just as good for less.

am i crazy or what?
$13.35 is insane..... thats just not right.

tomorrow i am goin for brisket..... BUT NOT to Luling !

OK well..... i finally polished off my last BBQ haul from Lockhart.
so.... it was time to try something else i hadnt had before.

i kept driving by McBees BBQ and finally today i decided to stop in.
the parking is a little tight but it works if you go early or later after lunch i think.

when i walked in..... they had the brisket under some warming lamps..... i almost walked out.... but decided to stay and just get a half pound and some sausage to take home.

i ordered the brisket fatty.... as usual and i got a small piece of sausage as well.
they gave me bread and some sauce too

i wasnt expecting much when i got home but i have to tell ya..... the brisket was tender and smokey and well marbled. i was really shocked it was so good
they really nailed it.

i didnt care too much for the sausage..... it was nothing special..... but i will DEFINITELY be back for the brisket again.
i was melt in your mouth wonderful.

well..... that said...... good brisket is crap shoot. you never know if you are gonna hit them on an off day or not..... but today ! it was WONDERFUL !

so.... i add McBees to my list of regular stops.
if anyone has tried them..... i'd like to hear what you think since my experience was really good.

Yeah.... i wonder about Kreuz ..... i keep going there in hopes that i'll find it on a good day.... but really ! with Smittys and Blacks...... i dont know why i bother.

i am just ever hopeful that they'll have something i want the next time i go in there.
i dont know how many folks like brisket wet and well marbled but if you like your brisket dry.... Kreuz is for you. LOL

i had some of Blacks spare ribs today for lunch..... GOOD GOLLY they were out of this world tasty as the day i got them.... the meat was deeply smoked and the texture was enough to make your eyes glaze over.
its a good thing i was home eatin 'em..... i'm sure people would have been lookin at me funny..... my face all contorted in pleasure. LOL

if i had a decent camera on my phone i'd take a picture of them.... they are truely a thing of beauty. .... but my phone stinks.

So.....you have to go try them for yourself. if you are in Lockhart....and you like pig....
DONT MISS THESE !

OK...... today i had to go down to Lockhart to get Q from the big 3 in town..... Blacks, Smitty and
Kreuz...... had to bring home enough for the next 5 days at least LOL

I first went to Blacks but the line was VERY long so i thought... ok..... i'll hit Smitty now and come back to Blacks later.

there was alot of people eating in Smittys when i got there but no line in the smoke pit.
what a wonderful place Smiitys is..... LOVE that burning wood when you come in thru the back way....on a cold day you can stop and warm your hands.

anyway..... i just got a pound of brisket.... and some links. WET brisket too ! they were kind enough to fish out another piece of meat from the pit to give me just what i wanted.
when theres a line they usually dont want to do that. ( at least thats been my experience)
i like it well marbled and this look wonderful.

since i am taking this home.... they wrapped it up good and i was on my way.

my next stop was Kreuz.
i havent been in this place for a long time....since the last visit was a disaster.
but..... since BBQ is an organic product.... there can be good days and bad days.... i thought i would try again.
for Kreuz..... TODAY was ANOTHER BAD day !

i walked in..... there was no line at the pit...... but plenty of cars in the lot.
again..... i asked for a pound of well marbled brisket.
the manager was there..... he was doing the cutting.

as i was watching him i could see the meat he selected had a HUGE glob of fat nearly half the width of the meat portion of the slice.
Hold on i said...... i want it marbled please..... not a big chunk of fat hanging off the end of it.
they looked at me like i had six heads !

then he pulls out a lean piece with NO fat at all.
look i said..... what i want is some good marbled meat.... you know.... like kind of running thru the beef?

he looks at me and says.... i'm sorry.... we dont have anything like that.
BY NOW I AM THINKING WHAT?
what on earth is going on here.

i politely excused myself and said ok i'm sorry..... this is just not my day.
and i left.
i couldnt bring myself to buy anything..... the meat looked SO bad...... i just couldnt believe this place.
now i am not saying i wont go back there because..... BBQ can be good or bad depending on the day you go. but this is disappointment TWICE in a row and i am starting to wonder if i will ever go back. LOL

my last stop was Blacks. by now the line was gone and there wasnt a soul in the place.
i ordered my pound of marbled brisket and it was AMAZING !
they gave me a piece to taste and it was RIGHT ON THE MONEY !
THESE people know brisket.
they are consistently good over and over again.

i also asked for a half rack of ribs...... when they cut the rack in half.... i about fainted. they were
SOOO BEAUTIFUL !
HUGE meaty spareribs.... all pink with smoke and a moist luscious texture.
just ready to go face down in.
i mean these were the best ribs yet that i have seen from Blacks.

anyway..... when i got home.... i couldnt help myself ... right away i dove into one of those beautiful ribs and it was as good as it looked. deep smokey rich flavor.....and right off the bone with just enough tooth.
they were SO big..... i had to hold myself to TWO of them becuase there was brisket waiting.

the meat from Smittys was wonderful. not the same flavor and texture as Blacks..... but equally as good...... sliced from a different part of the brisket.... smokey and flavorful.

so.... thats my Lockhart report today. thumbs up for Blacks and Smittys..... thumbs down for Kreuz.
who knows what will happen on my next trip into town. maybe Kreuz will be better....never can tell with BBQ.

i'll be back again in a few weeks.... i'm trying not to be such a BBQ addict... but its not easy you know when you live so close to these places. LOL

YEAH! i DEFINITELY second THAT ! HATE the redskins !

Thats funny Amysue..... but i think when you grow up around something...maybe it can become no big deal.
its hard to say.

but.....everyone has their hot buttons...... Texas smoke pits just happen to be mine. LOL

HA ! i havent even been here for 6 weeks ! its been about 4 weeks i think... and YESSSSS ! i HAVE been burning up the highways. i havent really had THAT much of a chance to get round to many places.

I have been to :
Kreuz
Smittys
Blacks
Southside market (Elgin)
Meyers (Elgin)
Coopers (Llano and New Braunfels)
Salt Lick
Louie Muellers
Luling ( city market)

I think thats about it so far. some of these places i have been to a few times and of course, Lockhart i cant help going back to over and over again.

I have not been to Snows or Gonzales or Giddings.... i just now ,a few days ago got my furniture, LOL.
and even THEN.... i was DYING to go but i had to wait for the movers on several different days.... so i just didnt have the time.

but so far..... i have to say i REALLY dont have a favourite. they all have been good at different times in their own way. I know that brisket is variable so when i go in to a pit i dont have expectations.... i just wait to see what they have. if it looks good.... i'll buy it.

i HAVE noticed though that some places ... like Kreuz... had people slicing that were NOT willing to pull out another brisket to give me the cut i wanted.
when i asked for wet and well marbled... they just cut me what they had and it was dry and not very good.
so... i thought to myself... ok...... i am not going to be back again for a while when i have other places like Blacks and Smittys that i can usually count on for a nice bit of brisket.

Salt lick was also very responsive to my request as well as Luling and Blacks.

BUT.... because i live here now i am not obsessed with whether a brisket is right all the time. if i see it isnt then... i just go somewhere else.
and by going to Lockhart.... i always know that i have a choice if someones brisket is not looking too good that day.

i would LOVE to go to Snows but thats got to be a planned trip since there is a HUGE line involved. i have nitemares about getting there and they are sold out before i get to the counter. LOL
AND..... i dont want to buy a whole brisket because there are other places to try.
so maybe i will save Snows for last... after i have been to all the others i can get to.

Because i havent lived here for so many years..... i am SOOOO GRATEFUL to have all this Q in my back yard so even the few misteps i have encountered have been OK with me becuase i have been SO used to doing WITHOUT for SO long..... even the misteps are better than anything i could get other places i have lived.

so..... the road trips will continue till i have hit as many of them as i can.
when i have the time to travel longer distances.... i will eventually get to most of them. and then start ALL over again LOL

The hot links have been good in all the places i have been..... i dont have a favourite there either. they are all different.
the only ribs i have had were from Blacks and they were fabulous so i cant speak for ribs either at the moment.

I do have to say i have been enjoying myself IMMENSELY...... sliding around to all these famous pits. LOL and it tickles me that i can just.... drive over now instead of taking a plane or a plannning a road trip hundreds and hundreds of miles for a few days of smoked bliss.

so.... anyway...... as of now... no favourites.
but good old reliable Blacks is at the top of my list

i am ALSO on the trail of a GREAT Texas pecan pie.
THAT and a kick ass chick fried steak are my other projects.

GEEZ! I got alot of work to do here.
good thing i am hungry all the time LOL

-----
the Salt lick
Driftwood, TX, Driftwood, TX

Salt Lick
3350 E Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78665

funny you should mention Coopers in New Braunfels. i was there for lunch a few days ago and was suprised at how good it was. they were on their game for sure.
i sat in the back room and had a quiet lunch in the late afternoon.

yes their beans are good but they dont have enough smoke flavour for me. i like really smokey beans. but... i did enjoy being there. i had only been to the pit in Llano .... and i liked what i had that day as well.

so far... i havent encountered any brisket i havent enjoyed. even the worst i have had is BETTER than anything i could get in all the other places i have lived over the years. LOL
so..... right now.... no complaints from me.

i will have to try Coopers cobbler. thanks for your comment.

OK so i have officially given up trying to find good BBQ beans. what i HAVE done though.... is save all the tailings from my trips to the smoke pits. i have a BIG pile of leftover bits and bobs from the last few weeks in the freezer and TODAY..... i got my crock pot out and put the beans in with the BBQ scraps and presto ! 10 hours later......
GREAT BEANS !

i think i need to add a bit more seasoning but ...,not being a cook..... i am not sure just how to tweek it. but as they are now..... they came out wonderful ! nice meaty BBQ flavour ! ... AND.......next to no trouble to make with a crockpot.

LOL..... well at least i know where i can get decent beans now......
AT HOME !

I had Kruez a few days ago and was very disappointed. i must have caught them on an off day. i'll try them again sometime.
i should get down to Luling and get some brisket from city market. its been a while since i have had any. as i recall it was pretty good.
tomorrow might be a good day when i am doing my grocery shopping.... i can pop in for a quick half pound to go..... and a half of their sausage as well.
thanks for reminding me.

And speaking of Kreuz.... i was there today... as well as Smitty's and Blacks and i have to say you are right about them. i got a half pound of wet brisket to take home at all 3 places and Kreuz was just not as good as Blacks and Smittys.

that doesnt mean i wont go back again but.... next time i do .... i am gonna make sure i examine more closely what they are slicing for me. when i got it home there was a whole HALF of a slice was nothing but FAT !
now i like fat..... but NOT THAT much !
i saved it in the freezer..... i'll put it in to flavour my beans next time i make them. LOL

i live here....... so i wont be ordering aything i can just drive over and get. ... but.....
thanks for the suggestion about Snows.... i will make a point to get over there and get some.

OK so what are these beans in Progreso like?
are they like real BBQ beans with a smokey flavour or just your standard Mexican beans..... which are good..... but not real cowboy style beans

OH YEAH ! i have been LOL
i am not a BBQ addict for nuthin !

in search of the smokiest meats around..... LOVE the smoke !

oh no..... i wouldnt pick a joint based on the beans. i would make a special trip there just to get a quart of beans to keep in the fridge at home. so i can heat them up when i want them. LOL then go somewhere else to get the meat.

i dont usually eat beans with BBQ anyway. i like them on their own as a light meal.
i eat Q with white bread and maybe some slaw.... but thats about it,
no onions or pickles or nothin, just plain meat and bread most of the time.

BUT... i LOVE good smokey beans and a small dish makes a good light meal when i am in the mood for them

so i guess i mis-represented myself. i would never pick a joint based on its sides. LOL i dont really care about them when i am eating good Q.
sorry about that.

i just wanted to know where i could get good scratch made cowboy beans so i could buy a qanity and take them home.

I just polished off a plate of Louie Mullers brisket i had in the freezer and it was fabulous....just as smokey and tasty as the day i bought it.

so it got me to thinkin......who in Central Texas has the smokiest meats?
what do ya think?
'
for me..... its all about the wet (fatty) smokiest brisket, ribs and links.

thanks

well..... i guess that explains it. thanks alot. LOL guess i'll have to be making my own. never thought that these pits would not have good smoky beans.
thanks

i'm talkin about cowboy beans.... like the kind you get in any good smoke pit around here. not the baked beans of the northeast.

I just moved to Canyon Lake Tx. and one of the things i love MOST is GREAT BBQ Beans !
where can i get the best? ... and i dont mind travelin if i have to.
I like em' nice and smokey.

so? who is doing REALLY super GREAT BEANS ?

Thanks ALOT !