Ferrari Mailing List: Dennis Does Dallas

[Ken Rentiers (rentiers]

MIke says "If you want decent Texas BBQ, Dallas is not the place to  
go, you want to
go to Rudy's in Austin, or Countyline BBQ (also in Austin), or Hoopers
in hill country.  DFW BBQ places are mostly chains.  In Dallas there are
a few places you have to go to eat... "

This is true. What you want are the old-timey places that still use  
wood-fired pits. Most barbeque pits these days are chains. They employ  
gas-fired pits which dramatically shorten cooking times. Rule of thumb  
is: if someone didn't put it on the grill at 3 AM it ain't worth  
eating at noon. Support the true believers by patronizing those few  
mesquite-fired Temples Of Meat that still remain. Eat there early and  
often!

In DFW there is Baker's Ribs. From Texas Monthly's annual review I  
quote:

Good sign number one: the smell. Good sign number two: Cops eat here.  
Good sign number three: The countermen want to talk about their food.  
The brisket was outrageous, with a thick black crust, a ragged red  
layer, and a juicy core that pulled apart easily (it’s cooked fifteen  
hours over mesquite). The chicken was moist, and the pulled pork was  
smokier than the greasy ribs. Bottles of the thin sauce (with a little  
kick) are kept in warming trays. MH
Rating: 4.25.
2724 Commerce, 214-748-5433. Open Mon—Thur 11—7, Fri & Sat 11—9.  
Closed Sun. [Map] bakersribs.com

If you truly want transcendental tasting smoked meat the Center Of The  
Universe is Lockhart, Texas. This small town for some obscure reason  
has three and possibly four pits that regularly make everyone's "top  
five" list. Smitty's, Kruez's (pronounced Krites for some damn reason)  
and Blacks. Lockhart is about 20 miles south of Austin, which is way  
more fun than Dallas anyhow.

I would avoid Black's for now, I was there last Saturday and it had  
fallen off a bit which I attribute to staff absences during the  
holidays. It was only great, not outrageous. Black's has the best  
sausage ("links") for the most part. Also you can get accessories like  
plates and forks there, not to mention potatoes salad, beans and  
pickles. The true hard-line pits only give you slabs of steaming meat  
on waxed paper, with a slice or two of white bread. No sauce. No  
beans, potatoes or other pussy food. No forks. They used to chain  
their knives to the counter walls until the communists from the Dept.  
of Health came around.


http://www.texasmonthly.com/2008-06-01/feature6.php

http://www.texasmonthly.com/2008-06-01/feature7.php

uk

ps. dress warmly for Dallas. There is nothing between Dallas and the  
North Pole 'ceptin' a few strands of barbed wire!