Stopped in Lockhart and was not impressed with Black's at all. Friday evening and it was empty. Tasted the bbq and found out why. Smitty's was closed. On a Friday evening! All hype. I make better bbq than that. I must admit that the recipe I use is the same recipe that won Memphis in May a few years ago.

Took me awhile but I found it. It was in the April 2011 edition of Texas Monthly. There are actually some pretty good recipes for other foods in there as well.

Here is the article on the brisket:

The Dish

Why do we love brisket above all other barbecued meats? Is it because of its resonant beefy flavor, its exterior as shiny as black patent leather, its rivulets of fat moistening every mouthful and staining the eater’s shirt? Yes. The very nature of brisket is to be delicious. Yet there’s more to it than that. We love brisket because cooking it is a spiritual path, a quest that, as a wise man once said, begins with a single log. The steps toward enlightenment are threefold. The seeker of Brisket Truth must first embrace mental discipline, immersing himself in the craft of tending the fire and minding the meat. Second, the seeker must practice physical discipline, to be capable of wielding and slicing a twelve-pound brisket after having consumed a six-pack of Shiner Bock. Finally, the seeker must exhibit spiritual discipline, neither napping beside the smoker, nor wandering inside to catch the game on TV, nor sneaking off to update his Facebook page. The person who does these things is granted true knowledge of the brisket’s essence. He who honors this ritual is prepared for life.

How to Make It

You’ve driven to Lockhart for back-to-back meals at Smitty’s and Kreuz. You’ve talked your co-workers into two-hour meat-only lunches. You’ve written exasperated letters to a certain magazine about its barbecue coverage. It’s time now to put your passion into real practice. And who better to teach you how to smoke a brisket than Aaron Franklin? The 33-year-old Austin pitmaster started learning his chops as a kid—his parents briefly owned a place in Bryan—and later honed his technique by throwing many backyard barbecue parties, working for a year at the highly regarded Austin spot run by John Mueller (eventually buying his pit), and visiting the legendary joints of Central Texas. His sixteen-month-old Franklin Barbecue is the current sensation of the Texas barbecue world, inspiring road trips, feverish blog posts, and a blurb in Food & Wine magazine.

To cook a worthy brisket at home, Franklin says, “You want an offset smoker—that’s the style with a firebox off to one end.” (If you’re buying your first one, Pitts & Spits, Oklahoma Joe’s, and New Braunfels Smokers are all good manufacturers; count on paying at least $300.) His preferred woods are oak or hickory because “they taste best and burn clean.” Purchase a ten- to twelve-pound brisket—it will feed about a dozen people—that is well-marbled on the interior. Trim the exterior fat to between a fourth and a half an inch and rub the outside generously with kosher salt and coarse black pepper. While the meat is coming to room temperature, put some kindling and paper sprinkled with vegetable oil in the firebox. Once they’re burning steadily, add logs and let the temperature rise to between 225 and 250 degrees (an oven thermometer placed at grate level—very important—works fine). Hoist the brisket onto the grill, with the thicker end toward the fire and the fat cap facing up. Fill a foil loaf pan with water and put it as close as possible to the firebox. Then find a comfortable chair and read War and Peace. During the eight or more hours it will take the meat to cook—allowing 45 to 60 minutes a pound—watch the fire closely. Check the temperature every 20 minutes and adjust the vent, flap, and door to keep the heat even. Replenish the water as needed, do not poke the brisket with a fork, and, Franklin admonishes, “Do not turn it.” When an instant-read thermometer registers 195 to 203 degrees, the brisket is done. It’s best to take it off the heat a little sooner, though, because it will continue to cook. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Then slice it—fat side up, against the grain—and serve to people who deserve it. —PS

THANKS!!!!

thanks Ringer for posting that.... Simp, Kreuz Market is the most consistent of the three in Lockhart... Black's is really known for their sausage more than anything. Their sausage is extremely good.

I love Two fat boys BBQ. He smokes the meat with a Dr. pepper based mop sauce. It's tender as all get-out. I've only had the brisket though.

Erathkid, I when I saw your name, I was expecting a post about Hard 8 BBQ... yeah man, that fat boys is good stuff! He also has some good cajun sausage called boudain that I tried... that was all I ordered... Ill have to get the ribs next time and some reg sausage

Hard 8 is good.


I recently went to Church BBQ in Huntsville, Travel Channel calls it by the full name. It was very very good.

And has been for a very long time, I first ate there in the late 70's.

I am a BBQ Fanatic! I try to eat it where ever and when ever I can. Most all BBQ is good. Some of it is better and some of it is better than that!! I love to cook BBQ, I think it's pretty good. I am always trying too improve my technique. I try to learn from others, I watch and read every thing I can find on BBQ. I love to cook Brisket, Ribs, Pork Butt, Chicken, Pork RIbs and Chuck Roast. I am looking for a good supplier of big Beef Ribs so I can try to learn to cook them.

We all have our own technique of cooking BBQ it's different not necessarily good or bad just different.

Anyone in the Metroplex tried Meshacks in Garland? Look it up it's well worth a trip!

ill be smoking a 13lb brisket this weekend... cant wait... earlier today I was in Rockdale, which is only 20 miles from Snow's BBQ... wish they were not only open on Saturday~!!!

Did I miss it? Nobody mentioned the Salt Lick in Driftwood?

I did my own BBQ tour of Lockhart/Luling area as well as Salt Lick, Cooper's/Llano, County Line/Austin. I guess it depends on what day you go and what your personal preferences are b/c I loved Black's (good smoke ring, smoke flavor and tender) but Smitty's was the worst around (bland, no seasoning, no smoke ring/flavor, tough). Chisholm Trail was good and a great bargin (pound of brisket, 2 sausage rings, 3 sides = $13). A lot of food for me and the .

For what it's worth, my rankings for that area:

1. Black's
1. Salt Lick (tie)
3. Kruez (no sauce)
4. Chisholm Trail
5. County Line (Austin)
6. Cooper's
7. Central Market
8. Smitty's

Have not been to Franklin's or up to Taylor.

Yeah Salt Lick is good. It's more of a destination than a BBQ joint. Kinda like going to Six Flags or Sea World. Good food though and watching the pit boss work at the giant grill is worth the trip.....and the wait.

Aesthetically, I prefer BBQ joints that are old and creaky and appear on the edge of collapse.....or about to burst into flames.

lol at the flames... you'd love Louie Mueller's... its one of those old creeky ones.. and its delish

Huntsmanda, ive been to Lockhart several times and Ive found Black's and Smitty's (original Kreuz) to be inconsistent.... whereas, it seems Kreuz is much more consistently delicious...

I will have to try some of those others that you mentioned.... havent been to county line or salt lick.... drove by salt lick lots of times.

I went to a place in Bryan TX today called Fargo's... it was awesome... wish I could go back tomorrow.... hell I wish I had some right now.

They used to be in an old shack.. they just upgraded to an old Beefer's hamburgers location... the moist brisket was awesome... I mean wonderful... strong smoky flavor that was not too smoky but strong and it was buttery tender. I had ribs too... they were above average but the brisket was wonderful.

If you go to BCS.. you got to hit this place... its at 720 Texas (new location) in Bryan TX

I HAVE been to Louie Muellers, several times. It just might be the FACE of the perfect Texas BBQ joint.

If anyone ever drives through Colorado County on I-10, detour down FM 102 to Eagle Lake and stop at Austin's. It's pretty good stuff. Not a big fan of there sauce, but the brisket and saugage are delicious. Put's Mikeska's in Columbus to shame.

Swinging Door in Richmond Texas, been there since 1973. Try it out.

newulmboy, try Vincek's in East Bernard too. I think it's better than Austin's and Austin's IS good.

Also, I love Opie's in Spicewood.

I'm going to try Prause's in LaGrange next time through there.

Amen brotha, with that, I cannot argue!

I went to Prause's one time when my truck was being worked on down the road from there.... it looked and smelled wonderful.... I got up there and realized they were cash only .... ran to bank and they were sold out of everything when I got back.... I plan on hitting it again too

While your in there they have excellent beef cuts. they raise and process their own beef. Bone in ribeye is to die for.

Not to fond of their sausage kinda like elgin sausage to greasy.

that's good to know... that will actually get me down there quicker... there's nothing I love more than a good ribeye..

I smoked my second brisket this weekend... temperature ranged from 225 to 275.... mostly from 225 to 260...

Mostly oak with a little bit of pecan because I have a lot of pecan... 2 parts fresh coarse pepper to 1 part coarse kosher salt on the rub.....

Looks good!

I really like the crust that formed on that with the kosher salt and pepper. Did you wrap at all?

Thanks,