Monk: In the following video, YouTuber Joshua Weissman is joined by private chef/Instagram star (and new Texas resident) Olivia Tiedemann on a journey to try the best barbecue in Texas, all of which are on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 list and four of which received Michelin stars last year (CorkScrew BBQ in Spring and Interstellar Barbecue, La Barbecue, and LeRoy and Lewis in Austin).
Joshua and Olivia visit 17 joints in total and rated each one and slotted them onto a big board as they go for both brisket and sides. Starting in Houston, they then make their way to Austin before heading Central Texas, the panhandle, and eventually DFW. Your favorite barbecue editor even makes an appearance at the end of the video.
What was their favorite and did it match up with Texas Monthly’s #1? Check the video to find out.
Name: Pecan Lodge Date: 1/6/24 Address: 2702 Main St., Dallas, TX Order: “The Trough” (1 beef rib, 1lb of pork ribs, 1lb brisket, 1/2 lb of pulled pork & 2 sausage links), half pound turkey, collards, fried okra (Link To Menu) Price: $$$
Speedy: On my second day of Dallas, it was time to return to Pecan Lodge, a barbecue mecca that I had not visited since 2018. Arriving at around 10:50 AM, ten minutes prior to opening, my group of three was greeted with a small line of maybe a dozen people ahead of us, far shorter than the last time I visited, in the before times (aka in 2018). After a short wait, it was our turn to order.
When it comes to ordering at Pecan Lodge, you only have to make two decisions: 1) what sides do you want? (we went with collards and okra); and 2) what meat(s) do you want in addition to The Trough (we went with turkey)? I cannot stress this enough – you must order the Trough at Pecan Lodge, regardless of how many people you are with. The only exception is if you have a big group and need to order two or more Troughs. Not that we’ve settled that, let’s talk about the food.
The brisket was just as I remembered – peppery and flavorful – and remains the top dog at Pecan Lodge. There’s not much to say about it other than it remains in my top tier of brisket ever tasted, the likes of which you would be hard pressed to find outside of Texas.
The other 5 hog item from my last review was the beef rib. I’m sorry to report that the beef rib did not quite live up to those 5 hog expectations next time. The rib was still very good – meaty, cooked well, and tender, but I felt it was a little under seasoned this time.
The other meat that I was slightly let down by (mostly due to crazy high expectations) was the pulled pork. While tender, the pork was a little dry this time around, and frankly needed some sauce. Thankfully, there was plenty of vinegar sauce available to remedy this, but the pork was probably my least favorite part of the meal.
On the positive end of the spectrum were the ribs. In my latest review on Terry Black’s Barbecue, I went on the great rib rant of 2024, only for the barbecue gods to deliver me two good rib experiences in a row. I had previously been disappointed by the ribs at the Lodge, but on this date, they were meaty, perfectly cooked, seasoned well, and delicious. I would put them a notch behind Terry Black’s (that glaze was good!) but still very good.
The sausage and turkey were both above average, and the sides were everything I remembered (aka really good); recommended all around.
All of that was a lot of food, which meant tons of leftovers. Which means, dear reader, it’s time for a new category – reheatability.
Monk: Wait a minute, I thought we needed to take a vote to introduce a new category…
Speedy: …I’ve found that reheating barbecue can be a hit or miss activity, causing dry meats to become inedible and otherwise damaging meats that are not seasoned appropriately. None of that was a problem for anything at Pecan Lodge. I’m not sure how they did it but every meat (and the okra!) from Pecan Lodge re-heated wonderfully with 20 minutes in the oven. It was honestly as good heated up later as it was at the restaurant. 5 hogs!
One challenge about going back to the scene of a heavenly barbecue experience is that expectations have changed. There is no surprise left, and anything that is less than perfect is magnified.
Monk: That was…beautiful, Speedy.
Speedy: That said, the meal at Pecan Lodge was still an amazing experience, and among the best meals I’d had in a long time. If you’re in Dallas, it’s still a must visit.
Name: Terry Black’s Barbecue (Dallas) Date: 1/5/24 Address: 3025 Main St., Dallas, TX Order: Brisket, pork ribs, (original) sausage, turkey (Link To Menu) Price: $$
Speedy: On the first weekend of the new year, I went down to Dallas to spend the weekend with a couple of friends. I had already prepped the squad that a visit to Pecan Lodge was a must, which we had planned for Saturday afternoon but that left Friday night open, at least cuisine-wise. When searching close by restaurants, I came upon Terry Black’s Barbecue. Obviously I am familiar with the Black family, and I remember quite fondly my 2014 visit to Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart. So I asked my (normally non-barbecue) bros if they wanted to double up on the ‘cue. They agreed and it was on.
We arrived at the restaurant, which was a typical Texas cafeteria style joint. It was fairly crowded (not many open tables), but only around 5 people in front of us in line, so the wait was short. Side note: Terry Black’s in Dallas has a nice, large outdoor space with plenty of tables, but this evening was a little chilly so it was empty.
We went through and ordered sides (green beans and mac &cheese) and got to a meat station. One thing I really appreciated is that once you got through the sides line, there were several meat slicers, since that takes a little more time. This moved the line really quickly. We got our order, found a table, and it was time to dig in.
Being a Texas joint, let’s start with the brisket. We were not asked whether we wanted fatty or lean brisket (not sure if this is still a thing – we were not asked at Pecan Lodge the next day either), but we ended up with lean. The worry here, obviously, is the brisket getting dry, but that was not the case. Cooked perfectly and moist, the brisket was very good. My only complaint is I felt it could use a little more seasoning.
The other Texas staple, the original sausage, was also good. It did not fall apart when sliced, had nice flavor, and a nice hint of smoke. While enjoyable, nothing really set it apart, and it was probably my least favorite meat of the meal.
Let’s take an aside to talk about ribs. For whatever reason, I’ve really struggled finding solid pork ribs lately. Often overcooked, over seasoned or over sauced, and often overly fatty, this feels to me like a (mostly) lost art form. (Shame note: This has extended to my own rib smoking. Ole Speedy will be going back to the drawing board with his rib technique in 2024.) Well this was not a problem at Terry Black’s. Perfectly seasoned and cooked spare ribs, I was able to get a nice clean bite. There was also a nice, sweet (but not overly) glaze on the ribs, enhancing the smoky flavor of the meat.
OK, saving the best for last: the turkey (yes, I said it). Monk and I are both on record discussing our appreciation for good smoked turkey. Well, this turkey breast took the cake. Moist, buttery, well-seasoned, and with smoke and seasoning permeating every bite of the meat, this was the best turkey that I’ve ever had. While the perfect bite of brisket still shines as the top bite in barbecue, this turkey definitely deserves a seat at the table. It is an absolute must order and something I will dream about.
Rudy: I really don’t have anything to add other than to state that I am firmly in the anti-turkey camp. Mostly because there are so many things that I would rather have than it. Also, the worst part about this review is looking over it and looking back over my review of Terry Black’s in Austin from 2015. It makes me miss good barbecue so much (Editor’s note: Rudy moved to Michigan from Austin a few years back). I’m looking forward to the upcoming Pecan Lodge review because it may have been my #2 favorite place, definitely top 3, when I lived in Texas.
Speedy: Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Terry Black’s Barbecue. I always worry about “chain” barbecue restaurants, but with only 3 locations, quality at this Dallas location was still on point.
Monk: Is the Texas barbecue bubble about to burst? Daniel Vaughn reports slowdowns at a few barbecue joints in Texas due in part to the sheer number of joints that have opened in recent years, the intense heat wave that rocked Texas over the summer, and the skyrocketing price of brisket.
As a result, joints are struggling to make the economics work and are trying to lure casual customers in with lower cost items or specials.
From an outsider’s perspective it does seem as if the growth was unsustainable but despite that, Vaughn lists his reasons why he thinks the barbecue bubble isn’t quite yet about to burst. A fascinating read.
“I get bummed whenever we don’t have lines out the door like we used to, but I’m still doing what I love, and I’m proud of what we do."
What else has the heat taken from us? Apparently, the enjoyment of barbecue. https://t.co/4p2TIjrTzi
GGCC Smokehouse, an all-wood smoked barbecue food truck, is in the final four of the CharlotteFive Reader’s Choice Poll
CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice 2023 poll: You’ve told us your go-to food trucks. Now it’s time to decide which one reigns supreme. https://t.co/sMhww9ui8E
The Lexington Barbecue Festival is featured in CLTure’s fall festival guide
From food and music to arts and culture, North Carolina has a ton of cool fall festivals and events to cherish the autumn months. 🍂 https://t.co/kIPoR1bWYW
ICYMI, The Smoke Sheet recently profiled Morris Barbeque in Hookerton
In today's issue, Sean shares his experience visiting Morris Barbeque in small-town Hookerton, NC. This Saturday-only joint has a rich history, serves excellent pork and hushpuppies, and it changed some of Sean's BBQ preconceptions. Read here: https://t.co/BIo7mwOBrdpic.twitter.com/T8OXI3nwkU
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